Anonymous:
In the new Yu-Gi-Oh season it is true that they
use Seal Of Oracalcos but only the bad guys and yugi only used it once cause
one of the villians fooled with his mind. But yugi defeated the darkness in
the end.
I consider people like you less evolved in
the brain and a threat to society. You people shouldn't be allowed to breed
cause you might create monsters.Your up there on the list with Asoma Ben
Laden and Sadamn Hussien. No!! Your worse. Sadamn and Asoma had resons for
doing what they were doing but you people don't.
I hope you realize that your time is up and
that the powers of goodness will soon erase people like you.I am going to
protect my family from people like you.I love my parents very much and My
Dad is a better person than you people will ever be so just stop. Compared
to you the Columbine Killers were most likely saits.
I go to Tamms United Methodist Church in
Tamms Illinois.
Charles,
I’m curious about something. What do you mean by “the powers of
goodness will soon erase people like you?” Where do you think such
power comes from? Where did you learn about it? And who, besides us,
would be erased?
From Lee Gordon:
Not a comment, really, but an observation. In the new season of Yu-Gi-Oh,
a new card is introduced, called the seal of Oricalcos. The seal is a
unicursal hexagram, encased in a circle. In the show, when the seal of
Oricalcos is played during a duel, the loser of the duel 'looses his soul'.
I thought the symbol looked familiar, but couldn't place from where.
So I did some searching, and found this: unicursal hexagram (from about.com)
'The unicursal hexagram is so-called because it can be drawn unicursally-
that is, in one continuous movement. This is significant when forming
figures in ritual magick, where a continuous line is preferred to an
interrupted movement.
The symbol was devised by the
Golden Dawn, and later adapted by Aleister Crowley
as a device of personal significance. It is often worn by Thelemites as a
sign of religious identification and recognition.'
I've been reading your articles for some time now. I don't agree with
everything you say and believe, but I do enjoy your writings, and look
forward to reading more. Don't listen to those who constantly criticize your
work; you have just as much right to free speech as they do, and if they
don't like what you're writing, then they don't have to read it.
Thanks, Lee, for that
important warning. And thanks for sending links to illustrations so that
people will be able to recognize this occult symbol when we see it.
Just a reminder for
our readers: The links below take you to occult websites (which children
and youth around the world visit daily), so I suggest you pray first. If
you don't need the information in order to help your children or
friends, don't go beyond the picture or explore the sites.
Here's the clearest picture of the unicursal
hexagram I've been able to find so far:
http://yuugiou.fran-web.net/Image/Doma/03/Doma-ep150-04s.jpg
When the duelist plays the card, the symbol
appears on their forehead:
http://yuugiou.fran-web.net/Image/Doma/03/Doma-ep150-07s.jpg
This web page has a few pictures, and
explains how the card works in the game:
http://www.yugiweb.vzz.net/anime/sealoforichalcos.htm
The last link includes
this explanation:
The seal of Orichalcos::: In
this new upcoming episodes, one of key card is a magic card shown as The
seal of Orichalcos . Here is some abilities and effects of this card.
1. When this card is activated, the
Orichalcos Ring appears and surrounds the field. No one can enter or
leave until the end of the game. [This sounds
like the "sacred circle" cast by pagans]
2. Only the same kind of Orichalcos's power
can eliminate the seal of Orichalcos. Any other power, magic card, trap
card as well as power of millennium items can't negate or effect on
Orichalcos.
3. At the end of the game inside the seal of
Orichalcos, the loser must lose his soul.
4. A player gains dark power and his evil
side comes out while his monster becomes a dark monster having power up
of 500 attack points.
5. A player can summon monsters on the field
at maximum of 10 monsters. (Regular rule is at maximum of 5 monsters)
From Mark:
Why must this
be considered evil? I have met no children wishing to enter the occult. I have
seen nothing at any of the many tournaments I’ve been to, to suggest that any
of these children, or adult fans such as myself, are more prone to violence.
What children learn from this game is not that Magic will give them power, but
that intelligence, self-confidence, & strength are things to be admired. Are
they not??
No necessarily,
Mark. It all depends on the source of that strength and on the values
that guide the intelligence. And self-confidence is often a major
obstacle to trusting God and His ways. Please read
Toying with Death
and
Role-Playing Games & Popular
Occultism
What is so wrong
with Global Solidarity? Does Global Solidarity absolutely expel your idea of
God?
Global
Spirituality, as I use the term, refers to a politically correct blend (or
synthesis) of many religions. Because God loves us and want to give us His
very best, He tells us to shun "other gods." Those who trust the various
forces and spirits that captivate the world today (especially through
entertainment) will be disappointed. Those spiritual counterfeits may offer
an illusion of peace and strength but will only bring bondage and oppression
in the end.
As far as the beliefs of the Wiccans, does not our link to God come from
within? He dwells within us as much as he dwells within Heaven, as we are his
creations, made from his love. Perhaps that is what they are attempting to
reach within themselves.
Mark, my Lord only
dwells in those who have come to the cross, repented of their sin, and
chosen to trust and follow Jesus.
[See
What it means to be a Christian.]
May He open your eyes
and heart as He did mine. Nothing is more exciting than knowing and
walking with Him!
From Brandon Reeser: I am a 21 year old
international business junior at Point Loma Nazarene University in San
Diego, California. I would like to start off by saying this is not any type
of hate mail, spam or verbal attack on you or anyone's beliefs. I wish to
only present everyone's side to all that will listen, for as you say, we do
have the right to free speech.
For nearly a year and a half now, I have been an advent fan of the
television show Yu-Gi-Oh! and take time to watch it whenever I can.
Recently, about May of this year, I began to collect cards so that I may
"duel" with others in real life.
Recently, on the Xero Creative site, job offerings for yugioh article
writers were offered, I applied and obtained one of the writing slots. My
first 2 articles went over rather well and so was able to keep my job. Upon
straining my brain as to what to write for the third article, I recalled the
days when I was in 6th grade when I played Magic The Gathering but my
parents made me quit because they felt that the cards were satanic. I
wondered if Yugioh was viewed in the same way today and began to search for
any articles about it and ta-da! Up came your article, "Yugioh and the
spirit of Halloween".
My main focus in my article was to merely try and present your side and
others who have a similar thought process to the members of XC, who are more
excited and involved with yugioh then I am. I attempted to analyze your
article (as well as a few others, but yours mostly), break down the major
points and their defense and present them to my audience so that they may
see how Yu-Gi-Oh! is viewed by some Church officials or people of religious
nature, or just concerned parents, etc...
I would like to take the opportunity really quick here and just interject
that I felt your article was well written and that you definitely did do
your homework in order to provide factual basis for your claims. Now, in all
honesty, I have to admit that I do not necessarily agree with your claims
against Yu-Gi-Oh!. I don't feel that you can pinpoint it as being a foothold
for satan and his minions because in that sense, the devil can use almost
anything as a foothold in our lives. I really enjoy yugioh because of the
strategy of the card game as well as the strategy used in the show. Its kind
of like an elevated form of chess just with "cooler" looking pieces that
have more moving capabilities. So, upon writing this I am afraid I was a bit
biased and maybe a tad bit condescending towards your side, but hey, it is
my article and my writing slot right?
My main point is that I sparked one of the biggest responses ever in the
history of that website, I had kids coming out of the wood works responding,
putting in their two cents, and sharing how they felt. It was great! I got
them to think! However, I am afraid that you got blasted more than a few
times by angry readers who disagreed (understatement) with your point of
view and not all the responses were in-depth thoughts of ethical and
philosophical concepts.
I am going to be writing a "part 2" to that article this weekend which will
be posted in the early week next week. What I was hoping to get to from you
was any type of comment, rebuttal or message for the kids on this site. I am
not trying to start a debate or anything, but merely present both sides and
allow them to have a chance to speak. I encourage you to please visit the
website and read my article along with at least a few of the 100 plus
responses it was given at this address:
http://www.xerocreative.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=45391
Please, write me back, any
feedback is idea. Any corrections or clarifications about what I originally
said in my article would be great. Any types of rebuttals to any particular
reader's post would be just super. Or even just a message in general is fine
as well. This is a one time only chance for you to speak to these people on
this forum and ask you would please make the most of it. Please, once again,
I want to assure you this is not a set up or attempt to attack you or your
article in any way.
Brandon, I will comment
briefly on some of the points in your article. Your points will
be in standard fonts. My responses will be in blue italics:
There is a school of thought that believes
Yu-Gi-Oh! is
satanic.
I have not said that Yugi is
satanic, Brandon. I connect Satanism with a specific form of
religion (no personified deity), and would not call anime
satanic.
Okay,
now to the good stuff. The largest article of support for this claim
that I could find came from a man named Berit Kjos of Kjos Ministries
which was entitled “Yu-Gi-Oh!
and the Spirits of Halloween”. In all
fairness, it was very sophisticatedly written and the author did in fact
do his homework. I would like to bring up some of his points and
examples for your viewing pleasure. Kjos feels that
Yugioh is 100% occult (definition: Of, relating to, or dealing
with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
Basically just satanic). Kjos points out that
a game and/or show intended for children should not have cards with
names like “Sorcerer of the Doomed”, “Soul Exchange”, “Ultimate
Offering” and “Summoned Skull” and descriptions like “A slave of the
dark arts, this sorcerer is a master of life-extinguishing spells."
Another connection with paganism (def: the worship of idols or false
gods, or the system of religious opinions and worship maintained by
pagans; heathenism) is that the back ground information of
Yugioh being an ancient Pharaoh with
mystical powers saving the world with seven magical artifacts
(millennium items) in monster dueling games, parallels with pagan
religions around the world that believe that in their past a mighty
shaman would summon monsters to battle evil spirits and save the world.
I didn't make
that up, Brandon. What I stated were quoted from the
Yugi website. Check it out.
As I said before, Berit did his homework
before he wrote this article, and this is what he found. In nearly all
the ancient pagan civilizations such as the Celts, Greeks, Romans,
Mayans and Scandinavians who centered their beliefs on earth-type
spirits, ritual human sacrifices were a fundamental part of their
cultures. For instance, the Celts celebrated
Samhain Eve(which is also believed to
have inspired Halloween) during which both convicted criminals and
innocent people were sacrificed by being set ablaze after being crammed
together in wicker baskets. During these celebrations, a connection
between the world and the “otherworld” would open up and ghosts and
demons would be present among the living and the future could be seen.
The intention of these sacrifices would be to appease certain nature
gods and goddesses as well as the God of the Dead. Berit believes that
when people participate in playing Yugioh
they are once again performing these same types of rituals and reopening
connections to the other/underworld through the processes of the game,
and stuff(3).
No, I didn't
say that, Brandon. I saw a philosophical connection, but I
didn't say they were "once again performing these same types of
rituals." Before I was a Christian, I did a comparative study of
the world's major religions. It was amazing to see the
similarities between all but Christianity. In basing the
exciting Yugi themes in Egyptian
mythology and occult practices, they communicate suggestions
that make the occult all the more thrilling and "normal."
Well, there you have it, definitely not
everything people find demonic about Yugioh,
but hey, you got to go watch Rurouni
Kenshin right? However it is quite clear
what these people are having a problem with. Yugi
shouting or possibly praying out to the spirit of an ancient mystical
pharaoh in order to gain a stronger “will” or ability to duel and defeat
people from the Shadow Realm. Summoning and sacrificing grave keepers,
spell casters, fiends, zombies and assortment of demons and monsters.
Using magic cards, err… oops! Spell cards and
fusion cards like, Black Illusion Ritual, in order to bring out bigger
monsters to destroy other monsters. It isn’t exactly playing “go fish”
or “old maid. It’s understandable that parents may not want their kids
necessarily participating in some of these concepts.
“Hi honey! How was school today? What did
you do?”
“Well Mom, I used Call of the Haunted and
a Shallow Grave in order to sacrifice some of my monsters to summon a
Dark Necrofear and a Fiend Skull Dragon and
destroyed my opponent’s Possessed Dark Soul and Patrician of Darkness as
well as demolished his life points to zero!”
“Oh, umm, err… that’s nice honey.”
Can you see the possible red flags going
up in the minds of parents and/or church officials? Yeah, me too, it’s
not exactly rocket science.
I'm glad you
see the problem, too, Brandon.
I appreciate
the opportunity to read your article. You helped me understand
your culture better. But it didn't lessen my concern for all the
children and youth who love Yugi and
his fantasy world more that actual reality.
From
a concerned mother:
My friend was telling me
about the evil in these cards. I have heard this before but thought its only
a card game but now looking over your site I see there is more to it. I
guess I know already to discuss this with my boys age 10 13. We are
Christians and now I realize that I am accountable for doing something about
it. My husband is not a Christian and I know he won't understand the
problem, and this worries me.
God is so good, isn't he?
I guess He just waited till I was ready to listen regarding these cards.
What about pokemon? It worries me what else I may have allowed in my
boys spiritual life.
What a spiritual battle is raging around Christian families and our
children! I am praying that God will open your husband’s eyes so
that you can take a stand together -- with your boys -- against the
forces that would turn their minds toward counterfeit spiritual
forces and the rising promotion of violence through entertainment.
Did you read the articles on Toying with Death and Role Playing
games and Popular Occultism? Perhaps they might help persuade your
husband that there is a problem. Then read our articles on Pokemon.
The first one is several years old, but it should still help you.
How
Pokemon
and Magic Cards Affect the Minds and Values of Children
Pokemon
- The First Movie
Potter,
Pokemon and Pop Psychology
From Rosie: I'm a 19 year old sincere Christian and I
live in New Zealand.I can't believe that people are calling you fanatical etc,
because they're the ones who are voicing their opinions in capital letters while
you're calmly putting it out there.
I love the artwork and a lot of aspects of anime and manga but I'm very very
careful about what I watch/read because I am very aware of the spiritual
dangers. With Yu Gi Oh, one of the things a couple of people brought to your
attention was that Yu Gi Oh was never aimed at children under the age of 14. I
would like to say to those people that that is actually irrelevant - the fact is
that it IS shown to children under that age group. They are being spoon fed
these images and concepts of Spirit Possession, sacrificing etc etc.
To Christians who are hostile and whose stomachs turn to these articles on Yu Gi
Oh and other popular anime, I really challenge you, as a Woman of God, to
consider this and not turn away dismissing it as fanatical rantings. If you are
claiming to be a Christian your beliefs must line up with scripture, so if you
choose to argue please present scripture to back it up. And I mean Scripture
that says it's okay to be entertained by spirit possession, monsters,
Reincarnation, astral projection, etc. Yes, Friendship and love are imperitive
to Christianity - but Satan masquerades as an angel of light. (2Corrinthians
11:14-15) "...It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants
of righteousness." It is all to confuse and distort the Truth. Jesus said "I am
the way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the father except through me."
Thank you, Rosie, for
your thoughtful letter -- and for addressing it to our visitors.
Anonymous: Yu-Gi-Oh as seen through the eyes of you
& your followers is sinful because you can draw correlations between it &
acts of occultism in the past. This much, I understand. I fail, however, to
understand how you can come to believe this.
I am 27, I’ve been collecting the TCG for nearly two years now. I play with
people of all ages, & not one of them has ever so much as mentioned a desire to
be involved in any fashion with the occult. Your rantings sound much like the
ravings of people in the Middle Ages who would burn a person for having a black
cat as a pet. You judge & condemn as if God’s will were yours, & yet he has
commanded that you not judge for you are able to be judged as well. You see the
Devil where children see only a shiny card.
Please see what God
actually tells us concerning His will and our responsibility on these two
pages:
When to judge
or not to judge and
God's will
While some people will always use things for the wrong reasons, it is
unreasonable to condemn something purely on the basis of how you perceive it.
This is what I see here. You perceive this card game as being a conduit leading
to evil, yet the people playing it are somehow not turning to Satanism in the
droves that you would have us believe. Perception does not equate truth.
My evaluations are
based on the guidelines God gave us in the Bible. Did you read the
Scriptures on God's Will? Ephesians 5 together with Deuteronomy 18-9-12 add
insight into what God calls good or evil. Please also read
Twelve
reasons not to see Harry Potter movies.
By the way, what is the
basis for your perceptions?
Yes, Yugi uses some occult inspired pictures & terminology, but are children
sacrificing one another on the dueling tables? No, they’re enjoying the newest
craze. They’re learning logic, self-confidence, sportsmanship. No where on any
card issued, is there a way for any Demon to be called up. No child has ever
killed another for his Yugi cards as we were killed for our freedoms recently,
or for a color of shirt he wore.
Focus your eyes on the good & maybe then you’ll find God within as well.
From
Andrew Stewart: I am a parent and a
Catholic. I am also perfectly happy to allow my children to play and to
watch Yu-Gi-Oh.
Yu-Gi-Oh draws its inspiration from pre-Christian Egyptian mythology and
Japanese culture. Neither are inherently 'evil', nor do they pose any kind
of threat to Christian society. Indeed, I find that a knowledge and
appreciation of the beliefs and cultures of others can only make people more
tolerant and less ignorant. Surely laudable goals for any Christian?
Yes and no, Andrew.
It's laudable for Christians to be aware of other beliefs and cultures, to
see them from the perspective of God's Word, to discern between what is good
and evil in His eyes, and to show His love to those who are caught up in
contrary beliefs and values.
Look behind the anime gloss
and you will find a program which (like Pokemon) promotes the virtues of
friendship, co-operation, and taking a firm stand against forces of evil. In
terms of its underlying morality, Yu Gi Oh is actually a good deal less
offensive than most of the child-orientated media that is available.
I agree that Yugi is
"less offensive" that many other anime features and movies. But when we
consider today's level of "child-orientated" visual corruption, that may not
mean much.
While it seems to
take "a firm stand against evil," it actually promotes and justifies
reliance on some of the most destructive evils presented in the Bible:
sorcery, magic, spell casting, etc. Please see
Deut 18:9-12
and
Isaiah 5:20
From
Christopher: I am a fellow believer in God,
and also a avid duelist!!
You know something, it's people like you who give games like this a bad
reputation. Have you noticed something of that Sorcerer of the Doomed card
that you so wonderfully extolled upon it's warning, you forgot to look at
one thing: He is a Dark Type, and, as such, is supposed to be a 'spooky' and
'evil' card; he's on the bad guys side. If you look at it another way, the
game is a battle between Good (light-type monsters) and Evil (dark-type
monsters), controlled by the players. The Other types of monsters are Earth,
Wind, Fire and Water, the four main elements of the Earth. And if you look
at the newest set of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, both the Light and Dark monsters have
gotten a very powerful monster. The Dark side has gotten The Dark Master -
Zorc, and the Light side has gotten Shinato - King of a Higher Plane (JPN:
Shinato - Ruler of Heaven). Now, before saying that it's a blasphemy, look
at Japanese Mythology. Shinato is one of the Ruling Gods in their Pantheon,
and I do believe that Zorc (JPN spelling: Zork) is from the Japanese version
of hell as well.
But enough on this type of yattering, there is a bigger issue here. If you
have actually read any of the original Manga (comics) of Yu-Gi-Oh, then you
would realize that the 'Yami' you speak of as a force for evil is really
only Little Yugi's Dark Side. It is the personification of all of Little
Yugi's Negative Emotions, all his anger, hate, resentment, envy, greed, and
everythig else that goes hand in hand with his Positive Emoitons. How then
does he handle it? Because he is inherently a good person, and can deal with
these dark emotions.
That's where our
understanding of truth clash, Christopher. God tells us that we are not
"inherently... good." We cannot deal with temptations, sin or our sinful
nature apart from the cross. Unless we come to Jesus in humility and
acknowledge our own helplessness in the battle against sin and evil, we
cannot be set free or share in the victory Jesus Christ won for us at the
cross.
When you learn to fight
the forces of darkness from Yugi and his friends rather than from the Bible,
you actually immunize your mind against the God's wonderful message of
salvation and victory in Christ. Please see
What
it means to be a Christian
That is the reason that Yami Bakura & Yami Malik (American Name: Merik) are so
very evil, because their Dark Side's have taken over their Good Sides.
Apart from Christ,
people only have a dark side. That dark side may look very good at times,
but -- by God's standard -- it can never be good. We can deceive ourselves
into thinking that we are good enough for God, but that lie only keeps us
from coming to Him and receiving his light. See
The Nature and Tactics of Satan
In the later episodes (the ones yet to be released in North America), we see
that Bakura is saved by Yami Yugi, and that Yami Malik has been saved by Isis
(American Name: Ishizu), who is his sister.
Your ideas about the
Friendship Pact are all wrong. Is it so bad that they have confidence in their
friend? Is it so bad that they want to help him? Is it so very bad that they
help their friend, who actually is on the brink of death, to stay alive??
No, but you missed my
point. Please go back and read it again.
And so what if it matches a
ritual in some book? It's called a 'coincidence'. The show was made in 1998 (I
think), and the Manga (comic) was made in 1996, and the Duelist Kingdom story
arc was released to co-incide with the release of the new Yu-Gi-Oh card game and
re-done, re-released cartoon, which actually started with the duelist kingdom
story arc as well. The so-called sacrifices you speak of were of a very bad
monster called the 'Thousand Eyes Restrict', which was taken from Hindu
Mythology I do believe, and a Jigen Bakudan, a machine, and it's translated name
means, litterally, 'Time Bomb'.
These two evil things were sacrificed in order to summon a Light-Type
Spellcaster called the 'Magician of Black Chaos', which, if you watched the
episode and though he looked very evil, was a fighter for good. Well, I'm going
to stop talking now, so that mabe you can go and do a little more research on
this game before you say it's a tool of the devil.
And here's a quote from a good friend of mine:
'Murder, Rape, Death, Disease, Satan, Nudity, Sex Before Marriage, People Being
Killed by Lions, Slavery... oh, sorry, just reading the Bible, which is given to
kids to read. What were you saying about the evils of a kids game?
Wait...wait... here it is! "Let thee without sin, cast the first stone." And
Jesus said that. Wow, well, I guess all of you people casting stones are without
sin...and like the lord himself, since none are without sin, huh? Of course,
that would make you have sin, since being like the lord is a sin...yet, if you
aren't, you can't throw stones at Yu-Gi-Oh'
Hope I've given you something to think about, and I'd like to add; 'People who
live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'
I really do hope you post this on your 'Yu-Gi-Oh! and the Spirit of Halloween'
comments page.
I'm not
casting stones, Christopher. Here is another important Scripture to
remember:
"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His
kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.
Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according
to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for
themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and
be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things...."
2 Timothy 4:1-5
From
Stephen O.: Well its been interesting to
read what the people had to say on both sides and I have to say you and the
people who have sided with you are the most deluded, self righteous, waste of
space I’ve found while online. You people actually waste your time attacking a
cartoon and a card game. Now no normal person would do so...notice I said
normal because you and your kind are not. You find it necessary to force your
religion and YOUR GOD on us.
Whose to say your kind is not trying to brain wash us? You are no better than
the supposed forces you are fighting. Your Holier than thou crap is the cause
for war. Do you know that? Religion and has caused more wars than anything
else!
Have you considered the weather
patterns and cycles of regional famine and migrations, Stephen? Since
archeologists can trace the signs of drought and climatic changes through the
ages, they can correlate historical wars -- going back thousands of years --
with the famines that nudged populations to invade or migrate to more livable
climates.
I would love to see you bring some
credible evidence to back your conjecture, Stephen. You might find that a
greater cause for war is the arrogance and greed of ambitious, power hungry
rulers. That's simply an expression of our capricious human nature through the
ages.
You find it necessary to poke into other people’s lives and mess with us! Have
you no decency or common sense? Who says your way is right? Don’t need to
quote John 3:16 or find some way to respond for your in the wrong already. I
think my friend says it best:" WEAK MINDED, PATHETIC FOOLS IN NEED OF GUIDANCE
AND CONSTANT REASSUREMENT THAT THEIR LIVES HAVE MEANING, IN THAT THEY CANNOT
FIND THEIR OWN WAY IN LIFE AND MUST THEREFORE RELY ON PURE STORIES WRITTEN IN
THE BIBLE. YES STORIES. THERE IS NO FACT OR PROOF. WHY NOT COMPARE MIRACLES OR
GOD TO MAGIC OF WIZARDS HELPING OUT HOBBITS OR EVEN THE GREEK, ROMAN, MAYAN,
NORSE, AND EGYPTIAN GODS AND THE SPIRITS OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS? -Joser A.
The Dragon Knight (The_joser@yahoo.com)"
Sure, you have every right to write and express your opinion, but so do I.
Now get off your High horse, cloud, or whatever pulpit your preaching from
leave things that don’t corresponds with your &%$#@ ... homophobic, Zealot
views. We the normal people of the world are sick of people like you. We do
not care for what you have to say, because we know better than to listen,
follow you blindly, and not follow our hearts. Keep YOUR GOD, and go do
something useful with your time. Oh, by the way if you truly believe in what
you preach post this on your site.
From
Reubin: What's worse about yu-gi-oh is
cards like these:
Gift of the angel: it shows a picture of an angel handing out gifts. Angels
sent from god to give holy gifts? No! it must be an angel from hell that grew
wings to try and trick our kids! ...
Chorus of sanctuary: there's a picture of an
angel infront of heaven's gate. This can only be pure evil sent by Satan
himself onto the world to brainwash our children's minds!
Petit Angel: OH GOOD LORD NO! This is not a little, happy, pure, cute angel,
this is A DEMON SENT FROM HELL! RUN FROM THE PIECE OF PAPER! ITS
SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, now I'm done being sarcastic. Seriously, I really wish you people will get
a life. You all have the uncanny ability to twist everything into so much BS
that you don't even make sense and you just have a bunch of crap spewing out
of your mouths. if a card or show or whatever your trying to demonize doesn't
say "I summon Black Magician.
By the way, the black magician is using the evil powers of the occult's black
magic to kill you!!" then, IT IS NOT PART OF THE OCCULT! PLEASE, realize that
most of the world is making fun of you because you distort every single form
of entertainment so it is evil and trying to brainwash everyone's mind into
worshipping Satan!
Reubin, don't you see how
you are twisting my messages? Your illustrations have no similarity to the
illustrations in my article. I wish you would read it again and ponder what I
really said.
While Christians who
understand spiritual warfare have no difficulty understanding our messages, I
don't expect others to understand or appreciate it. The world has never
welcomed God's truth and guidelines. Jesus made that very clear:
"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the
world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.... If
they persecuted Me they will persecute you... for they do not know the
One who sent Me." John 15:19-21
In Old Testament days,
God sent His faithful followers to people who were spiritually blind and deaf:
"‘Hear this now, O foolish people,
without understanding,
Who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not:
Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord.
‘Will you not tremble at My presence?'" Jeremiah 5:21-22
This is true today as
well. But I wish we could at least be fair and factual when we discuss these
issues with each other.
From
Emma (13 year-old Catholic dropout): I
would blame American companies for bringing Yu-Gi-Oh! to the United States.
Yu-gi-oh, in its original, undubbed form, is considered occult by quite a few
people. And it is certainly not targeted for children 7 and up, like the
American companies make it out to be. It was originally aimed at 14 and up.
Yes, you've heard things like this before, don't roll your eyes yet :)
There are dark themes in the anime and manga, more so in the manga. Implied
and then blatantly obvious masochism (Mostly from Yami no Bakura), implied
suicide (Seto, for one), death, murder (The murdering of Malik's father by his
Yami (Dark) is one murder) possession (Malik's other self technically
possesses him most of the time, as he's the stronger of the two)...it was not
targeted for children.
A quote from the Duelist Kingdom Arc, "If you attack, I may just lose my
balance and fall off, you know." Seto, while standing on a castle wall, where
he was prepared to kill himself in order to win a duel against Yami no Yuugi.
(Not sure if he says that or "I may just jump off"... I can't really recall
the episode off the top of my head.) Of course, this was changed in the
American version. As for occult, it's been stated the theme of Yami no
Bakura's deck is occult-themed. And Yami no Malik's deck is just scary.
Now, it's not nearly as dark as some other anime, but it isn't a children's
show. I know you've been informed of this countless times, but I just wanted
to voice my opinions on your opinions.
I have no idea about the card game, as I dislike card games. A lot. My only
information is on the anime, which I have purchased subtitled copies of, and a
bit of the manga. So my views may not be up to par with yours, but hey,
freedom of speech ^^
Personally, I think you've picked it apart a little too much. But you have the
right to voice your opinion, and it was quite daring, seeing as some people
tend to go overboard and "chew others out" when they voice their opinions.
Thank you, Emma, for sharing this information.
Anonymous: YOU ARE GETTING THIS ALL WRONG!! YOU
DO NOT UNDERSTAND YU-GI-OH AT ALL!!! YES, I admit there are mentions of the
occult in Yu-Gi-Oh. I understand this. But there is no reason to condemn a
series based completely on friendship and caring because of it! I'm a
Christian too, but these people have gone completely overboard in their
zeal. I can judge what is right and wrong about the series. I can ignore the
occult and instead listen to the messages of love the series gives, of
self-sacrifice to help friends, to be kind and forgiving towards others --
Christian principles if I'm not mistaken!
It's been repeatedly stated that Yu-Gi-Oh is not a series for children. The
way 4Kids is marketing it totally messes things up. I mean, to take out only a
part of the adult-ish content and leave the rest in is just wrong. It doesn't
make it "kid-friendly."
That's why I am concerned.
Children are captivated by the daily afternoon television anime as well as the
cards. And that's why Christian parents have asked me for tools that help them
explain the spiritual dangers to their children.
One of those dangers is simply
the images and suggestions planted in their minds. These make occult practices
seem familiar -- even more normal than God's ways.
Fantasy -- because it stirs
the emotion -- can more effective tool for teaching occult beliefs and values
than reality. And in the hands of today's amoral marketing systems, even
the "good" values
twist and distort God's values.
The site comments
caustically on the "sacrificing" and cites instances of human sacrifice! Come
on! They're just holograms, for Pete's sake! NOT...LIVING...BEINGS.
I've seen pages like this before, and time and time again, they anger me. I
know possession is a serious issue. It's something I'm not comfortable with,
but I endure it for the sake of the terrific anime and manga Takahashi has
created. There are mature themes in Yu-Gi-Oh. This isn't a show for kids. But
it's not evil incarnate, either. As far as I could see, that site has taken
the Bible out of context to prove their point.
AND YUGI DOESN'T PRAY TO YAMI (THE "SPIRIT")!!! HOW could you possibly mangle
the intent of the series so badly? This is just like the groups that declared
that Pokémon was from the devil!
So, how would you
explain Yugi's prayer to Yami? If I perceived it to be a prayer, many others
would do the same.
THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD MAKE
THESE ASSUMPTIONS IS IF YOU ACTUALLY KNOW THE STORY OF YU-GI-OH!! YOU TRULY
CAN'T SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FANTASY AND NON-FICTION!!
The reason why Takahashi used EGYPT as its theme is because games originated
from EGYPT!!! AND the cards do NOT function like a magic charm or amulet,
because in the SHOW, the cards are just a game. The HOLOGRAMS appear using the
machines that the CREATOR of the game made!! It was intended to SIMULATE the
"monsters" they represent.
Also, there are other cards that are not even the least bit EVIL or OCCULT in
any sort of way!! These cards contain "Cure Mermaid", "The Forgiving Maiden",
"United We Stand", "Petit Angel", and "The Emperor's Holiday". There are MANY
more cards that are innocent like these!!
But all
of those cards are grounded in a belief system that clashes with Christianity.
For example, the "angel" has nothing to do with God's good angels. It's more
like the fallen angels mentioned in the Bible. They masquerade as "good"
angels and deceive the people. Whatever it is, it leaves a child with
suggestions that contradict God's Word.
I am sorry, but I am a
strong opposer to these movements. I understand that freedom of speech is at
work here, but you have to realize that Yu-gi-oh isn't an "Occult" Anime. It's
a show that emphasizes the importance of Love, Friendship, Trusworthyness, and
Forgiveness.
The reason children buy
the cards and watch the show has far more to do with the violence, spells,
spooky or evil characters and the power to destroy the enemy. The
"friendships" are used to justify the use of violence, but do nothing to block
all the negative suggestions.
From Mark: I have read your article on these
subjects and agree with you. I have an 8 year old son and my sister has him
right now because my wife has manic depression and she is back with me again
after many years of wreckage. Im trying to put my family back together and
am finding that trying to be a Christian parent is basically impossible these
days. My sister and just about everyone thinks these demonic cards are
just fine and that Im a lunatic for believing otherwise. This has almost
split my wife and I up once again. I have had all of hell against me for years
just trying to be a family man. My sister is a liberal and wants to keep my
son and if I rock the boat I will never get him back.
I have a 14 year old step
daughter and that is another story altogether. One thing at a time. There
really is no support. The churches are full of apostasy. Im so wore down from
the years of hell that I don’t even want to be a parent. There is witchcraft
everywhere I turn. TV, radio, music, videos , games, the public schools, etc.
I know the truth and no one
wants to hear it. If I push the issue they come at me and then even I seem to
become evil. (my attitude goes south and I become very angry)….
I guess all you can do
really is pray for us. Sorry, Im very frustrated at having the answers and
they only cause chaos. There are no solutions to all the evil exposed. No one
cares. Those of us who do are ripped apart. America has been handed over to
the devil. Why?
Christian are afraid of
being Christians. There’s too much persecution and chaos involved and I know
first hand how far it can go. I have had my own family and my wife’s
completely against me for being a Christian. So are the others. I have noticed
most give in to the persecution. I didn’t and paid a very high price for it.
But that’s why they call it the narrow road. Im just curious to how many
out there are going thru this. Thanks for listening.
Thousands of other parents are going through similar rejection. Like you, they
have choose to follow God’s narrow way in a world that doesn’t tolerate His
standards. I’m not sure which -- mothers or fathers -- are more likely to
stand alone in their families. I tend to think it may be close to even. But I
believe fathers, in general, have a harder time, since today’s entertainment
media and progressive education have severely lowered public confidence in
fathers.
May I post your letter – with or without your name – in our comments section
so that other parents who try to oppose the tide of evil can be encouraged? At
least they would see that they are not the only ones facing this painful
struggle. Sometimes just such a reality check can lift the spirit of a person
who feels hopeless. Surely God can touch their hearts and give them hope. I am
praying for some Scriptures that might help. One is in
Psalm
62:5-8.
Another is
2 Corinthians 4:7.
If what I have to say would
be an encouragement to others, by all means post my letter. You can use my
name if you like. Thank you for the prayers and encouragement. Its getting
very tough these days to handle the onslaught of evil upon us. I have made it
thru much the last 5 years and God has been faithful. My marriage reads like
the first 3 chapters of Hosea but worse. But I will praise God that she has
turned back and I have accepted her back. It still is very difficult, even in
the midst of miracle’s.
From
Christian: I just finished reading some of
perversions your creating and propagating in regard to the TCGs that out on
the market. In particular: Yu-Gi-Oh!
My son (age 7) and I (age 31) enjoy this game and the anime very much. I've
been artistically inclined since I was extremely young and creations running
the spectrum from the Sistine Chapel paintings to works of erotica, from
cowboy art to the artwork of current Japanese anime have always held a great
fascination for me. Then people like yourselves come along and attempt to
throw the cloaks of your incredibly closed minds all over anything that you
feel is unacceptable without ever truly studying it.
When I was very young I went to a bible study class for a couple of years
because of my parents. Though I couldn't consciously form the thoughts or
words to express it intelligibly I realized instinctively that there
absolutely was more to the world than what that book was trying to say. I am
incredibly happy in the fact that those nuns and priests couldn't keep me
interested in what they were preaching.
I have seen proof of "God" so many times that I can't begin to tally the
numbers. Not once have I seen proof of "God" in the book that you folks hold
so dear. The proof that I have seen says clearly that we were given creation
and the power to create freely. We were given evolution from the "primordial
ooze" and the power to evolve each and every day should we choose to. We have
been shown phenomenal beauty and atrocious horrors and we were given the power
to nurture, cultivate or extinguish both.
The Bible and those that attempt to reinforce it offer nothing more than a lot
of reading of a great story that people think they should believe and follow
blindly. There are older stories than the Bible. There are considerably newer
stories than the Bible. They all follow the same paths of a variety of similar
characters who must all face trials and tribulations of one familiar sort or
another to achieve happiness and well-being in the end.
Christians, watchers and readers of Harry Potter and/or The Lord Of The Rings
sagas, Catholics, Mormons, Scientologists, Pokemon Trainers/collectors, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Duelists, Magic Gatherers, Buddhists, Satanists, Pagans, the old-world Romans
and the Greeks, the Jewish, the Dungeons & Dragons roll-players, the Aztecs,
Incas and Myans, Islamic, Protestants, Baptists, Voodooists, Candomble,
Macumba, etc., etc., etc., all follow stories that have great and sublime
similarities from one to the next. The only thing that define some as
religions are the number of people who have died in the names of their
deities. You won't catch any children or the young at heart dying from playing
a game of Yu-Gi-Oh! or any other related games for that matter. You also won't
find players of these games killing others in the names of their favorite
characters as has happened in all of the world's most well known and popular
religions.
The Bible is no longer saying anything that can't be learned or derived one
way or another from other stories that mankind has created. They are all just
other ways of saying all the same things. Perhaps one day people such as
yourselves will see that you have been following partial truths. I did.
Most
young people would probably agree with you, Christian. And that saddens me,
because they will have missed all the wonders of knowing God and walking with
Him. But it doesn't surprise me, because human nature doesn't change. Most
people turned away from Jesus 2000 years ago, just as they do today.
God told
us -- in that old Bible that made so little sense to you -- that the world,
with all its deceptive gods and cruel forces, would reject both Him and His
people. [See
John
15:20-21 and
Proverbs 12:15]
Now as then, people love the thrills of darkness more
than they love His light. But those who put their trust in Him, can enjoy a
peace, hope and fellowship that can't be compared to the shallow thrills of
Yugi, popular entertainment and the riches of the world. See
El Shaddai, the Lord God Almighty
From
Amy: My husband and I work closely with the
youth and children ourtreach of our church. For quite a while, we didn't pay
too much attention to the Yu-Gi-Oh craze. It did strike us as unusual that 17
year olds would enjoy the same game as 7 year olds. We also noticed that it
seemed they all carried them around constantly, and this game doesn't seem to
be going away like so many other crazes have.
Finally, one day I became suspicious when our teens pretty much refused to let
me even look at their cards. So, I started doing my own research, and, to be
honest, I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Summoned demon?! Just at first
glance, it was obviously evil.
I appreciated the
information in your articles that has helped us to combat the problem. So,
we've been addressing this with both our children and our teens. We've found
that there is something very addictive about the cards. One mother says that
her son "freaks out" if he's without a certain card at all times. One teen
continues to make a number of excuses for Yu-gi-Oh (i.e. they're just a game
to pass the time, I can use them to learn to draw anime, they won't lead me to
anything else.)
Our teens, however, tell us
that it is possible to play Yu-Gi-Oh cards against Magic the Gathering,
although they are much less powerful than Magic the Gathering.
To sum it all up, we're very concerned about the impact this will have on our
society in years to come. It's almost as if this is all just helping to usher
in the Anti-Christ era, and I don't want any of our kids to be a part of that.
I would be interested in receiving testimonies from you of people who have
been involved in the occult and have voiced their opinion of Yu-Gi-Oh,
Pokemon, Dragonball, Magic the Gathering, etc., in order to share them with
our kids.
I am concerned about
about the future impact, too, Amy. Thank you for caring -- and for sharing
your observations.
To see more examples of
how these occult cards, games and animations have changed the worldview and
thinking of children and youth, just scroll down this and other pages with
their comments about popular occult entertainment. Sad to say,
Scriptures such as
Deuteronomy 18:9-12
are not very acceptable
these days.
From
Lindsey: Greetings in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ! Before I go any further, allow me to introduce myself. My name
is Lindsey, I'm 22, and was saved when I was 15. I consider myself to be a
Bible-believing Christian, and strive to conform myself to Christ and His
word. I want to thank you for taking the stand and have the boldness to speak
out against anime and expose its dangers. I also want to share with you my
experiences with anime, and how it was detrimental to my faith.
I think it was in my junior
year in high school that I began watching anime on American tv (thus, the
dubbed, edited version), mostly Sailormoon. I then found a forum on the
internet for Sailormoon fans, and thus began my journey into the anime world.
I soon discovered that watching dubbed anime was for "newbies" and that any
true fan watches it in the original Japanese (with subtitles) and unedited. By
this time I was watching much more than Sailormoon: Ranma 1/2, NGE, Fushigi
Yuugi, Slayers, Tenchi Muyo, etc etc. I was so drawn to Sailormoon that I
purchased the last 3 seasons in fansubbed versions (at this time they were not
available on the general US market).
These are essentially
illegal copies because they violate international copyright laws. I would say
that in total, I had between $1,500 to $2,000 worth of anime (Sailormoon and
others) merchandise. I was addicted to anime! I thought about the shows
constantly, and the characters on them became real people to me. I even had
dreams about them!! I immersed myself in the anime world. I was so engrossed
in it that I started wishing that I was one of the characters, that I had
those powers, etc. Watching anime became a way for me to escape from my life.
Instead of dealing with my problems, I spent hours watching anime. I even dyed
my hair purple in mimic of an anime character. This went on for 3 or 4 years.
Last year God finally showed
me what anime was doing to my life, and how it was drawing me away from Him. I
was desiring things contrary to the truth. I wanted to have those powers like
Sailormoon, or experience life like Miaka in Fushigi Yugi, or to have guys
fighting for me like Akane in Ranma. I was seeking these things rather than
God. My heart was devoted to anime, and not to God.
Praise the Lord that He
brought me out of that lifestyle and re-established me in truth. I am
disgusted at how much time and money I put towards my anime addiction. My
final step in this process will be to throw away (and not sell) all my anime
products. While I have not watched my videos in over a year, I still have been
resistant to toss them out. But I must, in order to grow in Christ, and to get
rid of the temptation.
To all Christians who enjoy
watching anime and claim that it is not harming their faith, I ask you to
please examine and consider why you like anime so much. Why are you watching
it? What do you get out of it? Is it affecting your life? Does it draw you
towards Christ, or away from Him?
I do understand that anime
is an expression of the culture it comes out of, that of Japan. I do not
believe that the form of art (that is, the style of drawing) in and of itself
is wrong. I just think that the way the art is used, the things that are
portrayed through it, are unhealthy to any Christian's life. I actually
believe that someone could use anime-style drawings to reach out for Christ,
both to the Japanese people and to others in the anime world.
Thank you, and may the Lord
bless you and continue to lead you into all truth and righteousness through
Christ.
Thank you, Lindsey, for your very helpful testimony. I pray that many will
heed your warning and consider your thoughtful questions.
From
a mother: I have been very concerned
about the latest craze called Yu-Gi-Oh and have questioned its' orgin and what
it represents. I went to a Christian bookstore just today, but couldn't find
anything specifically re: Yu-Gi-Oh so I came on-line to do a research. This
led me to your website and article re: Yu-Gi-Oh and the spirits of Halloween.
First of all, I want to thank you so much for doing the research regarding
these cards. I have friends with children who are drawn to these cards. I did
not want to voice only my opinion but wanted some factual information to help
support what I felt in my spirit was something linked to the occult or
possibly a paganistic religion.
Are there any other articles or words of advice that you may have that I could
download or read? I only want to share the truth from a Biblical perspective
with my friends so that they may pray about this issue themselves and seek
what is best for their children. Thank you once again for the article!
Thank you for your encouraging letter. I suggest you read our latest
article as well: "Role-Playing
Games & Popular Occultism: Open doors to forbidden realms and
spiritual seductions.” Then go to the “articles” page and
scroll down the list of articles on children’s entertainment.
I will be posting
another confirming letter on this topic as soon as I receive permission to
do so.
Meanwhile, you may
want to look at the section on the
Armor of God.
Anomymous: First off, I can at least give you
credit for the courage you display by speaking your opinion against a large
croud. I am 13 years old and a fan of the card game and both the English and
Japanese version. I also think that when you write something so strongly you
should study it more.
As quoted from an interview with the CREATOR himself: "I have no personal
interest in occultism..." [Found in Shonen Jump Issue 2] So, why would somone
who has no interest whatsoever in occult try to spread the beliefs of it onto
others?
I didn't say that
Takahashi
was trying to promote his beliefs. I'm not as concerned about his motives as I
am about the message that he actually communicates. And that message --
whether he thinks about it or not -- makes occultism seem okay. Not only do
children become familiar with forbidden practices such as spells, magic and
sorcery, they also learn to love them and crave more occult thrills.
Also, I think the age group 7-18 either:
Doesn't know of "evil" religions such as Paganism and Wiccans, or even care to
practice them.
Then, you should also learn about the Japanese version...Everything has been
changed so from the original, violent, more evil themed version to FIT the
YOUNGER AMERICAN audiences. So, the dubbing company is trying...Heaven forbid
you actually saw a card called "Pentagram Curse", right?
And to further explain the "rituals"
performed by Yuugi and his friends; it is in no way a depiction of any wiccan/pagan
"ritual. Kazuki Takahashi's intent for American audiences, also quoted from
his interview: "...is that they can at least get a sense of friendship out of
the show/comic/card game" There is nothing wrong about having Evil involved,
without it you are only shielding people from the truth. I think after 9/11
worrying about childrens card games with 'Evil' and 'Occult' should be the
last of your worries, as that is the most real evil will ever get. Thank you
for your time.
From Nathan K.:
I found your
website during my search for information about Yugioh cards. And, though I
haven't had time to read much beyond that subject, I've been blessed already.
I was a bit bummed by so many disparaging comments that were sent to you in
regards to that article. In this world you will have trouble . . . . Take
heart--Jesus has overcome the world!!!
If anything, the Yugioh article could have been even stronger. I worship with
a brother who was one of the world's highest ranking occultists just 15 years
ago. He did all the
"abominations" listed in Deut
18:9-12. However, God literally confronted him and
instructed him simply to 'choose' whom he would serve -- very similar to Joshua 24:15 I saw posted
on your site. By his own occult rules, he had to submit to this higher power.
In the past years, God has transformed him into a mighty warrior for the cause
of Messiah. There is no God like our Lord!
One thing this brother has made very clear to our church is that the magical
occult practices of the ancients aren't just for the ancients. The spirits
involved are eternal beings, and they are just as active today as they were a
thousand years ago, as is their worship. Up until his confrontation with God,
this man was taking part in rituals all over the world (including Egypt), and
also right in my "own back yard".
The mainstream Christian church is largely oblivious to this. The toys
children play with depict powerful creatures of the darkness. Now, games give
explicit instruction in the rituals and methods of the occult. Indeed, gaming
tournaments are prime times for occultists to find "recruits" with exceptional
ability. I give thanks through Messiah that you, with us, are taking a stand
against the powers of darkness. Thanks so much for your work.
Be steadfast, immoveable, always overflowing in the work of the Lord, knowing
that your labor in Him is not in vain!
Thank you, Nathan.
From
Alan: Hi, I've not read up on the Harry Potter
section yet, but I noticed the part on Yu-gi-oh.
Now, first off, I'm not saying that anything that you are saying is wrong,
there are things in the 'card game' that isn't exactly made for the youths
today.
But what you have forgotton is that it is an Anime. A Japanese Cartoon, now I
am a big fan of most types of Anime/Manga and know a little bit about it.
The cartoon has been severally cut and shaped for our viewing. Most Animes
have, because the serie's, e.g: Dragonball Z, Monster Rancher, Sailor
Moon,Yu-gi-oh. Aren't intended for the youths in Japan. They are meant for
people who are old enough to know the difference between them (16 and up) Now
that would sound crazy for people from countries like mine and yours that have
grown up with the Warner Brothers Loony Toons and Disney.
The people who are really to blame if you want to put blame are the US
companies who distribute it as a kids cartoon, most Mangas weren't meant for
kids.
I only wish that thngs like needless hatred are forgotton. Jesus didn't die
for us to fight like we are.
Alan, I am not blaming
anyone. Instead I am looking at the message that the Yugi series communicates
across television and cards. You and I know that the TV show and cards are
marketed to children, not to adults. And children love them. But Yugi's power
-- and the myth that explains its source -- represents the world of the
occult. We cannot love God and also love the forces He forbids.
Jesus died to set us free
from the seductive grasp of those occult forces. But if we don't recognize
them as evil -- or realize that dabbling in the occult is a sin, we won't
repent and benefit from what He did on the cross. Wouldn't you agree?
We have 1) discern evil
and sin from His perspective; 2) confess the sin and repent -- that is, turn
away from it and follow God. And if we belong to Him, we do so gladly, for He
enables us to turn around. Then He gives us a greater joy with Him than we
ever had apart from Him. See
What it means to be a Christian
Here is a reminder to
those who belong to Him:
And you He made alive, who were
dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once
conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the
others.
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ... that in the ages to come He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in
Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should
boast....." Ephesians 2:1-10
"...you should no longer walk as
the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart...."
Ephesians 4:17-18
We can't "walk" in
His way in His way unless He enables us. But He will do that, if we will
cry out to Him for His grace and strength.
From Andrew: I am a 17 year old Floridian and
I have just read your site I do not think your thoughts are proper but there
your thought and in America we can voice our opinions but we should also try
and educate ourselves before opinions are voiced.
On the subject of you GI oh
this game was given a bad rap on your website like most other entertaining
sources now I am a player collector watcher. The cards or nothing more then
regular playing cards now you wouldn't say that an ace of spades is satanic or
that having a hand with three 6's sends you to hell? no.
as an example of todays
Youth let me tell you this. Playing You GI Oh does not make me want to drop
out spend uncontrollable amounts of money worship Satan turn me from God.
But you know what does hurt
my beliefs in God and thetas right I do attend church every Sunday is the
contradictions in the bible the Hugh gaps in time o and the trouble with
toadies priests if they are so close to God why are they partaking in such
awful deeds.
Andrew, would you please send me
some examples of "contradictions in the Bible." So far, no one has shown me a
supposed "contradiction" that can't be explained. Keep in mind, a lot of
people are trying to discredit both God and His Word these days. I would love
to help clear up the confusion.
You GI Oh is a game
about believing in yourself and having faith in your self and your friends and
trust. Plus it teaches kids to be confident and that is important in toadies
society. The shoe teaches great morals your right You GI oh is more then just
a show just like the bible is more then a book. they both teach you lessons in
life everyone should know. i know this email pronely wont be posted but if i
could make you guys see alit more into the light instead of being so in the
dark ill be happy. thank you for your time and dot worry toadies youth well be
OK
I would much rather trust in
God and His infinite wisdom than in my own finite and fallible understanding.
He has proven His faithfulness to me over and over, and I am confident that --
though I can do little in the bit battles of life -- nothing is impossible for
Him!
Proverbs 3:5-7
Name
removed by request: I just wanted to know where
you are situated. Even though I don't agree with any of your works, I just
wanted you to know that it takes courage to go up against the public.
Thank you....
From
[BOD]iRaN: I am a freshman living in Los
Angeles county, and I found your site through a friend. First I must say I am
appalled by the bias you take towards your articles. Who __ __ do you think
you people are? Who gave you the right to say these incorrect and unreasonable
accusations.
In America we still have the
constitutional right to believe as we choose, to follow our conscience and to
express our thoughts and values. Would you want that right to end? Remember,
if only those who agree with you can speak freely, no one would truly be free
in our country.
In
regards to your "article" Yu-Gi-Oh and the spirits of Halloween. You must have
lived a sheltered life when you were a child, because in the "real world"
you've got to know when something is for entertainment purposes or something
more serious. Just because little Johnny gets a starter deck for Christmas
doesn't mean he's going to go around joining cults and practicing some sort of
witch-craft. You're taking it to seriously dude, you need a reality slap or
something because the stuff your writing is just embarrassing. Kids just can't
stay home and study the bible every day, they need something to entertain
themselves with or make new friends with. Yu-Gi-Oh cards may cause trouble
with grades or with the spending limits of children, but it definitely doesn't
do what you accuse it of. Please find a hobby.
I am not the only one who sees a link
between obsession with violent entertainment and the increasing delight and
expressions of violence in our culture. Please read
The Real Makers of Lethal Weapons Are in Our Schools
and
Harry Potter and the Power of Suggestion
Anonymous: I just read some what you wrote about
the show and card game "Yu-Gi-Oh!". I seriously can't understand what is
mentally wrong with you people. To say that this subject of which I personally
am a collector, player, and watcher, has "occult" messages?! Targeted at
today's youth?! Perhaps you fail to grasp the true concept of ENTERTAINMENT
AND FANTASY.
I happen to have bought BOTH
of the starter decks and many booster packs as well as the video games. I have
thouroghly read all the descriptions on the cards and I still feel the same
way. "THIS IS A FUN GAME." So if you must feel the need to "help" people...get
out and feed the hungry and shelter the homeless! Don't attack children's
activities! Leave entertainment BE entertainment. By the way, I am 18 years
old. I serously doubt any of the children I see fascinated with the game or
the series understand anything other than "TRADING CARD GAME". Let alone
"Occult".
From a concerned mother: I just wanted to drop you
a line and thank you for posting cautions about card games online. My
5-year-old son is fascinated with Yu-Gi-Oh, just from the commercials. That's
quite a strong hold on his little mind already. Certainly he wouldn't
understand how to play the game, or the deeper meaning behind any of the
figures. He just likes action figures. But I can't allow the door to that
realm to be open even a little, and saying no to a compliant 5-year-old is
much easier than saying no to a child who will no doubt be a strong
10-year-old. He is sad and disappointed, but he has a room full of action
figures. He'll cope.
And, by God's grace, he
will learn to make wise choices rather than just flow with his feelings. Thank
you for sharing your insight.
Second letter from
Jeff Chan: heres some things i noticed about ur topic: "This anime,
like Star Wars and other myth-making movies, demonstrates a timeless formula
for practical spiritism, spell-casting and magic."
When jesus heals people, isn't that a form of spell-casting? Or as more
commonly know as 'white magic?'
No. White
magic, like black magic, is based on timeless formulas for altering
consciousness and inviting the cooperation of demonic forces from the spirit
world. For example, an evil spell would be black magic but a helpful spell
would usually be considered white magic. Magicians or wizards might believe
they are manipulating those spiritual forces, but demonic spirits never offer
their services without some kind of payback. See
The Nature and Tactics of Satan
and
the illustration at the beginning of the third chapter in
A Twist of Faith.
When we pray to God for
help, we acknowledge our need and dependence on Him, not our strength to
manipulate spiritual forces. God doesn't need magic formulas for accomplishing
His will. He is the Creator and sovereign King of the universe. He alone can
meet our needs and satisfy our hearts.
Col 1:9-18
"Yugi2 draws a card from the
deck with power to block Pegasus' all-seeing "millennial eye." According to
the show, no cards can do that cuz even in the show, they are considered as
pieces of cardboard (u never watched any other episodes do u?)
I
have watched and taped several shows, but I reported from a particular episode and
quoted what was said. Those cards are viewed with far more awe and
appreciation than pieces of cardboard. I agree that the card itself doesn't
contain or send the power. Instead, in the televised story, it seems to
function like a magic charm or amulet which serves as a channel for occult
energy.
[See
My Will Be Done and click on "Starhawk"].
The magic happens when the player holds the card and speaks the key words on
the card.
The
occult images and mythical context familiarizes them with magic forces and
occult suggestions. Activities that God calls evil have become normal
and fun entertainment.
I will
answer the rest of your comments later.
You quoted these sentences:
"The three friends agree. 'If we will concentrate our energies and try to
reach him with all our might, then maybe our bond of friendship can get
through to him -- even in the shadow realm." "In today's real world of
paganism, "mental projection" is a psychic extension of occult faith and
visualization"
ever think it was something to make the show more interesting? When they say
their bond of friendship, it means that they're such close friends that they
feel like they have a special connection...
"The cards in the "starter deck" (pictured above) bear titles such as "Soul
Exchange," "Ultimate Offering," "Summoned Skull" and "Sorcerer of the Doomed."
The latter card offers this sinister warning: "A slave of the dark
arts, this sorcerer is a master of life-extinguishing spells." Does that sound
like a child's game to you?"
it was supposed to be for mature people that are pre-teens! not a childs game.
also, ur judging a book by its cover, not all cards are "evil" or "slave of
darkarts" or "life extinguishing spells"
u probably only compared the cards in the starter deck if u look at the top,
it says dark! well why would it say dark if there were not any OTHER types?
From J. De Heus: You are totally insane when it comes
to connecting events. The Celts and the Druids had events that took place
hundreds of years ago, and never anticipated that there would be cards that
use some of their religious ideas. I think that you are delving too deep into
the subject here. How you can protect Christian famlies by talking about
events that heppened hundreds of years ago. Why don't you just muse over this
for a little bit and wait for my next letter about RPG's?
My goal is to help
families deal with today's occult entertainment. To take a stand and avoid
cultural pitfalls, we need to know the lessons of history and understand the
cultural consequences of faith in a demonic spirit world.
The Yugi cards and myth
are based on Egyptian myths, beliefs and legends. But ancient Egyptian
celebrations of death are not all that different from the deadly rituals of
the Celtic samhain. Both sought occult power through magic, shamanism,
astrology and sorcery. And, like most ancient civilizations, they used human
sacrifice to appease their capricious gods. Of course, they all were led by
one cruel mastermind who hasn't changed through the centuries. See
The Nature and Tactics of Satan
It's sobering to see
these horrible practices now featured in popular entertainment for children.
From Jeff Chan: Here's a few facts: Its not the
cards that are evil! Its the companies such ask upperdeck who makes the cards
and 4kids entertainment who translates the show.
now don't get me wrong cuz im not 18 and over and i like the show but... In
japan, Yu-gi-oh was supposed to be for people that are mature! just like
dragonball or gundam wing! In Japan, the kids show would be such things as
pokemon or digimon. if u notice, the drawings and characters are more
cute or more humorous!
In yugioh, the drawing look
more serious! Its not actually the show, its originally made for people who
are mature, kids were too immature! But they showed it for kids anyways! so
its actually the 4kids faults! the only way 4kids "TRIED" to make it 4 kids
was by censoring the nudity and guns...
(P.S. that starter deck yugioh at ur topic has the wrong card up front! how
do i know u didn't buy a deck urself? -_-' )
Jeff, I suppose you are referring to the card you see through the "window"
of the box. A concerned parent sent me the box. After examining the cards, I
just put them back in the box and scanned it.
I appreciate your
explanation, but the motives or intentions of the "companies" doesn't matter
as much as the message they communicate to the children who love them.
Because the words and symbols plant both occult images and violent
suggestions in children's minds, families would be wise to avoid them.
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