In my former years I watched Avatar, the Last Air-bender.
I remember it being quite a different from other "cartoons", or kids shows.
For example, in Power-Rangers, you wouldn't see a kiss scene, or a relationship. It was all about fighting bad-guys.
I think that appeals to kids... the aspect of justice. Good vs. evil.
Don't know what era of Power Rangers you're talking about, as it was NEVER just about fighting and there WERE kiss scenes..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpJCnqaCd3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ92R5Ex10Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wBIgwvybaY
There's also the display of "superpowers".
I think most of us as kids were asked, "which superpower would you most want?"
The elements I mentioned, plus a plot, characters, setting, and more make an appealing story.
Depends on who's watching. I've known many Power-Ranger fans who've long pointed out that other shows were way superior to it in all the categories you mentioned...with Avatar being among the top shows.
I'd be willing to bet, all of the popular television programs on TV today, have some form of sin in them, which is expressed in a way in which sin is either appealing or condoned. My local news channel recently allowed of group of gay men from San Francisco to sing "christmas" songs, therefore condoning the homosexual lifestyle.
There's nothing in existence that isn't used in one way or another by the world. The way many react would be akin to saying Coffee is sinful because witches were drinking it at Starbucks - or that believers who drink coffee at Starbucks are supporting sin due to the symbol of the lady on the front of it. The internet itself, made by non-Christians, is used by both Christians and Non-Christian alike - but we don't claim we're now responsible for all the mess done by non-believers because of where there are common interests. Not even Jesus did that when he ate/drank with sinners and shared commonality with them while also being distinct.
What is the "Legend of Korra"? The story about a girl who can move air around...farting? meh...
The Legend of Korra, it's a product of worldly men, filled with pagan motifs... and at the end, it's pro-sin once again.
None of that actually deals with the show - but oh well.
As said before, if one is going to be in the thread, they need to actually be concerned with liking anime - but if they don't value that, the thread isn't for them. All cartoons in mainstream existence, from Looney Toons to Tom & Jerry to movies like "Gone with the Wind" .....
And as others like C.S Lewis and J.L Tolkien have noted in
#208 before wisely, not all aspects of paganism were ever condemned in scripture when it came to the use of Scripture and Mythology.
Is that type of entertainment appropriate for the Christian? Should Christians enjoy entertainment dreamed up by those who do not serve the Lord?
what'd ya expect? John the Baptist suddenly preaching the gospel to Korra and her friends?
1 Cor 6:9
do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals
I'm curious, what would it look like to see the gospel being preached within the fictional work?
What would Jesus say to Korra? (nothing, Korra is fictional)
...but rather What would Jesus say to you?
Seeing that others in the times of the Bible already studied from other cultures and believers had no issue with it, the real question is "How did believers handle themselves when it came to mythology in their time? Not everything was condemned and it would be dishonest to claim otherwise. Proverbs and Daniel - who studied astrology (as did the Wiseman) - are notable examples.
The heavens do declare the glory of God and There's no reason to assume that the early world was "primitive" or "off" simply because of the fact that they held to views supporting a lot with astrology (seen as a science..from studying dreams to constellations, etc.) - including others such as Daniel (Daniel 2:27-28) and the Wisemen (more in
MYSTAGOGY: The Magi and the Star: An Orthodox Understanding ...even though the Lord did note that people were not to look to the stars rather than Him, per Jeremiah 10:2-3 and Deuteronomy 4:19 and Acts 7:42-43) - and likewise, there's no reason to do the same with the Early Church or world before the era where Science sought to disprove God alongside all other forms of spirit.
I'm reminded of some pictures in one article I saw with the Zodiac and Christ. I very much agree with the general thrust of the article's views (more in
Most of The Time The Earth Is Flat - Orthodox Arts Journal ), right to the Homeric allusion at the end., I am glad for the enumeration on the creatures of the zodiac that St. John of Damascus was not fearful of in his text, On the Orthodox Faith. (
here and
here) - as he noted in
The Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book II, Chap. Vii:
"Now the Greeks (the pagans) declare that all our affairs are controlled by the rising and setting and collision of the stars, the sun and moon (and the signs of the zodiac); for it is with these matters that astrology has to do. But we hold that we get from them signs of rain and drought, cold and heat, moisture and dryness, and of various winds, and so forth, but no sign whatsoever as to our actions. For we have been created with free will by our Creator and we are masters over our own actions. Indeed, if all our actions depend on the course of the stars, all we do is done out of necessity (fate, in other words); and necessity precludes either virtue or vice. But if we possess neither virtue nor vice, we deserve neither praise nor punishment, and God too, will turn out to be unjust, since He gives good things to some land afflicts others. In fact, He will no longer guide or provide for His own creatures, if all things are carried and swept along in the grip of necessity. And the faculty of reason will be superfluous for us, for if we are not masters of any of our actions, deliberation is quite superfluous. Reason, indeed, is granted to us solely that we might take counsel, and therefore all reason implies freedom of will."
And as others have noted, if things made by others not serving God is wrong, one needs to leave the world (which St. Paul warns about in I Corinthians 5). Everything - from the T.V to the Post Office to Parks - were made by unbelievers.
Even Paul already referenced the culture as a means of preaching Christ - per Acts 17....and all wisdom finds its center in Christ. Ev
en Jewish believers - when preaching on ideas and precepts that were not explictly preached by Jesus - understood this basic concept. when it comes the issue of contexualization/referencing things in culture as the Apostles, the Prophets and many others did. Otherwise, one has no business on the internet at all seeing where it didn't originate in the Bible - and the same with multiple other things (i.e. cars, books, iPad, Literature/Poetry from the Classics to Biographies, etc.) - and this was discussed earlier in #
3/#
94 as well as in
#890
That said, as said before, if one is not going to address the OP or stay on topic with discussion, it is asked one please take it elsewhere. For it is not in line with the subject on others interested in anime or
Christians who are interested in anime sharing thought.
To address the thread question:What Can Christians learn from Anime?
Lot's of things... lot's of things you don't need. You may say anime teaches how to be nice, or something like that... you can learn to be ______ (insert quality) without anime, or cartoons... Here's an alternative to anime, and other trash:
Go outside, and read the bible for 20 minutes or more. Do a few pushups, why not?
Anime....is full of male bovine excrement... loads of it. Just like the world.
Again, as already said, if you're not going to deal with the thread, the thread is not for you. It is also not a place to be vulgar (which can be reported since such language is inflammatory on the board) - if you don't like something, no need for that. Using language describing human waste is beyond inappropriate for the forum - and the Scriptures already note how we should be speaking if claiming Christ:
Ephesians 4:29-5:5
New King James Version (NKJV)
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Walk in Love
5 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know,[a] that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
But if you're going to be in the thread, it is asked you respect the OP and the thread intent.
This is NOT a thread for denouncing anime or using it as a platform for claiming anything in disagreement with one's views is automatically "of the world" when the scriptures often showed believers (with God's permission) using things of the world to learn and teach.
Anime, as it is, was never about teaching nice qualities.
" and wonder what the future holds.
