- Feb 16, 2002
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I am a fan of anime and RPGs. Some people even know of the website that I am starting for Christians who are fans and/or writers/artists of one or both. (and NO that is not self promotion! Please don't edit it and ban me-it's just a part of the why of this post. )
However I know that there are many Christians who disagree with me. That's fine, I believe both are matters of personal conviction so long as you refrain from hentai, sick things like it, and things that make YOU personally commit a sin (like if a game had you chant literal spells personally it would be sin of course. IMHO simply watching a character throw a card, punching a button and an onscreen character waves a hand a wand or whatever and a cool or not so cool special effect happens, or simply saying in a pen and paper game "Missile, 4 times" is nowhere near that though, at least for an older teen or an adult)
My problem is that many people in my current denomination (Independent Baptist, although I am myself nondenominational) and church are strongly opposed and believe anime and RPGs to be evil and demonic, and although I have friends who know where I stand and see the issue as personal conviction, I know my pastor doesn't and neither do most of the church staff. My pastor has even agreed with Berit Kjos as to both being a part of the New Age and/or deep occultism, although they do not agree on other issues. I am afraid that when the news that I am indeed an otaku reaches my pastor or someone close to him, that will be the end of me in my church.
[I am a Christian, not a new ager or an occultist. I have some problems and struggles just like any other Christian does-but I have to hide them and look "good" and "holier-than-you," in front of everyone so I don't get mislabeled as "someone into the occult and demons." (BTW I hate the devil, demons and real occultism-as described in Deuteronomy 18-just as much as any other Christian does.)]
How should I handle this? I have tried to hide and have been relatively successful at keeping the knowledge of my interests hushed while yet being honest. . .but I know that someday, sometime, I will probably get in BIG TROUBLE. It would be a tragedy if I did.
However I know that there are many Christians who disagree with me. That's fine, I believe both are matters of personal conviction so long as you refrain from hentai, sick things like it, and things that make YOU personally commit a sin (like if a game had you chant literal spells personally it would be sin of course. IMHO simply watching a character throw a card, punching a button and an onscreen character waves a hand a wand or whatever and a cool or not so cool special effect happens, or simply saying in a pen and paper game "Missile, 4 times" is nowhere near that though, at least for an older teen or an adult)
My problem is that many people in my current denomination (Independent Baptist, although I am myself nondenominational) and church are strongly opposed and believe anime and RPGs to be evil and demonic, and although I have friends who know where I stand and see the issue as personal conviction, I know my pastor doesn't and neither do most of the church staff. My pastor has even agreed with Berit Kjos as to both being a part of the New Age and/or deep occultism, although they do not agree on other issues. I am afraid that when the news that I am indeed an otaku reaches my pastor or someone close to him, that will be the end of me in my church.
[I am a Christian, not a new ager or an occultist. I have some problems and struggles just like any other Christian does-but I have to hide them and look "good" and "holier-than-you," in front of everyone so I don't get mislabeled as "someone into the occult and demons." (BTW I hate the devil, demons and real occultism-as described in Deuteronomy 18-just as much as any other Christian does.)]
How should I handle this? I have tried to hide and have been relatively successful at keeping the knowledge of my interests hushed while yet being honest. . .but I know that someday, sometime, I will probably get in BIG TROUBLE. It would be a tragedy if I did.