A question: what would you do in my situation?

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Susan

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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. :sorry: )

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.

 

 

 
 

ZiSunka

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I really think it's time for you to either get a new church or stop being involved with anime and rpg's.

This has been a big problem for you for many months, and it doesn't seem that you can come to resolution with it. You want to do anime and rpg's, but your church preaches against them. You can't be true to what you feel is God's will for your life and to your church at the same time.

There are many good churches that are creative and inventive with evangelism, and your work anime and rpg's could introduve the gospel to many people who would never otherwise hear it. Why not go to one of the churches that can support you in this work, instead of one that constantly criticizes you and restricts you?

My advice? CHANGE CHURCHES!
 
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Andrew

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There are no hard and fast rules under the new covenant of grace. We've been freed from law. Paul says all things are permissible but I will not be mastered by anything. It's a life of freedom in the Spirit, where love is the constraining force.

Dont go by is this right or wrong? becos then you are eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. eat from the tree of life, ie go with the peace/life in your spirit. If what you are doing does not bring peace/life in your spirit, then dont do it.

also, what may be bad for one person may not be so for another. eg wine/beer may be bad for a Christian who had/has a drinking weakness, so the Holy Spirit leads him away from those things. but to another, he may have no weakness in this area so the HS doesnt stop him from just a glass or two.

hope you get the point. now what you are doing is 'wrong' not becos RPG is wrong per se but becos you are stumbling others and doing it 'in secret'. stop if you want to remain in that church. otherwise, like lambslove said, change church cos i think its a little legalistic.
 
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Susan

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I'm not sure if it would. Thing is, I know others who are like me here, and on other issues my church is not legalistic at all. I'm hoping to stay in my church and hopefully be able to present my case if everything does go wrong.

Also, my family would be devastated if I even told them of the possibilities I named here.
 
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DaveKerwin

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Originally posted by lambslove
I really think it's time for you to either get a new church or stop being involved with anime and rpg's.

This has been a big problem for you for many months, and it doesn't seem that you can come to resolution with it.

Right, time for resolution.

Yeah, I have seen many posts on it. Give up RPG's and anime's. Maybe not forever, but do it for a period of time to prove they are not that important to you. I have up drinking for a year so I knew that I wasn't mastered by it. I drink occasionally now, and it's not a big deal. So my suggestion is to give it up, show God and others that your identity is not in an RPG, rather in Christ.
 
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Reformationist

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<DIV>Susan, the answer to your dilemma is in God's Word.&nbsp; The answer is not in finding another church that will support what you do.&nbsp; Consider this, what if your behavior is sinful?&nbsp; I don't personally know if your behavior is sinful.&nbsp; But, like I said, what if it is?&nbsp; Should you, then, just find a church that doesn't have a problem with you sinning?&nbsp; Listen, finding a new church is fine.&nbsp; But, don't do it because they don't agree with what you're doing.&nbsp; Maybe what you're doing is wrong.&nbsp; If you feel that you need a new church because your church doesn't preach the Truth of the Gospel, then fine, look for a new church.&nbsp; If you feel that you need a new church because they are in disagreement with something that you do then your motive is a sinful one because it's all about you.&nbsp; My suggestion is to stop hiding&nbsp;what you're doing and go talk to your pastor and find out why he believes it to be sinful.&nbsp; If your pastor loves you then he will counsel you in a manner that is most beneficial to your relationship with your Savior, with no regard for his personal feelings.&nbsp; If you feel that he cannot do that, then maybe you need to find a church that can rightly divide the Word.&nbsp; Like I said though, running away from a difficult situation will solve nothing.&nbsp; God brought this difficult situation into your life to conform you.&nbsp; That won't stop no matter where you go.&nbsp; If it's not this situation, He will bring about something else.&nbsp; Remember, His purpose for you is to conform you to the image of His Son.&nbsp; If that's not your goal, then you need to reevaluate your motive.

One last thing,...just because you may be free to do something doesn't mean that you should do it.&nbsp; Try reading Romans 14:14-23.&nbsp; The truth of the matter is that if you think it's more important to do something because you know the Lord has freed you from the condemnation of the Law (not freed you from the Law) than to consider your brother's feelings then you don't really know what the Lord's sacrifice was really for, because it wasn't to make you free to do whatever you know is okay.&nbsp; Your mission should be to seek after "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit," not to find someone who will support your behavior at the cost of stumbling your brother.

Hope this helps.&nbsp; And if you ever are looking for another church my invitation still stands.

God bless.
</DIV>
 
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Susan

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Give up RPG's and anime's. Maybe not forever, but do it for a period of time to prove they are not that important to you. I have up drinking for a year so I knew that I wasn't mastered by it. I drink occasionally now, and it's not a big deal. So my suggestion is to give it up, show God and others that your identity is not in an RPG, rather in Christ.

I have done that for a year. :) From April 2001 to April 2002 I didn't watch anime or play RPGs at all. In fact, I would even go so far as to not walk in the electronics section of a store.
 
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SpiritPsalmist

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Originally posted by mel3
I think I have lived a very sheltered life or something, because I haven't gotten a clue as to what anime or rpg's are. Someone care to enlighten me alittle?

Me too Mel, I have no clue what is being referred to&nbsp; :scratch:
 
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Susan

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Oh, all right. Anime is traditionally Japanese animation (although there are some American artists). I will admit that there is much that is not good, but there is some that is good or that is at least not evil. RPGs are Role Playing Games. My favorite are console and computer because some combine stylistic elements of anime into the storyline.

BTW anime is NOT hentai. There is a difference, and please do not think that disgusting hentai site with the name "anime" as its URL is anything like what I like.
I hate hentai. I think it is disgusting and evil. :mad; :sick:
 
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Susan

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Basically the difference comes down to the centrality of the story and the content.

For instance something with no or little plot depth and containing&nbsp;sexual depictions is hentai.


Anime with plot depth but that has those same depictions is "borderline hentai" anime (in other words I hate it but if the offensive depictions are edited, it could stand on its own as a story-the depictions are the problem.)


Anime that has plot depth and that depicts something offensive but not in and of itself sexual is a matter of conviction just as movies or books containing the same things are. Some can watch without sinning, others can't.


Anime that contains nothing questionable aside from the occasional spiritual mention or "overhead joke" (Pokemon, Hamtaro, etc) is also a matter of conviction. It is innocuous enough but for some people (really young kids, persons who believe anything they hear, materialists for Pokemon) can cause problems, so I decided to mention it.



I hope this cleared things up a little. -^.^- I am politely requesting that this thread be closed now, as I have made my decision.


I am staying in my church for as long as I can. I believe that I am not sinning for being a fan (although I have sinned in the choices of what I have watched/played sometimes, like when I played the blasphemous, cult promoting "Final Fantasy 7," however I feel that is no different than those moviegoers of you who bought a ticket to something you later felt guilty for) and therefore can present a valid defense if accused.
Thank you all for your help! :)
 
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