hey a question

[FaithInTheFlesh]

I see all the controversy here and Im not planning to start another..so sorry. if it turns out to be so..

My sister and I LOVE anime..it really brought us close together...we'd spend hours watching trigun, kenshin, or even live action shows such as GTO (w00t!) the we'd head off to the arcade for hours of DDR (Dance dance revolution a japenese game) this is/was our routine whenever we see each other...
Some anime DOES have underlyng themes that christians might not believe in, but does that mean we are to step totally out of the culture? As was mentioned, all media today exploits sex, drugs, promiscuity etc so does tht mean christians are to sit and be blind to the culture around them,a nd not take part?

I met a guy just a few wks ago NOT a christian....played DDR with me..I was wearing my CIY shirt that says "for me, to live is christ' so we started discussing religion and stuff (its amazing what can be said during 5/6 hours of DDR) and I got to know him over the phone and everything, and invited him to church with me...This guy went from being a very predominant hentai (jap. porn if it isnt known) watcher, to a church going...eh..cant say christian quite yet..but hes growing for God..
I dont know...I guess my question is is it really right to step OUT of the culture? Especially seeign as how a lot of anime has good themes as well..

 

[ozanaki tori]

Well, basically, we must ask ourselves: does anything outside of true Christian culture have underlying Christian themes?
I don't think so, personally. I think there is the holy, and the not-holy.
"All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient" is what I think it comes down to.
Is it healthy to wrap yourself up in anime so strongly as some do (not saying you, just saying)? Probably not. Is it wrong to really enjoy anime? Why would it be? It's not wrong to enjoy the things of the world unless you feel you are doing something wrong. If you do, that means you probably are.

I have no problem with the underlying themes of anime because, quite honestly, I don't have a problem with them when it comes to my religion.

 

[FaithInTheFlesh]

If I understand right I agree,...
When I watch anime my faith is not in question to me at all...Like..in school we learn about the faith and cultures of other countries and although I may not AGREE with it, it has no effect on my own personal beliefs or actions unless I LET it..
I have pink hair....I have christian friends who dont agree with it, because they were raised not to change your body or just raised to be scared of it....but them hanging out with me IS NOT going to make them all go dye their hair...
SOME anime that I USED to watch before I was christian (borderline hentai some probably considered so) I wont watch now because I know where my temptations lie and I will not give myself reason to Sin....However...Gto used to be and still is one of my favorates, though some of you might say it has underlying themes of sex and violence...(very minute)..
Eh..I dont know..you dont pay for the TV's sin you pay for your own. Know ur limits.

 

[Susan]

I've learned this lesson the hard way. Being Christian does not mean that you give up everything from your culture, your life, your interests-it means that you only avoid the things that cause YOU, personally, to sin or that will lead someone else to sin. To leave things that don't cause you to sin diminishes who you are and dimishes your possibilities of reaching out to others.

 

[SAint Mark]

It's not wrong to enjoy the things of the world unless you feel you are doing something wrong. If you do, that means you probably are.

But be careful with judging wether things are right or wrong because you can't judge that solely on feelings. Some wrong things can actually "feel" right at times...

 

[iter itineris]

But be careful with judging wether things are right or wrong because you can't judge that solely on feelings. Some wrong things can actually "feel" right at times...

I pretty much agree with what Susan said. But that’s also true what SAint Mark said (see my signature). That’s why we need to base right and wrong on scripture, but then we have disagreements on interpretation. So, it is hard to know for sure sometimes, although many things are obvious I’ve found it really comes down to the attitude/motive of the heart. The most important commandment “Love the lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” It is much easier said than done. If there is something you really are unsure of, the only way to know is to ponder it with scripture and pray/seek the Holy Sprit to open your eyes to the situation. It may take time, but God will always help you. At least, that is how I've found it to be.

 

[ozanaki tori]

SAint Mark:
The thought behind what I was saying was this..
Basically, if we think we're doing something wrong, we are doing something wrong. Why? "To him that knows to do good, but doesn't, it is sin."
If my dad told me to vacuum, and I think "hah, I'm not going to vacuum," only for him to get home and actually have said "I'm going to vacuum when I get home,"
it was still wrong of me not to vacuum because, in my heart, I thought I should have.

If we think we're doing wrong, and continue to do so, we are thus doing wrong.

That's what I meant.

Also, if we are close to God, we will have some inkling of an idea whether we should be doing something.

However, often times it is easy for the world to influence our opinions of good and bad. It is quite simple for someone to make something good feel bad by merely telling you it's a sin, especially if they keep pumping that into you. Likewise it is easy to become jaded toward sin by the actions of thsoe around you.

Then again, I don't really believe much in "sin," when it comes to every day life. Sin is disobedience to God, and His only commandments are to Love Him (love the lord your god with all of your heart, soul, and mind), love your neighbour (and your neighbour), love yourself (as you love yourself).

Loving yourself is something a lot of people don't think about, because it seems prideful. But a lot of things we do hurt ourselves, and in doing so break the commandment of loving ourselves.

When I say love yourself, I don't mean in the satanist feel goody love yourself so much way. I just mean, take care of yourself and love your body. Like, not 'oh i love my body so much i'm so hot,' but like 'hmm, is this good for me?'

so..yeah.

 

[SAint Mark]

I'm not arguing with you ozanaki tori. I pretty much understood what you meant (or at least I think I did ) but felt that it needed to be added that we don't always feel that something is wrong even if we should.

"Then again, I don't really believe much in "sin," when it comes to every day life."

This I didn't completely understand, please elaborate

 

[ozanaki tori]

What I meant was this:

Sin is disobedience to God. God's commandments to us are only 3, not ten. Those 3 (the commandments of love god, neighbour, self) cover the 10 commandments and a lot of moral 'sins.'
However, the 'sin' is not the action, but the breaking of loving God, Neighbour, or Self.
I hope that makes a bit more sense.

For instance, I am a tobacco addict. Well, I don't smoke anymore, but I used to. I realised it was a sin because, in hurting my own body and the body of those around me, I was breaking two commandments: loving my neighbour, and loving (taking care of) my own self.