Dogma27 said:
I'm not confused. Because I know it isn't a "demonically inspired game". So some kids had nightmares...that has relevance how? If it was truly a problem then surly a great majority of children would be having nightmares. This is simply coincidence.
Coincidence, you say? That the nightmares commenced when the Pokemon commenced? Since you seem to have brushed this irrefutable evidence aside, allow me to present a few more examples, collected from the Internet:
My two year old started having nightmares after her 5 year old cousin introduced her to Pokemon.
"I thought it was a case of good guy versus bad guy, these little Pokemon that they capture, that that was the extent of it. You know, whoever had the most won. It seemed to be OK on the surface," says Cherie Rice.
But then their children began having nightmares.
After hearing God's warning and praying for His wisdom, nine-year-old Alan Brannan decided to throw away all his Pokemon cards. "My friend did the same," said his mother. "Her twelve year old son had been having nightmares. But after a discussion with his parents about the game and its symbols, he was convicted to burn his cards and return his Gameboy game. That night slept well for the first time in a month."
Many parents have reported their children having had nightmares associated with Pokemon.
And, shockingly (not really, considering the evil origins of the game):
When it was first released in Japan in 1997, it was reported that over 600 children went into epileptic seizures while watching the Pokemon cartoons.
I now refer you back to my original statement.
Again please tell em how Pokemon is "demonically influenced". Because it has names or elements that YOU see being demonic? Like I said before not everyone is a Christian. If a game/book/ whatever uses elements you may find offensive, it doesn't mean it's "demonic" Calling any game "demonically influenced" because of what it may contain makes about as much sense as claiming the Bible is demonically influenced because it also contains names and creatures of evil.
At the root, what does the name Pokemon stand for? Pocket monsters. Monsters? We are already beginning to see why so many would rather refer to them as demons. Let me quote again:
To be specific, one of the typical examples of the dark side of Pokemon is a character named Haunter; an evolved spirit that can hypnotize and has "dream eater" power (powered by the purple Pokemon energy cards which is psychic energy). This power lets him drain the energy from his opponents. Kadabra is another Pokemon character who evolved from Abra. Both characters have demonic powers.
Not exactly the kind of "game" we want to be involved in as Christians.
Another example... The character Jynx. "Merely by meditating, the Pokemon launches a powerful psychic energy attack." Pardon? You seriously want this mess to be entering your Christian mind, and the minds of Christian children?
Abra... "Using its ability to read minds..." Say what? Read minds? How, pray tell, does it do that? Not by using the forces of good. Why let this into your head?
And finally, a quote from the official Pokemon website.
Carry your Pokemon with you, and you're ready for anything! You've got the power in your hands, so use it!
Ah, now we come to the crunch point. Where, pray tell, does this power originate from? This is contrary to the Bible's teaching. We are indeed empowered, but on the inside... "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".
How therefore has the user got power in his hands when using Pokemon? What kind of power? Good power? Decidedly not! Any source of power other than through God is most decidedly evil, and this is what the Pokemon is representing.
Comparing Pokemon cards to Ouija boards, tarot cards, his highly laughable and quite absurd. Pokemon cards weren't made by some kind of occult demon summoners. No, they were made by Nerds. What sort of evil could Nerds unleash upon the world?
Firstly, as pointed out above, it is most certainly not laughable or indeed absurd. Those nerds who happened to invent the game were weighed down and afflicted with influences from, to mention a few, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, The Egyptian Book of the Dead, Buddhist Mysticism, Shintoism and suchlike. Do you want to be involved with such evil?
What's ridiculous almost to the point of proverbial madness is your argument that some Japanese guys made a Satanic game to corrupt kids. As for Jesus, I dont think he would have any probelm paying a game of Pokemon. Because he has what's called common sense and would know that Pokemon isn't some great evil.
Perhaps you should read the above hard facts presented before you, and then rethink your statements.
What a pleasant life that must be. Being absolutely and utterly paranoid about anything that crosses your path. I think there is a medical condition or scientific name for a person like that.
Sometimes the truth hits hard, doesn't it? However, there is no need to start a flamewar based on your opinions. No, to avoid Pokemon and suchlike is to guard one's mind from such evil influences, and safeguard their race and walk with God.
Once again. Unless you're a complete loon, pokemon should have no lasting or dramatic effect on you. If you think something like Pokemon is a threat, I'd hate to see what you think of Sesame Street.
Regardless of what happens, the seed would have been planted. As the saying goes, from little acorns mighty oaks grow. If the seed is there, the enemy can reference that to you later in life in an attempt to shake your faith, confuse you and throw you completely off course.
No what his parents and many other parents are doing is not allowing their children to think for themselves, to form their own opinions, they are simply disallowing them to learn and grow by trial and error. So when a kid does get out on his own, his beliefs are not his own, but of those forced upon him.
It's kind of sick if you ask me.
As a final attempt, you seem to have resorted to the age-old "withholding from your children" argument. What an irresponsible parent it is that allows his or her children to learn that the welding torch should not be touched, or that brightly burning magnesium can spot-weld a retina by "trial and error". If this said "trial and error" was applied to nuclear missiles, where would the world be? "Ah, now you know that welding torches can burn right through things. Don't do it again, run along now". What a terrible thought.
Would you do this to one of your children? Of course not. In the same way, when we are educating children about such dangers, we are not forcing beliefs on them but rather protecting them from harm.
I could go further, but the point has been made here. Pokemon and such evils are things we want to avoid at all costs as Christians.
