A Critique of the Anti-Pokemon Hype

As you read this critique please note that my intention is not to defend Pokemon in any way, but to simply stop sensational, unfactual information . My comments concerning this article will be in red bold. In all fairness, at the time of this writing a 13th revision of this article exists on the web page of its author. Since most websources post this article it is fitting to take it at its posted worth. The article will be posted untouched save for some formatting and the term SIC will not be applied when there are errors.

Interestingly enough the statement of faith of the article's author examined is charismatic. In point # 10 on his belief page he writes concerning the Holy Spirit:

"He empowers believers and bestows gifts on them through the laying on of hands and /or the Baptism given to all who ask, for the purpose of becoming active in the service of Jesus Christ as 'royal priests'. His fullness, power and control are appropriated in the believer's life by faith, daily indwelling and filling us."

Click here for the Biblical view of spiritual gifts

This is not intended to be an ad hominem argument. It is my opinion that this unbiblical mystical experiential theology causes the author to skews the facts to make them more sensational. My proposition is that the author of this article abused truth to promote truth.

Grace to you,

Mark Markham

Pokemon Revision 5 "Just another "fad"? Read on! A Christian perspective¦

By Brett Peterson preacher4truth@eathlink.net

How close can we get to the occult and still call it 'good social interaction & imagination stretching fun for kids? Pokemon is a role-playing game like Dungeons and Dragons, MAGIC (another card game like Pokemon), and many other 'games' and cartoons that have occultic overtones.

While role playing games can be demonic many are not. The game of Life is a role playing game, Cowboys and Indians even house are role playing games. Role playing games for children allow them to exercise decision skills that are needed for life. The danger comes when the role we identify with is ungodly.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Pokemon is a copyright of Nintendo Japan. It was first created in Japan and is highly influenced by Japanese mysticism. It is very popular there now, and has been since 1996. In 1997 685 people went into epiliptic seizures while watching the Pokemon cartoon. Pokemon is short for "Pocket Monsters". By 300 AD, the sun-worshipping Yamato kingdom had loosely unified the nation through conquest and alliance. Buddhism was introduced from China in the mid-6th century and soon became the state religion. Rivalry between Buddhism and Shinto, the traditional religion of Japan, was diffused by presenting Shinto deities as manifestations of Buddha. They seem to embrace all mystical religions and warrior religions.

The only things about Pokemon that can be substantiated are the facts that it is a copyright of Nintendo and one episode in Japan caused seizures with red and blue flashing colors. The incident was an accident and the company took corrective action for future releases. The other material, though it may be anchored in fact is not tied into Pokemon at all. Where is the connection between Buddhism, or Shintoism. What this boils down to is an attempt to link Pokemon to things that we as Christians know to be wrong. It is my belief that there is enough about Pokemon to warrant concern without distorting truth.

We finally have a researched answer to the influences behind "Pokemon" and the religions and philosophies that are taught within the game. Pokemon is the result of influences that are completely mystical. These are just to name a few:

Buddhist Mysticism, Hinduism, meditation rituals, Egyptian Book of the Dead, Book of Tao, the Analects of Confucius, the Gita, the I Ching, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: All These Philosophies influenced Pokemon!

Again, this an assertion with no teeth. The author might just as well have said Martians influenced Pokemon. With no evidence to support this claim it becomes talebearing, or even a false witness against our neighbor. Is it right to lie to convict a criminal?

C.G. Jung summarizes all these philosophies in his theory of "collective unconsciousness", & he assures his followers of the congeniality with occultic energy sciences and the evolutionary sciences with the occultic practices and tapping into the water energy, fire energy, leaf energy, and wind energy you can achieve spiritual enlightenment and success all of which are incorporated in Pokemon.

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