Found this online...

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
10/30/2015 at 06:12 • Filed to: Pokemon

Thought it was pretty funny.

DISCUSSION (14)

ly2v8-Brian > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 09:46

Yeah they game is a little disturbed when you think about it. Still fun though, not sure what that says about me...

zeontestpilot > ly2v8-Brian
10/30/2015 at 10:11

I ENJOY PLAYING POKEMON! There, now you're not the only one, :).

Rico > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 10:53

Lol I don’t remember Pokemon being so brutal but it’s true. Funny enough back in the late 90’s when I was little I went to Ohio and stood a couple of weeks with my aunt. She took me once to her friend’s house who was apart of her church and I went to play with their kids. Pokemon was banned in their house and when I asked my aunt why she said because it was inspired by the devil.

At the time I thought she was loony but maybe this pic is onto something!

Edit: A quick google search shows me that this is actually a widely popular held belief

zeontestpilot > Rico
10/30/2015 at 10:59

Ha, I’m lucky my parents didn’t think that. I came from a Christian household; and yes, they ‘evolve’, but the basis of Pokemon is friendship. You should be proud to know that I try to battle those skewed views as often as I can.

Actually, this pic is very similar to the manga based off the game, :). That was pretty brutal at times.

Rico > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 11:07

I didn’t think it was evil and nor do I think it is today, I mean my favorite game was Pokemon Yellow lol. As a kid though it’s tough to know what to believe when you have adults who you think know much more telling you that it’s evil. Batman was also banned in the house on the same “inspired by the devil” idea but I think it had more to do with the violence aspect (even if it was against bad guys) rather than his costume.

As a kid I would sometimes go to church with my mom and I remember just around this time of Halloween I must have been 6 I remember the Sunday school teacher telling us that Halloween was about celebrating Satan and demons and that participating in it was seen as going against God. I cried so much when I left because I really wanted to wear my Red Power Rangers costume and my mom convinced me that they were wrong. It’s just always interesting to think back and look at things with new perspective as an adult.

Also yeah Japanese Manga is much more graphic, I remember looking at Dragon Ball mangas back in the day and it was way more graphic than the show.

Rico > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 11:10

Also in regards to the above video which is clearly from the mid 90’s, do you think he had a point? I feel that his point was about video games sort of brainwashing kids but I think he was reading wayyyyy to deep into the mechanics of Pokemon and trying to get it to fit his narrative. I understand faith involves interpretation but sometimes there’s nothing “between the lines”, sometimes a cartoon is simply just a cartoon with no demonic undertones.

zeontestpilot > Rico
10/30/2015 at 11:49

Halloween started as a pagan holiday, but it has become a caricature of what it once was. I mean, I think of Halloween as costumes and candy, not demons and witches.

I think a big issue is herd mentality, and no one thinks about it for themselves. I say, if you have issues with ghost and goblins costumes, don’t have your kids dress up as them then, set an example for other people. Of course, if you think about it yourself and decide “no Halloween”, I won’t argue. But a lot of people seemed to scream the same exact answers without too much thought.

Now, I’m not saying to let kids run amuck. Parents need to see why their kids are interested in something. Understand it, know it, then make an informed decision. And if they say no, explain to the kid why. If they allow it, keep up with it. If you feel iffy about something, investigate further. You can always say no later if you feel you must.

My parents let us read Goosebumps, play Pokemon, etc. My dad read Goosebumps before we did, and he said it was ok. My mom told me that, one time, she stayed up to see if South Park was something us kids would be interest in, she turned it off within a couple minutes, lol.

Yeah, shines tend to be toned down with the violence. Except Hunter x Hunter, that show keeps surprising me, (did he just eat a child?!?!? What the heck?!?!?).

Rico > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 11:56

Ah Goosbumps was my favorite, so cool that they are finally making a movie about it. I wish more parents exercised common sense like you, looks like you’ll be raising them right!

zeontestpilot > Rico
10/30/2015 at 12:13

I can’t watch it since I’m at work, but I can probably guess what it says.

Here’s the truth about Pokemon, it was inspired by bug collecting. Yep, bug collecting. The Pokemon themselves are based of of objects and Japanese folklore (ex: 9 tailed fox). I’ll admit that can be a iffy part, but you have to think about context. The game is pretty passive, it doesn’t impress anything on you except to have a good time and enjoy yourself.

Now video games can influence kids, but that’s why their are ratings available. There’s a possibility that a kid might not be able to tell the difference between virtual and reality. Thus, in a game where to eliminate someone you must shoot them, a kid might think the same for a bully. I’m not saying this is a fact, I’m saying its a possibility that should be considered. Kids can be manipulated easily.

On a related note, video games aren't evil. They are a interactive medium for entertainment. Think of it as a movie you can interact with, :).

Rico > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 12:32

Yeah definitely big on limiting what kids play. For example, as a kid (before the age of 8) I had Mortal Kombat for Sega Genesis. Back in the day it was seen as extremely violent and looking at it now it’s violent but not too far as it was limited by the hardware. Now the new Mortal Kombat, yeah I wouldn’t let a any kid under 13 play it, it’s great but also highly violent and the hardware allows them to take it to a new level that kids shouldn’t see. I wouldn’t even play that game AROUND kids, adults are a different story.

In regards to the video above, you can watch it later if you want but the gist of what he’s saying is Pokemon= Pocket Monsters or in other words demons. He believes it is a door to let children into the world of witchcraft (this is a belief against stories like Harry Potter as well) in which they carry these demons in their pocket in which they believe they control when in fact it is the demons who are controlling the children.

He segues into how video games are able to brainwash children and brings up shooting games as well as kids getting violent over Pokemon cards which believes are caused by the said demons altering the way children perceive reality. “Pokemon world is the world of the Satanic” is one of the things he says and reminds me exactly of what my aunt told me all those years ago (which I disrespectfully laughed at).

zeontestpilot > Rico
10/30/2015 at 13:15

Yeah, my parents did a pretty good job. They did say no to some things after they said yes, for one reason or another. The best thing I can do is to improve on what my parents did for my little one. It’s why I like to watch tv shows with her (she’s 2.5). Of course, both parents have to be on the same page. My wife wasnt too crazy about Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated. I told her it was fine. I did tell her that it featured an off-brand Ouiji board in a episode, but I was satisfied when it got destroyed in a fire, :).

zeontestpilot > Rico
10/30/2015 at 13:35

Yeah, I have quite a few M rated games right now (namely because of my college degree, as it was ‘research’), but I haven’t played them whenever my kid is around. Actually, she and I have the same bedtime, 11pm. I get up about 5 hours before her, but on the weekends I usually do stuff around the house I normally can’t because she’s around. I’ve been itching to replay Bioshock Infinite though....

If they are willing to say Pokemon are demons, should I say that having an image of Jesus Christ can be considered an idol? It can go either way. I’m a Christian, and their way of thinking irritates me. I can understand the Harry Potter though, because witchcraft. I’m not big on the witchcraft aspect, so I don’t really care enough about Harry Potter. Especially since it's the one of the main themes. But I’m not gonna stop others from watching it, it’s their choice, not mine.

For example, I enjoy the Bioshock games. I love the complicated story and the crazy plasmids/magic aspect. I don’t like the strong language though. I haven’t played farcry 3, because of the strong language and I believe nudity. I took a stand for something I feel convicted about, and setting an example. I’m not bringing anyone down with me though.

Rico > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 14:12

Ahh yes “research” lol. The thing with stuff like Harry Potter for me is to me magic isn’t real, it’s as fake as a superhero’s power in The Avengers. I separate stuff like Harry Potter or any other movie like Sleeping Beauty/Snow White/Cinderella basically many Disney movies that involves magic into “Fantasy”. This to me is separate from the very real, very dangerous occult whether it’s in a media form such as a book or in real life.

What’s important are the underlying stories, in Hary Potter it is about good triumphing over evil and that someone who is truly good cannot be harmed by evil. It’s about someone like Harry who is half muggle (normal human) half wizard having identity issues, being bullied for it and overcoming that. In Disney movies it is usually along the same lines. The story is inherently good just like a superhero movie follows similar patterns of identity issues (Superman wishing he was just a man), good defeating evil, protecting those you love, etc.

Your Pokemon to Jesus comparison I think can be defended by saying you are allowed to idolize God as the Commandment says He is the Lord and you are not to worship any other God’s before him. Technically you are worshiping him, you are not worshiping the picture of him.

ly2v8-Brian > zeontestpilot
10/30/2015 at 14:54

Still enjoy it. No shame here.