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Steve
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November 17, 1999-- News itemPokemon: The First Movie - The children's cartoon, based on a Nintendo game that has devolved into merchandising phenomenon, opened at No. 1 with an estimated $32.4 million for the Friday-Sunday period. Since its Wednesday opening, the film has grossed $52.1 million, setting a new record for a five-day opening for November, he added. The old record was $45.7 million for last year's Disney cartoon A Bug's Life. Short for pocket monsters the Pokemon game involves players collecting and training pet monsters. The craze has begotten toys, trading cards and a syndicated TV series. Of the three other new releases in the top 10, only one opened strongly. Dogma, a controversial religious satire about fallen angels, played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, debuted at No. 3 with $8.8 million. Its solid per screen average of $6,935 was the second highest in the top 10, behind Pokemon's staggering $10,647. |
The latest game craze among school children these days goes far beyond childish antics. In fact, it's out right dangerous. Do you have any idea what your children are playing with? "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).
My son and I were trading the cards and playing the game - I observed groups of children role playing the Pokemon characters for a period of 4 months - I watched the anime (cartoons or Japanimation) - and I did extensive research into the subtle influences on the whole Pokemon world before I wrote this paper.
It is out of much prompting that I finished this and I pray it helps many of you make an informed decision about whether or not Pokemon is a game that you want your children playing with.
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!
C.G. Jung summarizes all these philosophies in his theory of 'collective cnconsciousness', & he assures his followers of the congeniality with occultic energy sciences and the evolutionary 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.
Jung draws upon Oriental conceptions of consciousness to broaden the concept of "projection": Not only the "wrathful" demons/monster (pocket monsters) but also the "peaceful" deities/spirits (pika-chu's) are conceived as animal projections of the human psyche - the fundamental Pokemon!
The Bible says: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (EPH 5:8-17)
In the Tibetan tradition life is a sort of 'game', and they state that each of the levels of game-existence is associated with a particular color and also certain geographical symbols. Note the energy cards in Pokemon have colors and elements that also refer powers and positions.
In Tibetan teaching, each person (trainer of projections) has to learn to decode his own internal road map. The Tibetan indicators may be used as a starting point. The purpose is clear: one should follow the signs of the three higher types and shun those of the three lower. One should follow light and pleasant visions and shun dark and dreary ones. Look at the Pokemon cards - both are represented and role-played by our children.
Sorcery is based on the mystical and ethical teachings of the Tao (pronounced "dow. All powers and creatures receive their strength by the five elements: fire, water, air or wind, soil, and the void. They teach that these powers can be manipulated by magic.
Recently I observed a group of children who were role-playing Pokemon. They were making evil faces and chanting their Pokemon character names over and over! One three year old was chasing another boy almost trance like in expression saying in a deep raspy voice, 'bulbasore attack, bulbasore, bulbasore.' They are, in a very conservative and innocent way, doing what members deep into the occult practice regularly - meditating and projecting their spirits just like practitioners of the occult! I don't believe the children themselves are doing this as they play, but for some of the children they are feeding the methodology into their minds and creating a desire for that kind of power.
I don't know if the writers of the game intended to indoctrinate children into mysticism or new age believe systems or the occult – but too many aspects of Pokemon do just that - and this can not be ignored.
In Shinto, the spirits or Kami's can be summoned, can be the agents of possession as in Shamantic possession trance rituals, and can be utilized to aid in protection and fighting off evil Kami's. They utilize music called Kagura that is made up of drum, flute, cymbals, and the singing of kami uta (kami songs), each of which has the power to summon the deities. However, the most significant action associated with kagura as shamanic rite of possession and spirit control.
Pokemon monsters in the game and the cartoon (anime) can only say their name, so when they talk they are really chanting their name - chanting is a form of self hypnosis and truly opens oneself up to the demonic realm!
Why would Satan influence a game like Pokemon? It opens up players to the demonic realm, channeling (a power some of the Pokemon characters have), and possession.
Luke 11:24-26 -- "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first."
In Japan, Shinto grew out of an awe for manifestations of nature such as sun, water, rocks, trees and even sounds (jiggly puff, a cute Pokemon sings a song and the sounds puts all who hear her into a trance (my definition of a trance is any sleep that is induced against the persons will) – this is a common type of teaching in Shinto and is very evident in Pokemon)!
Shinto teaches that all such natural features were felt to have a god behind their power. Many Shinto beliefs were incorporated into Japanese Buddhist practices after its introduction in the 6th century. Just as they believe in evolution and re-incarnation, these very ideas are manifest in Pokemon.
Some of the cards show creatures associated with Satan (dragons, ghosts, wizards, etc) and are typical examples of the dark side of Pokemon. Haunter, an evolved spirit can hypnotize and has 'dream eater' power (powered by the purple Pokemon energy cards which is the psychic energy). This power lets him drain the energy from his opponents.
Some eastern and New age philosophies teach this principal and call spirits that can do this 'energy vampires'. This is just the tip of the iceberg! The Pokemon game contains many typologies manifest in the cards that reflect the philosophies of Shinto with mystic Buddhism, in addition to many other beliefs. Kadabra, above on the right, evolved from Abra. Both have demonic powers.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
In Pokemon, the monsters actually die to their old self and evolve into the new, more powerful Pokemon. This is the teaching of eastern mystery religions and is spelled out in the Egyptian book of the Dead and other occult religions.
In one Pokemon episode, Bulbasore did not want to evolve - some feel this means to just 'grow up' - but the idea is to go through a substantial change and it is even suggested that the Pokemon 'looses' its former self or in a way dies to his current psyche - a typical example of Pokemon and it's occultic influence.
The Pokemon evolve and take on new characteristics and one (Evee) can evolve into one of two completely different Pokemon, which indicates a complete change as I have asserted.
Children are subtly being indoctrinated in the theory of evolution and mysticism in the Pokemon game. At this level, you will teach your children that God created the world, and the world will tell your children that we evolved from Apes, and they will be so familiar with evolution that they will instinctively believe that un-proovable theory! On a side note, the latest theory of evolution is not survival of the fittest (this is simply adaptation within a species), but 'punctual equilibrium' - species changed spontaneously with no evolutionary steps (which is what Pokemon do).
What other influences are evident in Pokemon? It gets more unbelievable and shocking as you read on! Wicca, Witchcraft, Paganism, Satanism, 'New Age', and other occultic influences in 'Pokemon'.
Lets look at what these religions teach and a short history. Remember - Pokemon's energy is derived from earth, water, fire, lightening, etc. - and the 'pocket monsters' are part of a universal whole.
First - do you really believe there is power in the occultic? Let's see what the Bible says about all this: "And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger" (2 Chronicles 33:6)
These are real powers that have one intention - to keep you from knowing God and experiencing His plan and will for your life! Any game, cartoon, etc. that even hints at occultic practice is dangerous!
Wicca, or Witchcraft is a popular and fast growing religious practice all over the world today. Most Witches/Warlocks consider their practice something that is learned by experience - not by books. They go through many incredible rituals to become powerful in the 'craft'. Pokemon trainers must go through a lot of training and ritual type actions to become 'Master Trainers', with the ability to control the Pokemon and their powers.
Pagans use earthly powers and demonic spirits, shamans use animal spirits - their minds are set on the flesh – the Bible says the mind set on the flesh is death!
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary. The one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition's, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, evellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:16-23)
Through the true power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus gives us these according to that same passage: v. 23- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering temperance: against such there is no law."
"Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (I Co 10:19-22).
In Pokemon, trainers summon one of their Pokemon to battle other monsters and they use them as guardians. In Wicca, guardians, known as Watchtowers, are called. These spirits (and sometimes animals) are called by them to protect them from 'evil' spirits while they open themselves up to these spirits during rituals - the circle, the pentagram, etc. all provide a 'safe' area to practice. (In Pokemon the monsters are held in a Pokeball until the trainer summons them).
In witchcraft these spirits are summoned and called to stay in the circle until needed to fight off bad spirits. These Guardians in Pagan practice are often the spirits with whom a person feels comfortable with and has developed some form of a relationship with (in Pokemon the trainers befriend their 'pocket monsters' and develop trusting and advice seeking relationships with them). Possible guardians might be one of the Ancestors, a "spirit guide," or other spiritual entity (including animal spirits and even real animal - like the typical witches black cat) with which the person is familiar with.
This is what occurs in Pokemon play -the pocket monsters are captured, trained, and summoned as needed.
Elements & Powers, geography, and demonic realms of power in Pokemon and astrology, New age cults, & Witchcraft.
Most Pagan and earth based religions and philosophies find power in the Four Elements - Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. These are the energy cards in the Pokemon game!
Look at this verse in the Bible: "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (I Timothy 4:1).
What are we allowing to come into our homes! The elements in Pokemon are foundational to many earth religions and mystic rituals. We draw our power from God, not the earth!
The Bible tells us: "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world" (Galatians 4:3). "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" (4:9). Most all covens and eastern philosophies, and Pagan belief systems hold the elements as sources of power, as the Pokemon game does.
Again - the Bible says: "Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do" (1 Timothy 1:4). "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness." (4:7). "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:4). This is what all religions are - nothing but mans attempt to reach God. Listen - finite man can not reach an infinite God! He had to reach down to us, and He did in Jesus Christ!
One last example of occultic practices and Pokemon. In Paganism and the Occult there are sprit guides, messengers, and elementals or artificial elementals. They can be summoned to do things for the 'trainer' or 'practitioner'. They can:
1.) Watch and tell the trainer what it sees 2.) Guard the trainer 3.) Fight with other spirits or elementals 4.) Carry out assignments given by the trainers
Pagans can capture free elementals (much like Pokemon trainers capture pocket monsters) and build relationships with them for use (just like Pokemon trainers). Witches, Shamans, etc, recommend only master practitioners do this because you are not masters of the elementals, just like Pokemon trainers are not masters of the Pocket monster - and they warn that they can be hard to get rid of and may require an exorcism to become free of a bad one.
"And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. How be it this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" (Matthew. 17:14-21).
Please pray and do what the Lord instructs you to do - it is time to take a stand for God and protect our children from the influences of our enemy! My son is six and we had a whole book of Pokemon cards - after praying about it he made the decision to get rid of his cards, because he could see they were evil!
Listen Christians - we are in a battle! The enemy is subtle and is trying to influence our children's minds. Pokemon teaches all the basics of many false religion and occultic practices! Pokemon also indoctrinates children in evolutionary thought and pagan beliefs!
It is not Pokemon that we fight - the Bible says: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalitie the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).
These 'powers' are the very real demonic spirits behind all-false religion and self-serving pursuits. Again, Pokemon is not the enemy - it is Lucifer and all that exalts itself against Jesus Christ and the true path to enlightenment. Pokemon is a tool the enemy can use to build a false foundation and plant seeds of futility in my child - and this I will not allow, and I will, by the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit come against all falsehood and doctrines of demons that try to indoctrinate my child with eastern mysticism and occultic practices.
There is only one way to God - and He revealed that way in the Bible. It is our absolute fixed point of reference and tells us the Jesus Christ is the only way to God. We have this fixed point of reference - no other religion or philosophy has this! More on the Bible in a moment - read on.
I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ by and through the power of the Holy Spirit will lead you into truth, protect you and your children from the schemes of the enemy, and work in you to will and to do His good pleasure.
We are not against the 'games', religions, or imagination, but the power behind those games. Religion (including witchcraft and Paganism) is finite man's attempt to reach an infinite God or experience spiritual power.
Pokemon is a copyright of Nintendo. It was first created in Japan and is highly influenced by Japanese mysticism. It is very popular there now, and has been since 1996. Pokemon is short for 'Pocket Monsters'. William Viser, "The Darkness Among Us" 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.
C.G. Jung wrote his theories in 1949 in Jung and Kerenyi. Jung is a mystical Psychologist. The 'I Ching' in the Shinto thought of Tokugawa Japan. Ng, Wai-ming.
Philosophy East and West98/10/19 v48:n4. p568(24) Shamanic dance in Japan: the choreography of possession in Kagura performance. Averbuch, Irit. Asian Folklore Studies99/06/19 57:2. 293(3)
POKEMON: POCKET MONSTERS 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 epileptic 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.
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!
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. Jung draws upon Oriental conceptions of consciousness to broaden the concept of "projection": Not only the "wrathful" demons/monster (pocket monsters) but also the "peaceful" deities/spirits (pika-chu's) are conceived as animal projections of the human psyche the fundamental religious teaching and game play in Pokemon!
I thought I would let you know this. I liked the Pokemon article that you had published. I had this kid in one of my groups at my agency who apparently was obsessing after Pokemon, and had said some weird things that at first made me think he was psychotic. After reading the article--a long time after the kid had left our groups--I saw that this was the kid getting thrown into Pokemon. Well, I edited down the article to remove what I thought was the homiletical parts and I sent it to other therapists with an introduction as an item that had decent background information about Pokemon.
I was written up because some of the other psychotherapists were offended and complained--even after I edited out the scripture.
While I am not happy about what had happened, and feel a bit on the persecuted side, I find it incredulous that many of those same therapists come from the Politically Correct side of the hall and would claim that I am not open minded or noble-minded. I have had to read so much in my academic courses that was personally offensive, but had technical information I had to be noble-minded in learning and assimilating. I have had to sit in lectures where people were being syncretistic, and I had to be discerning about what was garbage and what was useful information, why can't they????
I've learned my lesson, I am praying to God to help me forgive those people their arrogance, and I am even laughing about some parts of it now. (Submitted by Dave Houvenagle)
LINKS:
VERY EXTENSIVE WORK ON POKEMON:
http://members.tripod.com/~extreme_faith/pokemn1.htmPOKEMON CLUB HATCHES FILTH: PG-18--
http://jsa.users.fl.net.au/ace/fanfics/pmaster01.txtAUDIO CLIPS OF POKEMON CHARACTERS:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/1983/pokemon/640/sounds.htmlA TYPICAL FAN CLUB ( News of new Pokemon landmarks culturally!):
http://members.tripod.com/~pokeconnect/POKEMON HOME PAGE: Hit the top link on the left called "pokedex."
You will see the occult terminology and the morbid and grotesque imagery:
http://www.pokemon.com/
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