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I would rather my kids (if they were kids) save and trade Pokemon Cards than have a computer and a tv in their bedroom and given free range..If they are into trading cards at least they are interacting with real live people..Most of these Pokemon kids are really young and have more fun collecting cards than spending many boring hours at the game anyway..relax..the fad will pass
Hmmmm ...someone once even suggested that Pretty Kitty is a creation straight from hell, but is so subtle we would never question the real role that little vixon is playing.
Well I just figured it was one of those fads that died out back in the early 2000's.
Do you see anything wrong in it, that would make a born again christian type person find it objectionable?
I just thought it was a silly game myself and never got into it.
I can see where a Christian might be concerned over Dungeons and Dragons, but Pokemon, not really.
Pokemon is short for Pocket Monsters. It can be taken as that you have the little critters in your pocket in the form of a game - or that when you "catch" a pokemon, you keep them in small pocket size balls. These are known as Pokeballs. According to the show, they are smaller than the palm of your hand (think tiny clementine orange) until you go to release them - at which point the ball becomes a little bigger than a standard sized hand (about the size of a large navel orange).
In the world of Pokemon Games, there are no cats and dogs, rats or fish as we know them. Instead, you have creatures that look like God's creations. For instance: Meowth (cat), Growlithe (dog), rat (Rattata), and fish (Goldine).
I'm not ashamed to admit that I have every version of the standard Pokemon games released for handhelds (not the pinball or other spin-offs). Having played through each game, there are only a few things that could be construed as "objectionable":
1) The idea of catching and battling nature's creatures.
I've heard complaints from some people about how the nature of the game is to capture wild animals (Pokemon) and raise them by pitting them into battle with other captures animals. However, most of the pokemon are actually happy battling. For instance, in the game Pokemon Yellow - one of the pokemon (Pikachu) actually follows behind you as a partner. At first, Pikachu doesn't like you. However, the more you use him in battle, the happier he becomes. Also, battling is not the only use for Pokemon. The police use them to help with crime while a laboratory has Pokemon assistants.
2) Evolution
As stated in my previous post, there have been concerns with the idea of evolution. While the English translation is indeed called evolution, it has no correlation to the Theory of Evolution. Here is an evolution chart from the original 150 Pokemon. By clicking on the names, you can see pictures of what each little critter looks like - which in most cases, the "Evolution" is just age development.
I mentioned a few earlier, but another great example is Growlithe who is a puppy. This cute little guy "evolves" into Arcanine who resembles a grown-up version of Growlithe. Meowth is a cute little cat who is playful and mischevious (sounds like a kitten...) who evolves into the sophisticated and 'stuck-up' Persian.
3) Cultural References
While not heavily prevalent, there are hints and pieces of Buddhism, as I mentioned earlier. Most ghost pokemon do not have feet. The dead are remembered in Towers. There are seers and psychics - as such are believed in Japanese culture. If you really wanted, a parent could use the games to teach their child about the beliefs of different cultures.
Overall, this is a family-friendly genre that I think gets overlooked a lot because of the weird craze that happened years ago. I find no problems with it - having done the cards and the hand-held games, having watched the shows and waited in line for the first two movies when they came to theatres. Overall, we really do have to realize that these are fantasy games created for entertainment purposes.
Hoosier, in the end, this is your decision in whether or not your child gets to keep these cards. If you feel that the ideas and themes behind Pokemon are inappropriate for your religious beliefs, turn them into a learning and family discussion session. I have provided a few examples of things that might bother you for which you can base your discussion on.
I'd also like to pose to everyone here that if you have a question about the content of video game and video game based things (like Pokemon), my inbox is always open for questions.
Hmmmm ...someone once even suggested that Pretty Kitty is a creation straight from hell, but is so subtle we would never question the real role that little vixon is playing.
The only problem I have ever seen is when people do not "like" the name or what appears on the card. When I grew up my mom was perfectly fine with me playing Yugioh but freaked out when I mentioned Magic.
You should buy a starter deck and play a few games with him. You will be able to see the game for what it really is "entertainment" and you two might have some fun.
Hoos, I don't think you'll get a much better answer than what Kuharai has posted. I will tell you that my oldest son was into them when they were "first" the rage. He did not follow the games, he did not 'battle', he just liked the characters, the movies, and we read the books. My husband will tell you that he has some very fond memories of listening to me read the books to my son. There was always the excitement and anticipation of what will happen tommorow night.
Now my younger boys play with some of my oldest son's antiques. They have some golden cards and we still have all the books and a few movies. I was actually surprised by your post. I didn't realize that Pokemon was still a big deal. My younger boys are currently into Bakugon. It seems to have a very similar theme to pokemon, but I must admit that I think the creatures are much more interesting. Pretty cool, actually. But again, they don't actually understand anything about the battling or even the 'value' of the cards or creatures. They just think they are cool and they like to trade with their friends.
If there is anything evil about Pokemon, I would have to say it is in forcing a mom to take her son and two of his best friends to the first movie at the theater. I was sure that there must have been something subliminal going on. In fact, I remember leaving the theater with a huge craving for pizza.
I am sure that you will make the best decision for your family.
Hoos, I don't think you'll get a much better answer than what Kuharai has posted. I will tell you that my oldest son was into them when they were "first" the rage. He did not follow the games, he did not 'battle', he just liked the characters, the movies, and we read the books. My husband will tell you that he has some very fond memories of listening to me read the books to my son. There was always the excitement and anticipation of what will happen tommorow night.
Now my younger boys play with some of my oldest son's antiques. They have some golden cards and we still have all the books and a few movies. I was actually surprised by your post. I didn't realize that Pokemon was still a big deal. My younger boys are currently into Bakugon. It seems to have a very similar theme to pokemon, but I must admit that I think the creatures are much more interesting. Pretty cool, actually. But again, they don't actually understand anything about the battling or even the 'value' of the cards or creatures. They just think they are cool and they like to trade with their friends.
If there is anything evil about Pokemon, I would have to say it is in forcing a mom to take her son and two of his best friends to the first movie at the theater. I was sure that there must have been something subliminal going on. In fact, I remember leaving the theater with a huge craving for pizza.
I am sure that you will make the best decision for your family.
Pika, Pika, Pikachuuuuu!
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LOL My oldest loved them when they were first out, too. I still have those figures somewhere stored away. We won a contest at a Burger King one time way back when and received one of each Pokemon figure. That was fun. I still have a Charzard card put away somewhere because my oldest was convinced it would be worth a lot of money one day when he is an adult. lol
I wondered if anyone would notice.(edit time expired before I noticed).My youngest granddaughter is a big fan of Hello Kitty, and she is still a little angel and even has a small but elite collection of Pokemon cards to trade her slightly older brother for favors like making her bed and straightening their shared bathroom
I wondered if anyone would notice.(edit time expired before I noticed).My youngest granddaughter is a big fan of Hello Kitty, and she is still a little angel and even has a small but elite collection of Pokemon cards to trade her slightly older brother for favors like making her bed and straightening their shared bathroom
I used to love pokemon when I was a kid, I remember I got one of the games for Christmas back in 96' and I was hooked for months. Now I just find it stupid and repetitive.
Pokemon is just a game about finding freaky creatures, beating the ever loving crap out of them until they are half-dead, cramming them in tiny balls(for months at a time) and forcing them to fight against their own kind. I can't see how that would affect your children in any way.
I do remember a few controversies not too long ago. The seizure incident we know, This card:
(If you look right behind the anatomically impossible bat, you'll notice a manji symbol which was confused with a swastika in the west.)
And a whole bunch of others that only make sence if you take into account that the cards are from Japan.
I think most have touched on the various things I will mention. Pokemon is neither bad nor good. Everything in life I have found is a door way to something else and each individual will be influenced by that doorway. What is the ultimate end of these doorways will explain your destiny. For example: Smoking cigarettes can lead to smoking dope to smoking hash to other drugs stringing you along until you are a junky. Does this alway happen? No, not always, sometimes people just get stuck on the cigarettes.
With me I began playing D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) in the mid 70's. I read all the fantasy book I could get my hands on, I began having rune stone readings, then torot card readings and palm readings. I got into Karate and meditating etc. One day I knew I had changed. I have spent many years coming out of the lies that I have been told.
When I encountered Pokemon I heard some of the same lines that I heard with D&D. For example, they will say it is a good game because it strengthens math skills or reading skills. But the truth is that you begin using your mind to kill things, and do evil things that you would not do in the real world, until your imagination becomes seared. You become desensitized to violence, killing, death. I am not telling anyone to do or not do anything except to watch what you put in your mind. This included the violence and pornography we see on T.V. and in the movies.
The bible says: Philipians 4:8; Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
As mentioned earlier, the references that pokemon give to evolution, shintoism, budism, killing, Keeping small animal/demons in your pocket, etc. is not good. But you should decide if you want you or your children going through this door.
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) save and trade Pokemon Cards than have a computer and a tv in their bedroom and given free range..If they are into trading cards at least they are interacting with real live people..Most of these Pokemon kids are really young and have more fun collecting cards than spending many boring hours at the game anyway..relax..the fad will pass
