Mom, Dad, Get off my back!

Postby **CaptSarena2050** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 3:13 pm

My parents keep bugging me about me watching anime and I just want them to get the heck off my back about it. They think I'm going to turn to "Eastern Religion" or something because of it. They say it's dangerous. Can anyone relate or have any advice or what I should tell them? I don't wanna give up my anime. I love it so much. I draw it and watch it and read it and I don't know what my parent's problem is. Please help.

Becca

Postby **Staci** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 3:39 pm

You should be careful when dealing with anything in this day and age.

However, have you ever sat down with your parents to watch an episode of anime to relieve their minds? Try to illustrate how in Japan this is normal television - they are like America's sit-coms, mini-series, and major box office movies. The only difference: one is animated, the other is not.

Most parents worry because they do not understand. If you help them to understand they should (theoretically) be reasonable and acquiese to your wishes of watching anime and reading manga. I know I would if my future children presented an arguement in a mature manner instead of getting huffy and slamming a door in my face. Bring facts, give them evidence, whatever you think will help your case.

Or, better yet, you could show them the Review Database here at the CAA and how any offensive materials - not just religious, but sexual content and violence - are mentioned in the articles. Christians looking out for fellows is a great thing!

Postby **Zilch** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 4:18 pm

yeah, as Staci said, you do need to be careful...

Postby **CDLviking** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 4:22 pm

There is nothing in anime that an well educated Christian needs to fear as far as religion goes. For the less educated and the non-Christian there could be reason to worry. But that is why there are places like this that help inform the viewer about what they are watching. Invite your parents to read some reviews of the animes you watch, or to preview them themselves. Above all, keep in mind that you must honor their wishes. If they don't want you to watch anime there will still be plenty left to watch after you get a place of your own.

Postby **Hitokiri** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 4:35 pm

ok, do you want to know if it's bad that you're family is on your back cause you watch anime or that it's wrong to follow Eastern Religions.

For anime, nothing is truly wrong with it. There are some things wrong with different anime but most for the most part are good. Have your mom and dad sit down and view your fav animne with you and discuss it bout them. Luckily, my parents understand what anime is and whats it bout so they usuall ydon't question me.

Heck, there was a half-naked girl on my Evangelion box )top-half nudity ::rolls eyes::) I told my mom bout it and thought she would throw it away but she understood that I like the series and I asked her if she could color over it in which she did. Also in my Outlaw Star set, there is a lmost half-naked Melfina (no frontal nudity), however she understand sands trusts me so she found it unesscary to cover it up. Just gain trust from your parents.

As of Eastern Religions. those are baaaad. No questions asked.

DSoes your parents think anime is some kind of cult?

opps.....read your qeustion wrong and voted the RUN AWAY option :sweat:

My REAL ander is be wary :lol:

Postby **cbwing0** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 4:56 pm

Hitokiri wrote: Just gain trust from your parents.

That is true. My parents always explained to me that they trusted me, so they would let me watch and buy more or less what I wanted. Do your parents have any reason not to trust your judgment? Of course they could just be reacting to things that they did in the past, thinking that you will be the same way. In that case there isn't a lot that you can do.

Postby **Debitt** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 6:11 pm

Like others said, gain trust from your parents. Show them that you understand the difference between what is in anime and what is in real life. People have different spiritual strengths and weaknesses, and if you feel that you won't be wavered by things like Buhddism or Shintoism or the like in anime, then let them know that. Show them previews of the shows you watch and the reviews they have here.

...and just a little side note - anime isn't just off in the Christian perspective many times, but also in the Buhddist perspective. Certainly any religion could find discrepancies in anime, not just Christianity

Postby **CobaltAngel** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:24 pm

Its not always bad to be opened minded and take a look at some other religons, but yes, be careful.

Postby **Vyse** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:26 pm

As long as you know in your heart the Truth of God, you should be fine.

Postby **Gypsy** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:36 pm

Hmmm, this is a tricky situation. It would help if I knew how old you were too ... In any case, you really need to respect your parents first of all. By respect, I mean you should look at their intent. Since they honestly feel like anime is bad (and the way most Christian sources portray it, I don't blame them in the least) then of course they're going to try to protect you. No matter what you do, please be respectful in how you go about showing them that not all anime is bad. Getting angry and defensive solves nothing, and that will actually hurt your case.

Like Staci said, you're quite welcome to show your parents our review database. I also speak for the staff when I say that we're happy to answer any questions they may have. We also have a few active members that are parents (true_noir_chloe, Rev. Doc).

All in all, it's good that your parents are trying to do what they think is best for you. How you react to them is going to make a lot of difference in their future decisions for your anime watching habits.

Postby **Spirit_Wolf8356** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:46 pm

I sort of know how you feel in this situation. My parents are almost to the point of loathing the fact I like anime. They keep telling me to get back in America. *shrugs* I love my parents and all, but anime over....Survivor or Fear Factor or other such retarded shows? No contest. (No offense to anyone who likes them, it's just...they bother me) It also doesn't help that any chance they get, they make some put down against it. They've only ever seen the retarded ones shown on KidsWB with me. They won't sit down and actually watch a good one with me...like Trigun for example. They refuse. I chased them away from the TV for an entire weekend just because I was watching the Gundam Wing box set I borrowed from my cousin. *sighs* It's a hard subject to talk about in my family.

Postby **skynes** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:34 am

Or Big Brother... SO MUCH better than Anime... We get to see a bunch of morons locked in a house for a couple of months whilst they do unmentionable/unspeakable things! BIG BRO WINS HANDS DOWN!!!
[/sarcasm]

I can understand where your parents come from. Quite a bit of Manga and Anime IS steeped in Eastern religion. Just don't take any of it seriously. Like the discussion on Dogma - take it with a pinch/cup/bag/truck of salt.

It's not giving you theological information or a way to live so don't take anything like that from it.

^ Thats what I do and I'm fine...

*runs into a wall*

Postby **purplemoose** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:58 am

[B]BOO HISS Reality shows stink! (some r ok tho when ur REALY bored)

I know what ur goin through my dads worried that i mite get caught up in hentai and seems to try an put down anime/manga any chance they get i sometimes get a little snooty and this either gets me grounded or makes them angry and they don't anything 4 me an sometimes they work against me so yea respect is a big thing unless you want to make the situation worse and i don't worry about Eastern religions most the ones from Japan r dead like Shinto (at least this is wat i hear that or almost) so you realy don't have to worry about it i like alittle japanese mithology so yeah i know some stuff REMEMBER BE RESPECTFUL

Postby **The_Marauding_Maniac** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 5:13 am

My parents hate reality and like anime. My pareents are undrstanders and when I like something, they like to do it with me.

Postby **Hitokiri** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 6:07 am

i like some reality shows. Survivor was ok, I do however like American Idol.

My mom doesn't want to watch anime cause she doesn't understand what's going on. My dad on the other hand has watched several episode sof Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Hellsing, Rurouni Kenshin, Gundam Wing, and Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal. Both of my parents watched and loved Princess Mononoke (im trying to find the piano lyrics for the main theme of Princess Mononoke for my mom to play on the piano :lol:

)

Postby **CaptSarena2050** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 9:53 am

thanks you guys. My parents trust me a lot (or at least that's what they keep telling me), but for some reason even though I'm the strongest Christian in my youth group, they still think I'm just stupid when it comes to world religions. I guess it could come from my dad having a two doctrits in religion and being a pastor, but I don't know. I guess my dad is scared of me saying that anime is okay for new Christians in our church. Which is definitely not the case. I think my parents are getting more used to the idea, but they still treat me like a kid.

Sarena M. Sarihsoda

Postby **Solid Ronin** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 10:02 am

heh My parents want me to stop watching anime to however thier wishes for me to stop makes me want to watch it more..ok they dont want me to stop but they wish with all thier heart that I did..then again they dont really want me to be into anything im in..I feel ya

Postby **ice122985** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 10:48 am

this is my two cents....

pretty much what everyone has been saying is cool. Be respectful and gain thier trust. But ....just remember to keep your priorities straight. Who or what is more important in your life? Your parents or anime? Think about it now...one day you may need to make that decision.

Postby **kaji** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 10:50 am

Every one has great advice here.

Just remember, comunication is key to any realtionship, even with your parents.
Talk to your parents, identify their fears. Understand why they could feal the way they do, (even if you dont agree) explain that to them, and if you dont understand their fears, listen to them and try to understand. Then asure them anime has no such impact on your life, then even give your self an untimatum. Let them know if anime (or anything else for that matter) ever does effect your life in a negative way, like the way they fear, you would stop watching it.

Asure your parents you are mature in your decision making and that you would never partake of somthing that would potentialy lead to your own downfall. This is, ofcourse assuming you have not done something in the past, that would warrent your parents to not trust your judgement.

Good luck.

-kaji

Postby **Mave** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 11:19 am

You can be 50 years old and be one of the greatest evangelists/pastors/priests/teachers/leaders (whatever) in the world and your mum/dad are still going to worry about you. Nothing you can do about it except be glad about it, no matter how annoying it is coz God gave you a family who cares. ^^

My only suggestion is to talk more to your parents about anime/manga. Perhaps such discussions would help reduce their anxieties when they get the chance to see how mature you are while dealing with such unchristian elements. Just my two cents.

EDIT: Watching anime/reading manga with them ain't such a bad idea. I talked openly about the yaoi/hentai/anti-christian/other bad stuff with my parents, letting them know...."yeah, there's some nasty stuff in it but I have the good sense to avoid it. Bah, I won't bring myself to that level to be entertained by that type of trash."

Postby **Shao Feng-Li** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:27 pm

i'll never understand waht the big deal is. anime are just CARTOONS from and made JAPAN. my parnets dont care. they know i wont watch something like love hina. ive learned that if you make a big deal about something, [my] parents get a little worried.

Postby **Mangafanatic** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:42 pm

Howdy,
Many people I know (inlcuding my uncle who I love to death) feel the same way your parents feel about anime. Here's my take (and argument for that matter) on this subject.
Would you avoid all books because some books are bad? Would not eat food because junk food can kill you? There is no reason that, because some anime is bad, you should avoid all of it. Explain to your parents that the anime you watch is no different from the American media you enjoy. The only difference is that the actors in anime happen to be cartoons.
Be sure you don't insult your parents when you're talking to them. And finally, let them watch some of it.

Postby **Gypsy** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:45 pm

I doubt it's the fact that anime is "cartoons from Japan." I think it's more of what the general knowlege of anime is - a.k.a. Adult Cartoons. Before this very recent stateside anime craze, most the anime that made it out of Japan was outright porn. Most of the older video rental stores still have the cabinets labeled : Adult Vidoes, Japanese Animation (or Japanimation - which makes me laugh everytime I hear it) or simply Adult Cartoons.

Like it or not, much of anime is riddled with stuff that isn't meant for a younger audience. When people think "cartoon" I would assume that they relate it to children's material.

It's no secret that anime, for the most part, gets a bad rap in the US. (I can't really speak for other countries that we have represented here.) However, anime is getting more and more popular by the day, and I would imagine that very shortly, most people will soon see that not all anime is Adult Cartoon Porn.

Postby **Shao Feng-Li** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:48 pm

dont forget., we have our own crtoons that should be thrown out the window, gypsy. especaiily on that "Spyke TV" channel.

but they are cartoon none the less. They're animated in other words

Mom, Dad, Get off my back!

Mom, Dad, Get off my back!

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