Hi, i'm a long time manga fan and new time christian!

[LetThereBeRaito]

Hiya

I've recently become a Christian, but i've been a loooooong time manga fan. I'm on an alpha course right now and still learning abou the finer details if you will:)

Anyway, i suddenly started to worry about...'Am i ALLOWED to like manga??'

I adore anime, manga etc etc but i have no idea if watching/reading it is a sin, so to speak :S

My main fandoms are Death Note and Dogs:bullets and Carnage and, if you've read either of them, will know they don't exactly adhere to Christian ethics...

So, i'm wondering, is it ok to enjoy reading things in this genre?as i see it, it doesnt exactly mean u condone murder, violence etc...

basically...help, im confused!:D

Any other christians out there fans of these??

[USSRGirl]

L!!!

... ahem... Hi and welcome. I'm a big Death Note fan (recently got into it, so no spoilers please XD). Personally, I don't think a manga has to be explicitly "Christian" for the reader to draw a Christian perspective out of it. Death Note is pretty intelligent and well written (not what I'd call slasher gorefest by a long shot... one of the cleaner ones I've read, though I'd reccomend it to older readers because of the sometimes 'challenging' or creepy philosophical themes, slight referrences to mysticism, ect.). As long as you aren't tempted to go find a shinigami, bust out the apples, and start worshipping it, I think you're fine.

I haven't read the other one so I can't comment, but as a general rule of thumb I try to establish a line of taste before I buy manga/anime. If I feel like something just went way too far, then I chuck it. It's good to set standards and be aware of certain titles that are really over the top. I'm a little more flexible on violence if it serves a point/purpose rather than "hey, look readers! I can draw mass carnage!"

But just remember that, while there are certain titles/things Christians should exercise restraint in not buying, neither men, nor angels, nor anime, nor manga can separate you from Christ's love.

-Temulin

[EricTheFred]

Welcome!!

I think you will find plenty of Death Note fans here. I'm not a fan of either of these myself (although I consider Death Note a very well-written manga; I just never really got into it) but I'm a big fan of several other well-known action and supernatural titles.

My position is that entertainment is what you get out of it. While it is essentially impossible to get 'pure entertainment' or 'artistic appreciation' out of, say, pornographic movies, it becomes a completely different matter with non-H manga and anime titles. They are, just like other books, TV, and movies, a question of who is viewing it.

So the question is, is it or is it not a stumbling block to your virtue? I try to avoid that for which the answer is "Yes". I enjoy the entertainment, otherwise, the same way I would enjoy any other.

[LetThereBeRaito]

[quote="USSRGirl (post: 1264415)"]


But just remember that, while there are certain titles/things Christians should exercise restraint in not buying, neither men, nor angels, nor anime, nor manga can separate you from Christ's love. ]


makes me well up when people say that

anyway thanks guys!

you have helped!what my personal belief is if you are only reading/watching for entertainment purposes and not, like, thinking AHA, KILLING IS GOOD, then where's the problem? but as im new to christianty i wasnt sure where what the views are on such media.

I mean, ive loved death note for over a year now and it hasnt ever inspired an urge to deviate away from the idea that there is only one god (this was before i was a christian) and now that i am a christian, it doesnt make me doubt His existence in the slightest!

Am i right in saying that aslong as nothing gets in the way of your faith (like what USSRGirl was saying about finding a shinigami lol) then it is ok? Please tell me if im wrong, as i said im new XD

[CrimsonRyu17]

Welcome and I love your name. XD

I've been christian myself for a while and actually, I love Death Note and Light happens to me my favorite character. Not because I support his actions but because I find him the most entertaining to watch. It in no way stumbles my faith at all.

If it makes you stumble, don't watch it in my opinion. I share ErictheFred's view on this.

So yeah, do enjoy yourself here and make sure to come in the chat.

[GeneD]

Welcome LetTheirBeRaito. You do have a very clever username.

I don't think there's any problem with manga and anime for Christians, it all depends on where you are with the Lord and the content of each manga. Just be open to the Spirit i you are unsure about anything and feel free to ask any questions here or check out the reviews.

Personally I love Death Note and I've actually read about Dogs: B&C today in a mag and was thinking about checking it out.

I've also done the Alpha course, it's great for beginners and "old Christians" alike. XD

[LetThereBeRaito]

Thanks guys ur really making me feel welcome haha the user name jus popped into my head one day.

ive spoken to my partners mum, who i go to church with, and she said maybe my worrying about it is my answer...

which made me worry more!LOL

but, being in the older generation, she doesnt pay attention to such media so doesnt really have an understanding of it like u guys

[LetThereBeRaito]

Welcome LetTheirBeRaito. You do

Personally I love Death Note and I've actually read about Dogs: B&C today in a mag and was thinking about checking it out.

yeh, check it out if you like death note i mean, story lines are totally totally different but i find it the same sort of style. grittier manga i guess.

anyhoo, theres one character in it who i wasnt sure whether was a problem...he's a priest and not entirely orthadox (i.e. allows guns in his chruch and likes scantily clad girls etc)
i mean, do things like this make in an instant no no? even tho i dont agree with this particular character?

sorry, im asking so many questions D8


So, is the basic consensus here it doesn't matter what u read? aslong as it doesnt obscure your faith?
again, if im wrong DO tell me

[LadyRushia]

Clever username indeed, only it should be "there" and not "their." [/English major grammar nut].

Corinthians says "All things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial." Personally, God has pointed things out to me through the different series I read and watch. If God can use anime and manga for His purposes, I can't see how it can be completely and totally demonic and evil.

That being said, there are limits and the limits are different for everyone, hence what Romans 14 says about judging. A person who eats meat (or likes anime) is not to condemn a person who doesn't and vice versa because both stand strong in God and God has convicted them both differently.

Also, welcome to the boards.

[LetThereBeRaito]

Clever username indeed, only it should be "there" and not "their." [/English major grammar nut].

OH MAN, im a huge grammer nut too D: TOTALLY DIDNT NOTICE THAT XD

[Tsukuyomi]

Hahaha, that's our Rushiar for you u_u/

Welcome to Caa ^__^ Hope you find your time here a pleasant one ^ ^

I'm sure you're more then alright with those choices of anime/manga Just try to stay away from the real iffy titles ^__^

Have lots of fun and don't be afraid to just jump right into things ^__^

[LadyRushia]

I'm sure you can ask one of the mods to change it (like Radical Dreamer. She's the resident Grammar Ranger around these parts).

[LetThereBeRaito]

Cheers XD

[USSRGirl]

XD That username subtitled/grammatically correct edit made me laugh.

I think you are on the right track with where you stand on anime/manga. Here's basically my take on it: you don't need to blindfold yourself to every bad thing in anime/manga/media in general so long as it's okay between you and God and, like you said, not becoming a stumbling block (example; let's say I'm an impressionable person with anger management issues and trouble discerning reality and fiction. I might not wanna watch Death Note in that case.). But beyond that, there is also a line where a show is virtually non-Christian propaganda or porn/hentai/yaoi/yuri/ect. and not worth watching - even though it won't hurt you personally it's not something Christians should in good conscience embrace. Anything below that pretty much depends on your own spiritual maturity and where you draw the line. I don't think it's exactly fair to say that worrying about something means it's a sin - we second guess ourselves all the time, and it's a good thing to do whether you conclude "yes" or "no." I've been there many times.

But as far as this thread is concerned, stuff like Death Note and whatnot should be fine - personally I think there's a lot of food for thought in there that Christians can chew on. It sounds like you know just where you are with God and I don't think anime/manga like that would be a problem for you.

[LetThereBeRaito]

thank you USSRGirl, you've been really helpful . I feel a lot better!:)

Oh, jus one question; By non-Christian propaganda do you mean material purposefully trying to steer the audience away from Christianity?

[USSRGirl]

Glad to be of service, Comrade!

I mean like, say, anime that centers around non-Christian lifestyle choices and things that are just too far into actually bashing Christianity like the Golden Compass/Dark Materials series (which to be fair, I haven't read except for excerpts and the authors angry atheist rantings. A Christian friend of mine told me she used to like them and didn't think they were damaging.) I don't mean anything that has other religions besides Christianity, since most anime is pretty polytheistic but ya know, nature worship, spirits and stuff are a cultural/folk tale kinda thing for most of Asia. I can't really think of a good reference, but something strongly or explicitly satanist/anti-Christian would probably be out for me unless I was going to watch it for just "educational" purposes to see what the big deal with it was.

[LetThereBeRaito]

OOOh ok, i get you!

What i've basically learned from you guys is; a certain factor of this subject is down to personal feelings. What YOU feel you can cope with and if you personally feel it is ok with God.

Glad i found this forum!

[bigsleepj]

Welcome to our loony-bin!

[LetThereBeRaito]

Welcome to our loony-bin!

haha XD i feel rather welcomed!

[Popsicle]

Welcome! Love your username by the way.

[Lilac#18]

Hi.

[LetThereBeRaito]

Hi.

Hi:D

[rocklobster]

Welcome from one of this site's craziest members, rocklobster!

[Kankokujin]

Hiya

I've recently become a Christian, but i've been a loooooong time manga fan. I'm on an alpha course right now and still learning abou the finer details if you will:)

Anyway, i suddenly started to worry about...'Am i ALLOWED to like manga??'

I adore anime, manga etc etc but i have no idea if watching/reading it is a sin, so to speak :S

My main fandoms are Death Note and Dogs:bullets and Carnage and, if you've read either of them, will know they don't exactly adhere to Christian ethics...

So, i'm wondering, is it ok to enjoy reading things in this genre?as i see it, it doesnt exactly mean u condone murder, violence etc...

basically...help, im confused!:D

Any other christians out there fans of these??

Hello. I'm new here too. I know what you mean when you say how Deathnote doesn't adhere to Christian ethics. Light Yagami claims to be righteous but he was no different than the people he was punishing. I don't think there's anything wrong with you enjoying these. I think most people here feel the same way and hence why this forum was created. Just be sure that it doesn't influence you the wrong way.