Lynda

Ya know, you aren't suppose to pull complete articles onto lists, it is
called infringement of copyright laws. You are suppose to provide a link
and use a few quotes. Now, that all aside, I don't have much use for nuts
who use thinly veiled racism to make their points. Also, I thought this
was an inclusive list, not a Christian list. Did I get this wrong???

And, how about a reality check here. This game isn't about getting kids
interested in the occult. Give me a break. It is a marketing strategy
which is making someone rich, period. Some people need to get a life and
stop looking for a boogey man around every corner.

Lynda, whose kids don't have Pokemon because she doesn't buy into every
marketing gimmic that comes down the road! AND, whose uncle the pastor
said he could have done a better job of manipulating quotes from the Bible!

----------
> From: Karol Gale <kgale@...>
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Influences
> Date: Wednesday, January 05, 2000 12:03 AM
>
> As Christian parents/grandparents we should be especially aware of what
> influences our children. We homeschool them for various reasons - for
> me, it is primarily to shield him from a world going in the wrong
> direction!
> And to give him a Christian outlook on his world and life.
>
> With that in mind, I wish to share the following article that I
> recently read on the Internet. It made me very glad that I had made the
> decision to NOT allow our 6 year old to view/collect Pokemon. Read, and
> decide for yourselves what you think....
>
> Karol
>
>
> Pokemon-Introduction
> by David L. Brown, Th.M.
>
> My son called me on the phone recently and asked, "Dad, do you know
> anything about the kids' collector card game Pokemon?" The reason he
> asked
> was because my oldest grandson, who is 7 years old, came home with
> several
> of the cards he got from a friend at church. He showed them to his dad
> and
> said his friends thought "they were really cool."
>
> After looking at the few cards, his dad had a different opinion. Though
> he
> could not put his finger on exactly what the problem was by looking at
> those few cards, he definitely had an uneasy feeling about them While he
> neither saw nor read anything overtly evil on the cards, there were a
> couple of hints on them that made him suspicious. He decided not to
> allow his son to get involved with Pokemon until he looked into it
> further.
>
> This proved to be a wise decision. Here's what I discovered.
>
> The History of Pokemon
> The name Pokemon is derived from pocket monster. Pokemon has entertained
> Japanese youth since 1995. While it is rare for a Japanese cultural
> phenomena to be duplicated in the Western world, Pokemon has proved to
> be
> the exception. Pokemon has moved into the United States "BIG TIME" and
> captured the minds of elementary aged children all over this country.
> Pokemon is everywhere. Nintendo video games, cartoon shows on
> television, a movie, comic books, toys, clothing, VHS videos, DVD's, and
> the wildly
> popular collector card game. The Pokemon "virus" has infected virtually
> every media outlet imaginable, and by plan, the "virus" has become an
> epidemic among elementary aged children causing them to crave and beg
> for more Pokemon paraphernalia. Countless elementary aged children are
> obsessed with Pokemon.
>
> Measuring Pokemon By The Bible Without apology, I acknowledge that I am
> writing this pamphlet from a biblical perspective. And, I believe there
> ia a battle going on for the minds of our children and grandchildren.
>
> In fact, Satan and his diabolical hordes want to corrupt the minds of
> children and adults as well! One of the problems is that Satan is
> getting
> the upper hand because Christians are oblivious to the tactics the
> adversary is using to pollute the minds of men, women, boys and girls.
> While many Christian adults would catch blatant demonic doctrines, the
> truth is, Satan seldom mounts a direct assault. Rather, he, through his
> human helpers, uses subtle, clandestine and deceptive methods to advance
> his evil doctrines. So, how can we detect these deceptive methods and
> evil doctrines? How can we protect our children and ourselves?
>
> The Bible says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
> 1 Thessalonians 5:21. The Bible says, "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the
> glory of God" 1 Corinthians 10:31. The Bible says, ".Abhor that which is
> evil; cleave to that which is good." Romans 12:9. Therefore, we must
> measure Pokemon paraphernalia by the principles of the Bible to
> determine if it is acceptable. Let's do that.
>
> What values, beliefs, and philosophies do the game promote?
>
> One of the first things I did was to find out who produced the trading
> card game. Here is an exact quote right from the Web page of the
> producer - "The Pokemon Trading Card Game is a new collectable Card Game
> that is made and distributed by Wizards of the Coast. The same company
> that made the best selling game ... Magic: The Gathering." Magic: The
> Gathering is a heavily occult laced trading card game very popular in
> the 1990's. I have a research report titled Beware of Magic:The
> Gathering that can be viewed on the Logos Web page at.
> http://www.execpc.com/logos/magic-g.html
>
> Oh yes, I should mention that Wizards of the Coast also owns TSR, the
> producers of all the Dungeons & Dragons materials. When I discovered who
> owned the American Pokemon Trading Card Game rights, I knew the game was
> not just an innocent card game for elementary school children.
>
> Next, I looked into the characters in the Pokemon video games, comics,
> cartoons, movies, etc. What kind of values do they have? Ash Ketchum (a
> boy) is one of the main characters.. He is described as "an energetic
> and
> determined 10-year-old.a little too competitive." He is obsessed with
> catching all Pokemon and driven "to become the world's foremost Pokemon
> Master." Oh yes, you can be sure that the Pokemon Rap song and mantra
> will be included in the materials -- "I will travel across the land
> Searching far and wide Each Pokemon to understand the power that's
> inside. Gotta catch them all!" The last line
> of the Pokemon mantra, "Gotta catch them all!" is used over and over
> again
> in Pokemon paraphernalia because it fuels the craving for more cards,
> games, toys, gadgets, and comic books. Let's look at another character,
> Ash's companion Misty. She is described as "headstrong and stubborn.
> constantly quibbling with Ash and seems to harbor deeper feelings for
> Ash." Then there is the third member of the trio, Brock who is "by far
> the most hormonal. Brock's fascination with the opposite sex many times
> gets him or the group into trouble, although he's yet to have anything
> resembling a score." Let's take a look at Pokemon trainer Gary. He is
> "a real jerk, self-centered, vindictive and obnoxious. Then there are
> Jessie & James. Here is how they are described: -- "Prepare for
> trouble, make it double.... Jessie, James are a mysterious and evil
> gang looking to steal rare Pokemon. Jessie and James are stuck up,
> fashion conscious, and prone to cross-dressing." Headstrong, stubborn,
> quibbling, self-centered, vindictive, obnoxious, hormonal, sexually
> preoccupied, evil, thieving, cross-dressing jerks are most definitely
> not biblical role models! These characters do not portray biblical
> values. Pokemon does not measure up!
>
> Are supernatural powers portrayed, and if so, what is the source or
> origin of those powers? Are occult, New Age characteristics or symbols
> included?
>
> Pokemon has supernatural powers. "Some Pokemon grow, or evolve." This
> is
> facilitated by the "Energy cards" that "make your Pokemon bigger and
> more
> powerful." And what is the source of this power? It is the pantheistic
> power of the occult, not the supernatural power of God. I have found two
> cards that make this very clear (there are likely more). They are Abra
> and
> Kadabra. Yes, these are their actual names. "Abrakadabra" (or
> abracadabra) has been a word long associated with occult magic.
> Webster's dictionary defines it this way - 1) a word supposed to have
> magic powers and hence used in incantations, on amulets, etc. 2) a magic
> spell or formula. It is no accident that the two PokEmon called Abra
> and Kadabra are psychic cards with magical powers.
>
> On the Abra card we read "Using its ability to read minds, it will
> identify impending danger and teleport to safety." Then there are the
> occult symbols on Kadabra. He has a pentagram on his forehead, SSS on
> his chest and he is giving the Satanic salute with his left hand. All of
> the above have strong occult significance. It is clear from the Bible
> (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) that we are neither to participate in nor
> associate
> with activities related to the occult.
>
> Some of the readers will no doubt protest, "it's only a game!" To be
> sure
> it is a game, but a game that does not glorify God! When God says
> something is wrong, it is wrong regardless of what form it is in. Not
> only that, but many of the kids who play this game are seduced into
> believing the principles that the game subtly teaches. Here is but one
> example. In the booklet that comes with PokEmon, note what is
> stated-- "Welcome to the world of Pokemon, a special place where
> people just like you train to
> become the number-one Pokemon Master in the World!
>
> But what is a Pokemon, you ask. ' Pokemon are incredible creatures that
> share the world with humans,' says Professor Oak, the leading authority
> on
> these monsters. There are currently 150 documented species of Pokemon.
> Each Pokemon has its own special fighting abilities. . . . Some grow, or
> evolve, into even more powerful creatures.. . . Carry your
> pokemon with you, and you're ready for anything! You've got the power in
> your hands, so use it!"
>
> Listen, kids are carrying around their Pokemon like a magic talisman.
> Author and researcher Berit Kjos tells of a mom who overheard two boys
> discussing their little pocket monsters. As the conversation developed
> one
> boy said, "I'll just use my psychic powers." It was clear that the so
> called fantasy world of Pokemon had already conditioned this boys
> thinking to be receptive to a key occult doctrine - psychic powers!
>
> Pokemon promotes occult values, not biblical values and therefore should
> be rejected!
>
> Where are the player's thoughts and imagination being directed?
> I pointed out earlier that Pokemon originated in Japan. What I did not
> draw to your attention was that a Pokemon Master is a spin off of a
> martial arts master in Japan. Pokemon Masters are the leaders of
> fighting schools or battling gangs that solve their problems by beating
> their
> opponents. And how do they do this? Their little booklet says, "Some
> attacks cause the Defending Pokemon to be Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed,
> or
> Poisoned."
>
> The Bible warns us to be cautious about what we occupy our minds with
> (Proverbs 4:23). The games a child plays, the television programs he
> watches, and the things that he listens to have a powerful mind shaping
> influence over that child. Mental health professionals are finally
> coming to understand what the Bible has said all along -- the things you
> let into you mind shape your thinking and your thinking directs your
> actions.
>
> This truth was acted out at the Columbine High school slaughter. The
> shooters had saturated their minds with violent video games, Gothic
> death
> music, and violent reading material. The result was on April 20, 1999,
> twelve students and one teacher were murdered. Could Pokemon influence
> the children who play it? I pray that it does not happen, but I wonder
> how long it will be before a grade school child, tries to do what is
> written on the Weepingbell - Razor Leaf Pokemon card. It says, "It spits
> out poisonpowder to immobilize the enemy, and then finishes the enemy
> with a spray of acid."
>
> Does this line up with what the Bible has to say about how to handle our
> enemies in Romans 12:14-22? I think not! It is clear that Pokemon leads
> the player's imagination down the wrong path.
>
> The Bible says that we are to abhor that which is evil, and cleave to
> that
> which is good Romans 12:9). Poisoning, paralyzing, etc. your enemies is
> clearly evil and no one should occupy their minds with such thoughts,
> game
> or no game. Our every thought is to be screened to be sure Christ
> approves
> of it (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). If it does not line up, it is to be
> rejected. So, what's the problem with Pokemon? Its subtle suggestions,
> images and values are manipulating the minds and feelings of the
> children who are into it. Pokemon conditions them to accept humanistic
> wisdom and occult spirituality. Heavy involvement in Pokemon blurs the
> player's ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality and sears
> the conscience of the player as well. Pokemon is designed to be a
> stepping stone to harder occult oriented games like: Magic, The
> Gathering, and Dungeons and Dragons. God wants his children to have a
> completely different focus. We are even told where our thoughts should
> be directed in Philippians 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."
>
> Pastor Earl Barnett
> Soldotna Baptist Church
> 223 E. Redoubt Avenue
> Soldotna, AK 99669
> 907-262-9407 (home)
> 907-262-4618 (church)
> 907-260-7813 (fax)
> Church page: 20
> Family page:
> http://www.alaska.net/~ebarnett/family/bfh.html<?xml:namespace prefix =
> o ns =
> "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
>
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Karol Gale

As Christian parents/grandparents we should be especially aware of what
influences our children. We homeschool them for various reasons - for
me, it is primarily to shield him from a world going in the wrong
direction!
And to give him a Christian outlook on his world and life.

With that in mind, I wish to share the following article that I
recently read on the Internet. It made me very glad that I had made the
decision to NOT allow our 6 year old to view/collect Pokemon. Read, and
decide for yourselves what you think....

Karol


Pokemon-Introduction
by David L. Brown, Th.M.

My son called me on the phone recently and asked, "Dad, do you know
anything about the kids' collector card game Pokemon?" The reason he
asked
was because my oldest grandson, who is 7 years old, came home with
several
of the cards he got from a friend at church. He showed them to his dad
and
said his friends thought "they were really cool."

After looking at the few cards, his dad had a different opinion. Though
he
could not put his finger on exactly what the problem was by looking at
those few cards, he definitely had an uneasy feeling about them While he
neither saw nor read anything overtly evil on the cards, there were a
couple of hints on them that made him suspicious. He decided not to
allow his son to get involved with Pokemon until he looked into it
further.

This proved to be a wise decision. Here's what I discovered.

The History of Pokemon
The name Pokemon is derived from pocket monster. Pokemon has entertained
Japanese youth since 1995. While it is rare for a Japanese cultural
phenomena to be duplicated in the Western world, Pokemon has proved to
be
the exception. Pokemon has moved into the United States "BIG TIME" and
captured the minds of elementary aged children all over this country.
Pokemon is everywhere. Nintendo video games, cartoon shows on
television, a movie, comic books, toys, clothing, VHS videos, DVD's, and
the wildly
popular collector card game. The Pokemon "virus" has infected virtually
every media outlet imaginable, and by plan, the "virus" has become an
epidemic among elementary aged children causing them to crave and beg
for more Pokemon paraphernalia. Countless elementary aged children are
obsessed with Pokemon.

Measuring Pokemon By The Bible Without apology, I acknowledge that I am
writing this pamphlet from a biblical perspective. And, I believe there
ia a battle going on for the minds of our children and grandchildren.

In fact, Satan and his diabolical hordes want to corrupt the minds of
children and adults as well! One of the problems is that Satan is
getting
the upper hand because Christians are oblivious to the tactics the
adversary is using to pollute the minds of men, women, boys and girls.
While many Christian adults would catch blatant demonic doctrines, the
truth is, Satan seldom mounts a direct assault. Rather, he, through his
human helpers, uses subtle, clandestine and deceptive methods to advance
his evil doctrines. So, how can we detect these deceptive methods and
evil doctrines? How can we protect our children and ourselves?

The Bible says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
1 Thessalonians 5:21. The Bible says, "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God" 1 Corinthians 10:31. The Bible says, ".Abhor that which is
evil; cleave to that which is good." Romans 12:9. Therefore, we must
measure Pokemon paraphernalia by the principles of the Bible to
determine if it is acceptable. Let's do that.

What values, beliefs, and philosophies do the game promote?

One of the first things I did was to find out who produced the trading
card game. Here is an exact quote right from the Web page of the
producer - "The Pokemon Trading Card Game is a new collectable Card Game
that is made and distributed by Wizards of the Coast. The same company
that made the best selling game ... Magic: The Gathering." Magic: The
Gathering is a heavily occult laced trading card game very popular in
the 1990's. I have a research report titled Beware of Magic:The
Gathering that can be viewed on the Logos Web page at.
http://www.execpc.com/logos/magic-g.html

Oh yes, I should mention that Wizards of the Coast also owns TSR, the
producers of all the Dungeons & Dragons materials. When I discovered who
owned the American Pokemon Trading Card Game rights, I knew the game was
not just an innocent card game for elementary school children.

Next, I looked into the characters in the Pokemon video games, comics,
cartoons, movies, etc. What kind of values do they have? Ash Ketchum (a
boy) is one of the main characters.. He is described as "an energetic
and
determined 10-year-old.a little too competitive." He is obsessed with
catching all Pokemon and driven "to become the world's foremost Pokemon
Master." Oh yes, you can be sure that the Pokemon Rap song and mantra
will be included in the materials -- "I will travel across the land
Searching far and wide Each Pokemon to understand the power that's
inside. Gotta catch them all!" The last line
of the Pokemon mantra, "Gotta catch them all!" is used over and over
again
in Pokemon paraphernalia because it fuels the craving for more cards,
games, toys, gadgets, and comic books. Let's look at another character,
Ash's companion Misty. She is described as "headstrong and stubborn.
constantly quibbling with Ash and seems to harbor deeper feelings for
Ash." Then there is the third member of the trio, Brock who is "by far
the most hormonal. Brock's fascination with the opposite sex many times
gets him or the group into trouble, although he's yet to have anything
resembling a score." Let's take a look at Pokemon trainer Gary. He is
"a real jerk, self-centered, vindictive and obnoxious. Then there are
Jessie & James. Here is how they are described: -- "Prepare for
trouble, make it double.... Jessie, James are a mysterious and evil
gang looking to steal rare Pokemon. Jessie and James are stuck up,
fashion conscious, and prone to cross-dressing." Headstrong, stubborn,
quibbling, self-centered, vindictive, obnoxious, hormonal, sexually
preoccupied, evil, thieving, cross-dressing jerks are most definitely
not biblical role models! These characters do not portray biblical
values. Pokemon does not measure up!

Are supernatural powers portrayed, and if so, what is the source or
origin of those powers? Are occult, New Age characteristics or symbols
included?

Pokemon has supernatural powers. "Some Pokemon grow, or evolve." This
is
facilitated by the "Energy cards" that "make your Pokemon bigger and
more
powerful." And what is the source of this power? It is the pantheistic
power of the occult, not the supernatural power of God. I have found two
cards that make this very clear (there are likely more). They are Abra
and
Kadabra. Yes, these are their actual names. "Abrakadabra" (or
abracadabra) has been a word long associated with occult magic.
Webster's dictionary defines it this way - 1) a word supposed to have
magic powers and hence used in incantations, on amulets, etc. 2) a magic
spell or formula. It is no accident that the two PokEmon called Abra
and Kadabra are psychic cards with magical powers.

On the Abra card we read "Using its ability to read minds, it will
identify impending danger and teleport to safety." Then there are the
occult symbols on Kadabra. He has a pentagram on his forehead, SSS on
his chest and he is giving the Satanic salute with his left hand. All of
the above have strong occult significance. It is clear from the Bible
(Deuteronomy 18:10-12) that we are neither to participate in nor
associate
with activities related to the occult.

Some of the readers will no doubt protest, "it's only a game!" To be
sure
it is a game, but a game that does not glorify God! When God says
something is wrong, it is wrong regardless of what form it is in. Not
only that, but many of the kids who play this game are seduced into
believing the principles that the game subtly teaches. Here is but one
example. In the booklet that comes with PokEmon, note what is
stated-- "Welcome to the world of Pokemon, a special place where
people just like you train to
become the number-one Pokemon Master in the World!

But what is a Pokemon, you ask. ' Pokemon are incredible creatures that
share the world with humans,' says Professor Oak, the leading authority
on
these monsters. There are currently 150 documented species of Pokemon.
Each Pokemon has its own special fighting abilities. . . . Some grow, or
evolve, into even more powerful creatures.. . . Carry your
pokemon with you, and you're ready for anything! You've got the power in
your hands, so use it!"

Listen, kids are carrying around their Pokemon like a magic talisman.
Author and researcher Berit Kjos tells of a mom who overheard two boys
discussing their little pocket monsters. As the conversation developed
one
boy said, "I'll just use my psychic powers." It was clear that the so
called fantasy world of Pokemon had already conditioned this boys
thinking to be receptive to a key occult doctrine - psychic powers!

Pokemon promotes occult values, not biblical values and therefore should
be rejected!

Where are the player's thoughts and imagination being directed?
I pointed out earlier that Pokemon originated in Japan. What I did not
draw to your attention was that a Pokemon Master is a spin off of a
martial arts master in Japan. Pokemon Masters are the leaders of
fighting schools or battling gangs that solve their problems by beating
their
opponents. And how do they do this? Their little booklet says, "Some
attacks cause the Defending Pokemon to be Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed,
or
Poisoned."

The Bible warns us to be cautious about what we occupy our minds with
(Proverbs 4:23). The games a child plays, the television programs he
watches, and the things that he listens to have a powerful mind shaping
influence over that child. Mental health professionals are finally
coming to understand what the Bible has said all along -- the things you
let into you mind shape your thinking and your thinking directs your
actions.

This truth was acted out at the Columbine High school slaughter. The
shooters had saturated their minds with violent video games, Gothic
death
music, and violent reading material. The result was on April 20, 1999,
twelve students and one teacher were murdered. Could Pokemon influence
the children who play it? I pray that it does not happen, but I wonder
how long it will be before a grade school child, tries to do what is
written on the Weepingbell - Razor Leaf Pokemon card. It says, "It spits
out poisonpowder to immobilize the enemy, and then finishes the enemy
with a spray of acid."

Does this line up with what the Bible has to say about how to handle our
enemies in Romans 12:14-22? I think not! It is clear that Pokemon leads
the player's imagination down the wrong path.

The Bible says that we are to abhor that which is evil, and cleave to
that
which is good Romans 12:9). Poisoning, paralyzing, etc. your enemies is
clearly evil and no one should occupy their minds with such thoughts,
game
or no game. Our every thought is to be screened to be sure Christ
approves
of it (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). If it does not line up, it is to be
rejected. So, what's the problem with Pokemon? Its subtle suggestions,
images and values are manipulating the minds and feelings of the
children who are into it. Pokemon conditions them to accept humanistic
wisdom and occult spirituality. Heavy involvement in Pokemon blurs the
player's ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality and sears
the conscience of the player as well. Pokemon is designed to be a
stepping stone to harder occult oriented games like: Magic, The
Gathering, and Dungeons and Dragons. God wants his children to have a
completely different focus. We are even told where our thoughts should
be directed in Philippians 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."

Pastor Earl Barnett
Soldotna Baptist Church
223 E. Redoubt Avenue
Soldotna, AK 99669
907-262-9407 (home)
907-262-4618 (church)
907-260-7813 (fax)
Church page: 20
Family page:
http://www.alaska.net/~ebarnett/family/bfh.html<?xml:namespace prefix =
o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Thad Martin

Karol Gale wrote:
So, what's the problem with Pokemon? Its subtle suggestions,
images and values are manipulating the minds and feelings of the
children who are into it. Pokemon conditions them to accept humanistic
wisdom and occult spirituality. Heavy involvement in Pokemon blurs the
player's ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality and sears
the conscience of the player as well. Pokemon is designed to be a
stepping stone to harder occult oriented games like: Magic, The
Gathering, and Dungeons and Dragons. God wants his children to have a
completely different focus. We are even told where our thoughts should
be directed in Philippians 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."

hi,

first i would like to say that you have the right to your view and i'm not
a huge fan of pokemon especially the marketing aspect. but the letter you
forwarded does not do what it says it must do:
The Bible says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1
Thessalonians 5:21.
the beliefs expressed in this show may reflect that of shinto ( the oldest
religion of japan and is basically animistic). shinto far pre-dates
christianity and if it's beliefs ( humanistic wisdom) are offensive to you
then by all means turn it off, unfortunately for christians not everyone is
christian but others do have the right to express their beliefs.
historically much of the worlds literature, especially tales told to
children, have contained magic and fantasy (perhaps this from our
animistic spiritual roots).

pokemon is a marketing scam but to 'hold fast to the good', it also shows
respect and consideration for those in your care (the pokemon themselves),
conflict and resolution (ash and misty's relationship), putting your needs
and desires aside (the acquisition of badges) to help those in need (those
being victimized by team rocket), discipline and practice as the basis for
achievement, as well as other values. so where is the proof that this is
evil:
Poisoning, paralyzing, etc. your enemies is clearly evil and no one should
occupy their minds with such thoughts,
yes this is evil but this does not happen. the pokemon are not enemy, the
battles are sport and certainly not to the death. the various attacks are
nearly all found in nature and no pokemon are every killed - certainly
nothing worse than watching a football game. there is a basic good
(represented by ash et al) vs. evil (represented by team rocket) component
and good always triumphs.

for me the big problem lies with the marketing/consumerism, though this is
hardly exclusive to pokemon. we all must choose the values we want to
model for our children, as well as allow our children to understand we
live in a very diverse world. not all things are to our families liking,
but it is good to respect the right of others in the context of modeling
our own values.

-susan
austin,tx

[email protected]

In a message dated 01/05/2000 8:07:31 AM !!!First Boot!!!, kgale@...
writes:

<< As Christian parents/grandparents we should be especially aware of what
influences our children. We homeschool them for various reasons - for
me, it is primarily to shield him from a world going in the wrong
direction!
And to give him a Christian outlook on his world and life.

With that in mind, I wish to share the following article that I
recently read on the Internet. It made me very glad that I had made the
decision to NOT allow our 6 year old to view/collect Pokemon. Read, and
decide for yourselves what you think....

Karol


Pokemon-Introduction
by David L. Brown, Th.M.

My son called me on the phone recently and asked, "Dad, do you know
anything about the kids' collector card game Pokemon?" The reason he
asked
was because my oldest grandson, who is 7 years old, came home with
several
of the cards he got from a friend at church. He showed them to his dad
and
said his friends thought "they were really cool."

After looking at the few cards, his dad had a different opinion. Though
he
could not put his finger on exactly what the problem was by looking at
those few cards, he definitely had an uneasy feeling about them While he
neither saw nor read anything overtly evil on the cards, there were a
couple of hints on them that made him suspicious. He decided not to
allow his son to get involved with Pokemon until he looked into it
further.

This proved to be a wise decision. Here's what I discovered.

The History of Pokemon
The name Pokemon is derived from pocket monster. Pokemon has entertained
Japanese youth since 1995. While it is rare for a Japanese cultural
phenomena to be duplicated in the Western world, Pokemon has proved to
be
the exception. Pokemon has moved into the United States "BIG TIME" and
captured the minds of elementary aged children all over this country.
Pokemon is everywhere. Nintendo video games, cartoon shows on
television, a movie, comic books, toys, clothing, VHS videos, DVD's, and
the wildly
popular collector card game. The Pokemon "virus" has infected virtually
every media outlet imaginable, and by plan, the "virus" has become an
epidemic among elementary aged children causing them to crave and beg
for more Pokemon paraphernalia. Countless elementary aged children are
obsessed with Pokemon.

Measuring Pokemon By The Bible Without apology, I acknowledge that I am
writing this pamphlet from a biblical perspective. And, I believe there
ia a battle going on for the minds of our children and grandchildren.

In fact, Satan and his diabolical hordes want to corrupt the minds of
children and adults as well! One of the problems is that Satan is
getting
the upper hand because Christians are oblivious to the tactics the
adversary is using to pollute the minds of men, women, boys and girls.
While many Christian adults would catch blatant demonic doctrines, the
truth is, Satan seldom mounts a direct assault. Rather, he, through his
human helpers, uses subtle, clandestine and deceptive methods to advance
his evil doctrines. So, how can we detect these deceptive methods and
evil doctrines? How can we protect our children and ourselves? >>


#1: We are not Christians.

#2: I don't feel this sort of propaganda is appropriate to this list.

#3: I do not feel that seeing "Satan" in Pokemon lends the Christian point
of view very much credibility.


Nance

Thad Martin

hi,

basically i agree except that pokemon is not the real issue- it's the fear and
judgment expressed in the letter that presented the greatest problem. also i
would add two things: 1) we must not take what people say too personal even if
it is in direct response to what we sent. to me it's the nature of the beast
(email groups) people have the right to disagree. 2) for those of us who are
not christian it's a relief to find a group where christian doctrine does not
dominate and personally i've struggled against knee jerk reactions when strong
christian views have been expressed (in any group i've been in) but i try not
to be too hypocritical. in this instance the letter was very aggressive and
begged to be addressed. in other groups i've been slammed for being too
secular- like i said -nature of the beast -you want to express yourself then
people will respond.

i feel the most important thing is honesty. if you have an honest response
then pass it on. what the letter said was an act of censorship and the
reaction to it is not personal to the sender but to the content of the
letter. if this group is not christian enough for karol that's her choice but
she should know she and her views are welcome. this is an unschooling group
and is therefore very diverse particularly in terms of spiritual orientation
and this is not the place to 'preach'. people who do hold 'humanistic wisdom'
or magic has highly spiritual do not need to hear their beliefs being slammed
either, so karol is not the only person who may have her feelings hurt. in my
opinion the letter was rude and judgmental and of no real educational value but
i do understand why she sent it. it's just that this is not the right group
for the kind of discussion i'm guessing she was looking for - now she knows
that - no shame no blame.

-susan
austin,tx

Lisa Bugg wrote:

> > Am I on the wrong list? I am really surprised at this. On the subject of
> > INFLUENCES, thank you Karol, for reminding me of the biased influences of
> > intolerance and judgment that I like to guard my children from.
>
> No, you aren't on the wrong list, this list is just very, very diverse. And
> Karol has just joined us and might not realize that not all here would see
> Pokemon in the same way. There are even many Christians that do not agree
> with the viewpoint offered by theses post. But I would prefer that everyone
> felt able to post what is of interest to them, rather than try and censor
> what comes across our screens.
>
> Take what nourishes and delete the rest. ;)
>
> Lisa
>
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Brynn Panchot

Am I on the wrong list? I am really surprised at this. On the subject of
INFLUENCES, thank you Karol, for reminding me of the biased influences of
intolerance and judgment that I like to guard my children from.



Peace to all,

Brynn

Lisa Bugg

> Am I on the wrong list? I am really surprised at this. On the subject of
> INFLUENCES, thank you Karol, for reminding me of the biased influences of
> intolerance and judgment that I like to guard my children from.

No, you aren't on the wrong list, this list is just very, very diverse. And
Karol has just joined us and might not realize that not all here would see
Pokemon in the same way. There are even many Christians that do not agree
with the viewpoint offered by theses post. But I would prefer that everyone
felt able to post what is of interest to them, rather than try and censor
what comes across our screens.

Take what nourishes and delete the rest. ;)

Lisa

Corinna

Karol,

Thank you for the information you posted. Despite some negative comments
made from this group, I see that it is your desire to help all of us as
homeschoolers and parents do our best job. You already know you're blessed
;-)

To everyone who slammed Karol: You really oughta be ashamed of yourselves.
That's not what this group is about. You're not helping anyone be better
parents or homeschoolers. Her email clearly acknowledges that we all
homeschool for various and diverse reasons. It then goes on to state:
"Read, and decide for yourselves what you think."

She's not force-feeding anyone anything. Maybe you personally didn't
appreciate her post, but some of us did. Speak for yourself and yourself
only. You are one among many.

Slamming a fellow homeschooler is NOT productive and does very little to
further our cause. We need to be looking at the bigger picture here. How
does it look when we, as homeschoolers, can't even get along amongst
ourselves? United we stand, divided we fall.

I also do not like the religious prejudices or stereotyping I have seen
today. One of the reasons I'm glad I live in America is because I know I
have religious freedom and the right to talk about it. With that in mind,
I'm going to let you know that I will be keeping all homeschoolers and the
homeschooling movement in my prayers. As long as I'm not hurting you, you
can't stop me from practicing my religion, and therein lies the beauty of
this great nation.

Besides all that, this is not the first time I've heard bad things about
PokEmon. I didn't like PokEmon the minute I got a description of it from
one the neighbor kids. Just what we need, another toy that promotes
violence.

God Bless. (If that offends anyone, TOUGH!)

```````````````````````````````````
Virtually yours,
Corinna
irocket@...

----- Original Message -----
From: Karol Gale

As Christian parents/grandparents we should be especially aware of what
influences our children. We homeschool them for various reasons - for
me, it is primarily to shield him from a world going in the wrong
direction!
And to give him a Christian outlook on his world and life.

With that in mind, I wish to share the following article that I
recently read on the Internet. It made me very glad that I had made the
decision to NOT allow our 6 year old to view/collect Pokemon. Read, and
decide for yourselves what you think....

Lynda

What sort of things is he not interested in?? Also, some kidlets (and
adults for that matter) are "wiggle" learners and that may be part of it.
I have a "wiggle" learner and I just let her wiggle away. It doesn't
really mean that she is bored or not interested, it just means that she
needs to motion and processes things better when she is in motion. There
is a name for this but I'm blessed if I remember what it is called.

Lynda

----------
> From: Karol Gale <kgale@...>
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Influences
> Date: Thursday, January 06, 2000 12:40 PM
>
> Hi to all the listmembers,
>
> I truly hope I did not offend anybody by the article I forwarded on
> Pokemon. It was not meant to offend, preach, or to find fault with
> anyone - I simply wished to share information that had confirmed to
> me that I had made a correct choice. I viewed it as an "eye-opener".
>
> The only defense I would present to you is that the gentleman who
> wrote the article did do his research - it was not just a blind
> presentation. And that often times it is the truth that gets under
> our skin!!
>
> I am not offended, nor do I have my feelings hurt, by any of your
> comments. I do, however, appreciate those who had kind words to
> say in my defense!
>
> Thanks to all who expressed so freely your feelings and opinions.
>
> Now.....on to the real reason for this list.........
>
> I am struggling with feeling like I am not doing the best job that
> I could in teaching my 6 yo grandson (1st grade). He is exceptionally
> bright - sometimes quicker than I am!! *grin* (Could it be because he
> is at the beginning of his life - stretching, growing, grabbing at
> life - whereas, I am on the "downhill" side of life with the major
> experiences of life behind me???) ;-)
>
> The real problem is that he is extremely active and it is tough to
> settle down to some things he is not especially interested in!! So,
> I would like to find ways in which he will learn without realizing
> he is being "taught"!! Now, does anyone understand that last
> statment?? :-)
>
> So, just sharing some of the activities you have done with your
> children will certainly give me some ideas to try out.
>
> Nance....thanks for your input - already some neat ideas are forming
> in my head from what you shared that you are doing with your children.
>
> So....now I will be waiting for input from the rest of you on this
> subject!!! *grin*
>
> Karol
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> GRAB THE GATOR! FREE SOFTWARE DOES ALL THE TYPING FOR YOU!
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> forms and passwords with just one click! Comes with $50 in free coupons!
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>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com

Karol Gale

Hi to all the listmembers,

I truly hope I did not offend anybody by the article I forwarded on
Pokemon. It was not meant to offend, preach, or to find fault with
anyone - I simply wished to share information that had confirmed to
me that I had made a correct choice. I viewed it as an "eye-opener".

The only defense I would present to you is that the gentleman who
wrote the article did do his research - it was not just a blind
presentation. And that often times it is the truth that gets under
our skin!!

I am not offended, nor do I have my feelings hurt, by any of your
comments. I do, however, appreciate those who had kind words to
say in my defense!

Thanks to all who expressed so freely your feelings and opinions.

Now.....on to the real reason for this list.........

I am struggling with feeling like I am not doing the best job that
I could in teaching my 6 yo grandson (1st grade). He is exceptionally
bright - sometimes quicker than I am!! *grin* (Could it be because he
is at the beginning of his life - stretching, growing, grabbing at
life - whereas, I am on the "downhill" side of life with the major
experiences of life behind me???) ;-)

The real problem is that he is extremely active and it is tough to
settle down to some things he is not especially interested in!! So,
I would like to find ways in which he will learn without realizing
he is being "taught"!! Now, does anyone understand that last
statment?? :-)

So, just sharing some of the activities you have done with your
children will certainly give me some ideas to try out.

Nance....thanks for your input - already some neat ideas are forming
in my head from what you shared that you are doing with your children.

So....now I will be waiting for input from the rest of you on this
subject!!! *grin*

Karol

[email protected]

Karol,
Have you read anything about delayed academics by Dr. Robert Moore?
My dd is 7. I let her play as much as she wants to.
I read to her and she reads on her own. When she was 6, I introduced
phonics, but it was clear she didn't get it, so I let it go and just kept
reading to her. I read her everything from board books to pre-teen
level. One day it clicked and she was reading. We love historical
fiction, including American Girls series. There are some Dear Diary
historical fiction for boys too (through Scholastic Publishers)
I do limit TV, but have explained my reasons to them. (We sometimes
threaten Daddy with a no TV week!)
We listen to music. She has learned to replay favorite songs on the CD
player and once replayed and sang the same song for an hour! We borrow
CD's from the library.
She loves to play with others, so I make sure to arrange time for her to
play with homeschooled friends and neighborhood friends.
We play games -- Monopoly Jr. and Uno are two current favorites. Last
year she enjoyed Brain Quest game for kindergarten and preschoolers. We
have some computer games too.
We have some schoolish workbooks - it is totally up to her when she wants
to use them. They sit unopened for weeks at a time, then she will pull
one out and do many pages at one sitting. We go over it together when
she is done (her choice). If I can see that an answer is "wrong", I'll
ask her how she came up with it. Nine times out of 10 her answer is
accurate, just not what the book may have been looking for. I never tell
her her answer is "wrong", I just discuss other possible solutions with
her.
We just started a gym class for homeschoolers. I'm giving it some time
to see if we all like it (also have a 4 year old.)
Good luck. I am having a wonderful time homeschooling!
Mary Ellen
The darn trouble with cleaning the house is it gets dirty the next day
anyway,
so skip a week if you have to. The children are the most important
thing.
--Barbara Bush

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
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Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

metta

on 1/6/00 12:40 PM, Karol Gale at kgale@... wrote:

> The real problem is that he is extremely active and it is tough to
> settle down to some things he is not especially interested in!! So,
> I would like to find ways in which he will learn without realizing
> he is being "taught"!! Now, does anyone understand that last
> statment?? :-)

I have never really understood why adults try to trick kids into learning
stuff "without them realizing it." To my way of thinking, learning isn't
some awful tasting medicine to be disguised and forced down, but something
wonderful to be celebrated and enjoyed! I don't try to hide learning

6 is awfully young to settle down and do formal learning anyway. He's bright
and he's learning all the time, right? Why try to fix what's not broken?

What kinds of things is he interested in and what would he like to learn?
Maybe if you name a few things we could come up with some suggestions.

By the way, I find it very admirable that you are willing to raise and
homeschool your grandson! That's really awesome!
--
Thea
metta@...

Debra Bures

My youngest is very much an "audio-kinesthetic learner"(I put it in
quotes--don't anyone yell at me for labelling please!!!) She truly learns
with her butt wiggling in the air while she sings a song! We play all sorts
of games--we now have hopskotch masking taped on the living room floor, and
a grid of numbers (kind of like tic-tac-toe with 1-0 in the spaces) masking
taped on the family room rug. We roll a die and add whatever number shows
up to the number it lands on. We play word games with note cards laid all
over the house in a serpentine fashion--she likes to read the words she
lands on. She's made note cards with words on them and labeled many things
in the house(including us!). The more you suggest she sit quietly the more
she needs to move!When she is intersted in something she focusses for hours.
She loves me to read biographies to her--she likes to point out the
peacemakers. Right now she's fascinated with the Cartoon History of the
United States.
This is the kid who climbed before she could talk (and she talked in
sentences at 15 months).She brings joy and golden laughter to our hearts.
Debra








----- Original Message -----
From: "Karol Gale" <kgale@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 3:40 PM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Influences


> Hi to all the listmembers,
>
> I truly hope I did not offend anybody by the article I forwarded on
> Pokemon. It was not meant to offend, preach, or to find fault with
> anyone - I simply wished to share information that had confirmed to
> me that I had made a correct choice. I viewed it as an "eye-opener".
>
> The only defense I would present to you is that the gentleman who
> wrote the article did do his research - it was not just a blind
> presentation. And that often times it is the truth that gets under
> our skin!!
>
> I am not offended, nor do I have my feelings hurt, by any of your
> comments. I do, however, appreciate those who had kind words to
> say in my defense!
>
> Thanks to all who expressed so freely your feelings and opinions.
>
> Now.....on to the real reason for this list.........
>
> I am struggling with feeling like I am not doing the best job that
> I could in teaching my 6 yo grandson (1st grade). He is exceptionally
> bright - sometimes quicker than I am!! *grin* (Could it be because he
> is at the beginning of his life - stretching, growing, grabbing at
> life - whereas, I am on the "downhill" side of life with the major
> experiences of life behind me???) ;-)
>
> The real problem is that he is extremely active and it is tough to
> settle down to some things he is not especially interested in!! So,
> I would like to find ways in which he will learn without realizing
> he is being "taught"!! Now, does anyone understand that last
> statment?? :-)
>
> So, just sharing some of the activities you have done with your
> children will certainly give me some ideas to try out.
>
> Nance....thanks for your input - already some neat ideas are forming
> in my head from what you shared that you are doing with your children.
>
> So....now I will be waiting for input from the rest of you on this
> subject!!! *grin*
>
> Karol
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> GRAB THE GATOR! FREE SOFTWARE DOES ALL THE TYPING FOR YOU!
> Tired of filling out forms and remembering passwords? Gator fills in
> forms and passwords with just one click! Comes with $50 in free coupons!
> <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/gator4 ">Click Here</a>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
>

Thad Martin

Karol Gale wrote:
the gentleman who wrote the article did do his research
there is a difference between research .and a well thought out opinion.
research would entail a more well rounded approach not merely one angle.

And that often times it is the truth that gets under our skin!!
actual i enjoy truth because is very expansive. it's fear and
ethnocentric based judgment that bother me because it leaves no room for
people who are different.

So....now I will be waiting for input from the rest of you on this
subject!!! *grin*
i thought i would pass on some exerts from and article "an unschooler's
lament: what's so hard to understand" by mary griffith (the author of two
handbooks for homeschooling and unschooling). the article was published in
the mag paths of learning.

'i discovered three elements common to unschooling families:

an environment conducive to exploration and experimentation. to put the
matter bluntly, we unschoolers have lots of stuff around to play with.
the nature of that stuff varies with the interests and needs of each
family; from books overflowing their shelves, to pots and pans to stack and
bang, to backyard garden to cultivate, to a screaming fast computer, our
homes have lots of easily accessible materials around for children to
investigate. if we want our kids to learn by following their own
interests, we need to offer them plenty to catch those interests.

adults as models and facilitators. unschooling parents, like most other
parents, learn rapidly that "do as i say, not as i do" does not work very
well with children. unschooling kids need people around them who provide
models of learning by the way they live and in activities they pursue. if
we parents are not obviously curious about and interested in the world
around us, if we ourselves never ask questions and search for answers, if
we never just try things and see what happens, it's unlikely that our kids
will do so, either.

trust that children will learn. for most people, this is the big obstacle
to understanding unschooling and allowing it to work. perhaps the
conventional school education that created our own model of learning
creates an impression that learning is supposed to be difficult or boring,
or that learning cannot and will not occur unless someone is explicitly
teaching, providing information in little age-appro[riate packets, giving
quizzes on wednesdays and tests on fridays. eventually, once we've bitten
our tongues and sat on our hands and held our breaths long enough to let
our kids learn to trust their own abilities, we discover that we can trust
their abilities as well. in fact, we discover that it's almost impossible
to stop our kids from learning, that kids, already intensely curious, are
eager to indulge their curiosity.'

she goes on to say:

'of course, even better than applying manufacturing models of more recent
vintage than the industrial revolution to education and learning would be
to drop the dehumanizing industrial models entirely and start treating both
children and adult learners as full, active participants in the educational
process. in other words, instead of looking at improving instructional
delivery systems or accountability procedures, shouldn't we talk seriously
with our kids about their particular educational paths, learning from them
how they learn best and what they find helpful or obstructive to their
learning processes? aren't our kids entitled to direct a process that
prepares them for their own future?'

she concludes by saying:

'however, let me be clear: "because it works" isn't a sound enough reason
for me to advocate unschooling in particular and, more generally, treating
our children as full partners in our lives. our children are fellow human
beings - they are our colleagues in the making of the world, in the
creation of our joint future. treating them as fully human, with respect
and decency, recognizing them as people just like us, is what we owe them
and what we owe ourselves. it's simply the right thing to do.'

though this is purely philosophical i hope it will be of some use to you.
for me having a strong grasp of the underlining concept helps me work with
all the many of variables we face each day.

-susan
austin,tx

Thad Martin

"A lie, you see, no matter how often or how vociferously repeated, may be
mistaken for the truth, but it does not become the truth." - Adam Crown

so does this quote
-susan
austin,tx

Linda Wyatt wrote:

> > I have never really understood why adults try to trick kids into learning
> > stuff "without them realizing it." To my way of thinking, learning isn't
> > some awful tasting medicine to be disguised and forced down, but something
> > wonderful to be celebrated and enjoyed! I don't try to hide learning
>
> Hear, hear! I thought that needed repeating.
>
> Same goes for the concept of "taking a break" from learning. Um... why?
>
> Linda
>
> --
> Linda Wyatt
> hilinda@...
> http://www.lightlink.com/hilinda
> Learning everywhere, all the time.
> Algebra before breakfast
> "A lie, you see, no matter how often or how vociferously repeated, may be
> mistaken for the truth, but it does not become the truth." - Adam Crown

Linda Wyatt

> I have never really understood why adults try to trick kids into learning
> stuff "without them realizing it." To my way of thinking, learning isn't
> some awful tasting medicine to be disguised and forced down, but something
> wonderful to be celebrated and enjoyed! I don't try to hide learning

Hear, hear! I thought that needed repeating.

Same goes for the concept of "taking a break" from learning. Um... why?


Linda

--
Linda Wyatt
hilinda@...
http://www.lightlink.com/hilinda
Learning everywhere, all the time.
Algebra before breakfast
"A lie, you see, no matter how often or how vociferously repeated, may be
mistaken for the truth, but it does not become the truth." - Adam Crown

Thomas and Nanci Kuykendall

><< As Christian parents/grandparents

>#1: We are not Christians.
>
>#2: I don't feel this sort of propaganda is appropriate to this list.
>
>#3: I do not feel that seeing "Satan" in Pokemon lends the Christian point
>of view very much credibility.
>
>
>Nance

I was beginning to wonder myself what the heck was going on here. We are
not Christian either, and also do not feel that this type of Zionist
rhetoric has a place here. It's bad enough to get people knocking on your
door trying to shove their religious beliefs and interpretations down your
throat. Do we have to have it here, on one of my most beloved lists as
well???

Nanci K.

[email protected]

In a message dated 01/08/2000 3:22:24 AM !!!First Boot!!!,
tn-k4of5@... writes:

<< Do we have to have it here, on one of my most beloved lists as
well???

Nanci K.
>>


Not usually.

Nance