...and once the Pokemon become powerful enough they're going to eat all the xians.

He does have a point about the difficulty children face in separating reality from fantasy but then he loses me on the "Satan" thing.

He does have a point about the difficulty children face in separating reality from fantasy but then he loses me on the "Satan" thing.

Kids have always lived partially in fantasy worlds but I think the idea they are unable to separate fantasy from reality is a bit overblown. When they are really young the problem is greater but, as they grow, they learn the difference. There's even an ideal point where they can still believe in Santa Claus even though, intellectually, they know he's not real. (I never really outgrew that stage.)

What's incredible about this guy's rant is how he picks on something as essentially harmless as Pokemons but makes no mention of the Christian based games and their reliance on demons, devils sorcerers and murdering the infidel. The big difference between Pokemon and Christian games is that Pokemon makes no bones about just being a game - a fantasy - while the Christian games are aimed at brainwashing kids into carrying that belief in the fantasy world into their adulthood. It's that kind of indoctrination that allows scenes like Sarah Palin sitting in church rah rahing some preacher talking about destroying witches in Africa.

The "God" fantasy is the worst of them all. I can't see where believers are dealing with any sort of reality. Their entire religious system is based on fantasy and makes no sense.

Pkiachu is as believable as the Great Flood.

What's incredible about this guy's rant is how he picks on something as essentially harmless as Pokemons but makes no mention of the Christian based games and their reliance on demons, devils sorcerers and murdering the infidel.

it is even worse than that, jim. there are games that glorify the cursed fate of nonbelievers. that really irks me. as if divine punishment will not be enough? what a bunch of assholes.

He should have done less drugs or drinking in his youth (or perhaps less now too). And, speaking of distinguishing fiction from reality, who is he trying to fool with that awful toupee?

I nearly spit out my coffee laughing when he talked about demons and showed a picture of Jigglypuff.

The Goth and tatoos on teens doesn't bother me too much, Sooz. I don't see it as a lot different from prechers and sociologists predicting the end of civilization when kids started growing long hair and wearing bell bottoms. The vast, vast majority of them will outgrow it and turn into accountants. There will always a small minority who are unable to differentiate between fact and fantasy but that's also something that comes from time immemorial.

I too was stunned by the indictrination in "Jesus Camp". So much of it reminded me of film clips we sometimes see about the brainwashing in the Hitler Youth groups. The big fanger in that kind of indictrination is that the fantasy they teach becomes the adult reality.

Religion is a form of brainwashing.

I agree on this. It's just the way they dress to annoy their parents. Chances are that if it didn't get a reaction from adults, they would do something different. I think every teen goes through some form of testing the limits of their individuality in roughly the same way all their friends do. [img]/domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/wink.gif[/img] I would try to discourage them from doing anything permanent on a juvenile whim, like the myriad piercings and tattoos (if they still like it when older, then that is their choice to make, but most will end up regretting being permanently marked with their teenage fad).

I also think a lot of adults give children too little credit for understanding the difference between reality and make-believe. The vast majority are even suspicious of Santa and the Tooth Fairy once they've reached school age, but still enjoy playing along, or haven't quite decided yet but are working on it.

fantasy is real
truth is lying
war is peace

he speaks with forked tongue

How wierd that this is posted now!

My daughter has a buddy on the bus who gave her a few of his duplicate Pokemon cards, and they've been passing the time on the bus ride home playing for several weeks now. And for some reason, the little "bus buddies" ( kids assigned to keep everyone in line) decided it was a bad thing, and "BANNED" them from playing. My poor gal came home all upset, and I had to explain to her about what happens sometimes when people have power and it goes to their heads. lol

Meanwhile, her buddy gave her a written invitation to crash his cub scout x-mas party Friday night. Cheered her up considerably! [img]/domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smile.gif[/img]