Pokemon Go a very popular mobile app has over 80 million players every month. I am very sure out of the 80 million a huge amount of them are also Christians as well. The question here is, it is ok for Christians to play Pokemon-related games?
Pokemon is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokemon Company, a company founded by Nintendo. Pokemon original was also known as Pocket Monsters.
Created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996, humans known as Pokemon trainers, catch and train Pokemon to battle other Pokemon for sport.
The concept of the battling seems harmless at first most of the time, but the issue comes if you go really deep into understanding the characters of the monsters
Even the creator himself said in an interview with Time said this
“Tajiri: Yes. Pokémon is essentially the correct answer to life, not Christianity. Everything presented in the game is the opposite of what Christians may believe. Some have said that the game promotes voodoo or magic, and I agree in the sense that there are many things that occur in nature that are unexplainable. Furthermore, the violence in the games is unparalleled. It may not show up in the actual graphics, but the brutality is made especially explicit in the Pokédex entries. Nature, again, played a big role.”
While the creator did not directly claim it’s anti-Christ, the behaviors of the game do indeed promote voodoo and magic within the game itself. Which in the hands of children who do know much of this might think these things are harmless and that might lead them to think later on voodoo cards or tarot cards are alright as well which we know are surely demonic in nature and should be avoided.
The bibles says “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8
While as a Christian, I know in the back of my mind it’s not alright to engage in the Pokemon games because of how the violence, and some even claim that collecting all these monsters can be a digital demonic monster too which is possible.
But know that the devil does go around looking always for someone to devour in their minds and life every day.
What may look harmless at first collecting monsters and battling within the game might encourage violent behaviors or sometimes vulgar languages been encouraged as well the bible is very against such behaviors as shown here:
“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” – Colossians 3:8-10
While it’s easy as mature Christian adults to encourage and or tell other adults not to engage in Pokemon but it’s a whole different thing for children.
Kids naturally would want to be socially acceptable with their friends at school and I am sure they will insist on engaging in such gameplay that promotes violence or vulgar activities.
I do not have kids, but if I do have. I would think it’s impossible to stop any kids from playing games that are not violent or encourage vulgar language in nature. Because in today’s modern culture almost every computer has them.
Are we going to stop them from playing games just because it promotes violence? Then it will be very hypocritical as adult Christians to do that to our children.
Why?
Because most Christian parents themselves will feel there is no wrong in playing violent games as long as I am able to control my behaviors and I know it’s morally wrong to be vulgar and violent.
If you do choose to really ban all violent games or activities then you should also ban yourself from playing them and also ban yourself from watching YouTube or TV today as it also promotes violence, doesn’t it?
Children model over what parents do, and it’s important as parents we teach our children what is right over wrong.
Personally, I do not play Pokemon Go but I do know many Christians do. But do I sometimes play other games that also promote violence? I will be lying if I said I do not. Do I sin when I play them? Well sometimes if I being honest. But do I allow it to have a stronghold in my spiritual walk with God, of course not?
It is very natural for people to score or learn new vulgar words in computers game regardless it’s Pokemon or not. And people love to downplay or troll you in games, especially during team battles and you keep dying calling you a “noob”.
I know how that feels because I also experience those emotions too. We cannot avoid sometimes that emotion, but it will always be good to be aware of those sinful actions we make, and over time you come to numb those emotions and not react to them.
When someone kills you in a game, your teammates blame you for not playing well. Just ignore them and move on till you spawn again the next round and try again.
I am very sure when your kids die in a game. They will get very emotional about it and sometimes sad or even angry at times as this is all part of the entertainment value in the games that make it interesting.
If I was a parent, I will make sure I make them aware such behaviors are not acceptable and they do need to repent them if you are faced with a situation you cannot stop them from engaging in such computer game activities.
So Should You Still Play Pokemon?
My answer to that is it depends on how seriously you take your walk with God today will determine if you think playing Pokemon will be a snare in your faith with God.
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. – 2 Tim 2:22-26
Pokemon is just one example of a possible trap of the devil to take you captive in his will of encouraging violence. Watching violent videos on YouTube can do that same as well.
So the question here is, will you be able to stop all activities that encourage violence yourself before you even tell your own children to stop? Or will you be a hypocrite Christian who on one hand does not allow your children to play Pokemon but you yourself still encourage violent activities in computer games?
You, yourself need to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – James 1:22.
How can you tell your kids, that it’s not ok to play Pokemon or CounterStrike or Mobile Legends when you yourself encourage them in watching violent shows and it’s ok?
So set the right example from the start, educate your children what are the dangers of violent games and the dangers of voodoo magic and all that. Go and read what the bible same about such things and the harmful things they can do for your children. Then hopefully that understanding it will encourage them not to engage more in such violent activities or games or live daily life in repentance.
The Dangers of Pokemon
“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.” – Leviticus 20:6
There is Necromancy in Pokemon in case you are not aware as it’s built into the feature of the monsters in various monsters which you can find here https://pokemonwack.fandom.com/wiki/Necromancy_(move)
And there are Mediums as well in Pokemon which is a Trainer class in some Pokemon games which you can read more here https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/Medium
While playing Pokemon does not really engage in turning to them as mediums and necromancers but the issue for children is they might not be aware that the bible does say we need to go far away in engaging them or praying to them.
Playing Pokemon does not pray to these things, but what it does it gives children or unmatured Christian a mindset that’s these things are harmless and it’s ok to engage in these things which subconsciously when they grow up, they might later be interested in engaging them when they grow up or in their later adulthood.
So as parents, it is important to educate them when they are still learning and growing up of the dangers of such things in the games is not spiritual at all.
Pokemon Does Encourage Idol Worship Subconsciously
Because all these monsters in Pokemon do represent real-world idols most of the time, it will subconsciously make children and Christians think they are harmless and ok to deal with.
For example, there are many dragons in the game, you can view a list of them here https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/Dragon_type
Dragons are a symbol of evil or the devil in case you are not aware.
While you might not engage or pray to them in the game, subconsciously your mind will think it’s alright and that may encourage them to engage and pray to them later in their adulthood.
Your children may later request, to buy dragon toys for them. Then later when they get the dragon toy, they may start even start speaking to the toy?
And who knows, that may also encourage kids to pray to the dragon toys even. This is very possible if you do not educate your kids correctly from the start. And that my friend will start opening doors for satan to attack their kids spiritually and get demonized which is possible! Do not think for once that dragon toy is harmless, satan is very deceptive in his ways and lies.
Pokemon Does Encourages Demonic Activities Subconsciously
In the Pokemon game, there are lots of spells, spirits, angels, ghost, gods and demonic abilities that would be introduced to children and adults.
With Pokemon Go, it makes it even worst by encouraging gamers to collect such monsters are real-world buildings such as churches buildings to claim monsters. Or battleground in the church virtually.
Can you imagine, in your children’s service all the kids coming to church with one thing in their mind which is just to collect limited edition monsters at church instead of desiring to know the word of God?
Can you see how deceptive satan can be in pulling you away from God in the church through a game?
This Applies Not Just Pokemon
Pokemon is just one example of such demonic engaging activity, there are many other activities in this world that also encourages demonic activities subconsciously. While most of them do not includes engaging with them yet, what you need to understand it affects your mindset of them subconsciously that it’s ok and harmless and therefore I am ok with it or ok for my kids to engage with them.
While in a sense it is ok to play the games, I hope this article will encourage you to go deeper into understanding the consequences and effects it will have on your life and your children if you choose to engage in such activities and you need to be aware of the deceptive nature of such activities can cause you more harm then good.
At the end of the way, I can only warn you this much. But the choice is still ultimately yours if you decide it is still ok to engage in them. I pray you to make the wise correct biblically choice today.