# Pokemon Proclaimed As Evil **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 1999, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061 "1999-10-06T18:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/1 "1999-10-06T18:01:00Z")
From _Inquest_, a gamer magazine we get here in the office: > [@](#): > > With children chanting “Burn it! Burn it!” and “Chop it up! Chop it up!” a Colorado Springs minister used a butane burner and sword to strike out against pokemon. > > Mark Juvera, a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church, told the 80+ children in attendance that pokemon are evil and sugar-coated instruments of the occult. To make his point, he set fire to cards and used a 2 1/2-foot sword to repeatedly strike a plastic pokemon doll. Card games and dolls are bad. Setting fires and playing with swords is good. The article goes on to mention: > [@](#): > > “There comes a point where the violence can be projected to other people. It crosses a line in the psyche. Most people don’t understand the implications of that,” Cowart said. And putting a cartoon face on it “desensitizes kids to the violence.” But 80+ impressionable kids watching a man of God practice wanton destruction by way of pyromania and a 2 1/2 foot blade is a good thing. Uh huh. > [@](#): > > Why make such a high profile stance against pokemon? “I’m these children’s pastor and I have to watch over them,” Cowart said. Pokemon help us all… * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![kellibelli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e480ec/32.png) [@kellibelli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellibelli)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/2 "1999-10-06T18:09:00Z")
Excellent post satan…you clearly and concisely showed why nuts like this are …well…_nuts._ * * * You are all invited to join me at my home this Saturday at my first annual Pokemon bonfire and destruction ritual, while I try to explain to children that while this crap is not evil, it is really fucking annoying and stupid. We will follow the destruction with Ice Blue KoolAid, and Peanut Butter Cookies. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/3 "1999-10-06T18:10:00Z")
Yeah, Cowart is an idiot who employed a solution that was much worse than the problem. But Pokeman IS evil. So are Beanie Babies, Furby, Tickle Me Elmo, etc., etc., etc. I have kids, does it show? * * * The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/4 "1999-10-06T18:15:00Z")
Satan, I think you should call these charlatans and hypocrites to your door. It’s no wonder I have such contempt for “men of the cloth” and apathy towards religion in general. Pathetic. * * * “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” - _Humphrey Bogart_ ---
**Author:** ![AuraSeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AuraSeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraSeer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/5 "1999-10-06T18:22:00Z")
No matter what game or sport becomes popular, somebody will find a reason to call it evil. The fundies said the same thing about _Magic: The Gathering_. When I was in college, a friend’s roommate was disturbed by the sight of my Magic deck. One particular card, the Atog, upset him a lot; it has a picture of a spooky-looking creature with glowing red eyes. He asked to speak to me privately, and warned me that my soul was in danger. In a low voice, with complete sincerity, he said: “One day soon, this creature will come to you… and it will offer you power.” I grinned manically at him, opened my eyes really wide, and growled, “You are too late, mortal! This one’s soul is **mine** now!” (Well, actually I didn’t do that. But I was _so_ tempted. =B^) * * * Laugh hard; it’s a long way to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/6 "1999-10-06T18:47:00Z")
And they say religion isn’t entertaining anymore. 😃 * * * Tenacious, like a coonhound tracking a poodle in heat. ---
**Author:** ![engineerboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@engineerboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineerboy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/7 "1999-10-06T18:49:00Z")
damn, AuraSeer, good thing you didn’t let the roomie see your “Living Wall” (with baby fetus smack in the middle of it). And, yes, while I will admit to finding the damned little Pikachus and Charmanders adorable (he says on his way to the Pit) there’s something disconcerting about beating the shit out of, well, anything then forcing it into slave labor… maybe it’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/8 "1999-10-06T19:03:00Z")
They’re also starting on the Harry Potter books. Wizards, magic, fun, stuff like that. Bad, bad, bad. * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 1999, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/9 "1999-10-06T19:35:00Z")
Auraseer said: > [@](#): > > When I was in college, a friend’s roommate was disturbed by the sight of my Magic deck. In my dorm, we had separated bunk beds, with my roommate having the drawers beneath his. I stored my D&D stuff there. One day he saw the book cover I’d put on my Dungeon Master’s Guide – had a five-pointed star and a goat’s head skull. I thought it was pretty cool looking. He yelled at me to move it because he could feel it burning through the mattress at night. Hmmm. Funny how he hadn’t noticed that burning 'til he saw the book (that had been there for months prior). I had a friend whose roommate was like yours – but worse. He went around and sprinkled holy water over the room to keep out the demons and the like. We both had a mutal friend who was large and scary-looking. One day friend #1 had friend #2 come visit while the roommate was in. #2 walked in, sniffed, and bellowed, “AARRGGGH! I SMELL HOLY WATER!!” and proceeded to go into demonic gurgling noises. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/10 "1999-10-07T06:18:00Z")
I know, I know, everything new and popular is evil. It’s like the leaves turning in fall. Inevitable. But, on a slightly different bent, what is it with these games that use admitedly (sp?) Satanic-type symbols? I acknowledge the point about the roommate who couldn’t feel the book burning at him until he saw it, but that whole thing with using pentagrams etc. has always struck me as not only unnecessary, but kind of over the line. What’s the point? Is it a marketing gimmick to make the game look “cool” and subversive, the better to sell it to 13 year olds who would only be too happy to be doing something their parents might not approve of? Any ideas or comments? ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/11 "1999-10-07T07:06:00Z")
[http://lavender.fortunecity.com/jerningham/179/SquirtleGvD.jpg](http://lavender.fortunecity.com/jerningham/179/SquirtleGvD.jpg) **Squirtle, Squirtle!** Look at that face? How can you call that evil? He’s so sweet, he’ll even use his water attack to put out those flames! * * * “It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument” - William McAdoo ---
**Author:** ![engineerboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@engineerboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineerboy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/12 "1999-10-07T08:13:00Z")
Sigh… how could I forget Squirtle?! 🙂 Now, Mr. Dave Sweeney- for fear of starting a HUGE Pit-style thread- a pentagram is not necessarily Satanic. Pagans, Wiccans, Witches, other non-judeo-christian-islamic religious types don’t believe in Satan. But, they are \* occult\*, that is, they’re not generally well understood by the general populace. So, when these symbols are used by a huge multinational gaming conglomerate (who shall remain nameless, but sounds like “Magicians on the Shoreline”) they elicit one of a few responses, including, but not limited to: “BACK foul heretic!”, and “hey, cool design”. This second attitude keeps several of my tattoo artist friends in business with myriad variations on the Celtic knot and Native American patterns… and yes, I used to keep my Magic cards lying around to piss people off… it’s kinda fun 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/13 "1999-10-07T11:56:00Z")
I don’t think Pokemon cards are evil, but I DO think that parents who fork out $6 for 11 plastic-coated cards should be taken out to the wood shed and spanked. ---
**Author:** ![Glitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/0ea827/32.png) [@Glitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glitch)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/14 "1999-10-07T12:24:00Z")
I remember a local assistant minister giving me a speech about D&D. He was invited in by the school to talk to me about my heathen ways (I was the local D&D club leader). Anyway, he is telling me about how evil D&D is and will harm my soul. Just as he is talking about how pretending to have magical abilities is evil and no good Christian person (which I wasn’t but anyway) would never do such a thing, we hear a girl’s voice outside invoking the incantation “something blah blah She-ra” (a cartoon that played along with He-man) that transforms a princess into a mighty warrior. It was that church’s head minister’s daughter. Thanks for the thread. Brought back a very fond memory. * * * What more could you expect from somebody who lets people kick him to the head? ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/15 "1999-10-07T13:22:00Z")
“By the power of Grey Skull, I am She-Ra.” Oh my, what a sweet anectdote (sp?). You guys have nothing on evil. Go to my Small Wonder thread. Yes, I am obsessing. Pokemon is cute, but Small Wonder is the one true evil. MWahahahahaha. SqrlCub * * * “People’s Poet don’t die, we’ll kill ourselves if you do, but first we’ll take off all our clothes.” The Young Ones ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/16 "1999-10-07T13:42:00Z")
“sugar coated instrument of evil”? Sounds like a part of satan’s body! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AuraSeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AuraSeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraSeer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/17 "1999-10-07T14:24:00Z")
No, Cub, I’m afraid you’ve got it wrong. He-Man’s magic whatsit was, “By the power of Grayskull!” She-Ra’s was slightly different: “For the honor of Grayskull!” Anyone who asks why I know this will be summarily ignored. * * * Laugh hard; it’s a long way to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/18 "1999-10-07T14:54:00Z")
_thunder…_ …Thunder… **…Thunder…** **…THUNDER CATS! HOOOOOOOOOO** There. I feel better now. * * * You say “cheesy” like that’s a **BAD** thing. ---
**Author:** ![AuraSeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AuraSeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraSeer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/19 "1999-10-07T15:09:00Z")
Go, go, Gadget-Copter! ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061/20 "1999-10-08T05:30:00Z")
If there’s one thing we can credit the Japanese for besides first rate electronics, a superior education system, and tempura, it’s weird ass cartoon creatures with abstract premises. Why is the only thing any Pokemon can say is it’s own name over and over again? Cute at first, but soon it makes you want to start smashing things. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pokemon-proclaimed-as-evil/9061.md?page=2)