If you’re a fan of Japanese anime, chances are that you’ve come across the epic sagas of Naruto and Dragon Ball Z.
But perhaps as a Christian, you may be wondering whether it’s okay to watch such shows – do they align with your beliefs?
As someone who understands this subculture well, I’m here to shed some light on the matter.
Keep reading for my take!
Table of Contents
Can a Christian Watch Naruto and Dragon Ball Z
As someone who has watched numerous anime series over the years, including Naruto and Dragon Ball Z, I can understand why Christians may feel hesitant about watching these shows.
Some of them contain aspects that might be contradictory to certain religious beliefs.
For example, both Naruto and Dragon Ball Z showcase characters with extraordinary powers unleashed through intense levels of violence towards their enemies in order to achieve some great goal or battle against evil forces.
They also highlight themes like vengeance which could make it difficult for those trying not to hold grudges as dictated in Christianity teachings.
However, despite all this there is no greater harm attached to enjoying Japanese animation by a Christian than they are when reading Harry Potter books or Marvel Comics from Disney properties
Anime does display graphic scenes at times, but we need to balance knowledge between fiction entertainment stories on our screens versus real-life experiences shaped around what’s taught such as treating each other kindly and living peaceably amidst others without prejudices based on race gender, etc…
Ultimately, it’s up to individual decision whether one feels comfortable viewing any given show – but many people worldwide greatly appreciate how much creativity goes into making these programs captivating enough to keep viewers coming back season after season!
What Concerns Might Christians Have About Watching Naruto and Dragon Ball Z
As a fan of Japanese anime, I know that Naruto and Dragon Ball Z are two incredibly popular series. But for some Christians, there may be concerns about watching these shows.
One concern could be the portrayal of violence in both Naruto and Dragon Ball Z. While many people see it as just part of the action-packed adventure storyline, others might find it unsettling or even disturbing to watch characters engage in bloody battles.
Another concern is the use of magic and supernatural powers – prevalent themes not only in Naruto but also present throughout much Japanese pop culture – which goes against Christian beliefs about spiritual power coming from God alone.
Some parents worry that their children will pick up on un-Christian values such as pridefulness or disrespectful behavior displayed by certain characters on either show.
Though this can happen with anything they come into contact with in modern-day media since our cultural references tend towards displaying those behaviors rather than positive ones like patience/determination/compassion etc…
It’s important to remember while watching any TV show you have control over what your kids are being exposed as well.
Through discussions at family dinners/workshops where conversations around ethical issues arise because morality has always been an underlying theme set out across cultures.
All major religious scriptures share similar stories/themes/values ensuring we arrive back at setting solid principles for how humans should interact with each other.
Lastly, some Christians might be concerned about the language used in these shows – including profanity or sexual innuendos. While not common occurrences throughout the series, such scenes do exist and could potentially make viewers uncomfortable.
Examining Christian Principles That Might Interfere With Anime
The concept of modesty
As Christians, we’re told to dress and behave modestly at all times – which might mean that some anime shows could be seen as going against Christian values!
After all, it’s not exactly uncommon for animes to feature overly sexualized characters in skimpy outfits.
Animism beliefs
While this isn’t a principle exclusive to Christianity per se, animism can often clash with biblical principles when it comes up in Japanese media or entertainment like anime.
This is because the belief revolves around worshipping objects and natural phenomena rather than God himself – something unacceptable from a Biblical point of view.
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Straying too far away from traditional gender roles
In many cultures including those influenced by religion such as Christianity, men are expected to uphold certain masculine traits while women remain feminine.
Acting otherwise would feel suggestive and associated with heresy.
Similar sentiments have been voiced concerning Anime characterization, especially among Western viewership opinion.
However, if you dig deeper into Japan’s cultural setting, things become quite different since their society has evolved differently over centuries where expression plays a key role even activism.
So, perhaps judgment based on cultural biases shouldn’t exist here.
Morbid themes – death-related plots
Another theme common across various anime deals heavily with existential crisis scenarios facing human characters in light of mortality, often showcasing predestination beliefs and morbid depictions of death.
This might be seen as against Christian values that emphasize the importance of life, cherishing it above all else.
Pagan iconography
Some Animes incorporate imagery borrowed from pagan religions such as Shintoism or Buddhism – a tricky area for Christians who would not normally practice these faiths themselves!
The incorporation may cause concern among some believers’ parts since religious appropriation is viewed with reservation by many Christians.
Violence
Despite having no real-world physical consequences beyond temporary discomfort to viewers- violence depicted on anime shows could still pose potential conflict.
As we know certain Christian principles and sentiments towards pacifism where peaceful resolution remains the top priority rather than resorting to aggressive means known as popularly “turn another cheek”.
How Christians Can Benefit From Watching Naruto and Dragon Ball Z
- Learning perseverance from the characters. The main protagonists in both series face numerous challenges that test their physical stamina and mental fortitude. Through hardship after hardship or opponent after opponent, they don’t give up but continue fighting never retreating back despite all obstacles before them such as Goku who was willing to sacrifice everything he had when confronting Frieza on Namek while Naruto stayed strong throughout his journey towards becoming Hokage.
- Understanding philosophies found within Christianity. Though one may argue how absurd an animated show about ninjas could relate to religious teachings like Christianity there are philosophy overlaps between certain stories of heroes overcoming adversity through willpower which also aligns with what is taught by some Christian perspectives.
- Inner strength comes from faith; applies similarly here too! Although it’s presented differently neither God nor prayer exists In Dragonball or Naruto’s world still we see characters rely heavily upon self-confidence derived via belief systems aka ‘faith’ – similar concepts held strongly amongst devout followers who follow Jesus Christ.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, whether someone decides to watch Naruto or Dragon Ball Z comes down to personal discretion – we all have different tastes when it comes to entertainment media after all.
But for those who are devoutly religious and looking out for their children’s wellbeing; being mindful of what they consume is important while also understanding that anime can provide an engaging introduction (or lens) into Japanese culture which has served as a gateway through interest shared across generations globally!
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