A-Kon

[WhiteÃ…ngel]

All,

sometimes you just have to take a hint when the Lord is trying to get your attention.

I have been planning to go to A-kon for months now, all of my friends are going. The same weekend that the con is on I have to help with a work day at teh church for VBS, it was made my weekend to sing on the praise team ( we switch off) and I was asked to help in the nursery watching the kids 1st service. If that is not devine intervention.. I don't know what is. Oh well...
I hope al that can go have fun this weekend.

WÃ…

http://www.a-kon.com/

[Turbocat]

Hi WhiteAngel! I don't believe we've met, I'm Turbocat. I was just wondering if you've ever been to Akon before...and what your stance is on anime conventions in general. I attended Akons 97-2000, and each one was a different experience when I was in a different place in my relationship to God. I'd have to agree with you, it does sound like 'divine intervention' to me.

After my experiences at Akon, I've come to the conclusion that unless one has a very strong relationship with Christ and goes to a convention specifically called to minister to the attendees (by holding chapel services or having a Christian booth, etc), the negative and unwholesome aspects can really shake your faith.

I was just wondering what you (and anyone else to attends/ is considering attending) think about this.

[WhiteÃ…ngel]

Hello.. nice too meet you as well.

If I could ... I would go to the con! Everyone in this forum watches anime....
to date very little is worth watching, but ...

There are some great artists , voice actors, writers, etc out there.
I feel it's our duty to shine a little in the darkness... yes you will have to bounce every now and then ( keep your eyes in check)..
but we still need to network. We are Christians... how many others that go to cons are.... do they know about this site? would they be interested in helping put together, promote or even fund a Christian anime title? ... we won't know unless we ask them...

We may not like all of the material, but we still have to know what people are into, new styles to come out, etc. I look forward to the day when Christian titles are as professional looking as the rest and secular people want to watch the movies just as much as the Christians just for the awesome quality of the art and story. The fact that they get a moral message and ministered to will just be gravy for them, but for us... we will have the cake and eat it too... because we aren't just putting together this kind of anime for our own benefit.. at least I hope not...

Nobody said being a Christian would be easy, in fact we have been told it would be difficult... how I enjoy a good fight!

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

I hope you see how important I feel producing Christain anime is... I see that anime is becoming the #1 influence in America today.. why is that? what about it is appealing? we need to tap that and make it better.

God Bless..
WÃ…

[Ashley]

My thoughts exactly!
And while granted, I agree with Turbo that it does take a more mature Christian to be able to handle some of the things anime throws at us, no one will be saved if we just hang out around here and talk about our favorite shows.
The way I always explained why I liked anime so much to my friends is that the animation was incredible, the characters very believable, and the storyline much more entertaining than say, Will & Grace, Smallville, etc. Just why I like it, that is.
And yes, I think if we made an anime it shouldn't be a blatant, HELLLLOOOOO BE A CHRISTIAN OR GO TO HELL! but something more subtle. Maybe a series following a Christian girl, or a guy who becomes a Christian and suddenly starts dealing with all sorts of things, or who knows? Maybe the Pilgrim's Progress idea will become so liked we could somehow get funding to turn THAT into an anime. *Shrugs* All I know is that God will use us in great ways.