Religious Objections to Pokémon
We all know the tragic tale of the lone Pokémon fan who is unfortunate enough to have a family member who insists that Pokémon is evil. Given the huge diversity of religious beliefs, there are inevitably fringe groups that object to practically any media franchise popular enough to be on their radar, and Pokémon has been no exception.
Religious objections to Pokémon are unfortunately a difficult subject as far as Anti-Anti-Pokémon goes, simply because often these people aren't actually wrong about Pokémon in the first place. While I've never personally read religious anti-Pokémon propaganda that didn't contain numerous factual errors about the franchise, this is incidental and never truly the root of the problem that these people have with Pokémon. The main pertinent claims about Pokémon that they make can often be generally truthful:
"Kids who get into Pokémon might become interested in other games like Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons."
"Pokémon has magic and ghosts."
"There are dragon Pokémon."
"Pokémon is a role-playing game."
"There are Pokémon like Houndoom clearly inspired by the traditional idea of demons, as well as a 'Dark' type."
Some people try to argue with these statements: Even if kids might become interested in Magic after playing Pokémon, it doesn't mean they will. It's not magic per se, it's psychic powers, and ghost Pokémon are made of gas. The dragon Pokémon aren't really dragons. Pokémon is more strategy than RPG. Houndoom once saved a Togepi in the anime so it's not evil, and it's based on Cerberus from Greek mythology, which has nothing to do with the devil or Christianity.
But I think ultimately that's missing the point; the person who condemns Pokémon for containing magic probably doesn't care whether it's called "magic" or "psychic powers", and the actions of individual Houndoom characters in the anime aren't why some Christians flinch at Houndoom's design, which is clearly based on classic depictions of demons and the idea of hellhounds. The real reason most people would say that these religious Pokémon haters are wrong isn't that they're wrong about any of the statements above; it's that to all of them I can say, "Well, sure, but so what?" The problem lies in the second half of the argument, namely where it connects to their beliefs about religion:
"Dungeons and Dragons and Magic are evil because they blatantly contain evil monsters, demons, spirits, sorcery and magic, which the Bible condemns."
"Dragons always symbolize the devil in the Bible, and thus having them portrayed as allies is inherently evil."
"Role-playing games take the player out of the real world and teach them they can be gods of their own world, leading them away from the Lord."
"Associating oneself with demons or representations of them is to choose evil over good."
And unfortunately, this is where we get into rocky territory. The vast majority of Christians don't have a problem with Pokémon because they don't interpret the Bible to mean it's inherently evil to engage in fantasy role-playing or enjoy fiction about magic or creatures that resemble dragons or demons. The ones that do, though, are probably sincere in that belief, and religious beliefs are some of the beliefs that people hold most sacred, for obvious reasons. I'm sure there are Christians out there who might be willing to argue with them on theological grounds, but will that actually convince them, or will it simply cause them to think that person isn't a true Christian?
Either way, as an atheist I'm not qualified to make such a theological argument, and I'm afraid there's not much I think I can say that'd be likely to move them. It saddens me greatly to see these sorts of people force their beliefs upon their children or other relatives, but that will always happen for as long as society accepts and condones it. Some of them may have general misconceptions about Pokémon which can be corrected, but they are rarely the root of the problem.
If your parents or relatives disapprove of Pokémon because of their religion, you have my deepest sympathies. I doubt there's anything I could write that could convince them otherwise, but remember that there are many, many just as devout, sincere believers in your religion who enjoy Pokémon and the franchise's running themes about friendship and trust - their interpretation is not the only one, and even if they don't approve, that doesn't mean it really is evil or that you're evil for enjoying it. Endure, think critically and form your own beliefs, and don't let them ruin something that genuinely makes you happy.
Page last modified November 20 2025 at 17:02 UTC
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Since this post is titled as "Religious Objections" rather than "American Christian Objections" I think it would be appropriate to also list objections from other cultures and religions.
Reading it I also noticed how far culture and religion actually overlaps.
Therefore here are a few examples of other cultures and religions:
In Islam, there are many groups who consider Pokemon haram, for much of the same reason as american christians do. However, it is even more pronounced there, because there in general any activity that distracts you from god is makruh (discouraged). Music being a prominent example that is explicitly discouraged.
However, the concept of gambling itself is outlawed, including luck based card games (Pokemon cards fall squarely under this) or dice as the originally established examples. Because Pokemon very much hails from gacha games put into a video game, there is a significant argument to be made that the prophet directly forbids the games and many islamic cultures do so.
This specifically makes the phrase "don't let them ruin something that genuinely makes you happy" irrelevant because in the islamic view, the teachings are supposed to put you onto the path directly to god rather than make you stray towards other paths which may make you happy but are not what was intended for you. Most sins start because they make the person happy, that is the entire basis of these teachings have a purpose in the first place. It is similar for the bible.
For another culture (where I would argue that a new kind of religion is forming that is controlled by the ruling party), china also bans or banned certain aspects of Pokemon, most notably Pokemon cards under youth gambling laws.
As a european myself I also want to note a significant divergence between european christianity and american christianity. American christianity to my understanding is overwhelmingly shaped by the reformation that was in full swing during the initial settlement period. Luther and the reformation during that time was in my view actually trying to bring practical christian life a lot more closer to the bible in contrast to the more material focus that was practiced before. While in europe, this synergized with old christianity (which in reality never really took on that many christian traditions and remained culturally very pagan, which was fueled more again by the renaissance and post-enlightenment nationalism) and led to a sharp decline in practiced christianity overall that still continues to this day.
In america this did not happen because the base of people was almost exclusively following the new faith. This means american christianity is actually much closer to the bible and to islam than to modern european christianity.
While in europe the shift was gradual, I think america is only currently "catching up" in this distancing from the church with the post-1980 generations, very similar to islamic countries with their respective arabic springs.
However, I want to also stress that I think it is really not just about "religion" at all but instead because of a complex web of cultural traditions, of course influenced by religion but not only, so I want to specifically address this point:
"It saddens me greatly to see these sorts of people force their beliefs upon their children or other relatives, but that will always happen for as long as society accepts and condones it."
There is nothing special about this. Almost 100% of people do this in some way or another, this practice is inherently human and even required to establish communities and societies. Humans always had the need to debate and agree on certain values to uphold societal cohesion and bonds with each other. Of course because everyone believes they are inherently correct they will try to spread their views to those closest to them. This then forms a cell of belief that can debate with other cells to shift greater social agreement.
Especially in america, but in the entire west, this understanding has lately in fact broken down with cohesion dropping drastically and polarization happening. For america it is D or R, in europe socialist democracy or nationalist populism, when was the last time you saw someone cast another person out of their life because they had differing beliefs?
I would say this entire practice of casting another out and forcing beliefs is not just a religious thing, and especially not a pre-1980 thing, it has been ramping up even more since the times of the "video games are the devil" debates, in fact this looks like innocent childplay compared to the current trajectory.
I think the Pokemon debates are a good lesson on precisely what one should not do, about the societal issues of polarization and that maybe we should just approach each other with communality, to show that no matter what one may believe in, everyone else is still human, a child, a parent, a friend, a neighbor. Let them enjoy Pokemon, let them enjoy their beliefs. And in return, they will become more open themselves over time, just like how Pokemon could not be stopped by american christian objections.
NO WAY I got a ghost Pokemon right after reading this
I think the problem is not them following their conviction (every Christian have rights whether they thing something pop-culture is good or bad, that's their own free will). The problem begins when they enforce their conviction towards other Christians, and questioning whether these Christians are true believers or not (due to not having the same convictions as them). While not the same issue, the Bible spoke about this issue in the Book of Romans, Chapter 14.
—-
1) Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2) For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3) Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4) Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7) For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8) For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9) For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10) But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12) So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
14) I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15) But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
—-
It's lengthy, but in summary, it's about how it's okay for Christians to follow their own conviction in some aspects of life (i.e. pop-culture), and we should respect the conviction of our brothers and sisters who are with it or not; as long we don't judge them because they don't follow the same conviction as us, because all of us are brothers and sisters in Christ.
It's really sad to see how some Christians (due to their legalism and fear festering in their minds) see pop-culture as something irredeemable, because it can be used as something fun and good. They're not harming how people see them, but they are especially harming our brethren over conviction differences. I hope I give info needed, and take care.
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