There’s no doubt that the ’90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles success pivoted on a huge marketing campaign. They were on t-shirts, lunch boxes, backpacks and TV, and in video games, toy stores, movies and more.
They were everywhere, but were they evil?
[tentblogger-youtube JSXwWZ2SFw4]
I remember this stuff as a kid. Not these guys in particular, but basically the same stuff. Transformers, G.I. Joe and Cabbage Patch Kids were just some of the toys from the “no-no” list. I can’t imagine what they would say about Harry Potter, super hero movies and the likes of today.
Christians come at this from all sorts of angles.
Some believe as long as evil is treated as such, and good overcomes, it’s fine. Other’s say “no” to anything with magic, at the same time there are Christians who accept Harry Potter with open arms.
Where do you draw the line?
Is this a personal line or an absolute?
Thoughts?
[Image via Connor Turner]
April says
I think it’s a personal line. I believe that each family, each child, each relationship with God and understanding of His moving in your life is different.
Eric Dye says
Good, April. I agree.
Eric Dye says
Not saying “good” just because I agree with you, either. Well written and thoughtful. Thank you.
Mark Robinson says
So I always find this kind of thinking a bit ridiculous.
If it’s not explicitly biblical we shouldn’t engage in it as it’s “evangelizing children in other things…”
Seeing as Asphalt & Tarmac are not explicitly biblical does this mean that they are of the Devil and therefore as Christians we should not use roads?
I guess I think that If it’s out there, and its part of po culture then kids will lean about it and want to engage in it, its a parental responsibility to make sure our children out grounded enough in their faith that these things wont affect them.
Eric Dye says
Good stuff, Mark. Thanks!
Ryan says
Definitely a personal line. You need to understand how it will effect you and your children, but that’s not the same as it would effect some other children. Spoiler coming: Some children would see Harry Potter and see that ultimate victory for good over evil comes through sacrifice rather than brute force. Can’t argue that from a Christian perspective. Others will see magic as cool and want to search for ways to hurt people through it. Know your kids, and if you do watch something that could give mixed messages, make sure you talk to them about it. That also models for them critical consumption whereas simply saying no means that they’ll never know how to decide for themselves what to take and what to reject from the media.
Eric Dye says
Love the comments on this. Great thoughts. Thanks for adding value, Ryan. 🙂
bryonm says
I had little kids in the 80’s and 90’s. Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and He-man were cartoons non-grata at our house. Mainly because of how they were marketed. The cartoons were more or less a big, long commercial for the Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and He-man toys that were sold with comic books. So when the kids played with the toys, they didn’t have to have any imagination. They already saw the shows and in case they forgot how the story goes, they had a comic book as a back up.
When we bought toys, we usually bought stuff that didn’t have videos and tv shows that told the kids how to play with them. We wanted our kids to develop their imaginations in play.
One thing that put Ninja Turtles on our black list was when occult practices, but actual ritual involving chanting in a circle around a pentagram. That was just a little too weird for what we were trying to do at our house. The storyline wasn’t strong enough to support that kind of dalliance in occult magic.
I’m glad there was push back from the Christian community in those days. The networks have totally upped there game since then. The shows that Disney and Nickelodeon are producing these days are smarter, more educating, and better-written than anything that was produced twenty years ago. I have a young child in the house again and I feel shows are much safer than they were the first time we had kids in the house.
That said, I feel JK Rowling’s Harry Potter story is genius. I would have no problem letting my kids watch Harry Potter. Just as I had no problem with Lord of the Rings or Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe. I don’t mind that the fantasy/science fiction/wizardry is merely a setting for an incredibly creative and well-told story. Every story needs to have a setting, but the story has to carry the day. In the case of Harry Potter, the story definitely carries the day keeping one’s moral compass pointing true north.
Eric Dye says
Love. This. Great insight.
I remember playing DOOM back in the day, and when I came to the pentagram portals, I had to quit. WAY TOO WEIRD and gross. Thank you for commenting!!!!
Paul Clifford says
I was a kid in the 80’s. My mother got a pamphlet in the mail that said the Smurfs were evil. I was about 10, so I read it. Most of their arguments were lies. “Smurfs have black lips like corpses.” “Smurfette used to be a male smurf and was changed by magic.” I get saying that eastern mysticism is suspect to a Christian family, but don’t watch 5 minutes of a show and form opinions looking for evil.
I think the opposite view that God is working in culture and trying to redeem people, using fictional stories is of note, too. http://hollywoodjesus.com points out positive themes in movies.
I named my first daughter Trinity, in part because of the Matrix. Do I want her running around in leather killing government agents? No. I want her to stand up to powers that oppress the helpless and enslave them, though. That’s the good piece in that movie.
We live in a world filled with darkness, but the light of Christ shines everywhere and the darkness cannot overcome that light. If we try, we might just see that when culture cries for a sacrificial hero, they’re crying for Jesus.
Paul
Eric Dye says
So. Well. Said.
(Trinity is here name? #EPIC on so many levels — awesome!)
Josh says
I think it’s all how you define “magic” and how it’s portrayed in the medium. Magic can just be fantasy and fiction for the purpose of wonderment, but it’s when you get into identifiable practices like chanting around occult symbols where it can change. That’s where magic changes from harmless imagination to something that’s maybe not where you want to draw your entertainment from.
For example, I love the Lord of the Rings, and will be first in line to see The Hobbit next year. In the films are wizards, elves and even a dark lord. However, it’s a classic good vs evil story, and there’s nothing there that endorses the use of dark powers or anything. When I was younger, my parents were clear to me that these were just movies and that in real life, these things are not the same.
Another example are the Harry Potter films. Personally, I have nothing against them, but it’s been reported that the creation of the books included studying various eastern religions and occult practices. So, whether that be true or not, I decided it wasn’t something I was going to participate in.
Ultimately, it’s up to parents. Unfortunately, parents are increasingly misinformed and will just take the advice of anyone who calls themselves a Christian. As a result, the group in the video (who had radical views, compared to my own) would have been very influential.
Also, concerning the part about the kids tearing up the nursery school: they’re kids. Some kids imitate everything, this is nothing new. It’s up to parents to use discretion in those cases. That’s one of the points they mentioned that threw out their credibility for me.
Eric Dye says
Good stuff, Josh. Thanks for weighing in!
zade says
Interesting views in that video,lol. It saddens me how some people can not see the bigger picture.. i grew up in a athiest home, and at some point believed in God during my teens, but have been athiest for about 10years since then. These shows are entertainment for a young,bright kind, I was always amused by Donatello and his creations, often thinking deeply about them at age 6. I watched all the shows the folks in this video complained about, did I turn into some Christian / religion hating monster? If you answered yes, i would have the laugh of my life! As far as that South Africa story goes about the little boys, id say that is religious propaganda at its highest,most delusional point of view. IF you took their word as THE truth then this website is evil as is the phone I am typing this on, in deepest darkest South Africa… I guess you will always get the weirdos in all cultures / religion. Thanx for the laugh. Cheers
Eric Dye says
🙂
Darryl Schoeman says
Boy, what a great set of comments this post has generated.
Ultimately it boils down to one thing and that is whether watching it is drawing one closer to or away from God. And sometimes it’s a difficult balance to maintain, but ultimately there is no hard and fast rule (as many of the above comment submissions have said).
I recently had a discussion with a teenager about Tom Hanks (a professing Eastern Orthodox Christian) playing in films that are particularly anti-Christian (Dan Brown’s Da-Vinci Code), as opposed to Denzel Washington (another professing Christian) playing a very non-Christian role in American Gangster. I showed him the difference in character portrayal and movie plot where both were Christian actors, but their portrayals resulted in diametrically different results. The one definitively left unbelievers doubting Christianity even more, whilst the other resulted in people seeing the negative character and deciding to NOT be like that (this then keeping them open to the Gospel).
And then finally, I was challenged by the verse in Daniel where God gave him and his friends “… knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning …” (Daniel 1:17). It showed me that God created us to be creative and that not everything that we conjure up by our imagination, is going to be in the Bible. But we must use the Bible as our guide of what is acceptable and what is not.
Great post.
Emmanuel Martinez says
There are cartoons that are showing certain new age belief, now a days they are more open in showing different subliminal messages. In the end, parents need to take responsibility in raising there kids instead of putting them in front of a television or computer and letting the tv or internet raise there kids mentally. TV is not fully responsible, parents need to put there part also
Chanel says
This is long
So. I’m 35 years old and I grew up in the 80s. I watched TMNT and My Little Pony to name a few and at the age of 33 I got save and now I’m a born again Christian. It’s a hard line to walk. When I heard about the new TMNT movie coming out I was sooooo happy. It refueled my love for the Turtles. I started watching some of the old cartoons for a few laughs, then another, then another. It was weird but I had to keep watching them. A lot of the kids now like the 2013 Nick turtles so I figure I would see what that was about. Things went downhill from there. I watch the Nick TMNT on YouTube and the fire alarm went off…for no reason. I took to as a glitch so I went back to watching it and the fire alarm went off again. Something (God) told me that there was something off about the Nick TMNT. As I was watching the cartoon I felt myself not blinking. It was very hypnotizing. Like it was casting spells on me. I ignored it and the next day and weeks after I felt compelled to would watch the trailer of the movie coming out on August. And I watched it over and over and over like a mad women. I told myself that I was just excited and a super fan. But I knew something was off about that. I found myself watching the 2003 TMNT and the first two seasons were great, but then it started getting really occult like Leo and Master Splinter praying the statues. I had my limits, so I didn’t watch. THEN! I got obsesses with being a collector all of a sudden. I wanted to relive my childhood. I started with the movie TMNT. I wanted all of them and spent $200 getting figure . I was nuts, but is had no control. But I had to have them. I felt something over me that was not normal. Listen, I paid for Turtles and didn’t pay my bills! I’m an ADULT! Scary things happened at night. When I would close my eyes I saw crazy faces. I saw white faces and they would morph into turtles, I’m not even partly kidding. It was Mikey first then Donnie, Leo, and Raph and they would fade in and out. I would wake up in the middle of the night hearing the ninja Turtle theme song from the 80s. The toys I bought I had them all lined up in the basement like a shrine. When I would clean up the basement I kept feeling like so something was watching me. I had the 11 inch tall movie turtles and it was something about the eyes I felt them. I started to feel creeped out. Not by the little ones because their eyes were all white. But the big one had pupils. That night I had a demonic crazy nightmare. Not about the Turtles but just crazy. I played my Bible app aloud and things got wrost as if the demons or spirits got angry and there was a battle. I prayed to God to help me and right away I strong thought came to my head to GET RID OF THE TURTLES! At 5 a.m. I ran downstairs and put the turtles in a black trash bag and put them in my car. I returned them to walmart and target. As I returned them I felt this weird sense of loss. Like, I wanted to cry this all happened in a month.
Here is my point.
I’m a Christian, and an abult, and when I watched the TMNT on Nickaloadian I felt the spell. Maybe I’m more sentive to it because I had clean up my life of all the occult things. The truth is Kids don’t stand a chance. Everyone thinks they are the best parents and they have the best, smartest kids and you have no clue about the war that is going on in your own house. I’m not a parent, but I know enough to say that everytime you sit your kids in front of the TV they are being mind controlled. Many adults don’t see it because your all controlled. Saying, it’s not that bad, the shows now are better, I have my limits, this seems harmless. If you say these sayings you are already losing. Nothing is what is seems on TV. Only God can open your mind behide the curtain of Oz. But you have to want to see it you have to pray to see it. Jesus is always going to lose to Disney or Nickaloadian. Jesus will lose the Santa. Both cannot coexist. You can’t have one foot in the world and the other foot in the Bible. An adult can’t do it and kids can’t do it. When I say Jesus will lose, what I mean is your kids will always pick TMNT and Other TV characters and video games and music over Jesus. Always! Jesus will win in the end, but you have be real with yourself if your are really produce Godly kids. If not when they go off the college they will only be a Christian by title not be true surrendernce to God.
I let my guard down and I was taken over so if I get taken over your kids are too. That’s a fact because the Bible tells us so. Protect your kids. Take time to raise them and don’t blame society when they come out funny. We are in an unseen war we can’t win, but God can. Keep your mind on God and in His Word and same with your kids. In the Bible it says that the Luke warm and the fence riding “Christian” will be cast into hell.
Pamela says
Lord thank you for someone shedding a light of wisdom in the midst of these comments from parents/people oblivious to the other part of the world we deal with. The satanic part, the occult. CHRISTIANS!!!! PLEASE WAKE UP.. ALL OF THIS THINKING I AM READING ON HERE IS EXACTLY THE WAY SATAN WANTS YOU TO THINK. come on y’all. Those people(witches, wizards, Satanists) will NOT, would NEVER have anything that had anything to do with Christianity in thier home or place where they do thier satanic rituals but some of us are so blinded (because duh people that’s his agenda) .. And we bring it into our homes with open arms. Don’t be fooled. We are getting closer and closer to meeting God and I for one do not want to be harshly judged because these children were given to me to protect and love, we are their watch guard and if we are not doing our job… And WATCHING… We will be devoured just as scripture says. Neither him nor his demons that work for him are going to jump out in a red Halloween costume and go “boo!!!” “gotcha”… NO… Because his job is to kill steal and destroy and he can’t do that job to well if he is not insanely sneaky. He is not all powerful, never should we fear him if we have the blood of Jesus protecting us, but we can still be harrased, and he is still very smart and believe me he knows how to fool you if you are not prepared. He wants you to think ah, they are cute, or, there is way too much bad in the world to be worrying about cartoons. No. It’s not. If you believe those lies you are believing Satan. The father of lies. And anyone can call me wierd for it and I’ll rejoice and still go on thankful he opened my eyes to what I did not see before!!!???????????????????????????? For we are called by God to be a “paculiar people”. We are NOT to ever conform to the ways of this world ( I.e.. Satans plan) I pray the rest of you will not fall prey to or allow your children to fall prey to satan just because you didn’t want to make them cry or tell them no. I was totally oblivious.. Not really trying to listen or hear God at this time, but he spoke to me anyways… spoke to my heart, and told me to get my house in order and to do it now. The Holy Spirit’s presence was SO heavy while I was cleaning all the demonic crap out and my heart was so filled with thanks that God opened my eyes.????????????The last thing I want is for myself or my family or anyone to be deceived by the deceiver. But he waits on it folks so we cannot let our guard down. Especially with our children, who God has entrusted us with. I promise you will pay if you are warned and don’t obey. And no that’s not me being mean that’s what the bible says so take heed folks!! Get ready and get your houses IN ORDER!! And yes, cartoons, games, clothes, its all his way of being sneaky and tricking you because like you all said in the above comments… Its just clothes… Its just games… Its just a show… Its just role playing…. They are just religious nuts…. THAT’S EXACTLY WHERE HE WANTS YOU!!!! WAKE UP AND BE DECEIVED NO MORE!!! ask God to open your eyes y’all and he WILL!!!! Align your desires with his. Check yourselves…. What are you doing to glorify God? If we call ourselves Christians we should all have a good answer!!
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
Chanel says
One more thing that. Have anyone seen that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fan girl page. Or Fan fiction website. That! Is some creepy stuff! If you go on YouTube and watch the Nickaloadian TMNT read some of the comments the young girls are writing. It’s very sad and I was shocked. Your young girls and tween and teen are falling in love with the turtles. Not as a fan but have a crush on them. There are many comments of young girl wishing to date Mikey and wanted to be his girlfriend. Raph is sooooo cute. Donnie needs to be with me. There are young girls making fan art with them kissing one of the turtles or marrying.
Fanfiction is scary. Most of the stories are funny, but You have some girls who write stories about TMNT and making love to them. I’m not even kidding! Like wishing Rapheal could man handle them. These are teens I’m talking about. And that’s my point. TV (satan) are twisting the mind of your girls youth. They are fantasying about people and things that dont exists. You even have young boys and men calling cartoon girls hot and lusting after them. I mean, looks at Cosplay. Yes it can be fun, but there are some who take the too far. Porn will surely be next to keep up the fantsy. And not just any porn, but with Furries and animals. It’s sad but I have old friends that are into that Cosplay life. One is a normal fan, but the others do not live on earth.
Laurel says
Matthew 6:22-23
22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!