Are cartoons dangerous?
Question:
Now I have a question concerning cartoons. I know the eye is a window into the soul and you should only do what is just, what is pure, and what is worthy; I know that. My question is if watching cartoons such as Dragonball Z or Pokemon really a sin? There are people who claim that these shows are demonic, and, hence, watching the show is exposing yourself to these dangers. Does the sin in watching these shows for young children come from the fact that they basically worship the characters as if they were an idol; meaning, they give more attention to these shows than to God spiritually. Clarification on this subject would be greatly appreciated. I would hate to deprive my future children of the joy of cartoons (clean cartoons) based on a one-sided argument. Can one watch these shows with a guarded heart and sound mind and not sin?
Answer:
There are people who will claim anything, but a claim is not proof.
I've seen a few Pokemon cartoons but never could figure out what the appeal was to children or anyone else. It appears to be nothing more than a backdrop for a card game. I haven't seen Dragonball Z, so I can't comment about its content.
To like or enjoy something is not wrong. It can become a problem if it becomes an obsession or if what is being enjoyed promotes immoral behavior or attitudes. In the past, I discussed fantasy stories in What makes some fantasy stories wrong? A cartoon is nothing more than a fantasy in play form instead of book form. Whatever you are watching, reading, or listening to, the same rules apply. You have to consider what is being promoted or rejected in light of what God teaches concerning good and evil. With children, since it is easy for them to become obsessed with anything, a good parent makes sure there is variety in their activity and that they spend more time interactively playing using their imagination than being passive as someone else feeds them their imagination. TV should be used because you find value in what is being presented, not because it keeps a child from bothering you.
