Does this look like a face of love to you?
Does this look like a face of love to you?
Well, there was plenty of harassment going on last weekend in California. This past weekend, I enjoyed my time with my friends at the Phoenix Comicon, as I mentioned in my previous article. It was a lot of fun, and I had a blast. Well, a couple nights ago, my friend sent me this amazing video of a Portal cosplay presentation at last weekend's Fanime Convention in San Jose, California. I'd never heard of this con before, so I decided to check out some other videos of this convention and found this one by a YouTuber named AoiKatori. She's an incredibly cute girl, excited about attending the Fanime convention. So here's the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEx6Df2DCsY
I was impressed that AoiKatori makes a bold statement of her Christian faith on her YouTube channel. But what's this about protesters? Her video shows how these street preachers were Rickrolled by some dancers and a guy dressed up as Jesus. The Jesus guy smiled and gave a thumbs up (referencing the Kevin Smith movie Dogma) and received applause. The friendly Jesus gets cheers, but the guys spewing fire and brimstone gets jeers. This one guy, PropheticVindicator, had made a comment on her video saying, "I used to like anime but God was showing me that the things of this world are vain... The Bible says if you love the things of this world the love of the Father is not in you." So my reaction was, "So you're telling me that Christians aren't allowed to have hobbies?"
So I sent this guy a private message. I told him that I have had people encounter my videos, checked out my website, and have had their lives blessed. I just recently uploaded a video (which I addressed in my previous article) about growing up as a nerd, in which I made a statement about Christ's kindness towards others, and already I received feedback from a guy on how I'd blessed him. In December I put up a video about Super Famicom games, and there was one guy who watched it, checked out my website, saw that I was making positive statements about my Christian faith, and he told me that I inspired him to rededicate his life to Christ. How cool is that?
I believe that God wants us to enjoy our hobbies. We can use our hobbies for outreach and to bless others. Pastor Derek White, the man behind GeekPreacher.com, goes to conventions and plays Dungeons & Dragons with other fans. I learned about him on Wired's Geekdad blog a while back and I have tremendous respect for him. Heck, a former pastor of mine loved quoting the phrase "FLAME ON!", which is a reference to Johnny Storm, aka "The Human Torch" from Stan Lee's comic, Fantastic Four! So I looked at PropheticVindicator's channel, which was nothing but Christian stuff, and I'm sure it can definitely be a blessing to others. I will say, though, that if there are atheists out there who see this guy's channel, they won't bother with it. However, if they are drawn to believers through common interests, we can make a positive representation of Jesus to them, just as AoiKatori has done with her interest in anime. If you watch videos of these protesters at the convention these clowns are quite often the ones who represent Christ to the world. These confrontational jerks only infuriate atheists even further. But I told this guy that if you can catch their ear through discussing common interests, you can make a positive impact through lifestyle evangelism.
He was wanting to argue with me, so I told him that if we just draw into our Christian bubbles, then we won't be of great service to anybody! instead of sitting in judgment of those who go to cons, he could join the crowd. There are a lot of people at these cons who need Jesus, and scowling and screaming at them just closes their ears to the Gospel even more. So I think I do have the grounds to criticize those who do this, and I do believe it is righteous indignation to be mad at those who masquerade as evangelists at Fanime Con just to try to provoke others into arguments or fist fights. There is a loving way to approach evangelism, and there is the antagonistic way. Being a "Jerk for Jesus" (as my pastor calls them) does more harm than good.
So get this: he actually conceded that I had made a point which he would "consider humbly." So at least I was able to open one person's eyes. He just struck me as being a completely legalistic Christian, even though he denied it several times. I wanted to search out this group's YouTube channel to confront the hypocrisy.
So I watched a few of their videos. I really couldn't stomach more than a few minutes of each, however. In one video, this girl states that she is a Christian, and the guy with the megaphone doubts her because she's attending an anime convention. So he demands that she name the good deeds that she does. Isaiah 64:6 says that "...all our righteous acts are like filthy rags..." So apparently these guys are preaching a works-based salvation and not a faith-based salvation. These people are in error. Somebody came walking by him and said, "Don't judge the speck until you've considered the plank." His moronic response was, "Oh, it's been removed, so now I can sit here and I can judge!" Whatever happened to "judge not lest ye be judged?" These jerks have appointed themselves judges over people's souls. Is this truly God's plan? I'm pretty sure the Bible makes no mention of douchebags in day-glo orange sweatshirts being appointed to judge everyone's hearts instead of God. So, I posted a comment on one of the videos, and one of the lackeys for this so-called "ministry" responded. Here's the conversation that took place:
| Wow, are these guys for real? How can they just assume that anybody who likes anime has no relationship with God and is therefore going to hell? That is so judgmental. Isn't it God's job to decide what is in people's hearts? This antagonistic fingerpointing only repels people from the gospel and reinforces their hatred of Christians. Good job, guys. You're ruining it for the rest of us, for the sake of feeding your irrational bigotry and hatred to those who like to have innocent fun. stevethefishdotnet | |
| Yep it is judgemental... because people are so obsessed with TV shows and anime, they will dress up and go to huge shows about it because they love it so much. I wouldn't necessarily say every single person who's there is sinning, but God knows your heart and if you love it more than Him it shows in your life, your words, and your actions(and it's worldly). He judges to warn that people need to love God and hate the world.. because if they don't, they go to hell. droptozro | |
| Being obsessed and idolatry is totally different. Just because they dress up as a certain character doesn't mean they're going to hell. Whether or not it's idolatry, God will work on their hearts. It's not up to these guys to judge and condemn others. There is a loving way to approach evangelism, and there is the antagonistic way. Being a "Jerk for Jesus" (as my pastor calls them) does more harm than good. stevethefishdotnet | |
| This is loving... have you read Proverbs? Correction is loving, and did you even listen to the video? He quoted that Jesus rebukes/chastens those He loves... why? why would Jesus do that? Because He loves them and doesn't want them to end up in hell. Jesus commands to go preach(lift your voice)--so you're effectively claiming 1) for Bill/Kevin not to obey Jesus and 2) you know how to spread the Gospel better than God's command. Do you know the Bible for yourself? Also, how is he "ruining it for the rest of us?" I think you're exactly like the girl in the video, do you know the Scriptures? ? Are you aware that the true prophets of the OT were hated and killed? The men who truly spoke God's words were hated, and those that were false were loved by everyone. Are you professing to be a Christian--yet would you hate to hear the Scriptures and Gospel preached? Sounds pretty contradicting if that's what you're claiming... droptozro |
OK, so here you see the face of judgmental Christianity. I dared to point out that scowling and shouting condemnation at people is not showing God's love, so now my salvation is in question. Brilliant. |
| Congratulations! You're just as judgmental as these crytogod clowns. Instead of sitting in judgement of those who go to cons (I went to a comicon last weekend myself), you could join the crowd. Check out geekpreacher.com. There are a lot of people at these cons who need Jesus, and scowling and screaming at them just closes their ears to the gospel even more. They do more harm than good. I hope you can understand this. stevethefishdotnet |
Geekpreacher.com is a pretty cool website. He has the right attitude. |
| Go read Isaiah 6 brother... see how God says in prophecy that many are not going to hear. Truth is crying aloud in the streets--and most will not hear it, and most are going to hell because Jesus said they love darkness more than light. Stop listening to your pastor, and go pick up the Bible and learn it for yourself--when you meet God you will have to answer for your personal knowledge or ignorance of His words/judgment, not that of what your pastor told you to believe. droptozro |
Here you see the classic cult mindset. "Don't listen to your pastor, you must listen to us. Anyone who disagrees with us is wrong, for only WE have all the answers. Everyone else is sinners." Puke. |
| You don't know when to quit, do you? Beating people on the head about God's wrath may have worked a hundred years ago, but in this jaded, cynical society, you guys are doing more harm than good. You harden people's hearts to God's word, so the rest of us have a hard time truly making an impact. Hence, "ruining it for the rest of us." I sincerely hope you have ZERO hobbies whatsoever, seeing as how you are so excited to condemn others for having hobbies. If not, you're a hypocrite. Oh yeah, and "WWJD?" Jesus hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors, and anti-government zealots. What would Jesus have done last weekend? He would've been hanging out with anime fans and spreading love, not shouting and sneering at them with insolent bigotry and trying to provoke people into fist fights. The only time Christ got upset was when the temple had been turned into a marketplace. Let's see crytogod protest a boat show or a monster truck rally and spread their nonsense equally! stevethefishdotnet |
This guy, droptozro, eventually accused me of being Satan because I was pointing out his errors! I checked out droptozro's channel, and apparently he makes a habit of trolling others with his judgmental attitude! Another Christian posted this comment on his channel:
"Carrie Underwood is a better person than you will ever be. You are showing up on her site spewing your venom of fear and hate on a public forum. I have had to deal with hateful and narrow minded Hypocrites like you all my life. I'm a Christian and I am also bi-polar and it is a real disease. Judge not lest ye also be judged and All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God are two verses you need to remember. People like you make me sick. You've had your say and now I have had mine. Goodbye."
WOW. So much for Christian compassion! This guy, droptozro, is full of hate, and he seems to represent the attitude of CryToGod's so-called "ministry" quite well.
So why single out anime fans for idolatry? Why don't they do this at baseball games, boat shows, golf tours, or even fertility clinics? Oh, right, those are "NORMAL" things they UNDERSTAND. All of those can represent idolatry, but it's not for any one of us to make the judgment call that those who enter such places has an issue with idolatry. People can dress up with their favorite basketball or baseball jerseys and go to a game. Somebody can idolize golf players like Tiger Woods and go out of their way to see him in various tournaments. And people can place their desire for having a baby so much that it could become an idol in their life.
So yeah, let's see these guys protest a sports stadium and harass those who dress up with their favorite athlete's jerseys and tell them that they'll burn in hell for it. It's identical to the level of fantaticism that you'll see going to any geek convention. The huge difference is that the geek conventions provide far more artistic creativity than simply putting on a sports jersey you bought at the mall. So let's see them protesting at a boat show, a car show, or a gun show! People idolize their boats and cars, and those are far more expensive than buying some comic books. But no, enjoying those things is NORMAL. They don't understand anime, so therefore it's EVIL. This is so bigoted and judgmental. I've seen several anime with a more positive message about God than these clowns spout out with their "holier than thou" crap. Heck, I bet these guys are the same types who go about saying how "evil" and "demonic" Lord of the Rings is, and when you tell them that J.R.R. Tolkein was the one who led C.S. Lewis to Christ, they either get real quiet or they refuse to believe you. You wouldn't have Narnia if it weren't for Middle Earth!
And you know what? I used to watch anime in Sunday school. CBN used to air two series: Superbook and Flying House. Those were Christian shows, animated by Tatsunoko. Osamu Tezuka did an anime series based on the life of Christ, too.
So don't get me wrong; I'm not down on street ministries at all. I recently watched a movie documentary on Arthur Blessit, and I was moved to tears. This guy never struck me as being a rather knowledgeable teacher of God's Word, but he certainly was a representation of God's Love. Heck, his cheeks were even kissed by Yasser Arafat during a confrontation with Israeli forces.
What I'm saying is that there is a right way and a wrong way to represent one's beliefs, and it seems that the majority would agree that those who are part of this "CryToGod" ministry are going about it the wrong way. And for any of you who are reading this and you are not a Christian, if there is anything to take from this rant, I just want you to realize that these people do not voice the majority opinion of Christians. It's people like the CryToGod cronies and that nutcase Harold Camping and his ridiculous "rapture" preaching (Matthew 24:36---"Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.") is what makes the rest of us look bad. Here's some scripture to show show exactly how these people have given themselves over to a spirit of condemnation instead of one of love:
Matthew 7:1-5 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you will judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take teh speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."1 Corinthians 4:3-5 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
James 4:12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you---who are you to judge your neighbor?
You see, according to the bible, everyone is a sinner, no matter how big your microphone is. Even though Christians are forgiven, that does not give them the right to judge others. The translation of the word "gospel" literally means "good news." The good news is that God loves everyone and that his son, Jesus Christ, died for the sins of the world. Christ was a unifier of ethnicities and nationalities, and vindicated the roles of women in his ministry. When he got angry, he was angry at the Pharisees, who were the teachers of the law in his day. Those men were so self-righteous and judgmental and so caught up in their own worth, and this angered the Son of God. This same attitude is what you see in the videos of Kevin Farrer and his CryToGod crowd. They are sinners just as everyone else, and therefore they have no right to judge and codemn others to death in hell, especially when they don't even know them! There are plenty of Christians who attend the Fanime con, as with any other geek convention. And from what I read on the Fanime forums, this group makes lots of money off of lawsuits against people who attack them, and they always have a video camera rolling to catch it, and this funds their so-called "ministry." One message I read from one of the convention coordinators said that one year there were other people who were trying to witness for Christ at the con, but they were so embarrassed by the actions of CryToGod and they did not want to be mistaken for being a part of that group. The guy even apologized on behalf of those hate mongers and said that he wanted to have no part in it.
So after wasting my time arguing with these morons on YouTube and being called "Satan" just because I disagree with their motives and methods, I've come to realize that CryToGod is just another cult. These hateful, judgmental tools are pathetic. They've appointed themselves as judges over others, when there is only one true judge of people's souls. I can only imagine how distraught God must be to see psychotics clinging to scripture and twisting it to appease their warped consciences and to justify their hatred and intolerance. It's hard to convince people that God is love when all they hear is hatred spread by these cultists.
I did a bit of searching and I've found some others who say that CryToGod is a cult. One man even had his family torn apart by this cult, and lost his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren because of this. This pattern of behavior is very typical of cultists. Look at how Mormons and Jehova's Witnesses treat those who disagree with them. They react very strongly to try to silence those who may question their teachings, accuse them of heresy, and even force excommunication, often entailing the severing of families. Anyone who thinks that the LDS church is "pro-family" is ignorant.
To make it worse, after I did a search for the name "Kevin Farrer," I came across this site that tells a sad story. Apparently his CryToGod group was spreading their hate at some event supporting gay marriage where one man passed out from a cardiac arrest. The entire crowd was compassionate... except for Kevin Farrer. He refused to even pray for the man. So what did he say about it? "God killed him for loving fags!" He's no better than those hatemongers at Westboro Baptist Church, led by Rev. Fred Phelps!
Oh, and something else I found out by doing some research on the Web, apparently Kevin Farrer thinks those who attend sports events are OK. See? I knew they had double standards! So idolizing athletes is okay, but idolizing comic book characters is an abomination. Brilliant.
Go back to the "Greg's Life" Table of Contents
"I'm your only friend. I'm not your only friend, but I'm a little glowing friend. But really I'm not actually your friend, but I am." ---They Might Be Giants
email: greg -atsign- stevethefish -dot- net
Next: Ringo Deathstarr!