This post will be a dissertation against the idea that what we watch doesn't matter "as long as it doesn't affect you." This is likely the most common argument used to condone anime for the Christian. Does this logic line up with the Bible?
Our Authority
As Christians, our authority is not human logic, rather the Words of the Almighty God. The Scriptures say of themselves:
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16)
The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). This means that the church upholds the truth like a pillar does a roof. According to John 17:17, the Word of the Lord is truth. The church upholds the Word of God, thus the Word is above the church itself. The Word of God is even higher than God's own name!
"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (Psalm 138:2)
If this is how high the Word of God is, it makes sense that our measuring stick for what is or isn't acceptable to watch would be the Bible. This is basic Christian doctrine. So, what does the Bible say?
Seeing and Hearing
In the Old Testament Book of Genesis, we read of a man named Lot, Abraham's nephew. When he and Abraham split, Lot "pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Genesis 13:12). Later, we read that he was so familiar in the city that he sat in the gate (Genesis 19:1)! God decides to destroy the city for its wickedness. Peter, in his second epistle, makes an observation regarding Lot:
"[7] And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: [8] (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" (2 Peter 2:7-8)
Lot, living in that city, taking in all that filth (even though he was not involved in it), vexed his soul. This is exactly what happens when one watches anime that contains wicked things. Notice it says that in seeing and hearing he vexed himself. You can vex yourself by surrounding yourself with wicked things. Lot didn't have to commit those sins himself for it to vex him.
In the Book of the Psalms, we read the following:
"I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me." (Psalm 101:3)
We are not to set wicked things before our eyes. The reason we don't set wicked things before our eyes is because "in seeing" (2 Peter 2:8) it "cleaves to" us (Psalm 101:3).
"It Doesn't Affect Me"
You can claim that it doesn't affect you, but as we saw in Psalm 101:3, the result of setting wicked things before our eyes is that it cleaves to you. There is something that comes from watching wicked things—even if that effect is merely becoming callous towards sin.
In Lot's case, it, like with most anime watchers, was a direct degrading of morals. His morals became so degraded that he was willing to offer up his daughters to satisfy the men of Sodom (Genesis 19:8). Many anime watchers (yes, even Christian ones), are complete degenerates. Here is an excerpt from my post Christian Anime Podcast Exposed regarding an anime-watching Christian, Christian Anime Podcast:
"He speaks of his maid kink on stream. How little shame must you have to
talk about a kink of yours during a stream? He also said that he would bark for one anime character. This guy is a degenerate." (Ibid.)
This is the result of anime-watching. A man who claims to be a Christian while simultaneously being a degenerate for anime women and talking about sexual things on stream.
I would like to look at a part of Genesis 19.
"[1] And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; [2] And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. [3] And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. [4] ¶ But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: [5] And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. [6] And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, [7] And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. [8] Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof." (Genesis 19:1-8, emphasis and underline mine)
1) Notice, Lot calls them brethren (verse seven). He vexed his soul by living in Sodom. It got to the point he was so familiar with the wickedness that it was "brethren" to him. Is anime your "brethren sin"? Are you so used to watching the degenerate and wicked content in anime that you're familiar with it, that it doesn't bother you anymore?
2) Lot was also a complete hypocrite. He requests that they "do not so wickedly" and turns around offering his daughters to them for fornication and whatever else they could think of. Anime watchers fall into this category as well. They say watching porn (for example) is a sin but when it comes to other sinful content, they drop the ball. You can learn more about this in my post Pornography: The Double Standard.
3) What are you willing to offer up to satisfy the brethren sin? Lot was willing to give up his daughters. Are you willing to give up the things the Lord has given (i.e., time, money, etc.) to anime?
"[17] Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, [18] And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. [19] My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 16:17-19)
Jerusalem took those things which the LORD had given her and used them for wickedness. Do you use your time watching shows that contain wicked things? Do you spend your money on them? God gave you both time and resources. Spend them for Him, not wicked anime.
Destroy That Sin!
The only way to deal with this vexed soul is to renew your mind.
"[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
Notice that the renewing of your mind works in conjunction with presenting ourselves a living sacrifice to God as well as choosing not to be like this world. We must destroy that "brethren sin"! We must get rid of those sins (such as watching anime) that we have allowed ourselves to get too comfortable—too familiar—with. As God ruined the city of Sodom, in like manner, we should destroy these sins and bury them six-feet under!
Anime: A Vexing Medium
Anime is full of so many wicked things. It is full of:
- Witchcraft
- Immodesty
- Sexual perversion (including pedo/hebephilia; see Anime's Unholy Fetish: No Innocence in Loli Culture)
- Alcohol
- Murder
- False gods
- Etc.
These things are deeply sinful and immoral. As we saw earlier, Psalm 101:3 tells us to not put these things before our eyes. You can read my main dissertation on anime here. However, we do know that what we see affects us. In Lamentations 3:51, it says that "Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city." Obviously, this verse is about the destruction of Jerusalem, but the principle that what we see affects our hearts is there.
"¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23)
We could also talk about the "hearing" (2 Peter 2:8) aspect of anime's sinfulness as well (i.e., profanity, lying, blasphemy, etc.). However, I think you understand that the media we consume will affect you.