Monday, July 18, 2016

Demon Chasers




 I can't help but notice how two things are happening simultaneously in our culture: (1) the rise of atheism and (2) the rise of the occult. It seems contradictory, but it stems from the fact that with the advent of the Great Apostasy of Vatican II, anything goes except the Truth. There is no sure guide condemning modern errors since the death of the last pope, His Holiness Pope Pius XII in 1958. Satan makes the most of the situation by fostering positive Indifferentism (i.e., one religion is as good as another, so who cares what someone believes), negative Indifferentism (i.e. all religions are equally bad, which leads to atheism), and occult practices (which leads them to perdition doing works pleasing to Satan).

 The latest phase in what some have called an "occult invasion" is the Pokemon Go craze which is sweeping the globe. To better understand the craze and what's wrong with it, this post will examine the game and explain the danger.

Beware The "Pocket-Monster"

The very word "Pokemon" is Japanese for "pocket-monster," i.e., a demon. The original Pokemon craze sprang from the popular Nintendo hand-held Game Boy video game and progressed to a 1998 TV cartoon series here in the United States. Pokemon cards, movies and other merchandise were ubiquitous among boys ages 4 to 17. In 2000, sales of Pokemon items was approximately $7 billion dollars. There was a wave of violence over stealing cards and assaulting people to get them. The weird looking monsters are to be captured and "trained" by humans to battle other monsters. If victorious, your monster gains points and "evolves." 

 Pokemon Go is an augmented reality ("AR") game. This is a game where there "is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data." To play the game, users download the Pokemon Go app to their IPhone or Android phones. Then they begin hunting down 150 different Pokémon creatures capturing them in virtual reality.Unlike any other game in the past, players must go to certain locations to capture the Pokemon. Various pocket-monsters appear on the screen and they must hunt them down in schools, hospitals, and even churches! It can take you anyplace in your surrounding area. Once at the correct location the app has chosen, you throw a "virtual ball" at the Pokemon to "capture it." As succinctly stated, "For those unfamiliar with the game, it’s a mobile app that puts players into a world of Pokemon. Players can catch the creatures, help them evolve and take them to battle, all while leveling up themselves. The game launched over the week, and despite quite a few problems, it seems like everyone is playing." (See http://jalopnik.com/pokemon-go-makes-driving-a-lot-more-dangerous-1783377760)

Since the game's recent release earlier this month, Nintendo stock shot up $7.5 billion dollars. The app is being downloaded more than Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. This time, it's not limited to mostly young boys playing. Adults of both genders are getting addicted quickly. 


Danger, Violence, and Big Brother

As Our Lord told us, "By their fruits, thou shalt know them." (St. Matthew 7:16). There is much to worry about this game.

1. Pokemon Go is being used by armed robbers to ensnare victims.
According to The Guardian, "Armed robbers used the game Pokémon Go to lure victims to an isolated trap in Missouri, police reported on Sunday.At about 2am in O’Fallon, Missouri, officers responded to a robbery report that led them to four people, all local residents aged 16 to 18, in a black BMW in a CVS parking lot. The occupants tried to discard a handgun out of the car when an officer approached, said Sgt Bill Stringer. The officer then identified the four people as suspects of similar armed robberies described in St Louis and St Charles counties.The adult suspects were charged with first degree robbery, a felony, and had bond set at $100,000 cash, Stringer said.

Stringer added that police believe the suspects used the phone app, which directs users to capture imaginary creatures superimposed onto the real world, to tempt players into secluded areas where they could be easily robbed. At a certain level in the game, he noted, players can congregate at local landmarks to join teams and battle.

'Using the geolocation feature,' Stringer said, 'the robbers were able to anticipate the location and level of seclusion of unwitting victims.'

In a separate statement, a department spokesperson added: 'you can add a beacon to a pokestop to lure more players. Apparently they were using the app to locate [people] standing around in the middle of a parking lot or whatever other location they were in.'"

This could also be used by pedophiles to lure unsuspecting children.

2. It creates dangerous driving habits leading to accidents.
You aren’t supposed to drive and play; the game reads your geo-location and can tell the speed you are moving. If it senses you are driving, you will be kicked out of the game except if you drive at very slow speeds. In this fashion, the game won’t detect that you are driving.  Driving and stopping while capturing the elusive Pokémon could be even more dangerous than texting and driving. Many accidents have been reported throughout the country.

3. Big Brother (Big Pokemon) Is Watching
You must accept the terms and conditions of the app, which gives the company full access to your Google account. While claiming they are trying to "fix this matter" they COULD:


  • Read all your email
  • Send email as you
  • Access all your Google drive documents (including deleting them)
  • Look at your search history and your Maps navigation history
  • Access any private photos you may store in Google Photos
  • And a whole lot more

(See http://adamreeve.tumblr.com/post/147120922009/pokemon-go-is-a-huge-security-risk)

Is it Bad just Because of the Name?

Pokemon Go, is dangerous because it combines fantasy role playing and the occult with modern technology. The original Pokemon franchise was developed by "Wizards of the Coast", who gave the world the occult games, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and MAGIC THE GATHERING. What's very disturbing is the concept that children (and adults) are being trained to "capture" demon-like creatures, train and control them, and use them against others.  This closely mirrors what many high-level occultists attempt to do with real demons. According to occult researcher William J. Schnoebelen:

"The magician works from within a specially prepared magick circle which supposedly protects him from the demon as long as he stays inside it. He uses special magickal (many occultists spell "magic" with a "k" to distinguish the attempt to summon demons and such from slight-of-hand parlor tricks--Introibo)weapons like a wand, staff or sword to threaten the demon and make it do his or her bidding. Once the ritual is successful, supposedly the demon belongs to the magician to do his or her bidding -as long as the stipulations of their contract are kept by sorcerer. Often the demon will grant the magician occult powers or give him or her special talismans to control others. This is a large part of high magick. Now, there is barely a dime’s worth of difference between this and what goes on in the ' make-believe' Pokémon universe!" (Mr. Schnoebelen is Protestant, but his research seems well-done. He is at least aware of the Biblical prohibition on such evil practices in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, " There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in fire, practices divination, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, or who is a medium, an occultist, or a necromancer. Whoever practices these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord thy God will expel them before thee because of these things."---Emphasis mine)

Some people will protest that it's just a game, and place my warning on the same level as those who see evil everywhere and Black Helicopters are around the corner. Not so fast. Everything we do trains or conditions us for better or for worse. Seeing a movie, reading a book, or playing a game can open an interest in something. Whatever that something may be, it could lead us down a good path or a bad path. Many children and young people have admitted dabbling in the occult as the result of Harry Potter books and movies, as well as by the Twilight series. The pagan website (run by modern pagans--I'm not using the word "pagan" in a pejorative sense) wildhunt.org has an article entitled Pokemon and the Great Occult Scare which tries to assure us that Pokemon has nothing to do with the occult. I beg to differ. The very idea of capturing spirits to do your bidding is occult and its practice forbidden by God. It has the worldview that there is no God, just spirits and a set of occult laws. Success is predicated upon using the right ritual. The time spent "chasing Pokemon" could be better spent in prayer, acts of charity, or games/sports/activities that are devoid of occult themes.

Pokemon Go is of occult origin, and introduces children and adults to the world of the occult. It is causing many bad things to happen in just a short amount of time. The game, in augmented reality,  makes you think you're chasing demons to control them.  In actual reality, it's the other way around. Have nothing to do with it.

20 comments:

  1. Thanks for the informative article. Have been wondering what this Pokemon craze was all about. 2 people were lured to a park near where I live playing this game and held-up and robbed at gun point. Another person was walking in the city playing this game and fell down a man hole. The firefighter trying to do the rescue of this person was injured as well. It seems like this game has taken over people's minds as they have become obsessed with playing it and put themselves in danger as well as others. It most definitely is demon inspired.

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    1. It sure is Joann. There's a lot of evil in the world. Much of it comes from places we don't expect!

      ---Introibo

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  2. The days are indeed evil. Try not to despair! Have recourse to Christ, His Mother, and St. Joseph while staying close to the True Mass and sacraments. With God all things are possible. You (and your entire family) are in my prayers.

    ---Introibo

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  3. Thank you I appreciate it very much.I too have heard similar stories like Joann.

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  4. Thank you for writing about the Pokémon Go craze. I suspected it was not good, and now I know. God bless you, Introibo.

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    1. Thank you Michelle. Be assured of my prayers.

      ---Introibo

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  5. Good grief. Why mistranslate to prove a point? Pokemon means "pocket monster" not pocket demon. A monster is defined as a large, ugly, and frightening imaginary creature. A monster is not necessarily a demon; a demon is a fallen angel, a damned angel. We shouldn't make everything imaginary or fictional into something demonic, satanic, or of the occult. I'm not defending Pokemon or this new app at all (it looks stupid) but as a traditional Catholic it is disconcerting how cultish some of us come off being against all fiction, movies, video games as though everything is evil that is not explicitly religious. There are monsters in Lord of the Rings; not all of them necessarily demons. It is fiction; a story.

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    1. You make a thoughtful objection, but I think I made the point clear in my post. Monsters in Japanese culture are associated with evil spirits.

      I agree that with you that we should not be condemning everything not explicitly religious. However, we should also not condone those movies and games that are seeped in the occult and lead the curious into doing practices forbidden by God.

      The Lord of The Rings had monsters set forth in the decidedly Christian worldview of Tolkien. Pokemon Go is set forth in the occult. I don't know anyone (nor have I read in any reliable source) of people dabbling in the occult due to Lord of the Rings. Add on the frenzy of catching these Pokemon, driving accidents, robberies, and possible invasion of privacy. Does this sound like it is either of God or harmlessly neutral like playing a sport?

      Just a game? That's what they say about the Ouija Board too. I don't think you'd want to be involved with that as a Traditionalist, and with good reason!

      Thank you for the thoughtful comment.

      ---Introibo

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  6. When I was in high school a buddy of mine found a Pokemon game in the hallway and handed it to me as a joke because he knew I had a gameboy. I tried it out and was instantly hooked. Luckily I was too cheap to buy the next game once I finished it. That was 15 years ago. The games nowadays are even more addictive.
    We need Catholics to hack into this game and instead of capturing monsters you find Saints and Angels who give you advice on how to defeat the demons. Could you imagine St. Louis De Monfort getting all these gamers to pray 15 decades of the Rosary? For every Rosary you get one level up. Now that's motivation haha!

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    1. Cliff, you might want to patent that idea! You could be on to something big, with all the potential from people fed up with the occult garbage.

      ---Introibo

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  7. How long until the "Monsters" start whispering to the Gamers?

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    1. With all the mayhem going on, maybe some have already started doing so!!

      ---Introibo

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    2. You're correct about the Occult becoming popular.
      However,ever since Hollywood began, it's been a hotbed of Luciferian occult activity.
      Charles Manson was connected to a very wealthy super connected Satanic Cult.
      One of the cult leaders was Kenneth Anger,who was a child star in the 1930's.
      Hollywood's job has been to destroy morality and Catholicism.The men running the show have anticipated the occult becoming mainstream,it's no accident.

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    3. Yes. Hollywood is indeed the leading promoter of the occult. The overwhelming majority of movies and television programs are poison to the soul. We must be vigilant and learn to discern wisely!

      ---Introibo

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  8. honestly this article is trash that has no research on pokemons origin whatso ever. ive played the games and watch the show for years and honestly I havent wanted to or have an urge to "go join an occult or worship satan" or anything but rather learn more about nature. the games real intend is to explore your surrounding, teach you morals, and as well as basic RPG style playing recipe of every game ever made of RPG. Also it was not developed by "Wizards of The Coast", but by Game Freak and later on the cartoon/anime by 4 Kids Television both television and game companies that support family togetherness. also the original creator Pokemon known as Satoshi Tajiri had the ideas from when he was a child that loved to explore his back yard and catch bugs. which is nothing to do with demon summoning but the fact that pokemon are based on real life animals, people, cultures (good and bad), and diversity. Ill be honest I watched the pokemon movie Arceus and the jewel of life and that i can agree was based on Christianity culture itself with Arceus being the embodiedment of god himslef and teaching good morales. i believe you might have a point with the view of evolution, and which that I understand with the church on how different the views are, but the fact that your views are for the wrong matter. Pokemon also do not "summon creatures to kill another" you have to find them in nature and when you do battle with them there considered your partners like a house pet and instead of kill they faint meaning they just stop fighting when they cant fight anymore. You are taking this franchise too literal with the fact that its a simple game meant to entertain children and people of all age and genders and teach them good morales thats the same as an any day of bible school could do. *drops the microphone and flies of with my Dragonair I raised from a dratini out of love*

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    1. Okay,let's look at this one issue at a time:

      You write,"ive played the games and watch the show for years and honestly I havent wanted to or have an urge to "go join an occult or worship satan" or anything but rather learn more about nature. "

      Reply: I never said the game would turn everyone into a bona fide Satan worshiper. It is seeped in the occult and could lead people into practices forbidden by God, and open a door to evil in their lives. Play with fire you may get burned.

      You write, "Also it was not developed by "Wizards of The Coast", but by Game Freak and later on the cartoon/anime by 4 Kids Television both television and game companies that support family togetherness."

      Reply: Read the amazing testimony of Noah Ellis below. The card game was by Wizards of the World, not the rest which was by Game Freak. Mea culpa. being together with your family is great, but more importantly, what you are doing with that time is vital. Watching/playing occult-themed shows and games is not time well spent. Pray a family Rosary!

      You write, "also the original creator Pokemon known as Satoshi Tajiri had the ideas from when he was a child that loved to explore his back yard and catch bugs. which is nothing to do with demon summoning but the fact that pokemon are based on real life animals, people, cultures (good and bad), and diversity."

      Reply: Yes, that's what the pagan website reported. I'm not an entomologist, but I'm pretty sure bugs don't "eat a person's dreams" like Pokemon Haunter, "emit negative energy" like Kadabra, or "laugh at peoples' fear" like Gengar. Bugs may have given him the genesis of the idea, but it didn't become a "bug fight game." Pagan religions are sometimes referred to as "earth religions" because they worship nature, and various "spirits" connected with it. It is demonic.

      You write, "You are taking this franchise too literal with the fact that its a simple game meant to entertain children and people of all age and genders and teach them good morales thats the same as an any day of bible school could do."

      Reply: No, you are taking it too lightly. Go back and read again what I wrote. Occult themes and practices (which have also caused much problems in a short period of time) is neither entertainment nor good morals. Pokemon has caused MANY assaults, and has been used to entrap people to be robbed. Is this your idea of good morals? Please, young man, pray to Christ and His Mother for the strength to get away from this evil game! Read Noah's testimony below.

      You're in my prayers.

      ---Introibo

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    2. To My Readers,
      The young man Austin, to whom I just replied, left me a comment so full of profanity, and anti-Catholic hatred, I can't publish it. It only goes to prove my point. Please pray for this young man everyday, he needs God's Grace to see his way out.

      ---Introibo

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  9. Hey Introibo,
    I grew up with Pokemon. My parents even say it taught me to speak, as little me wanted to say all 150 names. I agree that it is evil and cultish, and what is sad is that young children CANT realize it and parents don't usually care because they don't see any immediate 'bad fruits.' The thing is, I've spent the equivalent of who (only God) knows how long in my young life playing these games. I know for a fact it is at least double what I spent praying. I wasn't
    even taught the HAIL MARY by my Novus Ordo family, but I did know all 150 Pokemon. It's a major distraction, as this Pokemon Go is.

    I originally downloaded Pokemon Go through peer pressure and an innocent spirit, but as soon as I saw the 'bad fruits,' it was over.

    Great post! -Noah

    ps - A little correction. The original game franchise was and is made by Game Freak and the card game was made by Wizards of the Coast.

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    1. Noah,
      Thank you for your insightful testimony! You are also correct that the card game was produced by Wizards of the West Coast, not the game franchise itself which was/is by Game Freak. Mea culpa!

      You're a blest young man to have seen the light and come to the Truth!

      ---Introibo

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  10. I'd be so happy translating this article into French but I'm afraid I lack time for this.

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