Saudi Clerics Issue Fatwa Against Pokemon

[Baruch]

Yeah. People always told me don't think too much or satan will come into your head 

This is the same in Christianity ... Paul specifically is down on intellectuals ... like himself.  Didn't like the competition ;-)  In modern Judaism, we don't have this problem ... being stupid is embarrassing, not holy.  This also makes one a target of dumb Christians and dumb Muslims.  Smart Christians and smart Muslims know that Judaism is the "mother ship".

I think if one wanted to learn a language, including Arabic, as part of game playing ... Scrabble would be better than chess.  It is possible that chess was specifically banned because it is Persian.  That would fit into the current conflict.

A word on fatwas ... in Judaism, these are called responsa.  Basically some lay person has a problem ... "is an electric shaver kosher or not?"  And to provide guidance, the local rabbi will make a ruling.  This propagates like case law.  Also rulings are made to avoid social conflict ... some kind of compromise is made.  This is how Christians ended up with infant baptism ... some parents objected waiting and made a fuss, so probably starting with a single priest, they started baptizing infants ... because of the high infant mortality.  Parents didn't want their children to end up in Limbo or Hell.

[Munch]

I think its because these 'clerics' are afraid of certain pokemon.

[Baruch]

At least with Pikachu, you can power your electric grid ;-)

[Hijiri Byakuren]

At least with Pikachu, you can power your electric grid ;-)

Voltorb is easier to carry around, though.

[Nonsensei]

Ever since the Pokémon phenomenon hit the market three years ago, parents, school authorities and child psychologists have been at a loss to understand the obsessive hold Pokémon games have had over children.

Really? They're at a loss?

And now when kids do something they find fun, that thing is described as having a HOLD on them?

[CloneKai]

At least with Pikachu, you can power your electric grid ;-)

isn't there a petroleum Pokemon, yet

[Hydra009]

Really? They're at a loss?

And now when kids do something they find fun, that thing is described as having a HOLD on them?

Hopefully, that was just a bit of journalistic hyperbole and not a serious statement.  Because it's not terribly difficult to figure out why going on adventures in a world chock full of cute animals that you can keep as pets would appeal to kids.

[aitm]

O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you.

It seems religion has three most important edicts:
1) Do not ever question, for that is to imply you do not fully believe and you go to hell for that.
2) Do not ever kill yourself for that robs the church of your money
3) Never read the book yourself, let someone who knows it read it to you, reading it yourself leads to No 1.