Good bible verses for an anime con?

[airichan623]

good verses / devos to read before an anime con. any suggestions?

[ADXC]

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." I Peter 5:8 (NIV)

This one may seem to go a little too far, but anime cons are huge hubs of sin. I know this because I've gone 5 years in a row and sin is EVERYWHERE. However, if you're strong in your faith, you can resist it. I'm not saying you would fall to sin, but you can never be to careful when your enemy is the devil. So it is best to prepare daily before leaving your hotel room(Or wherever you're staying) a devotion. You could even use and expand on this verse for your devo if you'd like.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Sorry, I have nothing to offer in terms of Bible verses - anything to do with fleeing from temptation and not getting yourself into situations where you might be tempted would work well.

ADXC, not having attended an anime con before, I find the idea that they can be hot beds of sin to be intriguing. Obviously we live in a fallen world so everything is touched by original sin but how are anime conventions worse than normal? Are they equivalent to a nightclub or adult shop? Or do you just mean that there are many temptations at many of the booths/panels - revealing and disturbing cosplays etc. I'm not wishing to pester you, I'm just curious for a more detailed explanation. Thanks mate!

[ClosetOtaku]

I would agree with ADXC's assessment, although I would say it does differ in tenor from a nightclub or adult shop.

We have attendees who are openly blasphemous of God and dismissive of His claim on their lives.

We have attendees (many male) who are here to exploit other attendees (many female), encouraging promiscuous behavior, taking indecent photographs, and turning what could be an enjoyable exchange of intellectual energy and natural talent into licentiousness.

We have vendors of all manners selling perverse materials.

We have seminar and workshop leaders, themselves deceived and greatly weighed down by sins, leading others more deeply into their respective "messes of pottage".

And all of these things are done under the banners of "freedom", the freedom to do and think and act as they please rather than as they ought.

There's so much potential for good here: so much innate human energy, creativity, youthful exuberance, a lot of goodwill (really), and yet we find ways to marginalize and subvert it into dozens of different channels that will ultimately lead to destruction of people's lives, if not souls, if they are not wary.

With that said, I'm about to walk out the door of my hotel room and into the first day of Otakon 2010...

[goldenspines]

While one does have to be careful in anime cons, like W4J said, they have just about the same amount of sin as the rest of the world.
Since you are going with friends, run ins with creepy people should not be a huge problem (depends how big the con you're going to is, though). Just use common sense and know how to stay out of trouble and you'll be fine. ClosetOtaku has given a good description of what to look out for. Obviously, not everyone at the con is looking to make you stumble, but it's good to be aware that people are going to be idiots wherever you go.

Concerning verses to read, I don't really think that any are the "best" (because they're all good), but I'll try to narrow some down for you.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. -Philippians 4:4-9
Just remember to trust God everyday. He's there at the con too.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Hebrews 12: 1-3 - These came to mind immediately, and I think these verses encapsulate what everyone else has said.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

[ADXC]

I am not saying that it is more sinful than the rest of the world; however, that sin is more ACCESSIBLE to young teens.

@ W4J-You should really just go to a con just to see what I mean. I'm not saying they are the worst places to go for sin and things, but that the possibility of sinning there is much more possible because of the confined space of so many young teens, adults, and many ideas that float around. I'm just saying to be careful. It's easier for a teen to get in trouble here than say at a movie theatre. Also about the panels and booths, many of them do go down a bad route(Mostly booths because there are so many of them) through say bad fanart(I'm not talking about poorly done, but sinfully bad.) and all the bad things you could buy in the dealer's room(Believe it or not, they do sell Hentai and Yaoi there which you wouldn't normally be able to find at a normal store.). You'll be able to tell which sections these are by all the cover-ups of paper and adult only signs. XD As far as panels go, the main ones to look out for are the Anime Hell's and Dance ones. I haven't been to a Dance panel, but I do know that these start at 11 PM, so I'm sure any kind of dance is acceptable. Believe me, there's more at these cons than you would realize and they increase every year.

Am I saying not to go to anime hell or dance? No, if you think you are spiritually mature to go to them, then by all means go. But if at some point you get tempted to do something bad or think something bad, then just say, "we've had enough" and walk out. Also, if you're own friend has a problem with this stuff, then just avoid them all together. It'd be far better that you'd be sunk to the bottom of the ocean with a milestone around your neck, than tripping your brother up.

With that said, I've had the most fun ever at anime cons! Really, anime cons are worth going to because there are sooooooooo many good things at them. Just watch out that you aren't tempted to do anything that would compromise your morals or your relationship with God. It's very easy to do that.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

No worries. Thanks for all the great an informative replies. We don't have many anime cons down in South Australia but I'll keep my eyes open. Thanks again!

[goldenspines]

It's not only teens that go to cons. XD
I agreed with W4J, despite him never being to a con, he's right. Anime cons are no worse (or better) than the real world in terms of temptation (only the condensed pocket sized version revolving around a fandom). I don't think the smaller size affects it in any way. It's just a small slice of the pie. And pie is pie no matter how big you slice it.
There are bad parts and there are good parts in the world and at cons. You just avoid the bad places by common sense and hang out in the good places instead.

[ich1990]

1 Corinthians 15:32b

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"

[Radical Dreamer]

1 Corinthians 15:32b

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"

I LOL'd. XDD


I would make a more contributory response, but a lot of people have already given some really good verses, so I'll just leave this here for now. XD

[Mr. SmartyPants]

As far as panels go, the main ones to look out for are the Anime Hell's and Dance ones. I haven't been to a Dance panel, but I do know that these start at 11 PM, so I'm sure any kind of dance is acceptable. Believe me, there's more at these cons than you would realize and they increase every year.

I danced and raved for two and a half hours straight at Otakon earlier tonight.

Was epic fun. I even asked a random person to dance with me. Total stranger! Really cute girl! She danced really well too!

That was awesome fun too. Too bad we couldn't dance longer than we did. D:

I shall do it again on Saturday night.

1 Corinthians 15:32b

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"

I love you, man. Let's be better friends. XD

[TheSubtleDoctor]

1 Corinthians 15:32b

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"

Thread: fin.

[ADXC]

About that Ryan, I wasn't saying it was bad if you want to go dance. XD

[Saved Gamer]

It sounds like fun (the good stuff anyway, and the rave). Being on the other side of the Atlantic means I can't go to these things though.

[Midknight74012]

I've got a few for the project I'm trying to get going again... been having a little trouble doing so. Not all bible verses


Romans 8:28 NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Hagakure

"If one were to say in a word what the condition of being a samurai is, its basis lies first in seriously devoting one's body and soul to his master."

"He is the only One Who was powerful enough to change my life and inspire it with His thoughts."
-Mitsuo Fuchida, Commander of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor then became a Christian after the war.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
-Ephesians 6:12

[Nekomimi]

I think just reading whatever regular devo you're currently reading is cool, it should keep your mind (hopefully) focused on what's really important. I don't know if there's any verses that are convention-specific, but having been to cons at home & on the mainland, I know how easy it is to not having any "time" to pick up the bible - especially if most/all of your friends aren't believers! So what I ended up doing was packing my devo in my backpack & borrowing the hotel bible ;D Or if you've got net access, you can check out verses/devos online before checking the day's con itinerary! If you're going with believers, that's another source of encouragement! Hope that helps!