Is FMA alright for christians?

[GrubbTheFragger]

Wasn't Christ actually referenced to in one of the last episodes? o.o I remember feeling very startled to hear that in an anime--but then again, it's very possible that I misheard. I mishear things in the weirdest way sometimes. ^ ^;;

Actually yes they do mention Christ. They are talking about dates and teacher (can't rememeber her name) and she mentions BC and says it refers to the birth of Christ and Ed asks "Christ?" the teacher then says Its refering to a old religion that is no longer practiced.

[Animus Seed]

your spoiler brings up a valid question that probably doesn't need to be debated but is worth mentioning.

If there is a pararrel (SP) universe...wouldn't Christ had died for them too? I mean he came to save everyone right?

Boggles the mind, no? :

Again, if Jesus' death was sufficient (and of course it was) then why did Aslan have to die in Narnia? Why didn't he just tell Edmund, "Don't worry, Edmund, I died in your world 2,000 years ago, so just say 'Jesus' and the White Witch can't get you." I think if God creates a reality, He's going to "play by the rules" of that reality. But I don't want to start a theological argument, so I guess that's enough of that.

Though I will say this:
I once thought of writing a fanfic of how Jesus would save the FMA world, but I thought it might turn out stupid. What do you all think?

[Zeke]

Is FMA safe for christians?

I dont see any reason for FMA to not be safe. Sure some parts take discernment, but that is never bad. Having to discern puts what we know to be true into action, and helps to build up our faith. Dont be afraid to read and watch and listen to things you dont agree with, just use discernment and work through them. Strenghtening of your faith is important.

[ChristianKitsune]

Again, if Jesus' death was sufficient (and of course it was) then why did Aslan have to die in Narnia? Why didn't he just tell Edmund, "Don't worry, Edmund, I died in your world 2,000 years ago, so just say 'Jesus' and the White Witch can't get you." I think if God creates a reality, He's going to "play by the rules" of that reality. But I don't want to start a theological argument, so I guess that's enough of that.

Though I will say this:
I once thought of writing a fanfic of how Jesus would save the FMA world, but I thought it might turn out stupid. What do you all think?

this is all I will say and I am closing this.

Narnia is fake... so is FMA..^^; Narnia is an allegory of sorts, there won't be any mention of Christ because allegories don't work that way.

hmm that might be interesting!

[Ratrace]

I don't have a problem equating God in FMA with the God of Christianity. Ed tries to bring someone back to life-- he is trying to be God-- and there are consequences. It's the same sin Adam did; it's the same sin we all do. God would have been within His rights to strike Ed dead as soon as he planned it. Compare it with Uzzah, who touched the ark.

Some of Eds rants touch on that. He says Gods punishing him, and he mentions that hes commited unforivable sins a few times as well.

you cant judge the whole series on the moment mentioned in the first post because its unchristian. How many people here have never said anything wrong after becoming christians?

Just my opinion. feel free to shoot holes in it.

[skyblue]

Yeah I keep hearing they're Christians and all, but sometimes it's kinda "hmm..." when I hear them swear on the show^^ Personally for myself, even if I WAS just acting/voice acting on some show, wouldn't want to swear and give peopel the wrong idea of who I was (a Christian) and all^^ I'd want to give a good representation and all, ya know? Even if just acting... I won't go further into this, but just stating my own little opinion on that^^

Just saying a swear word, and not meaning it, isn't swearing. Saying a swear word because it appears on a script doesn't mean you swore to God. ^^]I don't have a problem equating God in FMA with the God of Christianity. Ed tries to bring someone back to life-- he is trying to be God-- and there are consequences. It's the same sin Adam did; it's the same sin we all do. God would have been within His rights to strike Ed dead as soon as he planned it. Compare it with Uzzah, who touched the ark.[/QUOTE]

I agree 100%.


In the fourth ending, Ed looks up at a cross in a church and smiles with his eyes shimmering. I liked that part.

Anyways, about the no-longer-practiced Christianity in Ametris. Do you know why I think that is?


MINOR SPOILERS




In Fullmetal Alchemist, there are two parallel worlds, Ametris (there are other countries in FMA, each corresponding to a real country, but I''ll just call the world Ametris) and the "real" one. They both used to be the same world (Christ did exist in Ametris), but they both split and become different when Ametris learned alchemy. From that point on, they become two seperate worlds with different history. In other words, the real world is what Ametris would look like if it hadn't learned alchemy.

Along with alchemy in Ametris, came the know-it-all attitude that most alchemists have. Alchemy is the reason Christianity died out. Alchemy blinded people and made people think that you could solve anything with alchemy, therefore eliminating their need of God [or Christ]. But, that was flawed logic, as Ed finds out when he tries to bring his mother back from the dead.




END MINOR SPOILERS

[Oh Serenity]

I personally don't think that watching a television show, a cartoon/anime at that, is going to effect your faith in any way. This goes double if the questionable content is only in passing. However, this is entirely up to you as I know my 'safe gounds' are FAR more lenient then most.
Anyway, it all comes down to your choice. If its going to bother you when watching something like that, then you can pass it. If not, then go ahead. Certianly, if you're going to be irked by millions of different things in it, then don't watch it. There's no point to watching something that's meant to be entertaining if you're just going to get a headache over it!

[Animus Seed]

[SPOILER="response to skyblue"]

Where are you getting your information from? Is it explicitly stated? (haven't seen end of series yet; I'm up to episode 44) Because that doesn't make too much sense to me-- people in our world have studied alchemy, and it tends to be a bust. To my mind (again, so far) it's not about "studying" alchemy-- the Ishballans reject it, after all-- but whether or not alchemy is an actual fundamental principle or not. Remember, it's science, not witchcraft. If that's true, than either it's a part of the world's make-up, like physics and gravity, or it's not. If the only difference between our world and Ametris was the discovery of alchemy, then why isn't Ed able to use it in our world? If it was just an undiscovered branch of science, it should work-- drop an apple and it falls, whether the world has discovered gravity or not. The answer, I would have thought, would be because alchemy doesn't exist here.

I'm not trying to be confrontational, or even disagree with you. Heck, I don't even really have a point. These are geniune questions here that I'd like the answers to.[/SPOILER]

[skyblue]

[SPOILER="response to skyblue"]

Where are you getting your information from? Is it explicitly stated? (haven't seen end of series yet]have[/I] studied alchemy, and it tends to be a bust. To my mind (again, so far) it's not about "studying" alchemy-- the Ishballans reject it, after all-- but whether or not alchemy is an actual fundamental principle or not. Remember, it's science, not witchcraft. If that's true, than either it's a part of the world's make-up, like physics and gravity, or it's not. If the only difference between our world and Ametris was the discovery of alchemy, then why isn't Ed able to use it in our world? If it was just an undiscovered branch of science, it should work-- drop an apple and it falls, whether the world has discovered gravity or not. The answer, I would have thought, would be because alchemy doesn't exist here.

I'm not trying to be confrontational, or even disagree with you. Heck, I don't even really have a point. These are geniune questions here that I'd like the answers to.[/SPOILER]

Just to make things a little more clear, my first paragraph of the minor spoilers was fact from the last episodes (I think it was eps. 49-51) and the movie, so you haven't seen it yet. The second was entirely my opinion.

[SPOILER="And to your question..."]
And to your question about why Ed can't use alchemy in the real world? Uhh...he can. Ed can use alchemy in the real world (but I won't say why or I'd spoil it for you). The reason why people can't use alchemy in the real world is because they simply don't know how to use it. The movie helps explain this.

[/SPOILER]

[Animus Seed]

[SPOILER="And to your question..."]
And to your question about why Ed can't use alchemy in the real world? Uhh...he can. Ed can use alchemy in the real world (but I won't say why or I'd spoil it for you). The reason why people can't use alchemy in the real world is because they simply don't know how to use it. The movie helps explain this.

[/SPOILER]

But I have seen the movie, and [SPOILER]he doesn't use alchemy. Seriously, wouldn't it be a great way to convince Alphonse Heidereich? "Don't believe in alchemy, huh? Watch this!"[/SPOILER]

[ChristianKitsune]

I think AS is right...
[spoiler] the one time that Ed uses Alchemy, he is REALLY surprised by it. And is amazed that he can use it. I think he can because of Envy's Sacrifice.[/spoiler]

[skyblue]

I think AS is right...
[spoiler] the one time that Ed uses Alchemy, he is REALLY surprised by it. And is amazed that he can use it. I think he can because of Envy's Sacrifice.[/spoiler]

Oh. Well, you're right about that. So that just means...

[SPOILER]
...it's just a minor loop hole in the story, I guess...

[/SPOILER]

[Myoti]

Which would be one of the reasons I read the manga instead of the anime (which deviates way too much from the original story).

But yes, there's really no reason it wouldn't be wrong for a Christian to read it/watch it.

[Animus Seed]

By the by, I've now seen the episode in question... I believe "the Christian calandar" is mentioned in episode 45, if I recall correctly. It did throw me off...

[SPOILER="more of Animus Seed reading waaaaay too much into things"]
...okay, if Christ was there in Fullmetal-land, as I like to call it, then I will assume that His life and death (and from our point of view, ressurrection, but no one said Christianity is true in FMA) is the same as it was here. In that case, than shouldn't there have been a Jerusalem in Fullmetal-land? Why use the Ishballans as a racial minority if Jews and Arabs existed?--unless the Ishballans are genetically linked to either culture. (That helps my "Ishballa=YHWH" theory, but I digress.)

Izumi's mention that no one has practiced Christianity in centuries was also interesting; it's probably the same "ancient religion" whose ruins Dante has her hide-out in, around episode 43, I believe. In that episode, Dante calls the religion intolerant because they believed in only one god (God?) and responsible for many wars; I already took this as a thinly veiled attack on Christianity, and Izumi seems to confirm that. At least, if Christianity is going to be specifically mocked, the evil villain is the one that's doing it.

This gives me a whole new interesting theory, though:
If Dante's ruins are Christian ruins, than the fact that they're underground might mean they are catacombs. From the movie and characters' names and appearances (viz., "Furher"), I've always assumed "the State" to be generally analogous to Germany or England. But with the catacombs present... what if the State is actually the Roman Empire?[/SPOILER]

[Sapphire225]

Again, if Jesus' death was sufficient (and of course it was) then why did Aslan have to die in Narnia? Why didn't he just tell Edmund, "Don't worry, Edmund, I died in your world 2,000 years ago, so just say 'Jesus' and the White Witch can't get you." I think if God creates a reality, He's going to "play by the rules" of that reality. But I don't want to start a theological argument, so I guess that's enough of that.

Though I will say this:
I once thought of writing a fanfic of how Jesus would save the FMA world, but I thought it might turn out stupid. What do you all think?

That's not a dumb idea. Go for it.

[Animus Seed]

That's not a dumb idea. Go for it.

Well, the reference to the calander in ep 45 threw me off some. I have to think about it. (I suppose if I do decide to write it, I can just ignore that one line.)

[c.t.,girl]

<_< i wonder if travis is a christian...hmm...i know he went to a christian university but...i dunno...i kinda wonder about that...^^; eheh sorry...<--MSAer

[Animus Seed]

Oh. Well, you're right about that. So that just means...

[SPOILER]
...it's just a minor loop hole in the story, I guess...

[/SPOILER]

(*sorry for the grave digging*)

I didn't think it was a loop-hole. The way I saw it,

[SPOILER]he was able to do alchemy because of blood.[/SPOILER]

[Sami_jane]

just wondering

[spoiler] did you mean wrath? because he was the one taht got eaten by gluttony and was the one to end up opening their side of the gate. or am i forgetting another spot in the movie. [/spoiler]

[Animus Seed]

just wondering

[spoiler] did you mean wrath? because he was the one taht got eaten by gluttony and was the one to end up opening their side of the gate. or am i forgetting another spot in the movie. [/spoiler]

[SPOILER]When sneaking into the hide-out, Ed cuts his cheek on a broken window and bleeds. When he finds a transmutation circle, he scoffs. "Witchcraft, huh? Probably for sacrificing virgins and calling up the dead." (Note that this show that Ed is still at least an agnostic) "Wait, it's no spell, it's alchemy!" He then proceeds to fix the flaws in the circle with a conveniently handy piece of chalk. After finishing, he laughs at himself. "What'd I do that for? Alchemy doesn't work here." He then wipes his cheek, soiling his glove with blood. When he puts his hand on the ground to steady himself as he stands, the circle reacts the moment his blood touches it.[/SPOILER]

[Sami_jane]

oh ok. lol i remember that part now.