Avatar Usage

[tov]

2 Christian Forums have some pretty wild avatars

This is my first post here so- I'll be right up front-

I looked around and the avatar usage is nice and modest

Now Let me post what I posted "there" and get some feedback from ya'll...

The Use of Avatars

A picture speaks a thousand words. A glossy gal image... a shear clad angelic babe... a computer rendered, 3d, thin, young, radiant, female... idyllic, perfect... no wrinkle, no spot...

An Avatar... a cowboy, a flag, atomic bomb... ok... how about a glossy gal, a prom queen waiting for her date, a shear clad angelic babe, a supergirl in shinny skin tight spandex...

Just an image... an icon... a little glossy perfection...

Does this represent me? My Avatar?

As a Christian my avatar is the mushroom cloud of an atomic bomb, because I feel that atomic weapons are a sign of the last days.

I share some stories now... A local cable guy was the head of the anime club... you know those cute little japanese animations... youthful, yet strong, and sexy... seemed so innocent... until one day, someone stepped in his office, and saw child porn on the office computer screen. When the police checked... the machine was chock full of child porn. The man lost his job and was prosecuted. True story. Is there a connection between the child porn and the anime? You be the judge.

Now a story to make you think... I met jiggy at a Christian forum. His avatars were very glossy animated 3d realistic but real glossy gals (sometimes with low cut tops and wild costumes). I wrote him a note... Dear Jiggy... Those avatars could be a stumbling block for a brother... he said... don

[nebula]

Hi, Tov!

Well, reactions?

I guess my first concern is that are you posting this in response to something you saw here?

Other than that, I agree with your concerns about images. And don't even get me started on Jap anime in this regards!

[RGR]

I agree with Nebula on the Japanese anime, but I do like the old Speed Racer cartoons! Tov, right on fella!!!

[Guest LadyC]

maybe i just don't have the knowledge of some hidden meaning of anime, but to me, assuming that someone who likes anime is into child porn is the equivalent of saying that someone with an avatar of an atomic bomb, seemingly as a representation of the last days, is someone who is likely to be building pipe bombs in their garage, throwing molitav (sp??) cocktails at passing cars, and would love to be the one to push the button setting off a nuclear war.

i do, however, agree that avatars of scantily clad glossy gals is inappropriate for a christian message board, and is indeed a stumbling block for many, many people. i also agree with what you say about lusting after animations.... someone who has a problem with sexually impure thoughts can get erotically stimulated by even the most "innocent" image.

no can someone tell me the connection between porn and anime?

[RGR]

I don't think the OP is necessarily saying that anime and porn are intertwined. I don't watch Pokemon and the rest of that junk, but scantily clad girls have become quite the fashion in much of this stuff. I viewed a anime website in search of info on Speed Racer (one of my favorite cartoons growing up!) and in BIG view right at the top, was a quite "shapely" female in anime. I'm no prude, but this was intended for nothing but the sole purpose of turning on a man IMHO.

[Guest LadyC]

oh, ok... i see what the point is now

ya know, i've often thought that the disney movies, all those animated ones, were for adults, not for children. nice little fairy tales where the heroine is depicted with barely enough to cover her amply drawn breasts and thighs. man, disney's gone downhill since walt died. anyway, it's the same concept.

[RGR]

Don't even get me started on all of these new Disney movies! We liked Finding Nemo and Toy Story I & II, but for the most part, all "children's" programming has went for the worse!

[nebula]

maybe i just don't have the knowledge of some hidden meaning of anime, but to me, assuming that someone who likes anime is into child porn is the equivalent of saying that someone with an avatar of an atomic bomb, seemingly as a representation of the last days, is someone who is likely to be building pipe bombs in their garage, throwing molitav (sp??) cocktails at passing cars, and would love to be the one to push the button setting off a nuclear war.

no can someone tell me the connection between porn and anime?

Easy. Go to your local video store and rent a Jap anime movie. You'll see more than you want to know!

And I mean real Jap anime. Pokeman is more a cartoon than anime, even though Japanese in origin. But from info I've gleaned, Dragon Ball Z and Yu-gi-oh! have had to have some "add clothes" editing to some scenes.

[gop_jeff]

My avatar is from the Boondocks. I was somewhat perturbed that one could not upload their own avatar for use on these boards, but I realize that the mods want to keep the images clean - for good reason. Anyway, one of the other members of the board was gracious enough to help out, so now I have an avatar!

But I agree, avatars can certainly lead to lust if they are done provocatively. As Jessica Rabbit once said, "I'm not bad... I'm just drawn that way!"