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The new Pokemon Go game uses the GPS on your phone to place you in its Pokemon world. On the main screen it is usually difficult to miss the gyms – they’re the biggest icons on your map. And in many cases they are churches.
This game is dangerous. We had 3 strange grown men playing the game on the church property yesterday. One dude had a big hunting knife strapped to his belt and when we confronted him, he said he was just playing a game.
This includes even the Westboro Baptist Church and most probably your church as well
The game creators have marked most churches as a place for players to gather. We have contacted them and asked if they will remove us from what they designate as a “gym” for players to fight each other to get stronger.
This augmented reality game is also collecting data from players Google accounts and private property views that Google maps could not get otherwise. The game is going to create a lot of legal chaos.
Maybe you could setup an outdoor stage and preach the gospel while they are pokemon-fighting?
The persona playing the game is NOT JUST APPEARING AT A LOCATION, but (most PROBABLY) TAKING VIDEO OF IT
Monte Vista Christian Church #Albuquerque welcomes #PokemonGO trainers to our grounds. Come by and collect. pic.twitter.com/Z4S0t9ic5U
— Brenda G Warren (@BrendaGWarren) July 12, 2016
Oh look what we found! Come & get yours #pokemongo pic.twitter.com/Ks5BJuf1rG
— Crossway Church (@Crossway_Church) July 12, 2016
Columbia Street Baptist Church is a charging station for those playing Pokémon Go @WLBZ2 @WCSH6 pic.twitter.com/4Dlj2OMXbR
— Jackson Grimm (@JackCameraman) July 11, 2016
The church in our neighborhood is a pokestop and put out water for weary Pokemon hunters. #PokemonGO pic.twitter.com/Gx4Qr2gTCW
— Adrienne Kvello (@adriennekvello) July 12, 2016
How to get kids to go to church: Place a #PokemonGo gym there pic.twitter.com/vtnyvSrRxS
— Jenny (@jennyfersure) July 12, 2016
Shoutout and praises to the #PokemonGO Gym trainer at Trinity United Methodist Church in #ArlingtonTX for starting w/ a 100level Pokemon ??
— (Misha) (Andrea) (@SilverBlades1) July 12, 2016
Was playing #PokemonGO and headed to a nearby church to get Pokeballs and ran into a friend I haven’t seen since high school.
— Tsunderemon (@KimJongTsun) July 12, 2016
UK Methodist church says “Jesus cares about #PokemonGO gamers” after featuring as #PokeGym / #Pokestop #Birmingham pic.twitter.com/O30O3io43N
— Richard Vernalls (@rvernallsPA) July 12, 2016
Trainers are welcome at our church! Jesus loves you no matter what team you chose or color you are #PokemonGO pic.twitter.com/5bf3OjyAGm
— Austin (@AustinAngerman) July 12, 2016
Mary Ellen Nissley
Wow, what a tactic!
Why not put Buddha statues in the church, to draw the Buddhists?
Anonymous
Pokemon is not evil. Educate yourself
Varnel Watson
What tactics are you referring to? Did you even read the article? Jared Elrod
Jared Elrod
Troy Day she already accused me of idolatry.
Varnel Watson
Why? Were you playing the game while preaching?
Jared Elrod
Troy Day she seems to be fine with middle age women on Facebook all day, but kids and teens are addicted when they want to go walk a few miles to hatch their pokeeggs.
Mary Ellen Nissley
Jared Elrod For your information, I work a full-time job (with weird hours), and live alone, since my children are grown and live elsewhere. Facebook helps me not be so lonely.
(I am NOT on all day, lol)
Don’t judge me until you have walked in my shoes.
Isn’t Pokemon all about gaining power? that bothers me.
Kind of like someone who said, “I will exalt my throne…”
Jared Elrod
Mary Ellen Nissley again justification for the social network you use and judgement for one you do not like.
Why can you keep in touch with your family but Pokemon players can’t meet up and do the same in real life?
Varnel Watson
Well in some defense people dont go to church to recharge their social networks. Or do they? 🙂
Mary Ellen Nissley
Jared Elrod Facebook is far different from Pokemon.
Facebook is a tool to interact, and can be greatly used as a tool of the gospel. It’s really not much different from a telephone.
Pokemon is a game. Pokemon pulls you in to become a character defined by the makers of the game.
Mary Ellen Nissley
Okay, I have to get to bed. Gotta get up and go to work. 🙂
Jared
I wrote about this earlier today. Here is my take on it.
http://youthfactor.us/pokemon-go-how-to-double-your-youth-ministry-even-if-you-have-no-budget-and-live-in-a-small-town-youth-factor-episode-012/
Varnel Watson
Jared Elrod Gilberto Rosado I read your point but this one is a bit different. It is not a classic case of marketing the church per se. In a marketing case the church does something, creates an action or an urge for people to and yes it could be artificial at times. In the Pokemon Go case however, an independent agent has created the urge for people to come and be on church property as listed on google maps. The question is what do you do then? And also – how does this create privacy issues and/or security danger for your regular members and visitors as well. Far from marketing…
Varnel Watson
All you are saying makes lots of sense but what I posted was from an actual senior pastor whose church we’ve been consulting for a while. Our ministry handles church security on various levels when necessary. This particular gentleman had not only a legitimate concern for his property and well being of his members but also the visitors and how it is all affecting the natural flow of people through the property and also the property’s insurance. Whose responsibility is if anyone gets hurt while playing the game for whatever reason? What happens if one of the gamers passes out or gets hurt in the 105 degrees as it was the other day in lower part of Mississippi?
Again, it is not only people coming to church but also how their well being is important for the normal existence and functioning of the church. Providing water then may not be only a Biblical cause but also a good way to make sure you don’t face an unnecessary law suit. Go prove in court that it all happened when someone was playing a video phone on your church property especially if you don’t have security cameras with legitimate footage of the event; which by the way in same cases and in most courts will not be allowed to enter the testimonial deposition by default. Gilberto Rosado Henry Volk
Louise Cummings
You get rid of Pokemon. Repent the find Jesus inside. I think I would pray to Sanctify the our temple which is our bodies. Then pray the Lord Sanctify and cleanse every evil spirit in that gym. Then com in and find Jesus. People are getting drowned and killed with they are giving directions to find the no Pokemon. Directing then to rivers. And out in the river they would find Pokemon that doesn’t exist. And goes there. Because they think it will give them more power to find an none existing Pokemon. And goes there and gets drowned. It messes up your mind as the Devon does in everything
Jon Ray
Peter Ciple
Varnel Watson
Peter Ciple are you the same and one as Pete Fiske or are you the same but a little bit different. Tony Conger are you related to @john conger?
Peter Ciple
I don’t know who Pete Fiske is.
Tony Conger
My real name is John Anthony conger but most people call me tony. Same person. I changed it since many people I know didn’t know tony was my real name
Charlie Robin
Wernt you once called Sonney per proper KJV reading 🙂 If so you can properly enter Ricky Grimsley ‘s discussion on eternal Sonship 🙂
Tony Conger
Really I just changed my name so those guys on pentecostal theology couldn’t find me. Those guys are crazy
Charlie Robin
ok, sonne 🙂 good to know but you stick up like a sore thumb on the internets
Varnel Watson
Sneaky you – change your name so you can play pokemon go in church didnt you
Peter Ciple
Don’t play pokemon go, don’t even watch it. https://www.facebook.com/334435539991308/photos/a.334437783324417.58385.334435539991308/861112313990292/?type=3&theater
Peter Ciple
People are getting hurt and robbed!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwAv9_gyKXY
Jon Ray
But you are putting pictures of it 🙂
Peter Ciple
I meant the cartoon.
Jon Ray
Tim Renneberg good point Eric Shonebarger Yes, the release was a month ago. But the death cases just started rolling… near churches
Peter Ciple
Yes people are dying because of it.. It is demonic!
Tony Conger
Gees Louise….
Peter Ciple
So it’s a joke to you? Wow.
Jon Ray
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/pokmon-go-death-first-picture-8454007
Peter Ciple
Exactly! People are dying because they are going into some kind of demonic trance playing the game!
Tony Conger
Like people texting and walking? It’s a trance!!! OF THE DEVIL!!!!
Peter Ciple
People need to think before they post and to get the ignorance and selfish pride out of them.
Tony Conger
Yeah that’s it. It’s pride
Peter Ciple
And don’t forget ignorance and disobedience. You forgot that. God will tell people play pokemon go. Yes that’s your take. God told you to play pokemon go. God said Tony Conger, play pokemon go, it doesn’t matter that it can kill you and cause you to be demon-possessed. The makers of the game are God’s gods. They are above God. Yeah that is you. Do whatever you want Tony.
Tony Conger
I said that God wants people to play Pokémon? I really don’t remember saying that. But all things are lawful but not all things are expedient
Peter Ciple
Aren’t you doing what you want? Well tell God that, not me.
Tony Conger
What?
Peter Ciple
Do what thou will. That’s the motto of the illuminati world Tony Conger. So who cares what God wants right? If it is not good for you or others who care right? God wouldn’t mind. That’s how you put it. But that is not me. I see something wrong I tell about it.
Peter Ciple
THIS GAME IS DANGEROUS! AND EVIL!
Peter Ciple
The only reason some people get offensive about this is because they do not want to accept the truth about it. Just like the underlying evil in Harry Potter movies.
Tony Conger
Please explain how it is evil
Peter Ciple
I posted a link and it contains a video. I posted the video. Did you even look at it? How far people are going with this game? To the death.
Tony Conger
How about concentrating on the fact that divorce is just as high in church as out? Or the unethical behavior of ministers? Instead every couple years somebody comes out with x number of reasons why whatever is popular is of the devil.
Peter Ciple
How about concentrating on doing the right things in the eyes of God? You are changing the subject. Everything matters.
Tony Conger
Smh
Peter Ciple
You are full of self-denial and pride. That is sad.
Peter Ciple
Stay away from those evil games.
Jon Ray
There are some pokemons trolling this group too. When shall we talk about them? Alan N Carla Smith Charles Page
Peter Ciple
How sick and evil!
Jon Ray
Mark 9:22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” – any pokemon that throws a person in fire, water or under the bus is demonic …
Peter Ciple
Very demonic. I totally agree with you. And I am very passionate about this.
Tony Conger
Bahaha
Peter Ciple
You are laughing at something so serious? God have mercy on this Tony Conger and open his eyes to see the truth.
Tony Conger
Dude I completely respect your belief that it is wrong but that doesn’t mean we all have to jump on that bands wagon. Forgive me if I dismissed your opinions
Peter Ciple
Thank you. God bless you.
Jon Ray
What IF the game was poke-preacher and in it you would locate and catch evil spirits and commit them to the abyss? And you get points for praying, fasting and reading your Bible? But wait – there is a very real game like that in life except very few want to participate in it
Charlie Robin
Peter Ciple @Jared Elrod Now would the same count for the demonic symbolism in Star Trek too or is this hitting it too close to home?
Ricky Grimsley
There is demonic symbolism in everything. You cars and every electronic thing you own supports a satanic system. Lol the money in your wallet has satanic imagery. So perhaps we can simmer down a little.