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Flashback Thread: The Pokemon Ban in Saudi Arabia! (2003)

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AlexK2013

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I hope any of you guys remember in 2003 when Pokemon got banned in Saudi Arabia. It's for a few reasons.

1. to "protect the Muslims' ideology, as well as their morals and their money"
2. They thought that the TCG involved gamling, and gambling's illegal in the U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates)
3. The symbols on the Energy Cards they thought were un-Islamic symbols encouraging people to worship in other religions
4. The concept of Pokemon evolving to stronger forms, it screamed the Theory of Evolution, which the Muslims oppose, because they're creationists.
5. They also got the idea that the Pokemon video games promoted Zionism

Now, let's hear how the anime characters feel about it!

Ash: What?! That's crazy! How could they ban Mr. Satoshi Taijiri's beloved franchise!?

Pikachu: Pika! (translation: Agreed!)

Brock: That sounds totally unfair! Everyone should have the right to experience Pokemon!

Misty: That ban sounds ridiculous! I ought to have a word with those religious officials!

Barry: GRRRRRR! If they don't lift that ban, I'm gonna FINE THEM!

Dawn: Hey, don't go in over your head, Barry! But I do agree, those creeps shouldn't have banned Pokemon, just because it's some potential threat to their religion, whatever the heck it is!

Jessie: For once, I agree with the twerps! Banning Pokemon is just outrageous!

Let me know if this topic seems pointless!
 
If the topic is talking about the ban itself, then it may have some potential, but if it's talking about the anime characters' reactions, then it might be borderline.

Anyway, I am very surprised about the ban. I mean, it's one thing to ban something that's explicitly harmful like weapons, but a harmless fictional franchise is really something I found strange. Now, I may not know much about Islam, but from these criteria, I feel that Islam is very overprotective with their religion that they may be disillusioned. Maybe the cards and gambling thing is understandable, but Pokemon being perceived as a religion? That's really over-the-top.

That's it for now.
 
I think the ban was just a knee-jerk reaction by the conservative sect.

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But seriously, all but one of their reasons shows that they had no clue what the hell they were talking about.

1. to "protect the Muslims' ideology, as well as their morals and their money"
Click to expand...
Okay, this can sort of see their reasoning.

2. They thought that the TCG involved gamling, and gambling's illegal in the U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates)
Click to expand...
A brief examination of the TCG rules could have dispelled that.

3. The symbols on the Energy Cards they thought were un-Islamic symbols encouraging people to worship in other religions
Click to expand...
Overreaction much? I mean really, seeing Pokémon as a religion?

4. The concept of Pokemon evolving to stronger forms, it screamed the Theory of Evolution, which the Muslims oppose, because they're creationists.
Click to expand...
Someone clearly didn't pass basic biology. If anything Pokémon "evolution" is more like a metamorphosis.

5. They also got the idea that the Pokemon video games promoted Zionism
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*Facepalm* What is this I don't even.
 
What I don't get is what this thread hopes to accomplish. The ban was almost ten years ago and doesn't affect us now.
 
That's why I called it a Flashback Thread
 
And the point of flashing back is what? People are still going to use the characters as a mouthpiece for themselves.
 
Pokemon Red and Blue was ten years ago, people still talk about it.

Anyway this is not the place to be argueing about the thread, do that via VM or PM. This thread is only for discussing the topic at hand.
 
What I don't get is why they wouldn't ban the TCG and take the Game Corner out of the games. That would get rid of the gambling issues, which are the only ones that kind of make sense. "Evolving" is metamorphosis, and insects and amphibians do it in real life. Granted, there are some Japanese beliefs in the games as well, but there's nothing that says YOUR RELIGION IS WRONG CONVERT TO BUDDHISM OR WE WILL SIC OUR CHARIZARD ON YOU :mad:
 
*Facepalm* What is this I don't even. See Pokemon as a religion? Total overreaction.
 
It's funny they're banning pokemon because it opposes their religion's ideology when human rights even to non-Arabians in their region are terrible.
 
AlexK2011 said:
Let me know if this topic seems pointless!
Click to expand...
It's worse than pointless.

Let's see how Ash Ketchum feels about this!

Ash: Don't put words in my mouth.

Well, nevermind.
winstein said:
If the topic is talking about the ban itself, then it may have some potential, but if it's talking about the anime characters' reactions, then it might be borderline.

[...]
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Hmm, thank you.
Drakon said:
I think the ban was just a knee-jerk reaction by the conservative sect.

--------------------

But seriously, all but one of their reasons shows that they had no clue what the hell they were talking about.

[...]
Click to expand...
While your general sentiments may be (or may very well be) true, it's a little ridiculous to reply to a ridiculous post and let one's views of the reasons of others' go unchecked.
cityvillain said:
It's funny they're banning pokemon because it opposes their religion's ideology when human rights even to non-Arabians in their region are terrible.
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They aren't necessarily responsible for their region, only their state. That said, 2 things: again, 1) it's best not to fall lock step into a ridulous thread and a ridiculous train of thought, and 2) to say "even to non-Arabians" is to befuddle things a bit. Arabs as a whole don't fare very well in the region; those who do, anywhere, don't fare well for the virtue of being Arab.
 
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This thread isn't going nowhere, so I'll close it. If you want to make flashbacks, try the blogs next time, as there's not much to discuss about events that are already over.
 
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