Hello. My name is Jina and I’m a huge marvel fan. I know this sounds like a really silly question but it’s been bugging me lately. I enjoy from time to time listening to music and pretending to be an epic-female-loki fighting bad guys. I am one hundred percent aware that loki is not an actual god and he does not exist. Is it bad that I do this and am I going to hell? Thank you!

I'm a preacher's daughter and retired Christian teacher. No, you're not going to hell. Have fun with your imagination!

I have a thick file full of wonderful stories my younger son wrote when he was in high school and college. Those stories grew out of his love for and fascination with Marvel comics' characters, D&D, and role-playing games.

My 30 year old daughter cosplays as characters ranging from My Little Pony to Assassins' Creed. It's nothing, and you shouldn't let anyone else tell you it is. As WG said, enjoy your imagination. That kind of imagining is where the best stories come from.
(Incidentally, I used to have a complete collection of Marvel comics from Fantastic Four #1 down through about 1973. I read them nonstop until I finally had to sell them to go to college. Enjoy Marvel!)

As long as you can seperate reality from your imagination, you can enjoy your imagination. Still have all my old comics 8D

Going to hell is not related to the games we play. The primary question would be have you placed your faith in Christ? I'd suggest you read John 3:16 and think about the meaning.

BTW, I don't think your question was silly at all.

Thank you so much. I know it was kinda silly but I've been feeling really errant. Again, thank you so much and God Bless!

Haha thank you so much!

Thank You so much that really helped! God Bless!

Haha thanks a bunch!

Hi Jina, Everybody gave you good answers but I'd be wary about that going to hell reply which said the primary question about hell being your faith in Christ. That's meant to frighten you into that fundamentalist brand of Christianity. Don't fall for it. Have fun with your games.

I don't like to "well actually" my friend Athos, but that confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior is the oldest form of Christianity there is. It's the original, the one that Jesus said His resurrection would prove and cement in place.
Fundamentalists have perverted it, yes. But it's not a good idea to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Yes, Jina, that confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior is the oldest form of Christianity there is. But we don't confess Christ crucified simply because we're scared of going to hell and want to avoid it, do we. Or do we? I sure hope not!

But we don't confess Christ crucified simply because we're scared of going to hell and want to avoid it, do we. Or do we? I sure hope not!

Two honest questions.

1.What do you mean when you say we "confess Christ crucified?"
2. We don't confess Christ simply because we're scared of going to hell? Why do you hope that is not true? BTW, I'm somewhat in sympathy with your statement, but I'm not sure why that would be a bad point of beginning.

Jlisenbe,
I think what WG is saying is, if that's our only reason to keep confessing Christ, we're seriously short-changing ourselves. I've known people who have come to Jesus out of fear of hell, and that's fine. But there's so much more to a relationship with Him than that, it's impossible to list all of it.

Two honest questions.

1.What do you mean when you say we "confess Christ crucified?"
2. We don't confess Christ simply because we're scared of going to hell? Why do you hope that is not true? BTW, I'm somewhat in sympathy with your statement, but I'm not sure why that would be a bad point of beginning.
We are God's children. He loves us, sent His Son Jesus to die for us so we can be in heaven forever. So when, as a little girl, I was told to pick my toys before going to bed, I obeyed, not because I was scared my parents would beat me and threaten me with even worse punishment. I picked up my toys because I loved my parents and wanted to show them that.

In the same way, we confess Christ as our Lord and Savior, not because we're scared of "hell" if we don't, but because we love Him for sacrificing His life for ours.

I think what WG is saying is, if that's our only reason to keep confessing Christ, we're seriously short-changing ourselves. I've known people who have come to Jesus out of fear of hell, and that's fine. But there's so much more to a relationship with Him than that, it's impossible to list all of it. I agree with you completely. However, if I know that lost sinners go to hell as Jesus plainly lays out in Matt. 25, then putting my faith in Christ to avoid hell is a good idea. In fact it's a fantastically good idea. It is, I think, what Peter referred to in Acts 2. The people were justifiably alarmed when Peter preached, and after they asked what they should do he said, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” He then told them, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” Their appeal to Peter stemmed from their understanding of their guilt and fear of punishment.


I picked up my toys because I loved my parents and wanted to show them that. So you were always obedient and never rebelled against your parents' commands? They never, ever had to punish you?

So you were always obedient and never rebelled against your parents' commands? They never, ever had to punish you?
I was the oldest of four, was always told I was the good example for my sibs and the children in the congregation, I never rebelled (to do what?) and no, was never punished that I can recall.

I never rebelled (to do what?) and no, was never punished that I can recall.

Then you are very much the exception. When I was a principal for 24 years, I met very few parents who had children who just magically obeyed at all times with no need of consequences. At any rate, the Bible is very clear that everyone sins and that all are guilty. "All we like sheep have gone astray. Each one has turned to his own way."

Then you are very much the exception. When I was a principal for 24 years, I met very few parents who had children who just magically obeyed at all times with no need of consequences. At any rate, the Bible is very clear that everyone sins and that all are guilty. "All we like sheep have gone astray. Each one has turned to his own way."
No, I wasn't the exception. Back when rocks were cooling and I was a kid, there wasn't much to do to get into trouble. I lived in a small German dairy farm community so my friends' days were filled with school and farm work. Once I got home from school, I helped sibs with schoolwork, played with them in our huge backyard, helped my mom with laundry (clothesline was strung across our back yard), meal prep, and cleanup. Families had one wallphone, usually on the kitchen wall, and it was not to be used by children unless permission had been given for a SHORT call. And it goes on from there.

Then you are very much the exception. When I was a principal for 24 years, I met very few parents who had children who just magically obeyed at all times with no need of consequences. At any rate, the Bible is very clear that everyone sins and that all are guilty. "All we like sheep have gone astray. Each one has turned to his own way."

Consequences for not accepting you as a shepherd they should follow because you had power and authority? I haven't found many principals who had the time or money to find out why children didn't obey, they just did the discipline thing on the kids and parents with no efforts at real help. Not accusing you personally, you probably did the best you could with the resources you had.

Right?

When you have students for five years, you get to know them and you get to know the parents as well.

What kinds of programs did you have to help those kids and parents you knew so well? Why did they act out, rebel or whatever bad behavior they had?

What kinds of programs did you have to help those kids and parents you knew so well? Why did they act out, rebel or whatever bad behavior they had?

We had a number of programs which included everything from special ed to a State mental health program. The primary issue was nearly always the parent(s) and not so much the student. I found that if we could get a student in kindergarten and work with them for five years, then our success rate was very good. The real problem involved students who would come to us for six months and then move, and then perhaps return a year or two later, and so on. But if I could get the parent to work with me, then we had a very good opportunity for success. We did have the relatively rare student with emotional issues so severe that they ended up going to a treatment facility. I had very little confidence in those places. The "treatments" they used were rarely successful. The best treatment was a sane, safe, loving, disciplined, and structured home environment coupled, of course, with the same environment at school. The mental health lady we had attached to our school was "old school" and did a wonderful job. We all worked together as a pretty good team.

For all the disagreements on so many things it's refreshing to be able to fundementally agree with you, tough guy. I know deep down you get as frustrated as I do over things beyond our control. Hard to help the kids when the parents need even more help than they do sometimes. Sadly that seems to be MOST of the time. Heartbreaking!

For all the disagreements on so many things it's refreshing to be able to fundementally agree with you, tough guy. I know deep down you get as frustrated as I do over things beyond our control. Hard to help the kids when the parents need even more help than they do sometimes. Sadly that seems to be MOST of the time. Heartbreaking!

Very true. I had a student one time who lived in a less than ideal home situation. Student came in the first few months yelling and throwing fits, but we were able to get her some help. Mom didn't know much but she knew that was the case so she was willing to listen and was a pleasure to work with. A few years later you would have never known the kid had gotten off to such a rough start. Those kinds of cases made the job more rewarding. Now you might not agree with this, but I never ceased to be impressed with how much better families would have been if they had followed the teachings of the Bible.

I wish everybody would follow some type of Good Orderly Direction.

It depends. Are you "Pretending" the dog is a bad guy while your kicking
Him across the room :-0

Its better to pay close attention to you own heart felt convictions than
Listening to others opinions.

For all the disagreements on so many things it's refreshing to be able to fundementally agree with you, tough guy. I know deep down you get as frustrated as I do over things beyond our control. Hard to help the kids when the parents need even more help than they do sometimes. Sadly that seems to be MOST of the time. Heartbreaking!
During my years as a psychotherapist, parents would come to our office with the plea, "Fix this kid!" Um, it turned out it wasn't the KID who needed fixing. And the entire family dynamic had to change.

Its better to pay close attention to you own heart felt convictions than
Listening to others opinions. Unless, of course, your heartfelt convictions are wrong.


parents would come to our office with the plea, "Fix this kid!" Um, it turned out it wasn't the KID who needed fixing. And the entire family dynamic had to change. My experience was that the kid usually needed a lot of fixing, but the family dynamic, as you very well put it, needed to change. Sometimes kids are doing pretty well considering the insane asylum they live in.

"Lots of fixing"...doesn't that just mean feeding them lots of drugs?

Kinda ironic that this topic is headed (within your own) in a direction contrary to your
Response (troubled kids/families ).

What do you think the difference would be, if any, with a young adult
"Imagining" they have a gun/knife oppose to "pretending they have a
Gun/knife?

If I have a heart felt conviction about "pretending" to be Satan, killing
Bad guys/christians, would my convictions be wrong?

I'm going to grab this knife and "pretend" to kill you...oops sorry (my bad)!

A wee bit difference in "pretending" (your owning it) vs imagination.

The Gothic world is two steps beyond imagination and one step above pretend.

Sounded to me like some were saying its alright to "run wild with your imagination"...

"Lots of fixing"...doesn't that just mean feeding them lots of drugs?
No. That is generally not, in my experience, the answer.


Kinda ironic that this topic is headed in a direction contrary to your
Response (troubled kids/families ). How's that?


What do you think the difference would be, if any, with a young adult
"Imagining" they have a gun/knife oppose to "pretending they have a
Gun/knife?Why are we even talking about that?


If I have a heart felt conviction about "pretending" to be Satan, killing
Bad guys/christians, would my convictions be wrong? Yes, it would be wrong, and I have no idea why that would even be in question. That's why I vigorously question your contention that, "Its better to pay close attention to you own heart felt convictions." We would be better to say that it's really important to pay attention to the truth.

What are her conviction? She said pretend not imagination.

Who else has she included in this pretend scenario...her brother her dog?
How old is she? Is she going to pretend a firecracker is a Bomb and try to blow her brother/dog (aka. Bad guy) apart?

Why is she bothered with her convictions (did somebody get hurt while pretending)? Some of you just
Condone her actions, not even knowing or caring what is taking place in
Her life. A persons personal convictions are not to be taken lightly. If she feels convicted by this maybe it is best she put it aside before it
Becomes a creation all its own.

I would hold that her convictions speak truth. Its simple...Stop pretending.
I assume you can not stop...problem?

Who are you talking about? We haven't discussed anyone imagining or pretending have we?

What are her conviction? She said pretend not imagination.

Who else has she included in this pretend scenario...her brother her dog?
How old is she? Is she going to pretend a firecracker is a Bomb and try to blow her brother/dog (aka. Bad guy) apart?

Why is she bothered with her convictions (did somebody get hurt while pretending)? Some of you just
Condone her actions, not even knowing or caring what is taking place in
Her life. A persons personal convictions are not to be taken lightly. If she feels convicted by this maybe it is best she put it aside before it
Becomes a creation all its own.

I would hold that her convictions speak truth. Its simple...Stop pretending.
Pretending is using one's imagination, waltero. Did you ever play cowboys and Indians with your friends? Or have footraces and pretend you were in the Olympics? Or, once you had your license, stood on the accelerator and drove over the speed limit so your car's engine would roar and you could pretend you were an Indy driver?

And yes, it's more fun to include others in games of imagination, when we pretend.

Yes, I get that. What would make me feel I was going to hell by
"pretending" I was a racecar driver?

Couldn't I just take my moms car and "pretend" I have a licence...
If you can't see it you never will.

So just tell somebody who took a stick and "pretended" it was Loki's
scepter, swinging it around and hit her little brother and put him in ICU..
For what ever reason she feels threatened by Hellfire, its not her
imagination. Imagination does not play the same role in ones convictions.
When you pretend you are owning it. You can run wild with your imagination
but it gets a little dangerous when running wild while you are pretending.

Yes, I get that. What would make me feel I was going to hell by
"pretending" I was a racecar driver?

Couldn't I just take my moms car and "pretend" I have a licence...
And then you t-boned another car and killed the passengers....

Or crossed the median strip and hit a car head-on...

So just tell somebody who took a stick and "pretended" it was Loki's
scepter, swinging it around and hit her little brother and put him in ICU..
Thus, we must walk around very carefully, arms always at our sides, no running, jumping, spinning.

For what ever reason she feels threatened by Hellfire, its not her
imagination. Imagination does not play the same role in ones convictions.
When you pretend you are owning it. You can run wild with your imagination
but it gets a little dangerous when running wild while you are pretending.
We all have "run wild while pretending." Whatchu been smokin', waltero?

Sorry, no quote.

Yeah even when we are 4-60 years old...nothing wrong with that!

How dare her parents tell her she should stop "pretending" to be a demon
God! My counselor told me I didn't need to stop :-p

Its a different world today. If a child has issues they give em drugs.
Everybody is on something. They have a drug for everything.
My point was, you should not just come out all wily Nilly and be the voice of authority.
Ever known somembody to "Pretend" to be somebody (actors) and never snap
out of it (look it up)...go wild. Pay no attention to your convictions.

I'm a 39 year old Ninja warrior, is that OK? Pfft!

Look at our Prez, why is it not OK for him to be an ignoramus...is it because he isn't pretending? ;-)

Sorry Walter, but I really have no idea who you are talking about. Her parents told her "she should stop "pretending" to be a demon God"? Who are you referring to?

I don't like to "well actually" my friend Athos, but that confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior is the oldest form of Christianity there is. It's the original, the one that Jesus said His resurrection would prove and cement in place.
Fundamentalists have perverted it, yes. But it's not a good idea to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Hi DW - better late than never - meant to ask you back then)

I didn't understand your reply to me. I said nada about Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Or the resurrection. How did I throw out the baby with the bathwater?

AND - I must admit, I never heard that the oldest form of Christianity is confessing Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Is that even a form? A belief, ok, but a form? I would have said the oldest FORM of Christianity is the Catholic Church - when Jesus commissions Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church". Yes, I've heard the Protestant take on that, but it seems pretty clear to me without the use of semantics.

Hi Athos,
Looking at what I wrote and what you wrote, I believe I misunderstood what you said. I apologize.