How does our world treat strong Christians? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out.
Recently for my wife and I with our condition, I blogged about Christopher Sabat, an anime voice actor, and a statement about autistic fans. A lot of this has come about due to a controversy involving another voice actor, Vic Mignogna, someone my wife and I have met who is a strong Christian. More material has come out that has put Vic’s Christian faith right at the center of a lot of what is going on. It involves the anime studio Funimation that Vic worked for and produces such anime series as Dragonball Z.
The big event was a video that got leaked of a lot of Dragonball Z voice actors making jokes. What’s so bad about that? These jokes involved homosexual and incestual relationships. One of the main terms picked out of this by fans is a reference to “sacred ointment.” This video also used music from the series which we have no word that the composer would want to have done with his music. Also, it was done on Funimation equipment at their workplace. The video is available on the net for anyone wanting to find it. I find it so repugnant I don’t want to directly link to it.
It’s not escaping a lot of peoples’ notice that Vic got fired because there were allegations that he had made a joke of a sexual nature that seemed inappropriate, but this video gets leaked and absolutely nothing happens. The hypocrisy is stunning. At this, one has to ask why does Vic get special treatment like this?
Things have gone from bad to watch for Funimation. Another voice actor, Chuck Huber, released an affidavit about what goes on behind the scenes at Funimation. This included references to what has been called a casting couch even. Something specifically pointed out was Vic’s strong Christian faith and a number of times it is said that is why he is being targeted.
My wife cares deeply about this issue and we have been keeping up. I think it’s relevant also to show how Christians have been treated and the problems I see with the MeToo movement. The MeToo movement I would hope started with good intentions, but now it has reached the point where too often an allegation is enough to put someone’s entire life on the line.
Yet here we have a situation where one actor, a strong Christian, gets flimsy charges put against him that don’t match up with the evidence, and he is raked across the coals. Then we have an affidavit that shows up talking about a casting couch and numerous off-color sexual jokes in a leaked video and nothing happens. The crucial dividing factor in all of this is that one of the people involved does not keep his Christian faith a secret.
Even if the case against Vic was found to be airtight, it would be a pyrrhic victory for Funimation as this leaked video has put them in the crosshairs and it’s quite likely the headquarters that own franchises such as Dragonball in Japan are not happy about this. The Japanese can be very conservative in many ways and want their characters treated with honor. Those who went after Vic are now in the crosshairs.
If the allegations are correct that this is because Vic is a Christian, and I think they are, then it can give us a reminder of how our world today still sees Christianity. In reality, we should expect this. Christians are going to be marginalized. The very first Christians were accused of being cannibals and having incestual orgies at their love feasts.
What a shock also that the charges raised are moral accusations. I think of Daniel and how when the other officials wanted to charge him with something, they knew it had to be about his worship of his God. Thus, they had a law promptly made up that the king agreed to that they knew Daniel would never submit to.
Time will tell how all of this plays out, but Christians should note this is how we are going to be treated in society. While I do oppose sexual harassment, I cannot support the way the MeToo movement is being used. Investigate allegations, but don’t act on them without hard evidence.
And one more thing for Funimation. We have decided to follow your slogan.
We are watching.
In Christ,
Nick Peters