I don't know if any of you remember when I asked for advice about talking to my younger sister who was into yaoi/hentai a few years ago (if you don't, the original thread is here:http://christiananime.net/showthread.php?t=15903). She was 14 at the time, now she's 17.
We did have a little talk about it soon after that (I would have updated you all on what happened but the thread was closed before I could because people were starting debates... n_n). At the time I didn't think my words registered with her much, even though she didn't try to argue with me. She laid off the gross hardcore stuff (or maybe got better at hiding it?) and I didn't find any more of it on my computer.
I eventually found out that her original reason for being introduced to yaoi/yuri was because many of her favorite online fan artists and manga-kas were heavily into slash art. I theorize that her motivation was a mix of youthful naivety, teenage hormones, and being influenced by people she admired and respected into something new and taboo. Also the social pressure was VERY high - all the artists she liked very loudly condemned Christians as evil homophobic bigots, and gay rights was a very big issue at the high school she had just began attending (I know this from things that she has told me, as well as from the reputation her school has around town - even when I was in high school 8 years ago it was known for being very liberal). She made a lot of friends who were openly homosexual, all of the musicians that were popular among them were either openly gay or pro-gay, there were plenty of gay teachers, and it became "trendy" to claim you were "bi-curious".
How could a little 14-year-old freshman compete with all of that propaganda?
But miraculously, God began to open her eyes in ways I never could have with any Bible verses or lectures. Around Sophomore/Junior year, she began to notice many negative changes in her two best friends she'd known since childhood. One had declared herself a lesbian and the other a bisexual, and began savagely fighting with one another over lovers and other miscellaneous drama. They had both warped from sweet, likable kids into rude, vulgar, bitter, vindictive, constantly depressed teens. They would dress in black, cut themselves, and threaten suicide over the pettiest problem. Worst of all, they would treat her badly for failing to conform to their lifestyle choices. For about a year they were incredibly mean to her and even began a little "campaign" to troll her livejournal (which included negative remarks about our family) and otherwise harass her in various ways. Ironically though, the entire time she had never once mentioned being Christian or spoken an ill word about homosexuality, yet they still hated her. It became obvious that Satan was doing this - manipulation hadn't worked on her, so now he was using threats and intimidation to get her to join the crowd. Even if she did not realize it at first, God was slowly opening her eyes to the reality of the spiritual warfare going on around her.
She finally saw the horrible effects that sin and homosexual behavior had on the people around her, and she decided she didn't want to end up the same way. One day out of the blue she came up to me, told me everything that had been happening, and shockingly - expressed her desire to become a Christian!!! I was so amazed - and grateful!!! It just goes to show you that God can reach people wherever they are, in any environment. He knows what they need to be drawn to the truth.
She is now fully convicted that homosexuality is a sin, and no longer respects artists who glorify it. She has a very strong distaste for anything having to do with it. She has seen firsthand what sin does to people, and she is convinced that God's way is the better way.
Isn't that just AMAZING?! Pray that both of us will continue to grow in our relationships with God, and that she will be a light at her school. She just began her Senior year, so we should pray that He will reach her friends through her.
Praise God for everything He's done, and what He will continue to do!!!
