On Dangerous Ground
I’ve read about the controversy over the all too popular Twilight books and movies and since the topic is on the table, I thought I would add my twenty-five cents.
Some people love it, some hate it. Some read/watch it purely for the ability to criticize it. And just from hearing the opinions expressed by all three parties, and from walking past the nearly life sized posters in stores, I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t want to be a part of any of those camps. I certainly don’t want to love it, and I have better uses for my energies than hating it. But most importantly I refuse to read or watch it just so I can know why I don’t want to love nor hate it, or to have debate fodder, or simply because I am curious about it. Here is where I believe that many people, particularly my fellow Christians, are treading on dangerous ground.
I know, just from seeing the posters, t-shirts and other various fan materials that Twilight is a bad thing. I can tell from my few unavoidable glimpses that it is emotional pornographic, not to mention evil to the nth degree. I don’t need to read the books to figure that out. I mean, just think about it---it’s about vampires. Vampires. Anyone who knows anything about mythology knows that vampires are evil. They are in the same category as witches, ghosts and goblins. Evil and demonic just barely begin to describe these mythical creatures. So putting them in a position where they are idolized, worshipped, and made the heroes of the story is nothing less than satanic. Sure, there are such creatures in stories like The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, but the difference is that you know they are evil. They are the bad guys. They are defeated in the end by the ones who stand for what is good and right. How, then, can a story with a completely evil and satanic creature as the “good guy”, the “hero” and ultimately the “prince charming” be something that we, as believers in God, members of the Body of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit, should be filling our heads and hearts with? 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” It’s not rocket science. It isn’t that hard to figure out.
We are swimming in shark infested waters when our desire to fit in and find the good in pop culture overrides our consciences and causes us to justify something we know, without a shadow of a doubt, is wrong. We know its wrong---why do we have to prove it? Yes, there are many instances where we do need to read or watch something in order to form our opinions of it. But in the case of Twilight, I don’t see that it is necessary.
We know that J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were Christians. Their Biblical beliefs shine through their writing. Good always triumphs over evil, and the sides are easily distinguishable. Even Star Wars puts good and evil in their right places. Pirates of the Caribbean is a bit questionable, but that is a subject for another essay. However, Twilight is a different story. Evil is portrayed as good. Wrong is justified as right. The satanic, mythical beings are the heroes. Lust is encouraged, and infatuation is idolized.
The last point I mentioned is one particular reason that I refuse to be a part of any Twilight camp. It’s the same reason I’ve never watched High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Harry Potter, or any of the other popular secular infatuations. Obsession with anything but God is wrong. Passion about anything that does not somehow bring glory to God is dangerous. And indulging in something so demonic and so far from God as Twilight is sickening.
I believe this with my whole heart, and am cautioning my dear brothers and sisters in Christ to think and pray very hard, and to examine the true motives of their hearts before reading or watching Twilight. We are called to be lights in this world and reflections of our Savior. Is Twilight so beneficial to this calling? Is it so necessary to fill our hearts with such a vile concoction, merely for the ability to discredit it or argue about it?
If the latest fad was hurling yourself off a bridge, dooming yourself to certain injury and possibly even death, would you do it? Of course not. There is no logic in saying, “Well, I don’t know for sure how bad it is until I’ve tried it. Who knows? Maybe there is some good in it! I’m going to jump and see for myself.” That is just downright stupidity. Yet that seems to be the justifying mentality that I am seeing concerning Twilight; “Oh, perhaps it’s not so bad. There might be some good in it. I’m going to figure out for myself.” What glory is there in saying, “Yes, I read Twilight, and it’s as bad as we thought”? Well, of DUH! We knew that!
If you play with fire long enough, you will get burned. When you cross enemy lines with a cocky, “Hey, look at me! Bet you can’t do this!” attitude, eventually you will find yourself in a prison camp. Yes, some prisoners of war escape, but often some don’t live to talk about it. How many times in our lives have we been told to “just say no to drugs”? We know its not cool to dabble in wrong just to see if we can handle it. 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
Again I will say, beware. On the subject of Twilight, we have the chance to stand apart from the world, as we have in so many other things. Let’s not back down, or compromise our morals now. We have so many better uses for our ever shortening time here on this earth. Let’s not waste it looking for the good in the blatantly and deliberately evil. Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Some people love it, some hate it. Some read/watch it purely for the ability to criticize it. And just from hearing the opinions expressed by all three parties, and from walking past the nearly life sized posters in stores, I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t want to be a part of any of those camps. I certainly don’t want to love it, and I have better uses for my energies than hating it. But most importantly I refuse to read or watch it just so I can know why I don’t want to love nor hate it, or to have debate fodder, or simply because I am curious about it. Here is where I believe that many people, particularly my fellow Christians, are treading on dangerous ground.
I know, just from seeing the posters, t-shirts and other various fan materials that Twilight is a bad thing. I can tell from my few unavoidable glimpses that it is emotional pornographic, not to mention evil to the nth degree. I don’t need to read the books to figure that out. I mean, just think about it---it’s about vampires. Vampires. Anyone who knows anything about mythology knows that vampires are evil. They are in the same category as witches, ghosts and goblins. Evil and demonic just barely begin to describe these mythical creatures. So putting them in a position where they are idolized, worshipped, and made the heroes of the story is nothing less than satanic. Sure, there are such creatures in stories like The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, but the difference is that you know they are evil. They are the bad guys. They are defeated in the end by the ones who stand for what is good and right. How, then, can a story with a completely evil and satanic creature as the “good guy”, the “hero” and ultimately the “prince charming” be something that we, as believers in God, members of the Body of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit, should be filling our heads and hearts with? 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” It’s not rocket science. It isn’t that hard to figure out.
We are swimming in shark infested waters when our desire to fit in and find the good in pop culture overrides our consciences and causes us to justify something we know, without a shadow of a doubt, is wrong. We know its wrong---why do we have to prove it? Yes, there are many instances where we do need to read or watch something in order to form our opinions of it. But in the case of Twilight, I don’t see that it is necessary.
We know that J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were Christians. Their Biblical beliefs shine through their writing. Good always triumphs over evil, and the sides are easily distinguishable. Even Star Wars puts good and evil in their right places. Pirates of the Caribbean is a bit questionable, but that is a subject for another essay. However, Twilight is a different story. Evil is portrayed as good. Wrong is justified as right. The satanic, mythical beings are the heroes. Lust is encouraged, and infatuation is idolized.
The last point I mentioned is one particular reason that I refuse to be a part of any Twilight camp. It’s the same reason I’ve never watched High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Harry Potter, or any of the other popular secular infatuations. Obsession with anything but God is wrong. Passion about anything that does not somehow bring glory to God is dangerous. And indulging in something so demonic and so far from God as Twilight is sickening.
I believe this with my whole heart, and am cautioning my dear brothers and sisters in Christ to think and pray very hard, and to examine the true motives of their hearts before reading or watching Twilight. We are called to be lights in this world and reflections of our Savior. Is Twilight so beneficial to this calling? Is it so necessary to fill our hearts with such a vile concoction, merely for the ability to discredit it or argue about it?
If the latest fad was hurling yourself off a bridge, dooming yourself to certain injury and possibly even death, would you do it? Of course not. There is no logic in saying, “Well, I don’t know for sure how bad it is until I’ve tried it. Who knows? Maybe there is some good in it! I’m going to jump and see for myself.” That is just downright stupidity. Yet that seems to be the justifying mentality that I am seeing concerning Twilight; “Oh, perhaps it’s not so bad. There might be some good in it. I’m going to figure out for myself.” What glory is there in saying, “Yes, I read Twilight, and it’s as bad as we thought”? Well, of DUH! We knew that!
If you play with fire long enough, you will get burned. When you cross enemy lines with a cocky, “Hey, look at me! Bet you can’t do this!” attitude, eventually you will find yourself in a prison camp. Yes, some prisoners of war escape, but often some don’t live to talk about it. How many times in our lives have we been told to “just say no to drugs”? We know its not cool to dabble in wrong just to see if we can handle it. 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
Again I will say, beware. On the subject of Twilight, we have the chance to stand apart from the world, as we have in so many other things. Let’s not back down, or compromise our morals now. We have so many better uses for our ever shortening time here on this earth. Let’s not waste it looking for the good in the blatantly and deliberately evil. Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
