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(2004) Film Roundtable |
| This
page was created on October 26, 2004
This page was last updated on
October 29, 2004
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THE GRUDGE
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
From the Reviewers at
Hollywood Jesus |
 MIKE
FURCHES:
Hey all thought this would make a good discussion. I just did
a review of The Grudge
and loved the movie. Horror is a style that seems to receive more
criticism than does even satire from Christians. I have found
few movies address the spiritual side of evil like Horror and
have not had an issue with it. I actually have enjoyed various
sides of it. I would especially be interested in Maurice's perspective
on this. I get more negative mail from the horror I review than
anything, I still get mail from Dawn
of the Dead. Just look at this response I have already
received from my review. I am including first the review and then
the comment. This could make a great roundtable because it obviously
ruffles some feathers within the Christian Community:
Various responses I have received:
• Doesn't
your liberty end, where your weaker brothers conscious begins?
How could you possibly argue from a Biblical standpoint, that
many of the movies that you have reviewed are edifying to anyone,
let alone a Christian? I
honestly don't expect to change your views. But rather, I felt
compelled to defend the conservative Christian viewpoint. (end)
*******
• Jesus
said if you think adulterous thoughts, you are guilty of committing
adultery. Intimacy is intended for the marriage bed, not the silver
screen. Physical, romantic intimacy is meant for husbands and
wives, not actors. Even a man or woman’s lips belong to
their true spouse or future spouse, not to another actor or actress.
Do not facilitate inappropriate or immoral behavior by having
individuals (i.e., actors) not married to each other performing
acts which are rightly reserved only to a married man and woman.
(end)
*******
• Do not create
eye trap temptations or visual stumbling blocks for film viewers
that lead to coveting something which is sacred and does not belong
to them. Specifically, we want to strongly discourage the portrayal
of all forms of immodest or inappropriate dress. Moreover, in
a day and age of rampant immorality in which sensuality is paraded
before the American people in every imaginable medium of communication,
the Christian filmmaker should seek to honor Christ by maintaining
the highest standards for the Lord. (end)
*******
• 1
John 2:16 For all that is in the
world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the
pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. (end)
*******
• Please tell
me you didn't mean what you just said. So you're proud of your
former lifestyle? You can honestly look back at the lifestyle
you once lived, and find nothing to be ashamed of? That may explain
plenty.
Romans
6:21-23 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the
things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those
things is death....
Ephesians
4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life,
to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful
desires to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put
on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness
and holiness.
I
believe the Bible clearly teaches that it's natural for the born
again Christian to be ashamed of the way he once lived.
The
Bible teaches that the Christian should be ashamed of even mentioning
what the disobedient do in secret, let alone exposing ourselves
to it in living color.
It
not only teaches we shouldn't mention the wickedness that the
disobedient engage in, but says to rather expose it for what it
really is. I don't interpret that to mean we are to glorify those
things, and subject ourselves to watching and enjoying it, and
then to suggest others do the same. How can a Pastor interpret
it that way?
Ephesians.
5:8-14 ...Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what
the disobedient do in secret....
As
a self proclaimed Pastor, you surely realize you are held to a
higher standard.
1
Timothy 3:1-7 This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office
of an overseer, he desires a good work. The overseer therefore
must be without reproach...
I
do not claim to be perfect. But I do expect more from one who
professes to be a Bible Believing Pastor. It doesn't take a Christian
to see the hypocrisy in your attitude and lifestyle.
Is
there no right and wrong? Is there no truth? Is the Church now
expected to buy into moral relativism as some professing Christians
already have?
You
cannot preach to an unbelieving world, when you have absolutely
nothing to offer them. How can a prisoner attempt to set another
prisoner free?
Do
we preach to unbelievers to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus
for mercy, all the while casually engaging in the same sins that
we are called to expose?
Please
spare me and other conservative Bible Believers the Liberal interpretation
of these verses. The verses are plain to see for everyone. Liberty
or Grace is not a license to sin. As the Bible says, May it never
be. (end)
*******
|
 JIM
DAVIS :
First off, thanks Mike for your honesty and your review (I have thought
about going to see "The Grudge" myself).
In regards to the horror movie genre, some years ago a very good friend
of mine (who happened to be someone that I worked with in ministry)
was having some marriage problems and receiving some counseling support.
His counselor, who was also a Christian, recommended that my friend
and his wife rent and view a movie titled "Needful Things",
(which is based on a book by author Stephen King). At first I thought
that this was a very strange recommendation, especially coming from
a Christian counselor and aimed at a Christian couple. My friend said
that viewing this movie was very beneficial for him and his wife,
as the whole focus of the movie was based around the assumptions that
we all make about each other (our motives, intentions, etc.), and
that the movie provided a good amount of insight that proved to be
helpful.
Out of curiosity and my friends recommendation I rented the video
of the movie, and found it to be very insightful (and also entertaining
too!). On my own, without any input or encouragement from a close
friend I would have never ventured out to rent this movie (I had never
read any Stephen King books, and thought that Christians should not
expose themselves to this material), but was glad that I did. I have
since recommended this video to others who I thought would benefit
from the insightful content contained within (especially on the whole
matter of the difficulties associated with the assumptions, oftentimes
false ones, that we all make in our relationships).
This experience helped me to adjust my perspective in regards to the
resources that are available to help, and to not be so reactionary
and closed to "judge the proverbial book by its cover" (literally
and figuratively speaking!). |
 DARREL
MANSON:
In the Jan. 30, 2002, issue of The
Christian Century (oh no, a trip to the library stacks),
screenwriter Scott Derrickson has an article excepted from an address
he gave at BIOLA. In it he says:
My work in the horror genre has made me controversial among Christians.
But as a Christian, I defend horror films. No other genre offers audiences
a more spiritual view of the world, and no other genre communicates
a more dearly defined moral perspective. Haunted-house films like
Poltergeist and The Uninvited offer
a perspective rare in cinema--the recognition that there actually
is a spiritual realm. Zombie films like Dawn
of the Dead are satirical indictments of American consumerism,
but they also present the uniquely Christian idea of bodily resurrection.
More mainstream horror films like Angel Heart, The
Exorcist and Rosemary's
Baby explore the satanic and demonic realm with feverish
moral passion. And even the so-called slasher genre ought to be appreciated
as the only kind of film that makes murder truly horrific. Though
slasher movies seems to take the extreme and disturbing view that
if you're young and have sex, you deserve to be butchered, the usual
perspective of contemporary films seems to be equally extreme in the
opposite direction, for they imply that teenage sex is altogether
exempt from moral judgment. More than any other genre, horror clearly
communicates the distinction between good and evil. |
 MAURICE
BROADDUS:
I think that part of the problem when talking to Christians about
horror is their preconceived ideas of what horror is. They automatically
think demons and gore. When you point out that "The
Sixth Sense" is a horror movie, they are usually
shocked out of their "I don't watch horror" stance. Horror
is about dealing with fear, an attempt to get a cathartic release
in dealing with things that scare us, usually with an element of the
supernatural. Which means that the Bible, in many respects, is the
ultimate horror story. And as "The
Passion of the Christ" reminded us, there is more
than a little bit of gore involved. In fact, a brutal death followed
by a resurrection sounds like the plot to many a horror story.
There are many kinds of horror: Atmospheric, supernatural, serial
killer, splatter/"gross out" and other ways I could categorize
it. But I tend to think that horror writers fall into two very general
camps: traditionalists and extremists (for lack of better terms).
It is the tools you use to scare that define what camp you find yourself
in.Traditionalists tend to be more character driven, letting the horror
arise from or intrude on the mundane. They are often more atmospheric,
and explore the eerie or weird with a moral sensibility to their work.
Oh yeah, traditionalists are good vs. evil moralists.
Extremists are (much) more visceral. Quicker to go for the blood and
guts/gross out or the perverse. I'm actually disturbed by how much
value-loaded (read: judgmental sounding) language I'm using, but it's
the easiest way I know to describe it. I'm more of a traditionalist,
which is not to say 1) that I don't occasionally enjoy a good extremist
or 2) that traditionalists or extremists exclusively write with only
that set of tools. It's a pallette: You have a broad spectrum of colors
and styles to choose from to create your painting. And sometimes it's
like your taste in music: most times I listen to 70's R&B, but
sometimes I need a little Rage Against the Machine
or Dream Theater to get me going. Most times I naturally
gravitate toward the traditionalist stuff Ray Bradbury, Stephen King,
but sometimes I need a shot of Clive Barker (Hellraiser, Candyman)
or John Shirley to shock the palate.
The book that got me to be even more bold about displaying my Christianity
in my work was a book by Stephen King entitled "Desperation".
The basic theme of the novel, now pay close attention since we can't
learn anything from these "scary books", is that if you
are not in a state of faith, you are in a state of desperation. And
the hero of the novel is the most well rounded Christian kid I have
ever read in any genre. [Keep in mind, however, it is a horror novel,
and it does have its share of visceral thrills.] |
 MELINDA
LEDMAN:
I
saw my first horror movie at 8 years old - Salem's Lot,
a good ole' Stephen King vampire flick. I was so terrified that I
had nightmares until I was 12 years old and other things in life seemed
more important than vampires. Knowing that I have been "gifted"
with a vivid imagination, I resolved not to watch any more horror
movies for the rest of my life - something I have maintained fairly
easily.
As
for other folks, I know that many of my friends grew up watching
horror flicks and laughed at all of the B-rated animation and costuming
faux pas. It doesn't bother them a bit because the fear part has
very little factor in their enjoyment of the film. If a person can
watch these films with a discerning eye and not internalize them
like others (me), then I think it's alright for them. It becomes
a completely different form of entertainment, neither based in fear
nor reality - almost like my passion for sci fi.
I have
wrestled with this issue concerning my own kids. On one hand, if
you watch horror flicks with them and point out all of the stunts,
inconsistencies, etc., they can be taught that these images are
not real. The danger of not exposing them (much like shielding them
from an awareness of atrocities that truly exist in life - starvation,
abuse, poverty, etc.), is that they can be very shocked and frightened
by them. Now, I'm not saying we SHOULDN’T be shocked by such
things, because that sense of injustice is what prompts us to action
on the real issues of life. Therein lies the benefit of a pure mind
which readily discerns between good and evil. The shock value of
evil dissuades one from participating in it and also encourages
one to fight it. And yet...kids should not be so afraid of these
films that they have nightmares for four years when they first see
one. Wink wink.
For
my kids, I have landed in a sort of middle place. Since I cannot
stand to watch horror flicks myself and my daughter is terrified
by some of the simple events in Finding Nemo,
I have decided to make use of commercials and trailers that are
shown on television. This way, I can point out that horror movies
are make-believe without innundating her mind with garbage. She
is such a little parrot: hear = say, see = do. I do know that too
much garbage or exposure to crippling fear will affect her spiritual
growth. For myself, I don't feel that I've been robbed of anything
wonderful by never seeing another horror flick. I doubt she will
be either.
Beware:
Soapbox - I actually have a bigger concern for shows like CSI,
which air on television (accessible to all ages) and flagrantly
show/discuss sexual abuse, child abuse, incest, mutilation, and
every kind of possible interpersonal evil that can happen between
two people. It just makes me wonder what the next generation will
grow up thinking is "normal." I feel that my child will
have a much harder time standing for Christ when she is my age.
I do believe in the philosophy of garbage in/garbage out (equally,
truth in/truth out), and I believe that Christian purists and those
who live their lives in total moral deprivation will become more
polarized. With the increase of shows like CSI,
people will likely begin to flock to one camp or the other, and
the lukewarm middle class will become a rather narrow margin of
the population. Gen Xers have been somewhat sheltered from harm
because of that lukewarm middle class (for instance, there were
no Columbine stories in the whole nation during my youth), but I
think that security blanket is coming off. I would rather equip
my kids to deal with such things by innundating them with Biblical
truth rather than media top-sellers.
In
an age where the stand will be harder, I feel I should work that
much harder to use situations, experiences, the Bible, and life
lessons to more firmly ground my kids in a legitimate, real-life
faith in Christ that they can count on long after I'm gone. This
includes things like taking food and supplies to the poor, volunteering
at hospitals and nursing homes, praying for friends at school who
have bruises all over them, etc. But, as for horror, I think the
trailers will do just fine. :)
|
 MARK
EZRA STOKES:
I really think Melinda hit the nail on the head in talking about children's
reactions to horror films. My first real horror flick was also a Stephen
King movie. I was nine and had convinced my father that I was big
enough to watch the film IT if he taped it so I could watch it in
the daylight.
Big mistake.
For some reason, I was completely mortified. Because of my previous
love for clowns, I completely redecorated my room to avoid eye contact
with a certain Ringling Bros. poster until a few years ago. For years,
I couldn't see pictures of Pennywise or hear someone say "Wanna balloon?
They float!" without going into a complete panic attack.
About two years ago, I decided to face my greatest fear and watch
the film again. As a film student and critic, I was able to appreciate
the elements that made it suspenseful and scary. Though I was still
overly-tense when using the bathroom that night, I was able to divorce
fantasy from reality. I was also able to see just how cheesy and unrealistic
much of it was.
I am now able to enjoy thrillers and horror films because I CAN discern
the difference between reality and fantasy. Children don't have that
ability. I once heard of a psychological study that concluded that,
because of the incompleteness of their brains (I'm sure there's a
more scientific way of putting it), children are especially susceptible
to violence and other elements we'd be able to easily brush off. One
of the things that burns me up most is when parents take their children
to films that were clearly not marketed for children. We won't get
on that soapbox, though.
Back to horror films. I do find it difficult to watch certain horror
films--especially those dealing with the occult or demons--because
of some personal experiences with the demonic. (Okay, now I've labeled
myself as the resident kook. I'll just say that freaky stuff happens
to missionary kids in mystic, third-world countries.)
All rambling aside, I guess my point was that the psychological difference
between the adult and child brain should not be ignored. We as adults
normally do have the ability to discern the real from the not-so-real
and are able to learn from the spiritual themes. As Mike mentioned,
though, if horror films cause you to stumble in your walk with Christ,
by all means never EVER watch another horror film again. If, however,
you're able to find a bridge that presents the hope of Christ in contrast
with a hopeless, frightening ending,--an opportunity to share your
faith with someone whose been disenfranchised by our all-too-present
piety--you'd better hit the video store this instant! |
 ELISABETH
LEITCH:
First off, I admit that like Melinda I also tend to
have an overactive imagination and therefore do not tend to jump in
my car to hit the theaters every time a new horror film comes out.
And even today, I still have very real memories of months of terror
after seeing some film (probably more comedy than horror now that
I think about it) about someone's mother turning into a werewolf when
I was little.
When it comes to the value of horror films, however, I believe they
have just as much value as any other film genre in the theaters today.
While I have not seen It, The Exorcist,
The Ring, any of the Scream
movies, or any of the many recent
zombie type movies, many of the movies that have left
me thinking about the deeper things of life long after I saw them
have in fact been dark/scary (if not horror) movies.
Concerning movies involving demons, ghosts, Satan and other manifestations
of "spiritual" forces of evil, I very much agree with Maurice that
these movies really are an extraordinary vehicle for getting people
to think about spiritual matters. For those of us who may not have
witnessed demons like Mark, these movies help us to recognize that
evil and Satan's presence is very real. While we might wish that we
and others might recognize a spiritual world by simply recognizing
God in our lives or watching movies about angels, I believe horror
helps people to at least consider a spiritual world in a way that
is less obtrusive than a portrayal of benevolent spiritual forces
would. Through fear, horror/scary movies are able to circumvent logic
that says this world is only what we can see and figure out, b/c we
do find ourselves getting scared and in that fear we must recognize
a belief in at least the idea behind what caused us to fear. Not just
leaving us with this sense of belief centered in fear, however, the
recognition of evil forces in horror opens the door for viewers to
desire there to be spiritual forces in opposition to the evil ones
and a push to believe in them.
Thoughts on specific movies-While The
Others was extremely depressing, in the end, it made
me wish for God to save Nicole Kidman and bring her up to heaven;
by seeing a picture of what afterlife could be, it made me very glad
that heaven is real and more convinced in that belief. While The
Devil's Advocate was maddening, while the end made me
want to step right into the television and slap Al Pacino, it drove
home the reality of Satan's presence on this earth, the reality that
he will try to trip us up every chance, and made me desire to seek
God more and do whatever I could to help him be a larger influence
in the world than Satan could ever be.
In movies and television shows were evil is more manifest in humans
than in spiritual forces, I also believe the same is true. Again,
they open our eyes to the evil in the world. They make us pause to
consider how someone could do such horrible things and wish that such
evil could be defeated. With evil manifest in people who at one time
or another were probably not that different from you and me, it makes
us pause to consider how they got there and desire that our lives
would never go there. Aligning almost everyone against the bad guy
and on the side of the good guy, these movies can also be wake up
call to the fact that we do all really believe in good over evil and
desire that for our lives and our world. While Se7en
may be highly disturbing, in the end, as we yell inside our heads
for Brad Pitt not to lower himself to Kevin Spacey's level, we confirm
within ourselves that we simply want to end the evil and find the
good, that good should triumph over evil, that when it comes to even
the most "evil" people we can imagine, evil in return is not the solution
(opening the door just slightly for the idea of forgiveness instead
of condemnation).
So, those are some thoughts. While horror/violent/scary television
shows can be disturbing, I think that so many of them posses the potential
to lead us and others to think about things that matter, that we should
not condemn them as a whole and push them out of our lives simply
because they portray evil. At the same time, however, I personally
know that those kinds of movies and television shows can become both
a depressing influence that can cause viewers to lose hope instead
of see it and/or a source of overwhelming and controlling fear, neither
of which is healthy or beneficial as it replaces God as the main influence
over how we see and live life. So, I say, if we are able to watch
those kinds of movies, let us find God in and through them and milk
them for all they are worth, but at the same time be aware of how
they will and do affect and influence us and our own walk with the
Lord (and those around us). |
MAURICE
BROADDUS:
When I am confronted on this issue (you know, "how can you call
yourself a Christian and write horror?"), I only have two responses.
Which one I give depends on my mood.
1)
When it comes down to it, many horror writers are moralists. We
see the evil in the world and we struggle with why it's there. We
struggle with how to deal with it. So we write in reaction to it
as a form of therapy. Plus, what other genre of literature has,
as part and parcel of its lexicon, the same language of Christianity?
By its very nature, horror deals with the issues of the total depravity
of man; the nature and reality of evil; speculation about the afterlife;
the reality of spiritual beings (angels, demons, spirits) and spiritual
powers (the occult); and the drama of the constant battle of good
vs. evil.
2)
Bite me. In Jesus' name.
|
MIKE
FURCHES:
I don't know who has the most problems with horror or fear. I actually
rather hold Horror as an equivalent to a roller coaster or thrill
ride at a carnival, with a few obvious differences. In some ways,
I believe God has equipped us with different amounts of thrill genes.
This comes into question for a couple of reasons; one is the addition
of new authors in the Christian realm like Frank Paretti and others.
I would not include Ted Dekker there although there are some supernatural
tendencies to some of his writings. I also believe that this is a
Romans 14 issue. I would ask each one to read that chapter and state
if they agree with that equation. The following is from the New Living
Translation.
1
Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them
about what they think is right or wrong.
2 For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything.
But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only
vegetables.
3 Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look
down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must
not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.
4 Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to
the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong.
The Lord's power will help them do as they should.
5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another
day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have
a personal conviction about this matter.
6 Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying
to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the
Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who
won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks
to God.
7 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die.
8 While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we
go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the
Lord.
9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might
be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died.
10 So why do you condemn another Christian*? Why do you look down
on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally
before the judgment seat of God.
11 For the Scriptures say, " `As surely as I live,' says the
Lord, `every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance
to God.' "*
12 Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God.
13 So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in
such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's
path.
14 I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of the Lord Jesus
that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone
believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.
15 And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are
not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone
for whom Christ died.
16 Then you will not be condemned for doing something you know is
all right.
17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink,
but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God.
And other people will approve of you, too.
19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build
each other up.
20 Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember,
there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is
wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble.
21 Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might
cause another Christian to stumble.
22 You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong
with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed
are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they
know is all right.
23 But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something,
they shouldn't eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in
faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you
are sinning.
There is the challenge of where is the appropriate place for fear
in the life of one who professes Christ. I think this is a good
point of argument. One that each of us have to come to our own conclusions
with. The issue of fear to me is kind of like the issue of pride,
I sometimes think we have exaggerated or misunderstood the meaning
in a contemporary context. We say things like you should never experience
or have fear or that you should never feel proud. On the surface,
I would agree with those statements. If I were to dig deeper though
I would have to wonder if the definition of fear or pride as presented
in the Biblical text, is the same definition we would generally
grasp in today's world and in today's culture.
Just
thinking aloud and asking myself questions here seeking the wisdom
of the great ones beyond cyberspace known of as the Hollywood Jesus
Family.
|
 CHRIS
UTLEY
My $0.02.
1. I saw "The Grudge". I thought it stunk!
:o) We had more fun making cat noises in the theatre than we did watching
the flick.
2.
I stopped going to horror movies for years after I became a Christian.
I wrestled with the thought that I was somehow dishonoring God/Jesus
for watching films that glorify death. Now, mind you, this was not
a diligently, prayed/thought out decision. It was one of those things
that I felt I was supposed to do as a new believer: remove myself
from the world and surround myself in a completely Christian environment.
After all, we're a royal priesthood, a holy nation, consecrated,
sanctified and set apart for God. Right?
Then, a few years ago, my wife and I went to see "Final
Destination". I felt like I was 15 years old again
on opening weekend of the latest "Freddy Krueger" flick.
I had so much fun.
How?
By allowing COMMON SENSE to rule my decision making process rather
than duty and obligation. Duty and obligation would make me yell
out in the middle of a film "God is not pleased!" (I actually
saw a person do that before in a crowded theatre!) Common Sense
says the obvious: It's Only A Movie!
Everything is permissible for me...but, like Paul, I will not be
mastered or controlled by anything. Not even these silly little
horror flicks. I personally don't OWN many horror flicks but I've
seen my fair share in the last few years (the last 2 I liked were
"The Ring"--can't
wait for the sequel--and the "Dawn
Of The Dead" update...I even plan on seeing "Saw"
this weekend). I am not an "Exorcist"
fan at all...simply because, at the end of that film, Satan (pretty
much) was the victorious one. Heck, the younger priest should not
have been anywhere near that crucifixion...he had way way too many
issues to be spiritually strong enough to handle that responsibility.
At the end of the day, it's only a movie to me. I'm not about to
play with Ouija boards or go in my bathroom mirror and say "Candyman"
3 times. I don't believe in killer dolls or undead machete-wielding
mass murderers who die and come back every 2-3 years for sequels...nor
will I become one. :o) Horror doesn't cause me to stumble, so it's
a non issue to me. I don't think it's right for folks to send guilt-trippy
emails laden with Scriptures or to ostracize those Christians who
enjoy horror flicks.
After all, He commanded us to handle our own salvation with fear
and trembling. I don't have time to fuss at you over the untidy
pile of papers in your living room knowing full well that my house
is in disarray!
|
|
 Kevin
Miller:
I just want to
jump in and say that one of my favorite guilty pleasures is "The
Shining." Why do I enjoy this film? Should I watch
such things? I'm still not sure.
|
HURT
BY THE CHURCH |
MAURICE
BROADDUS:
I think many Christians would be stunned by how many horror writers
are, in fact, Christians. For the last two years, the World Horror
Convention had been held on Easter/Passover weekend. The numbers for
the convention were down drastically and it took the organizers a
while to figure out "maybe we ought to not have it on Easter
weekend". In fact the 2005 WHC web site advertises "Not
On Easter Weekend".
A lot of those same writers have been truly hurt by the church. One
writer told me of how his entire congregation, a body he had grown
up with, turned their back on him when he said he was going to pursue
a full time career as a horror writer. He struggles with his faith
because he wants to seek God, but has no one to do it with. He was
so scarred by his experience that he has trouble even thinking about
walking into a church.
Another friend of mine was told by her pastor that she was doing the
devil's work and that anyone who was determined to follow such a path
could not be a part of their worshiping body. She switched churches,
kept her hobby to herself, and writes under a pen name.
There is this imagined dived between the secular and the sacred, as
opposed to viewing all things as sacred and finding God in all things.
There are two reactions to "secular" things: separate or
redeem. The former being the preferred method of "Bible-believing
Christians" and the latter being a more difficult, and yes, mature,
approach to things. Far too many choose to separate themselves from
mainstream culture, which is their application of the verses saying
to not be a part of the world. Then they turn around and make fun
of the Amish, not realizing that they are just as out of step as they
are trapped in their Christian ghettos/sub-cultures and reaching no
one. You can't reach the "unsaved" if you are too afraid
to be around them in fear of being "corrupted" by them.
The other option is to redeem the culture, which would be the application
of following Paul's (author of many of the New Testament books) example
of using his culture's references to promote this new way of thinking.
It involves thinking spiritually about all things, "finding the
diamonds in the garbage" as it were, and working with them.
I would be perfectly content if they, the "Bible-believing Christians"
viewed me as a specialized sort of missionary. One who has studied
the culture within which I choose to work, a culture they don't have
the tools to reach. And if they said, "I can't do what you do,
but I'm glad someone can." Or if they just said that they draw
their lines where they do, but as a matter of liberty or not sinning
against our own conscience, we are free to draw our lines where our
conscience defines; rather than saying that all "Christians"
should draw their lines in the same place.
Here are two cool articles on the theology of horror:
(in the spirit of full disclosure, this one was dedicated to me. It's
written by a friend of mine, Rich Vincent. David Bruce knows him and
has referenced him before) Web
page here.
The second article covers some of the same ground, but is an interesting
read none the less: Web
page here. |
 LYN
MELLONE:
In
response to:
I would be perfectly content if they, the "Bible-believing
Christians" viewed me as a specialized sort of missionary.
One who has studied the culture within which I choose to work,
a culture they don't have the tools to reach. And if they said,
"I can't do what you do, but I'm glad someone can."
Well,
include me in that category.
I'm glad you've shown "Bible-believing Christians" in
quotation marks, because I suspect that what you really mean is
something other than what (I think) a true Bible-believing Christian
is, something more along the lines of "Christians who use Bible
verses to slap down those who think a little differently than they
do." I consider myself to be a Bible-believing Christian, and
I am sure that Jesus hoped that every follower of his would be a
Bible-believing Christian.
Can one of you creative writers try to come up with another way
to identify what we all mean?
I know Chris likes to use the term "holy roller," but
here again I don't like the idea of agreeing with non-Christians
in their derisive terminology for something they don't understand.
Sure there are plenty of "Christians" who seem to depend
on a public display of a faith that actually can be very superficial,
but let's not take up a secular viewpoint towards our brethren.
I think it may be harder for those of you who have had to defend
your positions to sound neutral instead of defensive, but as the
editor, let me assure you that neutrality carries more credibility.
Let's find some descriptive, but respectful, terms we can use. |
 Mike
Smith:
I'll bite at coining a term "Christianese." Christian
by association not nessessarily by conviction. |
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