Horror, Fantasy and Christians
May 19th 2008 04:52
The Christians I know are fairly divided about Harry Potter. Some think that it’s completely wrong. Others thing that it’s okay. Those that think it is wrong are usually adamantly against the Harry Potter books. They say that Christians should not have anything to do with books or movies that promote magic or sorcery. Unless, so it seemed, the author was a Christian. So Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia were quite okay. Harry Potter was definitely out.
However now JK Rowling has come out and said that she is a Christian and the Potter series deliberately contained Christian themes, it should make for an interesting discussion on whether her books are okay or not. What happens now? Do books that were once the tool of the devil now make it onto a Christian’s recommended reading list, just because they now have a Christian slant?
Probably not. I’ve had a number of discussions with people about Harry Potter, since JK Rowling’s Christian declaration. The only person who ever brought that up was me. I feel that the Christians who were against Harry Potter probably don’t really want to think about it. If they do, they might be forced to reconsider what makes a book okay for Christians and what doesn’t? How can exactly the same book be okay when the author is a Christian, but not okay when the author isn’t? It doesn’t make sense – and I think they know that.
There’s one thing I’m pretty sure of though. If Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia were written by secular writers, they would have been deemed inappropriate by many Christians. If JK Rowling has said from the onset that she was a Christian and the Harry Potter books contained Christian themes, they’d be advertised in Christian catalogues right alongside books titled “Why Lord of the Rings is wrong” and “Why the Devil wants you to read the Chronicles of Narnia”.
I don’t want to suggest that all Christians feel this way. I know quite a few Christians who read and watch Harry Potter. But when they tell me this, they seem to be slightly embarrassed. I’m not criticising. I do the same thing. Not with Harry Potter – I’m not a big Harry Potter fan. But I am a big Stephen King fan. When someone asks me what I’m reading and it happens to be a Stephen King book, I say it as if I am apologising.
Horror is another area that some Christians say we should steer well clear of. I have had one person tell me that I should not read Stephen King as it can create all kinds of spiritual strongholds in my life. But I have also seen many books that could be classified as horror, but because they’re written by a Christian with deliberate Christian themes, they’re quite alright.
Christian fiction often contains elements of fantasy and horror. Why? Because these are good vehicles for discussing topics like good and evil. But they’re good vehicles for discussing good and evil, regardless of the faith of the author. You can’t say that one book can use elements of magic, sorcery and horror because the author is a Christian. But another book that touches on exactly the same things is bad because the author is not a Christian.
One of the things that I like about horror is it does address issues of good and evil, the supernatural, the idea of a higher power. Horror books raise questions about the spiritual and the supernatural. Whether the author is Christian or not is irrelevant. I also open up a way to discuss the spiritual and supernatural with other people. People are more likely to have read a Stephen King book than they are to have read the latest horror offering in a Christian bookstore.
Part of why I think some Christians are against horror and fantasy is because we like to think we have the monopoly on the supernatural. If “non-Christians” writers are doing it, there must be bad forces at work. Anything that does not come from God must come from the devil. But I have read so many horror books that contain some really good messages. If God could use a donkey, I’m pretty sure he can use secular books and movies to start getting people thinking about spirituality and faith.
So I don’t just think that horror and fantasy books are okay, I think Christians should be reading them. Horror and fantasy helps us think about supernatural themes in a different way – and perhaps see those themes in the way the wider world see them. They also provide a vehicle for talking about religious and Christian themes with a wide range of people. Plus, they can be good fun.
However now JK Rowling has come out and said that she is a Christian and the Potter series deliberately contained Christian themes, it should make for an interesting discussion on whether her books are okay or not. What happens now? Do books that were once the tool of the devil now make it onto a Christian’s recommended reading list, just because they now have a Christian slant?
Probably not. I’ve had a number of discussions with people about Harry Potter, since JK Rowling’s Christian declaration. The only person who ever brought that up was me. I feel that the Christians who were against Harry Potter probably don’t really want to think about it. If they do, they might be forced to reconsider what makes a book okay for Christians and what doesn’t? How can exactly the same book be okay when the author is a Christian, but not okay when the author isn’t? It doesn’t make sense – and I think they know that.
There’s one thing I’m pretty sure of though. If Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia were written by secular writers, they would have been deemed inappropriate by many Christians. If JK Rowling has said from the onset that she was a Christian and the Harry Potter books contained Christian themes, they’d be advertised in Christian catalogues right alongside books titled “Why Lord of the Rings is wrong” and “Why the Devil wants you to read the Chronicles of Narnia”.
I don’t want to suggest that all Christians feel this way. I know quite a few Christians who read and watch Harry Potter. But when they tell me this, they seem to be slightly embarrassed. I’m not criticising. I do the same thing. Not with Harry Potter – I’m not a big Harry Potter fan. But I am a big Stephen King fan. When someone asks me what I’m reading and it happens to be a Stephen King book, I say it as if I am apologising.
Horror is another area that some Christians say we should steer well clear of. I have had one person tell me that I should not read Stephen King as it can create all kinds of spiritual strongholds in my life. But I have also seen many books that could be classified as horror, but because they’re written by a Christian with deliberate Christian themes, they’re quite alright.
Christian fiction often contains elements of fantasy and horror. Why? Because these are good vehicles for discussing topics like good and evil. But they’re good vehicles for discussing good and evil, regardless of the faith of the author. You can’t say that one book can use elements of magic, sorcery and horror because the author is a Christian. But another book that touches on exactly the same things is bad because the author is not a Christian.
One of the things that I like about horror is it does address issues of good and evil, the supernatural, the idea of a higher power. Horror books raise questions about the spiritual and the supernatural. Whether the author is Christian or not is irrelevant. I also open up a way to discuss the spiritual and supernatural with other people. People are more likely to have read a Stephen King book than they are to have read the latest horror offering in a Christian bookstore.
Part of why I think some Christians are against horror and fantasy is because we like to think we have the monopoly on the supernatural. If “non-Christians” writers are doing it, there must be bad forces at work. Anything that does not come from God must come from the devil. But I have read so many horror books that contain some really good messages. If God could use a donkey, I’m pretty sure he can use secular books and movies to start getting people thinking about spirituality and faith.
So I don’t just think that horror and fantasy books are okay, I think Christians should be reading them. Horror and fantasy helps us think about supernatural themes in a different way – and perhaps see those themes in the way the wider world see them. They also provide a vehicle for talking about religious and Christian themes with a wide range of people. Plus, they can be good fun.
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Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Nice job exposing the inherent contradiction too regarding why some books in this genre are acceptable and some are not. What's the line in that Genesis song "God will take good care of you. Just do as I say don't do as I do"? Something like that. Good on you for not buying into that.
Comment by samaritan
Fringe Faith
Samaritan's Stories
As I said in the article, not all Christians feel this way. But there is definitely those with a strong bias against the Harry Potter books. And it is an issue that comes up in conversation a lot. Is it or isn't it okay? Even Koorong (a large Australian Christian bookstore) often has books in its catalogue about Harry Potter.
I think the thing with American Evangelical things is they tend to very quickly become Australian Evangelical thing.s I wrote another blog about the Americanisation of Christianity. In it, I mentioned that much of the Christian teaching we receive in Australia comes from America. Many of the Christians I know are reading American Evangelical books and watching American televangelists. So they tend to take on board the views and issues of those Americans.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
I really didn't realise Christians here were so influenced by the Americans. When did this start happening? I've always prided Australia on our relaxed and open attitude regarding religion.
Did I speak too soon?
Comment by samaritan
Fringe Faith
Samaritan's Stories