Posted on 08/18/2009 11:43:02 AM PDT by pastorbillrandles
The wife an I vacationed in WA state last week and the signs and stuff around there were the first I had heard of this.
I am a little disturbed by the fact it’s getting good reviews for apparently some religious application, but I have to say, otherwise, I don’t have a problem with it.
Fantasy isn’t evil, and I grew up reading a series of fiction books on magic etc. Didn’t make me a witch, but at the same time, I would be rather disturbed if churches thought they would be good ways to teach Christ!
First, have you read the books?
Romance novels, no matter who the characters are, should not be read by tweens and teens.
They distort “love”.
Love is not huge explosions and tingling. Love is waking up to morning breath and dirty socks. Love is working with your spouse towards a common goal.
I won’t even let my girls read “Christian” love stories.
...or figured out that this is a VANITY... and not news/activism...
So which house do you belong to at Hogwarts?
I agree with your premise, fantasy is just that,fantasy. However attempting to derive spiritual truth from vampirism is itself a sign of the utter spiritual bankruptcy of much of contemporary evangelicalism.
You could say the same about “Lord of the Rings” or “Beowulf”. Should we ban those as well?
How about this: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!!!
Twilight is the Lord of the Rings for girls and young women and I still don’t see why they are so fascinated by it.
mark for later study
My daughter rented Twilight a few weeks ago. I saw about 45 minutes of it. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING.
Missing Bela Lugosi. Now THERE was someone who knew how to play a vampire.
1. I am a serious Christian.
2. I am not worried about books like this or Harry Potter or whatever, assuming one’s child is aware of the difference between fantasy and reality and a generally well-balanced person.
3. Fantasy stories (including science fiction) are useful for allegorical purposes. C.S. Lewis’s Narnia stories -— now classic Christian allegories -— are filled with witches, magic, and even a nasty vampire or two at the end. Obviously, like any secular tool, this can be used to a bad end (the Golden Compass, for example, which pushes atheism).
That’s why parents should read the books.
4. These books are generally moral, much like the Harry Potter books. Good vs. evil. That’s a good thing.
5. The one issue I have is that consorting with evil spirits is a real thing, and not to be toyed with. To the extent a child is silly or stupid and decides from reading Twilight books that it is “OK” to go piddle around with “real” witchcraft or paganism, that’s a bad thing. Again, this falls under the category of parents knowing their children. If a child is that stupid, it’s not the book’s fault, it’s the parent’s fault.
I am not calling for the banning of anything. I am merely calling attention to the need for discernment among christians, and observing that The Vampire myth is an inversion of the christian gospel.
I figure I read them as a teen and turned out just fine. It’s important to realize (and for us as parents to teach) that fiction/fantasy is just that. Be it books, tv, movies, even the news ;)
As for Twilight, 3 of my kids have read the books and all have seen the first movie. I’ve also read the books and saw the first movie.
Good points, I am actually directing my comments to parents as well as to young readers.
not entirely.
I was adamantly against my 13-year old daughter reading this series and seeing this movie. After many of her Christian friends read the books and saw the movie, I spoke to their parents about it. I was told that I was being ridiculous about it because the girl in the book waits until she’s married to have sex and because there is some discussion in the book about whether or not these vampires have a soul. The book leads you to believe that by drinking only the blood of animals rather than humans that these vampires are “good” vampires and have a soul.
I caved and let her read the books. I regret not going with my gut. The Spirit was telling me no. I let other Christian parents convince me that I was being stupid.
If anyone else out there has second thoughts about letting their children read it, I recommend that you follow your first instinct and avoid the books and movie. If you have already caved, at least sit down and have a long discussion with your teen about the issues of sex before marriage, risking one’s soul to gain the earthly love of another, and the concept of “living forever” in a state separate from God.
You’ll thank me for it.
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