Science Fiction Beliefs For the Body
What is the view of a “fundamentalistâ€Â, or “liberalists†on Science Fiction (Sci Fi) and Fantasy. And what is the view of a “Watchman†and “Messenger†of our Lord Jesus Christ on Sci Fi and fantasy?
Much of what we see today of the 21st Century is the worldly crafting “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience†(Eph. 2:2), as they manipulate the trends of the day, particularly over the past sixty years, through what appeared to be speculation of what would be the worldly society and technology of the future. Through Sci Fi and Fantasy (such as “Bewitched†and “Jeanie in the Bottleâ€Â), they influenced humanity with the worldly perspective of complete power and control through influence and mind control.
Thirty years ago, much of this sort of work was crafted without the crude, obscene, and profane language that we find today, and if we go back another thirty years, we would find that “Sci Fi†took a turn for the worse.
Pulp fiction magazines and other publications came into being that gave Sci Fi authors and producers a voice, enabling them to cater to the basic elements of worldly society, year-by-year, and as the years past by the worldly life began to experience what was referred to as “soft pornâ€Â, and also began to infiltrate into the Body of Christ.
Novels and movies of that era began to produce at least one graphically detailed scene and the use of profanity that increased in volume as the people began to become desensitised to the subtly of “the wiles of the devil†(Eph. 6:11), evil, the worldly life, and brainwashing that promoted these things as being harmless and good education, and it’s “our own choiceâ€Â. Self, became the principle of Christian life.
We all know sex sells, and as we look at television advertisements, each year our minds are being bombarded with brainwashed with worldly things, and further being offended by the sham that it’s “our own choice†and “that’s lifeâ€Â, which is part-and-parcel of worldly conditioning through “principalities, powers, rules of darkness, and spiritual hosts†(Eph. 6:10-13). And today, we see the same marketing forces being applied to Sci Fi stories, movies, television programmes, and video games that take the graphics and offence to another level of extreme that continues to desensitise the minds of Christians.
Modern stories, movies, and television continue to include intimate scenes as if the pinnacle of societal development is “free loveâ€Â, and “each our ownâ€Â, and “get a life†that only promotes “lawlessness†and “rebellionâ€Â. The society of the 21st Century is now built upon intra-species hanky panky with different human species, which shouldn’t be confused with bestiality. And in cover art, the trend tends to show the sordid side with a damsel dressed in a chain mail bikini.
As we walk these latter days of perilous time, the Body of Christ is being desensitised with continual crudeness, obscenity, and profanity in literature, movies, television, and video games. And the question being asked these days, “should Christian’s use such language, read books, or watch movies that contain such crudity, obscenity and profanity?
Frank Peretti equates profanity with other acts of evil, such as murder, rape, theft, etc.
The Ten Commandments has listed many “Shall Notsâ€Â.
The Ten Commandments basically say that we cannot use, or write, or view crudity, obscenity, profanity, then if that is so, we cannot use, or write, or view any of the other sins as well. Some “closed-minded†Christians will say the same thing about the Bible, as it contains some of that inappropriate stuff of hanky-panky and violence.
No doubt this is an argument that has been taken to illogical extremes by “fundamentalists†and “liberalistsâ€Â, but the point is made. All these sins are part of the human condition in a fallen world and should be explored in literature. Yet using, or writing about, or viewing sin is entirely different than experiencing that sin.
We don't have to murder someone to write about murder, therefore, do we have to swear in order to write about someone swearing?
We can write about the crudity, obscenity, and profanity without using that language, or actions. We don’t have to use offensive words to describe an offensive action, nor must we include all the gory details when a despicable act occurs.
Therefore, we can ask ourselves if it’s realism and artistry that we are looking for, or just shock value? Or, are we being manipulated by the “wiles of the devil†(Eph. 6:11).
Movie and television producers have taken the “horror subject†to new level of degradation with the graphic and intense scenes of cruelty and barbarism. Blood and gore have replaced excellence in writing or production. Horror movies, television programmes, and video game are all about shock value, and the powers of darkness. Over the past thirty years we’ve seen far too much to even to consider that it’s harmless.
Today, it’s taking more and more gruesome and violent acts to catch our attention. Suspense no longer means, “on-the-edge-of-your-seat†excitement, instead it instils “cringing-under-the-covers†shock and revulsion, and fear.
Sad as it is, there are Christian authors who are using the same worldly tactics as their way to express themselves artistically, and if it effects them that way, then what way will it effect the normal reading and viewing Christians as well?
The “Alfred Hitchcock†movies of days gone by, still continue to amaze audiences today? Why is that so? That’s because they are black and white, have virtually no special effects, and lack any real hard-core elements that we have to face today. These movies presented the actions without any gory, crude, obscene, or profane details through exceptional writing and visual effects.
In that movie “Psychoâ€Â, we know that the girl behind the shower curtain was undressed, because everyone showers that way. We know that the actor in the movie brutally killed her with the knife even though we did not see the blade penetrate her skin, nor did we see her intestines leak out onto the floor. And today, if that movie was remade it would certainly incorporate more titillating and shocking visuals, and losing the whole plot of the story. By including those sort of graphic elements, would it raise the artistic value of the movie?
One of the biggest struggles I have in my choice of literature, movies, television, or video games is the appropriateness of the work for our young children, being exposed to hard-core, brutal elements of this life.
When we go back to the movie “A Clockwork Orangeâ€Â, which was regarded as an “artistic†movie, would we allow our children to see this movie?
When “Spider-Man†movies came out, I always wondered how many Christians became hesitant to take their children to it, when it was rated PG-13---not many! How many would feel guilty if they had taken their young child to see the movie, or had they taken their child to see it, because of Christian peer pressure?
But, in the end when we do our research, the good old “Spider Man†of old was still the “Spider Man†of old, and the reason for the PG-13 rating was due to the violence, and not any other aspect. That’s what good old Spider-Man does. After all in the comic books he beat up bad guys (the evil ones), threw a lot of punches, many cars were wrecked, and bombs exploding everywhere. But, there wasn’t any blood and gore, body parts flying everywhere, or blood spraying into everyone’s faces. This sort of violence in “Spider Man†was labelled as “cartoonishâ€Â, because of the lack of detail, “realismâ€Â, such as “lacking graphic elementsâ€Â.
Now the second biggest struggle for most Christians have, is handling the suitability of literature, movies, television, and video games and stay in touch with reality, particularly “Spiritual Realityâ€Â. Well, there is a big difference in the two, sixty years ago, and today. But, reality is that we are in the latter days of perilous times that even the “elect†can be seduced and deceived.
But, because of the desensitising and brainwashing over the past three decades, grown Christians of today want to experience adult themes and situations, after all they are adults, aren’t they? Being an adult we can handle these sorts of things. And the reason why we can handle these sorts of things is because we have been desensitised and brainwashed. “My people are destroyed by the lack of knowledge (and understanding), because they have rejected knowledge (and understanding)†(Hosea 4:6).
But, deep down inside of our soul, that other part of us, our spirit, says, “I should abstain from what appeals to my carnal nature?†If a Christian thinks and says that if it isn’t appropriate for children, then it isn’t appropriate for adults.
Now commonsense will always agree to such a statement, because Christians shouldn’t expose themselves to “ungodly†influences even in the name of entertainment, or being labelled “closed-minded†by fundamentalists or liberalists.
Christians with strict convictions have very little choice these days, as they have to either read or view offensive materials that are substandard.
Let’s be honest many authors and produces write and produce for children, because their writing skills are below standard. Children’s literature and movies are full of inconsistencies, errors, and lies that shouldn’t be tolerated in “adult†novels and movies either. And this is where the worldly “principalities and powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness†(Eph. 6:12) take advantage of grounding false information into the lives of Christian children, who in turn will grow up to be a supposedly “mature Christianâ€Â.
Family entertainment in movies and television programmes tend to be poor quality with flat acting and editing. There are exceptions, of course, but the general rule seems to be that producers and publishers spend less time on family oriented entertainment, and fills the Cartoon Channel with new age, and dark stories that contradict our Christian heritage.
There are always those classics, such as Tolkien, Star Wars, and many more, and they all contradict Christian beliefs and faith. The choices for quality literature and production, when your standards are pretty strict, are very limited.
There are three principles that I believe that Christians should take into consideration when becoming involved in these worldly practices: Commandments, Convictions, and Preferences. We are commanded to be Holy, and our convictions through the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, NOT the spirit of the world of darkness, will determine where we draw the line on graphic elements in literature, movies, television, and video games that influence our preferences, and our faith.
The Bible is Holy even with all the despicable acts given to us as example within the Scriptures. I believe fictional works can also be both useful and enjoyable without succumbing to the unnecessary use of graphical elements, crudity, obscenity, and profanity that encourages Christians away from Biblical commonsense.
