Posted on 08/18/2009 11:43:02 AM PDT by pastorbillrandles
Twilight - Giving heed to fables…
By: Pastor Bill Randles
Why “Twilight” is spiritually fatal, and what it shows us about the state of
Christian youth.
“…and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:4)
If someone would have told me 25 years ago, that one day a popular series of “vampire romance” books would be accepted and promoted by evangelical ministries, I wouldn’t have been able to believe it. That’s why I was shocked to read this article by Christian documentarian and researcher, Caryl Matrisciana and Paul Villanueva, http://carylmatrisciana.com/x2/content/view/81/1/ which documents the glowing reviews of the occult book series by evangelical publications such as: Campus Life, Focus on the Family, Christianity Today, Christian Teen, and Christian Stay at Home Moms Magazine. All gave glowing testimonials, and some even suggested that the "Twilight” series could become the basis for Bible discussions and studies!
My purpose isn’t to merely echo Caryl Matrisciana and Paul Villanueva's excellent article, exposing the occult roots of this book series. Rather, I have a burden to show you why I believe that this literature could have a completely soul deadening effect on those who are fascinated by its dark vision.
First of all, consider what the ‘vampire’ myth really is - nothing less than an obscene parody of the precious gift of God - which is eternal life through the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and by the gift of His blood, offered to God for us. To God blood is sacred, those who drink it are an utter abomination to Him, because of what blood represents. We obtain eternal life by accepting in faith our share of the offering of the blood of Jesus, termed precious by God, ”…As of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:19)
In the pagan myth, ‘vampires’ are those who obtain ‘immortality’ by sucking other’s blood. The ‘immortality’ they gain, is literally a damned existence. They live in the night, they cannot endure light, they feed on the blood of innocence. Far from just a harmless thrill, Vampirism is the basis for all sorts of pagan spiritualities. Blood drinking and blood sacrifice is an everyday reality among animists all over the world.
The vampire fable is nothing less than an all out assault on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Consider this, a young person can go to a theater on a Saturday evening and vicariously fall in love with a vampire, and his 'coven'(family), and then go to church on Sunday morning and partake of the Lord's supper. That same person on Saturday evening could conceivably root for a girl to forfeit her own mortal soul, to be the lover of a vampire, and the next morning go to church and eat the bread and drink the cup of eternal life! Can one eat at both the Lord's table and the table of demons? Did you know that this book series was 'given' to a Mormon woman in a dream, and that she was visited in a subsequent dream by the vampire figure?
“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons, you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” (I Cor 10:21)
Ah but Pastor it is only a movie! Lighten up! But this is more than a movie - it is a pagan myth which is a perversion of the only Gospel that can save us. The movie presents vampires as being attractive, in fact so attractive that the young lady in the story is willing to become a vampire to be with her lover. In order to be with her vampire lover, she submits to being an eternally damned soul! This movie skillfully plays on the emotions in such a way that the viewer pulls for the mortal young woman to be with her “lover”, a 110-year-old vampire in the form of an attractive and well-mannered teen.
What the popularity of this film, even among evangelical youth, says about the state of the church is that we have forgotten what we once knew very well. That is, you can’t fill your mind with all of this paganism without injuring your relationship with God. We used to know that it is very possible to “lose your soul”, to so jade ourselves by constant, undiscerning exposure to worldliness, that we render ourselves unable to pray, to hear the Word, or to live for God.
We once knew that to voluntarily expose ourselves to blasphemy and sexual sin - not to mention something as blatantly spiritual as Vampirism - was something to be shunned, avoided, that it was soul deadening, and injurious to our Christian walk.
Another thing the popularity of this movie shows us is the loss of the sense of the sacred among Christians. I believe in gospel liberty. We don’t need Christian guru’s telling us what books not to read and what movies to avoid, we have the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, Paul warned the Christians in Ephesus, to:
“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)
Where is the sense of the sacred? The idea of the sacred is that there are some things in life that are ‘other’, they are above us, they are not to be ‘profaned’, for they are above us. For example, marriage is sacred, so is sexuality, as well as life itself. The purity of children is to be held sacred, that is why there is a special warning to any who would cause them to stumble.
The Gospel itself is sacred. I believe that “Twilight” is a direct assault on the gospel, an obscene parody of the good news of salvation, the salvation we obtain by partaking of the precious blood of Jesus, offered as a sacrifice for us. Jesus is the one who has brought “life and immortality to light” through the Gospel. I don’t believe it is possible to read or enjoy “Twilight” without spiritual defilement.
Of course we must remember, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…for the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins.” (I John 1:7-9)
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One of my high school students asked me to read the books, so I did. I think they simply feed into teenage fantasies about love. Here’s a brief summary (SPOILER ALERT! Stop reading here if you don’t want to know!):
Bella falls in love with unattainable vampire Edward. They just can’t help their feelings for each other despite personal danger. Both of them are gorgeous. They struggle to stay apart but can’t live without each other. In the end, Bella gives up everything to become a vampire so that she can be with Edward for eternity. They are very happy. It’s nicely written but rather sophomoric.
My biggest concern with it is that Bella gives up her humanity so easily and doesn’t spend much time worrying about what it will do to her parents. She is not very connected to either of them, despite loving them. I think part of the popularity of this book series is that lots of children of divorce relate to Bella.
Yeah Fred definitely contributed.
You are a wise woman!
And again, this has been going on since the beginning of time, imo.
Maybe it’s more so now with more access to tv, cable, internet, etc. And parents being busy or two income families or whatever. But, it’s really not all that difficult to stay up to date and to parent our kids.
I’m especially amused by those who advocate getting rid of the TV...hmmmm. Maybe they should get rid of the internet, ya know, something THEY enjoy, lol.
Forever Knight is probably one of the best sources to bring up in this discussion.
Nicholas Knight was a vampire who realized much too late that he had lost his soul.
There were several shockingly “Christian” moments in the series (before it went to USA).
In the first episode the Medical Examiner who discovered his secret asks him about all the “myths” and why they exists. When she asks him about the Cross he explains “Because the Cross is the truth and our lives are lies”.
Nick Knight was at the fore-front of the pentitant vampire protagonist era, but he was also one of the most honest: he knew he had lost his soul.
Pirates, the really hot ones, were romance fodder too. Damn, just about anything could be. And of course, those hot pirates, or just insert the current fad, were not only hot but so strong and protective, etc.
I really liked Forever Knight, good show. Played around with the concept of vampires in interesting ways, the humor the penitence. And then of course in Buffy you get Angel in that same penitent vampire mold, and is another step in the romance as Buffy fall for him in about 8 seconds.
I read all 4 Twilight books and have seen the movie. Enjoyed them all very much. The storylines are great and the characters are interesting. I was also a big fan of the Buffy and Angel shows on tv. I am a devout christian (divorced, 50+ woman!) and fight spiritual battles all the time. Although there is some occultic symbolism (shapeshifting from human to wolf)this series is pretty much fantasy stuff. What makes it such a powerful draw, I think, is the love story. Edward is the perfect man - devoted, caring, self-sacrificing, giving, etc. What girl wouldn’t want that? And there’s a lot of humor in the books that is missing in the movie. What gripes me the most about all of this is that there is very little if any equivalent that could and should be written or made into a movie about christian characters and the spiritual warfare that is being waged and fought and so many people INCLUDING christians have no idea its going on or how to fight and win the battles. That’s my two cents worth.
Once fiction writers of the world figured out that chicks dig bad boys, especially fictional bad boys, then the list of “reformed” character types became potentially endless. And sexy pirates have a long tradition, good old Errol Flynn.
So you have no examples.
It’s pretty clear you’re not very sharp.
In some vague way, you're sure that I'm fuzzy on reality and stupid to boot, but can't quite show it?
What a clear and convincing argument you've given. I'm overwhelmed.
I think part of the popularity to this book series and the movie and upcoming movies is pure entertainment value.
Back in the late 70s/early 80s, I read a book called Sweet Savage Love (can’t recall the author, Rosemary?). Most of my friends were reading this same book. We were 14 or so, 9th graders. At the time, quite a few of the book’s passages were completely lost on me. Then I read it again in the early 90s when I had two kids. It was a WTH moment for me. No wonder I couldn’t understand it when I was 14 or 15.
But it didn’t damage me since I knew at 14/15 that it was fiction! Just like I knew tv shows and movies were fiction.
I know ;) I still like those fictional bad boys. They make the most interesting characters, especially if they’re hot.
As a teen/college student, I dated a few “bad boys” without trying to “change” them. Hey, not all young people are stupid. And I even married what some may call a bad boy, depending on the perspective or what one considers “bad.”
No, I can’t be bothered.
I’ve dealt with too many stupid people today.
So there is proof out there. You just can't be bothered to show any because you'd rather make pointless personal attacks.
I wonder why this tactic seems familiar...
It’s probably familiar because you read it in a book and thought it was real.
Oh, I’m sorry! I thought you were being sarcastic or something. My apologies.
As for Harry Piper, I have seen the movies, but haven’t read the books. I was talking about another series when I was real little. I have heard they are good though...should make time to read them. :)
(we’re into Harry Potter. Can’t tell anyone at church. shhhhhhh)
Read them! I didn’t think I would like them, but once you get past the first two books (or just watch the movies for those, they are pretty juvenile), they are GREAT!
I thought it was boring. Ann Rice is better.
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