Friday, November 21, 2014

Where do you draw the line?



 I see a lot of friends excited about the newest Hunger Games that is releasing today. I’ll admit I’ve read the books and I’ve watched the first two films. They left me not feeling too good. I loved the archery and a few of the characters, yet what’s honestly entertaining about watching children kill one another, in detail? Where are the good “parent” figures . . . there was none? And what’s the purpose of the story? Just think about it for a second . . . And the biggest question, where is God?

I watched an interview on Suzanne Collins, and really liked what she wanted to show and teach in her series, yet I feel like it has been buried under something much different. 

I admit some books I’ve reviewed had some major flaws that didn’t settle will with me. I use the excuse that it’s just fiction. I’ve turned down books and refused to purchase others, some even from my favorite authors. No more dystopian please! It’s just so depressing. 

So my question is, where do you draw the line on books and movies? I believe we don’t think about this enough. This is something that’s been bugging me lately, especially being a “fantasy” writer. I sadly don’t freely admit that I’m a fantasy writer; I don’t like the questions that usually follow. So I hide it, because who likes to be looked at as being even stranger. ;-) 

I like what Bryan Davis says in the video above. I was not a fan of him when I first came across him. Somehow I kept collecting books by him and letting them sit on my shelf. A few years ago I had a rough year of family members in the hospital. His “Dragons of Starlight” series comforted me. Sounds silly, but his writing honestly has God all over it. 

I like books/movies that have a bigger purpose to them, that point to someone bigger and something deeper. Just my two cents and something I pray I’m doing with TROH, even with all its ugliness and many flaws. 

I pray you too take this to heart. 
~Philippians 4:8 

4 comments:

  1. You've expressed my exact sentiments about The Hunger Games. I don't like the kids killing kids theme and also the phrase, "May the odds be in your favor", also concerns me. The characters seem to be looking to the odds or everything else to get them through their ordeals except God. This very kind of society portrayed in The Hunger Games that to me is equal to a Secular Humanistic society.

    I think many Christians don't really think too much about what book they're are reading or the movies they go and see. Some Christians I know push it off as it's just fiction or it's just art. The things we feed ourselves makes a huge difference. I always go back to this scripture because garbage in, garbage out.

    “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” – Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

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    1. Well said, Alyssa! Thank you. I love that verse.

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  2. I know, I see alot of my own friend going out to watch Hary potter, the hunger games and others. I think to myself how can my friends go and watch a movie were there killing eachother (quite graphically) and think that its ok? God loves each and every person on theis earth would he want us to kill a person who he loves enough to die on the cross for them?

    "We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous" ! John 3:12 You can read more in the Bible.

    Would Jesus want us to be going around watching movies about wichcraft? he says clearly in the Bible that witchcraft is rong and evil. “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people" Leviticus 20:6 God has alot more to say about witchcraft in the Bible.

    Its really good that you took the time to think about this and to write about it. It can really make someone stop and think "What would Jesus think about this?" and he always is ready for you to ask.

    Gods Speed!!!!

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    1. Thank you, Anonymous. I love what you say in your last paragraph . . . "What would Jesus think about this?" We are good at saying what would Jesus do, but not what He would think. Well said!

      God's care~

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