From the Archives: Should we avoid dark themes?
posted by Erin Davis on 11/24/09 | Twitter: @ErinGraffiti
Category: Media; ; 25 comments
Twilight is back in the spotlight. The release of New Moon last week brought the mega-hit vampire series back to the big screen and back to the forefront of the minds of millions of young women. I wanted to take some time on the blog to address the series. But it's not a brand-new topic for us. I did an entire series on Twilight last December. It has been more than a year since that series was posted, but it remains one of the hottest stops on LYWB.com.
Since my opinions on the series haven't changed much, I decided to pull a few of those posts up from the archives. If you read the original posts, I'd love for you to read them again and let us know if your reactions have changed. For many of you, you will be reading these posts for the first time. In that case, please leave us a comment. We'd love to have your two cents.
I struggle to make wise choices when it comes to the media I watch, read, and listen to. With so many ways to plug in, tune out, and be entertained, it can be really tough to discern which shows, books, and movies are okay and which ones I'd be better off to avoid. Can you relate?
With over 17 million copies sold and a growing fan base of young women worldwide, it seems that Twilight is a series that many, many young women have given their stamp of approval.
But should they? Should you?
Yesterday, I gave you one reason why I think the New Moon movie isn't worth the price of admission. Here's one more—as Christians, it is wise to stay away from "dark" themes.
The Bible talks a great deal about dark and light. Take a look.
Romans 13:12 says, "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness, and put on the armor of light."
Ephesians 5:8–11 goes a step further by telling us to have nothing to do with darkness. "For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."
This plotline is dark! It centers around vampires and werewolves, death and violence. Of course it is fictional, but as Christians, does getting wrapped up in this kind of plot really align with living as children of the light?
I've already given two strong arguments for avoiding this series (see previous posts). And I admit this point isn't as black and white. How do we determine what kind of dark themes we should stay away from and which ones we should allow into our minds? If we avoid Twilight because of the presence of vampires and werewolves, should we avoid The Chronicles of Narnia because of the presence of witches, spells, and magic? Is saying that we should steer clear of all media that explores the forces of good and evil painting this issue with too wide of a brush? I think so.
And this is where discernment comes in to play. When the truth of a matter isn't immediately clear, we may need to enlist help to decide the difference between right and wrong.
Prayer is a great first response in these situations. Ask God to help you to discern which choice most honors Him. Look for confirmation and guidance in His Word. Many times it also helps to seek the opinion of a godly friend or parent whom you trust.
I've taken all of these steps with Twilight. I've prayed about it. I've searched God's Word for guidance on whether or not reading it is a wise choice. I've even talked about it with several godly friends whom I trust. And the verdict is clear—as a women committed to pursuing God's truth, this is a series I need to avoid. And one I need to sound the alarm against for the young women I influence.
I realize that this may be a hard pill to swallow. I understand that these books are well-written and well-liked. But I strongly encourage you look at them through the filter of God's Word.
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HEY, GIRLS! We love hearing from you, but feel limited in the ways we can help. For one thing, we’re not trained counselors. If you’re seeking counsel, we encourage you to talk to your pastor or a godly woman in your life as they’ll know more details and can provide you with ongoing accountability and help. Also, the following comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Revive Our Hearts. We reserve the right to remove comments which might be unhelpful, unsuitable, or inappropriate.
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