I Don't Understand ... part deux

After offending some people - I guess I need to give a caveat to my last posting.

I want to give some clarification to things that may not have come across as clearly as I had intended.

1. Do I feel that a person is any less of a Christian because they read/watch either of these books/movies - or anything like them? Absolutely not. I just don't understand how Christians CAN read/watch them.

2. Do I feel that a person will lose their salvation, or go to hell because they read/watch either of these books/movies - or anything like them? Absolutely not. I just don't understand how they can read/watch them. (Just like I don't understand how a Christian can be Pro-Choice. I don't agree with that stance - but I don't think one will go to hell because they hold that viewpoint.)

3. Am I saying that all fictional things are bad? Not at all. I just think we need to hold things up against the mirror of the Bible - and if they don't mesh, then we don't need to have any part of them.

4. I don't even like the Chronicles of Narnia. Since my kids were little, I've tried to keep things with witchcraft (even Disney's Fantasia) from the house ... so I really have an issue with "The Lion, The WITCH, and the Wardrobe."

5. Do I think that the authors of any of the above/below mentioned works of fiction are Christians? That's not for me to say. They may claim to be - and may or may not be.

6. Do I have things in my life that aren't healthy for me? Yep. I'm only human.

7. Does that make me any more/less of a person than you? Nope. I'm just a sinner, saved by grace, who has to answer to the Lord just like every other one of His children.

8. Do I apologize for my earlier blog? Nope. I do apologize to those who took it offensively, and I do apologize if I came across as 'holier-than-thou' ... but I don't apologize for my stand, opinion, viewpoint or conviction.

9. Where do we go from here? I guess that's up to each of us individually.

I Don't Understand ...

I know I'm probably going to get hammered for this one - but I'm going to post it anyway. If you are easily offended by someone disagreeing with you on popular movies or societal obsessions - you may want to stop now.



OK ... If you are still reading - you've been warned.

How can people who call themselves Christians be so enthralled by things that are clearly anti-Christian? For the past decade, the whole Harry Potter craze has amazed me. Black Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft ... and we ENCOURAGE our children to read the books and see the movies? Most recently the craze is all about Twilight. Vampires. Hmmm. Another great thing for us to encourage our children to become obsessed with.

Before you get all defensive and say to me that these are only fantasy, and that they are only showing good-vs-evil ... I've heard these excuses - and don't buy them. There is no reason that we have to embrace anti-Christian values of witchcraft and vampires in order to show how good can overcome evil. (In truth - it's evil-vs-more evil.)

We have been created by God to worship Him. According to Philippians 4:8, "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." How can these books/movies fall into the above categories?

We have been created by God to have a relationship with Him. Jesus Christ gave His life so that we could have life, and have it more abundantly. John 3:16 tells us that God loved us so much that He gave us His son - and that when we accept Him, we inherit eternal life. This is what we call being born-again.

Twilight has a totally different message. After Bella’s “rebirth” as a vampire in Breaking Dawn, she says, ”I was amazing now - to them and to myself. It was like I had been born to be a vampire. The idea made me want to laugh, but it also made me want to sing. I had found my true place in the world, the place I fit, the place I shined.”

So what does Bella experience by becoming a vampire? A greater ability to enjoy the “forbidden fruit” that is Edward: ”I could really appreciate him now… He was all new, a different person as our bodies tangled gracefully into one on the sand-pale floor. No caution, no restraint. No fear - especially not that. We could love together - both active participants now. Finally equals… I was never going to get tired, and neither was he. We didn’t have to catch our breath or rest or eat or even use the bathroom; we had no more mundane human needs."

Evil is evil. This is a basic premise from the beginning of creation. Satan has tried to sway humans from the truth. Remember Eve and the apple? Apparently Stephanie Meyer, the author of Twilight, at least has an idea of it - as is apparent from her use of the apple on the cover of Twilight and the introductory quote from the book of Genesis, of which the author states: “The apple on the cover of Twilight represents ‘forbidden fruit.’ I used the scripture from Genesis (located just after the table of contents) because I loved the phrase ‘the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.’ Isn’t this exactly what Bella ends up with? A working knowledge of what good is, and what evil is.” She is clearly taking the scripture out of context in order to justify her perverse writing.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 addresses these books/movies: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

I will not allow my children to read these books nor see these movies. I will not read them nor see them. They are not permitted in my house ... and if I had my way - we wouldn't allow any of the merchandise (shirts, books, binders, etc ...) in any of our Children's ministries at church.

I understand that I can't make other parents see things the way I do - but I would hope that people would not just take the world's opinion that this type of garbage is acceptable.

Like I said, if you were offended by what I've posted - you were warned before you got this far. You are entitled to your own opinion - but as a Christian, I really don't see how there could be one different than the one I've laid out here.

3rd Annual Cruise with Pastor D & Missie

January 11 – 16, 2010
5 Day Western Caribbean Cruise
To Cozumel, Mexico and Calica, Mexico

Cost: $359 per person (first 2 in a cabin)
$199 per person (3rd & 4th in a cabin)
(Ocean View Rooms are Double Occupancy Only – and the rate is $409 per person)

We are opening the cruise up to minors this year – up to 2 per paid adult.

Deposits : $200 per person – due April 8th.
(I need to book several cabins on this date – then can request another 30 day hold on the cabins I have reserved. If you want to go, and can pay your deposit before April 8th, please do so – as it will extend the opportunity for others to be able to go.)

Full Payment Due before November 11, 2009.
All deposits and payments are 100% refundable until November 11, 2009.

From November 12th – December 13th - cancellation will forfeit the $200 deposit

From December 14th – January 3rd, - cancellation will forfeit 50% of the cabin fare (minus taxes)

After January 3rd – cancellation forfeits 100% of cabin fare (minus taxes)

(So – if you need to cancel after November 11th – wait until between December 14th and January 3rd, because the penalty is less.)