Introduction
*Note: I write about this because it is an issue with some of my relatives. And there are others out there for whom it may also be an issue.
Some Christians believe that fantasy and sci-fi should not be read for various reasons; for instance, that it could result in some people believing that black magic is perfectly acceptable, leading them into the teachings of Wiccan. Personally, I do not have a problem with sci-fi/fantasy, which should be abundantly clear from my other posts. What follows is a lengthy discussion of why, as a Christian, these things don't bother me, and my philosophy and views toward mythos: essentially, how I view life itself. This discussion is designed toward a Christian audience, and much of it comes from C.S. Lewis and John Eldredge. I am a romantic at heart, and view life as God's great epic story, of which we are all players in a huge battlefield across history. The general conclusion is that I know fantasy/sci-fi to be fake, and it does not occur to me to think it real; therefore, for me, it's not an issue. If someone does lean toward taking it too seriously, then they should avoid it. I also go through some Scripture relating to this idea.
Philosophical Discussion of Fiction
Discussion
Question: Is it ok for a Christian to read sci-fi/fantasy? The discussion that follows may not appear directly related, but just bear with me.
The Lord Jesus, God, is the Father of all truth. C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity that all religions and myths throughout history have elements or pieces of truth within them. Some are further away from the truth than others, but all contain hints of God’s truth. How could this be? Because truth is from God, and no matter where it is found, it could only have come from Him. There is no truth in Satan, as it says in,
John 8:44 (KJV), “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Why do little girls love dressing up as princesses and boys like to pretend to be great warriors? Part of the reason is that is actually who we are – who we are supposed to be – even though much of our innocence and purity was lost when humanity fell in the Garden of Eden.
Revelation 20:6 (KJV) “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
We who are redeemed were made to reign with Christ. We are His princes and princesses, in other words.
God is and will always be the Author of the greatest and most wonderful story of any age: the redemption story of His Son, Jesus – how He came to earth as a man and redeemed us from our fallen state. In the same way, the most powerful and the best stories that are written will have themes and elements of His story in them.
Here’s an excerpt from my a lesson we were studying in Sunday school this year that I thought said this idea in a particularly good way:
“God, the righteous King, raised Jesus from the dead, defeating the Evil One, conquering death, and nullifying the fear of death. Because of Jesus’ obedient humiliation, the Father exalted Him to the place of ultimate authority. Jesus was crowned Lord and King over all, and the entire universe will bow down to Him and confess His Lordship. He who humbled Himself as a servant became the exalted One through His perfect response to God’s Word.
It is fascinating to think how often the theme of exaltation through humiliation in the life of Christ is imitated in art. Living with five daughters, I am all too familiar with the story of Cinderella—the daughter who became a servant, who then became a princess. As a man in a house full of girls, I prefer to watch movies like Gladiator, which is about a general who became a slave, who became a gladiator, who became the savior of Rome. Most recently, my older girls and I went to see the movie Thor, yet another story that follows the theme of exaltation through humiliation.
All of these stories that people love to tell, generation after generation, are powerful precisely because they follow many of the themes of the true story about our world.
The story of God, the righteous King, and His Son, Jesus, is the true story of exaltation through humiliation. All other stories fall short. They pale in comparison to the story of Jesus. Notice how the author of Hebrews sets up the story of Jesus.”
How does all this relate? For me, fictional stories are truly powerful, and can sometimes teach me spiritual truths even better than sermons, lectures or studies. I can’t really explain this part – it’s like, they teach me something that can’t be put into words. For instance, I used to be afraid of death a lot more than I am now. However, when I read The Last Battle, the last book of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, it made me feel, for the first time, how God could say in Psalms 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
For the first time, I felt like I really understood how amazing, beautiful and desirable heaven is, and how dying is something that we should not be afraid of at all. In fact, it’s something we should look forward to! As Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
I could never have learned this particular truth from a lecture. I already “knew” it to be true, but I didn’t feel like it was – I was still afraid. Through this story, God took what I already knew, and made it truly real to me, and now I am not as afraid any more. I’m kind of excited to see what He has in store after I die.
Additionally, for me, stories show a little slice of spiritual reality. No, physically, we’re not all heroes, princesses, warriors or knights in real life… but actually, in one sense, we are! Why? Because the Lord has made us warriors in His army to fight Satan and evil along with Him. We are in a constant spiritual battlefield every day – which is why Paul urges us in Ephesians 6 to “put on the full armor of God” and to “pray without ceasing.” To ignore this war will mean our destruction. We must take action – we must stand and fight in His power and strength alone!
Jesus coming to earth to save us is very much like a spy mission, if you think about it. He, the divine and all-powerful God, infiltrated enemy territory, the kingdom and domain of Satan and the world, where we were trapped and held hostage, and He freed us! Now, our mission is to spread His kingdom to as many others as possible, through the Holy Spirit. In doing so, we are also fighting in enemy territory in a kind of guerrilla campaign, to take back the realms of Satan. But Satan won’t go down without a fight.
Books that shaped my understanding of fiction:
The book that shaped my views most on stories, fictions, myths and fantasy is Waking the Dead by John Eldredge. I highly recommend it – it’s a wonderful book. Also, my husband John really loves his other book for guys, Wild at Heart, and he and his wife wrote one for women called, Captivating. I started reading Wild at Heart and Captivating, but haven’t finished them yet. But I love Waking the Dead. It was amazingly helpful to me, and resonated deeply with me. I view myth and fantasy in much the same way as Eldredge does.
The Truth, the Bible and Star Wars
I feel like, whether or not science fiction and fantasy is a sin is in the same category of whether or not drinking alcohol is a sin. Here’s what I mean. Consider Romans 14 and 1 Corinthian 8, that I have posted below.
Romans 14 (KJV)
14 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
1 Corinthians 8 (KJV)
8 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Discussion
Notice that in these passages, Paul spoke about some people who thought it was a sin to eat meat, because it had been offered to idols. Others thought it was not a sin, because idols were not truly gods, and they ate the meat as unto the Lord. However, if the people who thought eating meat was a sin saw the other people eating meat and decided to eat it, they would actually be sinning! So Paul says, when those who don’t have this understanding are around, don’t eat meat in their presence.
Notice in Romans 14:21, he also says the same thing about drinking wine.
Just as in the matter of drinking, it is question of what your conscience says and whether or not you’re doing it out of faith toward God, so it is with fantasy and science fiction. Some people might be tempted to evil by it or feel in their spirit that it is wrong. If that is the case, they do not read fantasy and science fiction with an attitude of faith, so they are in fact sinning when they read it and for them it is a sin.
However, for others, they read fantasy and science fiction, and see in it the beautiful themes of redemption and elements of Christ’s own story. They see spiritual truths about who we are as warriors in Christ. They don’t have any problems in their conscience with reading it because they know it is not real and that Christ is the Truth and the reality out of which all other things have their shape. That is who I am, in this case. For these people, I don’t believe it is a sin for them to read science fiction and fantasy. They do it with an attitude of faith to God. In every story I read, I feel the thrill of adventure that is a small taste of God’s bigger story and adventure. His is the best and biggest epic tale that was ever told.
So, this is why I do not have a problem with Star Wars, science fiction or fantasy. I know it is fake and I am able to discern in it spiritual truths that help me picture a little better the ones that God is doing.
Yes, there are definitely SOME fantasy and science fiction that I will not read: those that glorify evil or Satan or that say evil ought to win over good, or that there is no truth or no hope. They do not reflect any truth – only the messages of the Enemy.
In this day and age, with facebook, now everyone can see the things I do. I don’t mind this. I am not ashamed of anything that I do. If anyone asks me, I can tell them the reasons for why I do them. If anyone comes to me with concerns, I will help them understand what I believe about these issues, but I would say, if you feel strongly against fantasy/sci-fi, do not trouble yourself with it!
I have absolutely no problem in my conscience about any of these things. I prayed very specifically about it. I felt like God was ok with it, in my heart, and I have peace with it. To me, doing costumes and reading fantasy is an expression of everything I believe about God and how awesome He is, and a mini reflection of the adventure He has waiting for us each day.