God Ordained? - Daily Controversy #2
Good morning, controversial readers!
And welcome to the first official Daily Controversy of Controversial Book Club, where we young authors share opinions about controversial topics in order to discern the most popular/correct one (but mainly just to have fun! 😁)
My name’s Jack Cuison, the main (and currently only) author for Controversial Book Club. And today, we will be discussing *drum rolls please*: popular book/movie franchises! (Wow! What a surprise!)
Here’s today’s question: “Are these book/movie franchises acceptable for Christians?”
Harry Potter (divination and . . . witchcraft?)
Murder Mysteries in general (murder, obviously, which the Bible says NOT to do, obviously)
The Hunger Games (more murder and straight-up violence and gore)
Horror/thriller books and movies (straight-up evil, usually murder, said to attract the presence of demons [I’m serious! Google it! Well, maybe not. Just take my word for it!])
In my opinion:
In the way divination is used, it is more whimsical in use than actual divination. As for the witchcraft part, watch or read the movies and you will be able to tell they’re not talking real witchcraft. (It’s all fantasy, guys!)
Yes! While they might not be suitable for some, I believe murder mysteries are fine as long as they’re not too graphic and are not demonic/immoral!
Okay, the Hunger Games. This is definitely a controversial topic, but I believe it’s okay. Honestly, I don’t have any reasons to back myself up. Like it or don’t like it. It’s just entertainment! 😀
Definitely not. Horror movies and books are completely evil and should not be read or watched by Christians. I have life experiences to back myself up. Horror movies will give you scars like the ones you get in The Hunger Games—they never leave and always haunt you. 💀
I hope you guys enjoy! I will also be posting this on Crazy Writing Week for all the non-Google users and those who don’t know about this blog. Happy arguing and have a controversial day! (jk, I meant blessed 😜)
— Jack Cuison ✌️
(Made this with an AI on fotor.com!)
If you follow this blog and send me your email through the contact form in the sidebar (please ask your parents though! I don't wanna seem like a child-stalker/hunter or something!!) then you can receive post and/or notifs and I will start a group chat! :)
ReplyDeleteHey Jack! Your formatting's a little off there... perhaps Ctrl+Shift+V to paste it will work better.
ReplyDeleteOne might consider expanding on your answers. For many families this kind of content is not "good or evil." Many controversial books have important messages, but the family wants the reader to wait until they've displayed maturity, or they may want the reader to read it in a group setting where the controversial issues can be discussed in a sensitive way.
Highly recommend expanding your post to deal with the topics more thoroughly...2 and 4 could each be their own post.
Here's an example of mine. I have made The Wolf Within, and Monsters and Mysteries free to read to illustrate what I'm talking about.
Hey Jack! Your formatting's a little off there... perhaps Ctrl+Shift+V to paste it will work better.
ReplyDeleteOne might consider expanding on your answers. For many families this kind of content is not "good or evil." Many controversial books have important messages, but the family wants the reader to wait until they've displayed maturity, or they may want the reader to read it in a group setting where the controversial issues can be discussed in a sensitive way.
Highly recommend expanding your post to deal with the topics more thoroughly...2 and 4 could each be their own post.
Here's an example of mine. I have made The Wolf Within, and Monsters and Mysteries free to read to illustrate what I'm talking about.
https://flightpatterns.substack.com/p/the-wolf-within-reading-gothic
I did copy and paste it! 😭 how bad does it look?? also, thank you so much for the advice!! <3 (you can tell i'm no professional blogger lol)
Deleteoh and your blog looks AMAZING!!
DeleteYou're welcome. The words are running off the page, so you might want to fix that. In the blogger editor you can highlight the words, select "normal text" and update the post.
DeleteThank you so much! I was on blogger for a while and recently moved over to substack.
Oh, I thought I fixed that.
DeleteIt looks normal on my laptop.🤔
DeleteAlright, here is the deal. I am not allowed to read any of the books listed as of right now, but Harry Potter may be allowed at some point in the future. On the magic and witchcraft thing, as long as it is not in depth and witchcraft is clearly wrong in the book, it is alright. Murder and horror: no way, I could get nightmares just from seeing the cover or trailer. Hunger Games: the parts of the movie I saw were awful and I hated it. It is probably better in book format, so here is my conclusion on it: as long as it is resolved and violence is put to an end, it is ok in a book, but not a movie. In Ezekiel 20:7 God says to cast away the detestable things our eyes feast on. I am interpreting that to say if you are watching violence because you like to watch violence (or murder, or horror) you need to get out of it. Honestly, people get addicted to that kind of things and it can cause serious issues (which is why I have not read Harry Potter up til now).
ReplyDeleteI asked my parents if I could join a group chat, and they said yes!
ReplyDeleteActually how it went was:
Me:*asks my mom*
Mom: Sure, but if anything starts to be weird...
Me: Mom, no one's weird like that on there. They're all good.
My lil sis: But you're on there.
I've never seen HP (my parents are against it, for the time being and I'm still at the house), but I've heard about it. Same for the Hunger Games. I've also never watched a horror movie (that I'm aware of, anyway xD). It's hard to give a definitive opinion when I don't have very many facts, so I'll just move on to what I am familiar with.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I enjoy murder mysteries. They give my scrabbled brain something to really chew on. And while, yes the Bible is blatantly clear against killing, it still happens because we live in a fallen world. Quite frequently, those murders are difficult to unravel. In my humble opinion, (as a fiction and also Christian author), we have a great opportunity with murder mysteries. (And also other genres as well, but I digress). It's difficult to show the brilliant light of Jesus without also mirroring that to the depravity in the current state of our world. And, I get it, a lot of MMs aren't written with this in mind, but if we read it with that mindset, then as good inevitably conquers evil (in most cases, anyway), we can relate it back to Jesus every single time.
My parents said that I could join a group chat, Susannah my chat went almost the same, I sent my email to you(Jack) if there's anything else I need to do please let me know.
ReplyDeleteHorror... you got me started on it.
ReplyDeleteLet me start by quoting Proverbs 1:16-19
[F]or their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.
Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.
The creators of horror movies are greedy for unjust gain. Not only do they make haste to shed innocent blood digitally, but they slaughter the innocent's conscience. No one wants to see things like that. If you want to get scared, watch an intense and thrilling movie! Not movies that scar you for life! Do you really want sleep deprivation, panic attacks, and anxiety the rest of your life because you foolishly decided to watch a horror movie. That's not wise!
So, no horror should not be read by Christians. Horror is a wicked topic.
[M]y son, do not walk in the way with them;
hold back your foot from their paths, -Proverbs 1:15
Also, about murder mysteries.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends.
If it's like "The Hammer of God." by G. K. Chesterton, I think it's fine. It's not gratuitous, it's just trying to figure out who did it.
If it's more like "A Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe (not a mystery, but there could be mystery books like it) then I would say absolutely not.
wanna join the group chat?? just send a message with the contact form!!
DeleteI dunno. It sounds appealing, but I'm rather cynical of people on the internet (just as I am with my government after reading that book on economics 😁).
DeleteThanks for the invitation!
DeleteIt's pretty much just everyone from the DCs of CWW :) But I don't wanna seem pushy or anything. Thx for being here!!
DeleteI agree with you for Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteI believe murder mystery’s are fine, same with the Hunger Games.
Honestly I think where I’d disagree with you is on the Thriller/Horror.
I’ve seen a a few horror movies and countless thrillers, and I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t believe that all are evil, or that it’s horrible and wrong for Christians to watch them. They’re made to be scary because everyone loves to push themselves just to see how much they can handle. Yes quite a few horror movies are bad and more then a little demonic but that doesn’t mean all of them are.
I’ve seen I am Legend, World War Z, The Quiet Place 1 and 2, and all four seasons of Stranger Things.( I skip the junk so that I can actually enjoy the plot.)
In the Bible it doesn’t say that we can’t watch scary things, or that horror is terrible for your soul. But Paul does say not to go against your conscience. So if you believe it’s wrong to watch horror that’s ok, but if you don’t believe it’s wrong to watch horror that’s also ok.
I don't think that Thrillers are inherently evil. I would say those movies you listed are thriller. I haven't seen any of them, but from the little I know about them, I wouldn't classify it as horror. In those stories, the point of the plot is "Overcoming the monster." Horror is "Watch all these innocent little people get murdered in the most gruesome way our twisted little minds can imagine." I know there are some horror movies where the plot is to defeat the killer, but it's still a murder montage.
DeleteDo you think God wants you to watch defiling movies?
And there's nothing wrong with a movie that is scary, but when a movie is classified as horror, it's usually gross and defiling. Defiling.
Oookay...
DeleteI'm sorry, but I must formally apologize.
I know it's been over a year, this blog doesn't even run on Blogger anymore, and you may not even see this, but I was definitely a self-righteous, self-entitled twit who just yoinked Bible verses out of context to make myself feel better in this moment.
I just knew nothing on the subject. And reading what I had to say to defend my cause honestly makes me sick. I felt so justified, and so confident that I was perfect. To paraphrase 1st Timothy, I desired to be a teacher of the law, without understanding either what I was saying or the things about which I made confident assertions.
Besides, I only had this one picture in my mind of horror movies, and that was simply just gore and jump-scares and sickening imagery. While there are many horror movies like that, which I would still recommend not watching, I never realized there's actually more to the subject than just that. And actually, I do now enjoy certain horror stories-- not the gore and jump-scare ones of course. I enjoy a good story that actually gets rather scary at times. And sure, maybe those are thrillers, and maybe not, but my point is, I knew nothing.
So yes, I do think that if watching horror movies goes against your conscience, don't watch them. It is neither safe nor wise to go against conscience.
But horror movies aren't always and inherently defiling, or satanic, or whatever I would have called it.
So go on.
If you enjoy those movies and they aren't defiling of the conscience...
That is fine.
It can still be enjoyable and not evil.
And once again, I'm sorry.
woah reviving this comments section is wild
DeleteApology accepted. I'm glad to hear that you've continued to think about this and that you've come to a new conclusion. It's always amazing to hear that someone has been impacted by our writing.
DeleteI agree with Zachariah Callarman. But I'd have to say that I really don't like ghost stories. By the way, how do I start my own page?
ReplyDeleteI dunno.
DeleteBut, another thing I'd add to my opinions on horror is this word: Desensitization. As dictionary.com describes it, "To lessen the sensitiveness of. To make indifferent, unaware, or the like, in feeling."
I will say, it has happened to me. When someone uses a "minor" swear word, I've gotten to the point where I just go, "Whatever."
That's a problem. I need to fix that.
But it can happen as well with violence in movies.
Thankfully, it didn't happen to me when I first watched Men in Black, but if I watched more movies of the same or worse amount of violence, I would become desensitized. The human brain should not think of seeing insanely violent images as normal and okay.
I'm sorry if I was a little harsh, but this is what I believe to be true.
Zachariah, I think this is a great point, and sadly it is true for many people. Too many people become ok with something they would have said before was wrong.
Delete