Thanksgiving is an American holiday primarily. Or maybe I should say a North American holiday because Canada celebrates Thanksgiving much the way we in the US do. Mexico is the exception.

Of course a number of countries celebrate a type of harvest festival. Australia apparently celebrates six different harvest-related festivals, including one for wheat, others for hops and for apples, for grapes and for oranges and even for lavender.

Other countries that celebrate some type of harvest festival include China, Korea, Greece, and Portugal.

Interestingly, I discovered a couple places that celebrate a type of Thanksgiving directly related to the US celebration. One is Liberia, the African nation founded by former slaves from the US:

Mainly celebrated by Christians, Liberians take the concept of the cornucopia and fill their churches with baskets of local fruits like bananas, papayas, mangoes, and pineapples. An auction for these is held after the service, and then families retreat to their homes to feast. Concerts and dancing have evolved as a distinctive part of Liberia’s Thanksgiving traditions. (“How Seven Other Nations Celebrate Thanksgiving”

Another is Norfolk Island located in the Pacific between Australia and New Zealand. Apparently in the late 1800s an American trader named Isaac Robinson introduced the idea of decorating a local church to draw whalers to a special Thanksgiving service. The tradition took root.

Grenada began their tradition quite recently.

Held on October 25 every year, Grenada’s Thanksgiving marks the anniversary of the 1983 U.S. military invasion to restore order after the death of communist leader Maurice Bishop. American soldiers who were stationed in the country the following month told locals about their upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, its signature feast, and its intention to focus on gratitude. To show their own gratitude, the people of Grenada worked in secret to surprise the soldiers with meals like those they longed for, complete with turkey and all the fixings. Today, it’s celebrated in formal ceremonies of remembrance. (Ibid.)

These holidays designated as Thanksgiving differ from the various harvest festivals in one particular way: God. God was the focus of the first Thanksgiving celebrations, both in Canada and the US. The people who originated these celebrations were specifically acknowledging God’s provision.

Of course, in the US the day has morphed into “Turkey Day” and the beginning of the shopping season. It’s an odd sort of way to show gratitude—over indulge in food and try to get more stuff at the lowest price possible.

Be that as it may, when people first started celebrating Thanksgiving, they had an awareness of their own vulnerability and need. They looked to the only source of help they could, to God who is sovereign over such things as a bountiful harvest and a mild winter.

Today, we’re pretty disconnected from God as the Provider of our daily food, but they were not. So their natural reaction to a harvest that would clearly supply them with enough to eat during the winter months was a cause for celebration. And sharing. They shared the wealth with those who had come along side to show them new and profitable ways to tease the most from the land.

We’ve retained the coming together aspect of Thanksgiving, and in many homes, the sharing. In my own family, for instance, we come together, each household providing something for the meal so that no one person does all the work.

Some people still put emphasis on the Thanksgiving part of the celebration, but less so, I think, than in time past. After all, there are football games to watch, and most recently, malls that are opening.

All this thought about the upcoming US celebration of Thanksgiving has prompted me to think about speculative fiction, where authors can make up their own celebrations if they want, or can import the ones we celebrate into their novels.

I began wondering what stories might have a specific holiday that isn’t celebrated worldwide (fantasy world or space world) but rather celebrated in only one nation or kingdom or city-state. I think creating a holiday that only one part of the world celebrates, might give a more believable, realistic feel to a story.

After all, we don’t celebrate Australia’s Apple Festival, and they don’t celebrate our Thanksgiving, so why should fantasy worlds not have nationalistic holidays, too?

The problem of choosing a regional, realistic day like Thanksgiving as part of the setting for a novel is that the reading audience is more nearly global than at any other time of history. Still, I remember reading and loving Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth in part because I was learning about a different place.

The key is that people the world over enjoy celebrations. Whatever holiday a writer might invent for his speculative story will be universally understood, not because others celebrate that same day or in the same way, but because we all know what goes into a day of commemoration.

A couple stories involving Thanksgiving have in fact found a place in literature: a story by Louisa May Alcott, one by Harriet Beecher Stowe and a few more contemporary ones featuring the get together of dysfunctional families. I can’t think of any speculative stories that feature Thanksgiving, however. The classic fantasy writers were British and would have no connection with the American tradition, and the great sci fi writers were atheists so would have no thought to feature a holiday intended to focus on God.

In short, one way that Christians writers can introduce themes consistent with a Christian worldview might be to include holidays like Thanksgiving. Or in the case of speculative fiction, invented holidays with a religious underpinning. The holiday can be celebrating God or it can be the outgrowth of a false religion. Or the characters in the story can abuse a good holiday or return to the original traditions because of a new understanding of their beliefs. I can see all sorts of possibilities.

But maybe other writers have already incorporated “Thanksgiving” into their stories. What books have you read that use Thanksgiving, or an invented religious holiday, either as part of the setting or as a way to develop a plot point?

In my debut novel, Bellanok, a down-on-his-luck pastor is confronted with a reality different from the one he knows. This confrontation leads him to a fantastical island where he is supposed to be some kind of savior—a challenge he doesn’t believe he’s up for.

Frequently my readers ask: why a pastor? What led me to choose this profession?

Well, there are really 3 main reasons I chose for Brian to be a pastor as opposed to, say, a doctor or a copy assistant at an office store. All 3 of them have to do with breaking stereotypes and showing how God uses all kinds of people.

Pastors are often seen as infallible.

Pastors are put on pedestals where they can/should not do any wrong. Never mind that they are human too. They should be perfect all the time. Their lives should reflect their God, who is also infallible.

Of course, this concept is ridiculous. Pastors (and their families) are just like us. They are always learning and growing just like us. They experience life, with all its surprises and new experiences, just like us.

When a pastor does fail or mess up, their mistakes are usually met in 2 different ways (sometimes both ways from the same person). They are either met with understanding and forgiveness, or they are met with distrust and anger.

In Bellanok, Brian is having trouble connecting with the inner-city church he works for. In a moment of doubt and weaknesses, he confesses his insecurities—and faces the hard consequences of church that has also lost their trust in him.

Pastors are often seen as having the strongest faith.

Men of God spend day in and day out thinking about God, praying to God, worshipping God. They are like BFFs with God. Right? They should never worry, never fear, never doubt. Everything should be perfect in their lives because they love God and God loves them.

Anyone else rolling their eyes at this? Again, pastors are human just like us. They live in a fallen world, just like we do. One that shouts at them as loud, if not louder, than it does at us. They do their best to be the kind of pastor their church needs. But things go wrong, no matter how well prepared they are. And they feel the sting of pain when they fail, when plans go awry, when bad things happen to good people around them.

In Bellanok, Brian always thought that he had a strong faith. That is, until he’s at odds with his church. Instead of leaning on God, trusting that God’s plan will work itself out, he turns on God, turns on his church, and turns on the crazy blonde woman who tries to convince him he’s some kind of savior for a mythical island. (Well, that last part is a whole other issue. You’d have to read the book.)

Pastors are often seen as bookish pacifists.

Pastors like theology and apologetics. We know they spend their days cooped up in dusty offices, studying ancient texts and modern studies with a magnifying glass. They only take breaks to visit people who are in the hospital or stuck at home. Sometimes they run out to their kids’ ball game. While they are firm in their beliefs, they would never condone violence, in any manner. “Jesus loves you.”

Now, I blame some of this notion on media. How often are pastors/priests portrayed in any manner other than these bookish pacifists? I can think of a few times, but the majority of the time …

Pastors are a bit bookish, yes. Or at least they should be. It’s part of how they learn/grow and are able to preach. However, that may not be their main passion. They may prefer to listen to talks, sermons, etc. They may learn best in face-to-face discussions. They might get most out of just living life and comparing it to Scripture.

Ever known a pastor who knew how to fight? Yes, I’ve known a couple. They would never condone violence for the sake of violence, but they would also never let someone who was in danger suffer because they thought violence was wrong.

Ralene Burke

Brian isn’t exactly a bookish pacifist type either. He’s an athletic guy who lives in the Chicago projects. Not exactly the safest place. He’s quick on his feet and quick to adapt (usually). When he finds out what his role in Bellanok entails, it’s not something that’s a whole lot different from who he is by nature.

By making my main character a pastor, I gave people a chance to see some of the struggles of pastors in general. And I showed them that even the people we think should be the godliest of people still face temptation and wrestle with their faith or with where/how God calls them. It’s good to know that we are not much different, that they face many of the same things we do.

Have you ever had to face misconceptions you’ve had about other people, whether it be race, religion, or class?

Copyright Columbia Films

I have aliens on the brain again. After writing this article, I’m going to watch Independence Day: Resurgence on blu-ray. A new movie in theaters called Arrival looks pretty fun. Meanwhile, a billionaire real estate mogul is our new president, the Cubs just broke a 108-year baseball curse, and we had a supermoon this week. I mean, come on, something cosmically incredible has to be just around the corner.

As I watch fictional aliens lay waste to our puny planet or insidiously insert themselves into our society, it gets me to thinking: what would I do if aliens showed up? How would I react? Would it shake me to the core of my faith, like it did for the hapless puritan in Paul? Would it revive my faith, like it did for Mel Gibson in Signs? Would it encourage me to pull out my old Simon game and use the flashing lights and cool synthesized notes to try and communicate ala Close Encounters of the Third Kind?

Pondering this question made me realize one thing: I would probably be more afraid of my fellow humans, at least initially, than I would be of our intergalactic visitors. I would stay home from work, keep my kids out of school, run to the store and get whatever staples I could, then sit at home with my guns within reach (I live in Georgia) and stay glued to the TV. If first contact wasn’t a hostile encounter, I would still be worried about rioters, looters, thieves, and arsonists. Even if the event were to take place on the other side of the world, my faith in the fragile psyche of mankind only goes so far. I would steer clear of emotional doomsayers and help my family and friends and neighbors keep a level head, as I hope they would do for me.

I would also do a lot of praying. I don’t believe that the existence of aliens would negate God’s omnipotence, divine creation, and

Copyright 20th Century Fox

our need for salvation. But I would be lying if I pretended that it wouldn’t at least throw my worldview into a tailspin. Would the aliens have souls? Would they be fallen as we are? Would have had their own encounter with God? I probably wouldn’t get answers to these questions, but it would be impossible to keep them from swirling in my thoughts.

Bottom line, though, would be survival. Stephen Hawking has repeatedly tried to dissuade the scientific community from making contact with aliens. History has shown that when a technologically weaker civilization meets a stronger one, it never ends well for the guys with sticks and stones. That’s what we would be to even the most pacifist alien visitors. The fact that they can traverse the cosmos to visit us would put them at a tremendous advantage over us. And who hasn’t kicked open an ant hill, simply because they can? Even if they communicated peaceful intentions, I don’t think most people would trust them. I sure wouldn’t.

Fortunately, this is all just the stuff of tales and dream. When I look up at the stars at night, I am staggered by the immensity of the universe, but I also know that we are indeed not alone. And we have been visited by Someone far greater than we could ever imagine. He came in peace, though we did not respond in kind. Let us be thankful that His mercy is greater than the heavens.

How many books have you read that stood out in a way so different it was startling?

How many of those books were written by Christian authors?

Admittedly, I haven’t read a ton of “Christian” fiction (by which I mean stories that proclaim a Christian worldview). From the keyhole view I have, we have a problem, Houston. In the myriad debates about swearing, violence, sex, magic and everything else we delight in discussing, one major category often slips through the cracks.

Diversity.

Image via Pixabay

What do I mean by that?

According to the simple definition on Merriam-Webster:

The quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc.

The state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization

In my experience stories, on the whole, content themselves with a narrow approach—and I’m not talking about cliché plots, seen-before-characters, or ripped-off story worlds. I’m talking about races, cultures, and every other form of diversity we see in the world.

Leaving behind the aforementioned slew of debate-worthy topics, the narrow approach still makes itself painfully evident in Christian fiction.

Why?

The answer is simple. Diversity is too edgy.

At best, a gay character might make an appearance as the miraculous salvation story. A person of another religion might enter the plot to highlight everything wrong with unbelievers. Perish the thought that such “diversity” plays an integral role in the story, or impacts the lives of the characters in meaningful ways.

This may be a symptom of me not reading widely enough. But I still maintain authors, especially Christian authors, can improve their efforts in diversifying their stories.

Story diversity can come in many forms: characters of different ethnicities, beliefs, even *gasp* sexual orientation.

The problem doesn’t rest in the presentation, but in the conclusions.

Is a tattooed, drug-smoking hipster with a dirty mouth a no-no, or does her (surprise) presence contribute to the story? What’s the ultimate influence?

Should Christian fiction avoid LGBT characters like the plague? Or is it better in some cases to insert a guy attracted to another guy?

Not for the sake of political correctness or out of rebellion, but to make readers think and to explore that dynamic honestly.

To explore such themes instead of closing our eyes, covering our ears, and pretending they don’t exist (which could be detrimental in the long run).

To color the story’s canvas with a bold hue that stands out and makes the truth of the story resound more clearly.

Three reasons why diversity is important and would strengthen Christian fiction.

1. It’s true to real life

One of the many beautiful, almost magical things about fiction is the way in which it reflects reality. The stories we read sink into our souls and sear themselves onto our minds, because in so many ways, they reveal a familiarity.

We connect with characters who have similar flaws. We hold our breath during pulse-pounding plot twists because we can imagine what it would be like to have that happen.

Image via Pixabay

In a way, stories are mirrors. In them, we see many truths about our own world.

Why should this run into a concrete wall with a “You shall not pass” sign when it comes to these “perilous” elements?

If we want our stories to impact real people who live in a real world, we’d do well to throw off the shackles of narrow expectations and dare to branch out.

2. It adds depth to the story

No story should suffer the fate of presenting nothing more than a flat, stale offering. Like food, stories need spice.

The goal shouldn’t be agenda-driven, which is a major flaw of mainstream Christian fiction, at least as I’ve heard. Insert a bad-boy character who falls in love with the demure Christian girl and ends up getting saved.

Every piece of story should play some role. Nothing gratuitous or forced. Yet thinking outside the box, considering how a militaristic atheist or LGBT character could deepen a story, is something we need not fear.

3. It pulls Christian stories out of an insular box

One criticism of Christian fiction is its pitifully narrow view of what counts as a good story. No story should fear an element more on the fringe, as long as it’s handle wisely and made intrinsic to the story’s needs.

We act as if one splotch will ruin the pristine paper, instead of taking that splotch and artfully fanning it across the page into a compelling image.

Christian fiction ought not to cloister itself. It should be free to roam (within reason, of course). Because when have important themes like grace, redemption, and forgiveness, so often woven through Christian narratives, been exclusive?

Christian fiction, above all, should welcome diversity.

Diversity Done Well

I feel the need to note a few exceptions to this lack-of-diversity problem.

• The Kinsman Chronicles by Jill Williamson. King’s Folly is a tremendous story with a decidedly African-themed setting.
• The Out of Time Series by Nadine Brandes. I can honestly say this is the only series I’ve read that features albino people.

I’m sure there are more examples, but it would be encouraging to see this diverse approach taken more often.

I hope that in the future, Christian fiction can branch out, telling fantastic stories with a wide range of characters, backgrounds, perspectives, beliefs, ethnicities, and so forth.

Not to fit in or make a statement, but because by ignoring such opportunities, we miss out on the chance to tell (and read) stories with fantastic potential.

Do you think Christian stories suffer from a lack of diversity? How can or should that change?

Save

Last week, here in the US, we celebrated Veterans Day. It’s kind of funny actually because it seems as if any holiday that has a particular national slant has become an occasion to honor veterans. For instance I saw a number of posts about veterans on Labor Day! Well, no, I wanted to say, this is the day we honor workers as opposed to bosses or people in service-oriented jobs. But that’s OK. I don’t think veterans can get enough recognition.

At any rate, the real Veterans Day falls on November 11 every year and is an outgrowth of what was originally called Armistice Day. The holiday celebrated the peace treaty ending World War I, when it was still called The Great War. In 1938 that holiday became a national commemoration of veterans, not to be confused with Memorial Day celebrated in May which honors those who died in the service of their country.

Little did the people back in 1938 imagine how many wars were in our future or how many more people would serve in the military and become veterans.

In thinking about the military, I had to wonder about the place of armed forces in speculative stories. Perhaps most famous are the Storm Troopers of Star Wars, but other stories, particularly dystopian fantasy such as Hunger Games, include a strong military—as part of the side of evil. In contrast, those fighting injustice are usually less organized, more determined, a bit rag-tag, but extremely effective.

In the world of fantasy, the military represented in Lord Of The Rings is not so different. Sauron’s forces have a hierarchical structure, and they seem well-equipped and organized, though clearly not as uniform as the Storm Troopers of The Empire.

In contrast, those fighting Sauron were a loose coalition, uncertain who was the real leader or what their primary goal should be. They were clearly over matched until Aarogan and Frodo turned the tide.

I’m trying to think of stories that have the military on the side of good. Some, such as Jill Williamson’s Blood of Kings series, have two armed forces in conflict. Patrick Carr’s Staff and Sword series also depicted various armed forces colliding with one another. On the other hand, Paul Regnier’s Space Drifters series seems to align with the traditional “organized military is on the side of evil” format.

What other speculative stories depict military forces? Do both sides have trained and armed troops, or is one vastly superior in numbers and power, only to be confronted by a band of rebels who are out “gunned” and out manned, but who fight well in spite of the odds against them?

More appropriate to Veterans Day, do any speculative stories feature veterans? Or does the story end when the war is over?

Give us your best recommendations for books with one type of military or the other as a key component and any that feature veterans.

Kingdom At Sea

by Jill Williamson

The Kinsman Chronicles: Part 4

Introduction

In the second volume of Jill Williamson’s Kinsman Chronicles, a remnant has escaped the destruction of the Five Realms and now lives on several hundred ships adrift at sea. As a flock, they sail north into the unknown in hopes of finding land that might become their new home.

As the king’s illness worsens, Sâr Wilek takes authority over the expedition and struggles to rule the disjointed people, while assassination attempts, vicious serpents, and dark magic endanger his life.

One prophecy has come to pass, but another looms dauntingly in the future. Who is this Deliverer? And if the Magonians have him, what might that mean for the realm of Armania?

Excerpt

Prologue

Gozan flew through the Veil, just out of reach of the ocean’s spray. Behind him his swarm followed, a cloudy mass of colors and shrieking sounds. He wished for silence but hadn’t the energy to rebuke them just now.

If things didn’t change, he might never have the energy again.

In the distance the Armanian king’s flagship Seffynaw sat low in the water, a fat tub stuffed with treasure and humans whose greed had nearly killed off their race. The shadir had played their part as well. Gozan hadn’t realized the effects of his dependence on human bonding. None of the shadir had. They had always taken for the sake of taking, for pleasure and power and to please their master Gâzar. They had not ever considered consequences.

But now they must, for their way of life was at risk.

Gozan reached the Seffynaw from its starboard side and circled the hull. He soared above the railing and onto the stern deck. Slights and commons filled the area, invisible to the humans seated at a table there. Magon stood at the back of the ship, leaning against the taffrail. For centuries she had preferred to take form as a human female. Gozan never understood why she wanted to look like her slaves.

His shadir swarm met Magon’s and the cacophony of the two groups intermingling grated on Gozan’s nerves.

“Silence!” he yelled.

To their credit all obeyed, even those shadir loyal to Magon.

Gozan folded his arms ad let the soles of his feet rest on the deck so hat he stood before Magon, looming over her frail, human form.

She smirked at his posture. “Greetings, Rurek.”

The name sent fire through his limbs. “I am Gozan now.”

“Still hiding, are you?”

“Waiting.” He had never been hiding.

“Well, I have waited long enough,” she said, which brought cheers from her botaries. “We must act before all is lost.”

“You have a plan, then? How to survive this setback?”

“I’m bored with no access to my mantic,” said one of Magon’s slights. “It’s no fun merely whispering in ears. I want the humans to see me and be swayed by my influence.”

“Mine hasn’t seen me since we left the land,” said another.

“Mine either,” said a third.

“They are completely out of evenroot on my human’s ship,” said one of Gozan’s brood.

“Mine too!” echoed the first of Magon’s slights.

Stop fretting, all of you,” Magon said. “We simply must lead these ships to land. Once the humans plant and harvest new evenroot crops, our power over them will return.”

“But it takes at least three months to reap a harvest,” a slight said.

“And harvesting that early, the roots will be small,” said another.

“Patience,” Magon said. “We must remain calm and focus on leading the ships to land.”

“But, master,” Masi said to Gozan, “with so little evenroot, we have no control over the captains of these vessels.”

“We only need control the one who leads,” Gozan replied.

Snickers broke out among the slights, and a common behind Magon said, “Humans will never agree on the same leader.”

“They will follow Armania,” Magon said. “They always do despite my efforts.”

“Then we must work together to lead the Armanians to land,” Gozan said.

“I have no power in Armania yet,” Magon said. “I am close. But my mantics are divided at present as to how to proceed.”

Typical. Magon bored too easily. “You never could stay loyal to one human.”

“Where is the fun in that?” It’s much more entertaining to bait them against each other. Better the hiding for decades in lowly position.”

“Jazlyn is loyal to me,” Gozan said, “and now that she in High Queen of Tenma, I am in a place to use my power to advance her realm”

“The real problem is that I am uncertain where land is,” Magon said. “The humans are headed to an island now, but if they are to plant a substantial amount of evenroot without interference from religious zealots, we must lead them to a great expanse.”

“Are you certain another exists?” Gozan asked. “Perhaps only this mysterious island remains.”

“This world is vast, Gozan,” Magon said. “If there is a great stretch of land out there, my swarm will find it.”

– – – – –

Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms and the award-winning author of several young adult books including the Blood of Kings trilogy, Replication, the Mission League series, and the Safe Lands trilogy. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children and a whole lot of deer.

What others are saying about Jill’s books:

“Expert worldbuilding and fascinating characters collide.”

• ~Shannon Dittemore, author of the Angel Eyes trilogy

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(I had been planning to write a real post. Then, at some point on Monday, it occurred to me that coming right off the election, we could all use a good laugh. So I decided to have a bit of fun and hope that you will, too.)

Good morning. Or bad morning – whichever is most applicable to your day, and as you all know, I don’t care.

First order of business, your tests. Observe, class, the newly empty seats. These belong to your former classmates, who have been dropped from the class. I will never tire of saying it: In the Higher University of Super-Villainy, there are no second chances. Anyone not bright enough to pass the test, not competent enough to cheat and not be caught, not cunning enough to discern the one bribe I am willing to take – anyone who fails, fails. Because they were not superior enough to give orders, your ex-classmates have gone to the Lower College of Henchmen, where they will learn to take them.

Don’t smile. Next week, it could be you.

Second order of business, the recent pleasantness. You observed the riots surrounding the Superior Court of Inquisition, although as underclassmen it was not, of course, your privilege to participate. I am happy to tell you that justice was done. Total Expulsion was carried out, complete with a Demoralizing Monologue and several Witty Taunts. The honorable inquisitors did not even consider sending the criminal to the Spurious School of Mindless Minions.

The offense that brought about such a punishment is, of course, shocking, but I am going to explain it, because this is not a safe space, and I do not care about your triggers. The criminal, while preparing a treatise to earn the rating of a Malefic Magician –

(And don’t you see, class, that that is a clear sign that something was wrong? Who studies to become a Malefic Magician? It is really a matter of kidnapping or blackmailing or killing or ensorceling, all the good works of villainy) –

The criminal forgot the Infallible Law of Power, that teaches that Might Is Right and Will Prevails – forgot, I might add, the revered Doctrine of Self-Preservation and the sacred Imperative of Self-Interest – and presented to the Higher University the following statistics:

• In 97.8% of all stories, the villain loses; in 70.5% of stories, the villain dies; in 83% of stories where the villain survives, it is only to die at a later date; in 99% of stories, the villain has an unhappy ending; to this we add, parenthetically but with great annoyance, that in 43% of stories, the villain is reputed to cry, and not the crocodile tears or boiling tears of pure rage that are the only acceptable kinds of crying.

All this is bad enough. But what disqualified the criminal from being even a Mindless Minion was the conclusion of the treatise. This put forward the thought – and let this be a lesson that you should always think twice before you think – that the universe works against us and beats us, and that is how Clotilde Skuld came to be banished to the Outer Regions of Perpetual Back-breaking, Soul-Destroying Work, Where Your Face Will Never Be Clean Again.

Skuld’s treatise is specious on its face. How can the villain lose in 97.8% of stories and be unhappy in 99%? Clearly, if the villain won, then the villain would be happy. These numbers are self-contradictory and worthless. Furthermore, how can anyone fail to consider the issue of authorial bias? The authors of these stories are nervous creatures, afflicted with too little exercise, too little sunlight, and too much caffeine, and write out of their timid heart’s desire to escape our coming dominion.

Take heart, students! The universe is blacker than they paint it. Time is a tyrant, Death conquers all. Entropy is on our side. Nature knows no law but Power – and neither do we. We fight without the self-imposed limits of the heroes. Our will to win is absolute, our cunning knows no qualms, our ambitions are unfettered. Our fashion sense is manifestly superior. We will prevail.

That is our time. Tomorrow night is the game against the Knights, and I encourage you to cheat whenever you can get away with it and commit wanton fouls against the enemy’s star players. Remember, it’s not how you play the game; it’s whether you win or lose.

And as I have taught you, you will win. Or else.

Image via marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com

I went to see Doctor Strange when it opened Friday.

Does that mean I’m a bad Christian or I risked my spiritual life by setting foot in the theater for that particular movie?

Doctor Strange hasn’t even been out a week, and already the clash has begun. Will watching Doctor Strange open the door to the occult, to dangerous Eastern mysticism and New Age beliefs, to things Christians should never associate with?

Maybe.

Then again, maybe not.

I don’t mean to turn this post into a debate of verbal fisticuffs. The discussion among Christians about what counts as quality entertainment has already made its rounds more times than a Star Trek spacecraft circling a planet.

But the fact that said debate exists begs the question. Where do we draw the line? Clearly Christians are divided on this topic. I happen to fall into the “read Harry Potter, Marvel is awesome, take me to a magical fantasy world” camp.

I believe there’s room for that without excluding a Christian worldview, and that those whose insistence falls solidly on the other end of the spectrum may be missing the point.

The Problem

As I sat in the theater, entranced by the visual spectacle before me, the “dangerous influences” tossed out at me didn’t pass over my head. They went right in.

And that’s a good thing.

Not because I’m now off to Katmandu to learn magic or join an occult group. Rather, because the emphasis should be on paying attention to the content you’re taking in and engaging your mind through the process.

The movie itself is fascinating, stunning, riveting. This isn’t a review so I’ll leave it at that. I’m more interested in the philosophical, worldview aspect. Ted Baehr’s Christian review site gave Doctor Strange a hearty smackdown, with a -4 “Abhorrent” content rating. Mainly due to the magic, occulty stuff.

It’s a valid concern and one I don’t want to ignore. That’s a real danger for people. Yet I think in most cases such concerns are overemphasized or misemphasized.

The Solution

The question I wonder is, “Is this need for Christians to bash magic and all other forms of less-than-pure content actually indicative of a problem?”

From my experience, us Christians who promote magical stories and the like are viewed with skepticism, as if our worldview is flawed. Perhaps that’s framing the issue from the wrong angle. What if it’s the opposite? Not due to a compromised worldview, but because of an unshakable worldview, we can watch movies like Doctor Strange and not rush headlong into occultism.

Image via marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com

It’s not due to spiritual blindness or apathy that we don’t flee from these “dangerous stories.” It’s because our eyes are open, because our minds are actively engaged with and processing the content of we take in. We don’t have to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak.

If the pillars of our beliefs are anchored in the solid foundation of unwavering truth, then astral projections, multiple universes, or magical powers become not a crack that undermines our foundation but aspects of a particular story and world. A world that, though reflecting ours, is not our world.

That’s a key distinction to make.

Last time I checked, our world doesn’t have an Avengers team. We’re not endangered by interference from Asgardian demigods. So while many elements are mirror images, the story is just that—a story.

Viewing it as such, we can be more objective.

• What parts of the story can we enjoy for the sake of being entertained, having our imaginations sparked, and our minds stimulated?
• What parts do we see as presenting dangers, yet not something that can ultimately ruin our faith?

The story included plenty of positive elements, even though not presented from a Christian standpoint. It also included the suspect stuff. Guess what? So does life. Stories that deal with the full spectrum of experiences, beliefs, opinions, thoughts are more grounded in reality. More believable.

We don’t face issues like occult practices by burying our head in the sand or saying it’s untouchable. Granted, stories take place in a fictional setting, but a story done well reflects reality in meaningful, moving ways.

Someone may not agree and prefer to avoid Doctor Strange and such magical things. It’s not for us to judge. As soon we take a step down that road, we’re no better than the people we call out for imposing the thou-shalt-not rules of entertainment on us.

The Conclusion

Returning full circle to the original question: Is Doctor Strange dangerous?

Not from my perspective. However, two dangers do exist.

1. Condemning it for everything you disagree with, thus removing the ability to enjoy an excellent film and ponder the thought-provoking questions it raised.
2. Throwing your mental arms wide and accepting everything without discernment.

Do you think Doctor Strange presents a danger to Christians?

It’s a sad truth that the Church is a very fractured stained glass window. As with all major religions, Christianity has many denominations, sects, rituals, centers of leadership. It is not my place to judge which denomination is best aligned with God’s vision for His bride or which group of people are following Him most closely in their hearts, but it would be wonderful if we were truly one unified Body of Christ.

Imagine how this looks to someone on the outside looking in. We as Christians shake our heads at the violent disagreements between Sunni and Shiite Muslims and the polar opposite lifestyles of secular and Orthodox Jews, but for non-believers, Christianity looks just as convoluted and tangled. Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopalian…the list goes on. Catholics and Protestants were actually at war in the United Kingdom only a couple of decades ago.

Since Christianity is such an integral part of the Western society we inhabit, it’s only natural that it will have a prominent place in our stories. It shows up in all genres but we often see Christianity or its derivatives in fantasy, horror, and surprisingly, science fiction.

Since fantasy draws on the overbearingly religious Middle Ages as its template, it’s no shock to see churches, temples, priests, and prayers mixed in with magic and sorcery. J.R.R Tolkien, the emperor of Western fantasy, was a devout Catholic and helped lead C.S. Lewis, another fantasy titan, to Christ. The fantasy genre is filled with prophecies and saviors, and while these elements are not unique to Christianity, it is easy to spot parallels between many fantasy stories and those in Scripture. Religion in fantasy often has a more Catholic slant, with emphasis on rituals, symbolism, and hierarchical priesthoods.

In the horror genre, the church is usually portrayed as either a sinister cathedral presided over  by depraved priests and nuns or as a fanatical Pentecostal church out in the countryside with a smooth-talkin’ yet utterly vile preacher keeping watch over his lunatic flock. The Catholic cathedrals bring an ominous European atmosphere to the story while the rowdy Pentecostal country church has a sort of Southern Gothic charm and ambiance. Either way, something dark and devious lurks beneath the surface of the church in horror stories, and while there are some men of the cloth who fight the darkness, more often than not, they are servants of the darkness they claim to fight.

I was more than a little surprised to discover how many science fiction stories contain spiritual references and institutions. At first glance, there is little room for God in science fiction, where technology and space exploration has purged humanity’s pliable minds of the supposed delusions of “God” and replaced it with alien races, artificial intelligence, or our own advancement. Yet I have come across several examples and strangely enough, it seems to fit. The most prominent instances that stick out in my mind are The Canticle of Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. and The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons. Miller’s time-spanning classic is blatantly Catholic, so much so that the story wouldn’t be possible without this framework. The Hyperion Cantos actually gives a biological explanation for the shape of the cross that symbolizes Christianity. Jesus and space don’t often mix in the fiction world but they are not as irreconcilable as one may think.

Stories need theatrics and drama so it’s understandable that books utilize the two facets of the church that best display these qualities. We can counter the sensational portrayals of the church in fiction by building her up as a unified and respectable institution in reality. And I wonder if anyone’s written Murder at the Megachurch…