tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30625835.post5356252652180326834..comments2023-03-28T07:40:21.567-07:00Comments on The Christian Writer's Notebook: The ProblemUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30625835.post-50308563985288478432007-05-10T14:41:00.000-07:002007-05-10T14:41:00.000-07:00Mormon author and award-winning SF writer Orson Sc...Mormon author and award-winning SF writer Orson Scott Card states in his short story collection <I>Cruel Miracles</I>, "science fiction... is the last American refuge of religious literature.... [which] explores the nature of the universe and discovers the purpose behind it. When we find that purpose, we have found God... the purposer..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30625835.post-7206852779408591842007-05-08T18:49:00.000-07:002007-05-08T18:49:00.000-07:00Grace is right about this. Jesus said that if you ...Grace is right about this. Jesus said that if you seek, you'll find, and this also has a perverse application: if you look hard enough for something, you'll find it whether it's really there or not.<BR/><BR/>It is possible to "find" Christian themes in just about anything--I bet I could find them in the VT shooter's rant if I really tried. But even if there are Christian elements, that doesn't automatically excuse the whole. Every heresy has Christian elements; they just make it more credible and dangerous.<BR/><BR/>For example, why is it good to "live by the ways of the Force," when the Force can be used for evil? The philosophy is roughly dualistic, with the ironic result that the heroes can never achieve or even envision an ultimate triumph for Good. How does God figure into that?<BR/><BR/>Steve RiceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30625835.post-92026502511053255422007-05-07T10:59:00.000-07:002007-05-07T10:59:00.000-07:00Hi Frank:You mentioned movies in your post, but I ...Hi Frank:<BR/><BR/>You mentioned movies in your post, but I also wanted to bring your attention to a new TV show not yet airing by "Joan of Arcadia" producer Barbara Hall called "Demons" about a modern-day excorcist. Here's the imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844487/<BR/><BR/>I'm not necessarily endorsing it 'cause nobody's seen it yet, but I love what Hall did with "Joan of Aracadia" and am not totally over my disappointment that she didn't get a Season 3 for that show, which the Season 2 finale set up with a devil character speaking to Joan that gave her advice in addition to the God character. That would have been a great conflict.<BR/><BR/>Anyhoo, a bit off track here, but a great post engenders thinking, n'est-ce pas?<BR/><BR/>BTW, I tagged you over at my blog for 8 Random Facts about Yourself if you'd like to play ...hrhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14596988242528734544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30625835.post-28567850820547095932007-05-07T08:12:00.000-07:002007-05-07T08:12:00.000-07:00Reply to comment above: I guess it depends on whet...Reply to comment above: I guess it depends on whether people see stories with such elements as "hope for the secular world" or "dangerous half-truths". <BR/><BR/>Is the glass half full, or half empty? <BR/><BR/>For me, it's not about finding Christian symbolism in a mainstream movie, though that happens often enough. <BR/><BR/>My criteria is: Who wrote it? If the author is a Christian, I'm happy, because I know where they're coming from. Mystical Christian ideas bedded in otherwise godless media will often result in more soul-confusion than anything else for me.<BR/><BR/>So let's not ask if the glass is half full or half empty. Let's ask who filled it, and where the water came from...Grace Bridgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04357028816311898327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30625835.post-59211870932212955552007-05-07T00:15:00.000-07:002007-05-07T00:15:00.000-07:00You write:"Sci-fi's been such an anti-Christian wo...You write:<BR/><BR/>"Sci-fi's been such an anti-Christian world-view genre it's no real surprise that mothers dodge children around the aisle."<BR/><BR/>What? Many of the best sci-fi movies have included Christian elements:<BR/><BR/>The Matrix, Blade Runner, E.T., Star Wars, Children of Men, Star Man, K-Pax, etc.<BR/><BR/>E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial<BR/>http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/et_01.htm<BR/><BR/>Take Star Wars for example... At first the people of the Rebel Alliance had only a few followers. And although they lived in the Galactic Empire, they were never really part of it. They believed in and followed the ways of 'the Force,' and were pitted against the evil Emperor and other fallen stars of the Old Republic. <BR/><BR/>During his duel with Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi brings his light saber to the neutral position, and offers himself as a sacrifice in order to save those he loves. His death momentarily draws the attention of the Imperial troops and allows Princess Leia and her rescuers to escape.<BR/><BR/>Had it not been for this, the cause of the Alliance would have been lost, and they would have continued to live in fear and bondage. After his death, Kenobi returns in spirit, giving wise counsel and direction to his young disciple, Luke Skywalker. <BR/><BR/>As King Solomon wrote, "There is nothing new under the sun." <BR/><BR/>David BucknaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com