Christians are Fans of Twilight? Really????

That's my first response when I see Christian friends of mine all over Facebook "counting down the days" to the Twilight "Eclipse" movie premire tomorrow. Really ladies???? It's about vampires and werewolves, 'nuff said. But of course I will say more.....

It deeply disturbs me when Christians allow movies, TV and books that are blatantly about things of the occult into their lives. It's bad enough that the entertainment industry seeks to subtlety influence the masses with their backwards morality but when it's in your face evil, direct Bible quote evil, and Christians chose to embrace it...I'm dumbfounded.

The first time I heard of the Twilight Series and heard it was about vampires that was it for me. I had no more interest. Well, no, I take that back. I had plenty of interest because several women I knew were talking about it and I wanted to join in. Also, I LOVE a good book and a good series of books? I'm like a kid in a candy store. But I kept coming back to the whole vampire thing and never even cracked the first book open. Some may say to me, "if you've never read it, how can you know it's evil?" Well, to be plain, the Bible tells me so. I could quote a number of verses about staying away from the occult so how do Christians justify this when they read/watch the Twilight series? I realize that I'm a pretty "black and white" thinker and in this world there is room for some Biblical gray but show me the gray here. Vampires=evil according to God's word. And trying spin a story to make vampires=good well according to the Bible that is even MORE EVIL. Wolf in sheep's clothing anyone?

So for me, the bottom line was easy. I convicted that ready the Twilight series would not be pleasing to God and although I was interested in it I would stay away from it. However, my curiosity into what exactly makes it un-Biblical was peaked. So I went to my favorite website for seeking the breakdown of issues from a Biblical perspective, The Christian Research Institute. The article I read there went beyond just the occult factor in discouraging believers in reading the Twilight Series. It was a fascinating article by Stephen Ross, here is my favorite quote:

The Twilight love saga, then, may be the ultimate female coming-of-age fantasy that our biblically illiterate culture can offer, and, as such, this captivating story evokes dangerously false expectations in young women that no man could ever satisfy. In fact, given that female sexuality is quite naturally relational, far more so than young male sexuality, the comparison that comes to mind is that Twilight is to female sexuality what pornography is to male sexuality. As young men all too naturally tend to objectify women, and pornography intensifies that tendency, so young women tend to idealize and idolize young men, and Twilight exacerbates that tendency. Under such influences, neither sex sees the opposite sex as they should.

Ross's article goes on to talk about the Mormon features of the series as well. The author Stephanie Meyer is a devout Mormon and apparently Twilight is intensely flavored with the beliefs of that heretical cult. Edward, the hero in the story, is an immortal being, a god if you will. Mormonism teaches that in the afterlife good Mormon men will be gods over their own universe. Mormonism is also a salvation through works doctrine and in the Twilight Series Edwards "good deeds" are highlighted. Deeds like "trying not to drink human blood" and eschewing pre-marital sex with the lead female character because he's afraid he might kill her during the act. Wow, those are some mighty wonderful works! Praise be to...hmmm...who? Who shall we praise for this???

Okay, now my struggle. I am so passionate about getting Christian women to STOP reading and watching this unholy trash I want to do something about it. But what? Every time I open my big mouth I get persecuted for being "judgmental". I'm not judging people, just the sin they are engaged in. I have a myriad of sins myself (many of which I discuss in this blog) and am far from perfect but I know God uses "jars of clay" to speak through. Maybe He is encouraging me to speak. I'll prayerfully seek God's will but for now this seriously cracked "jar of clay" will stand on her soapbox in a safe place, her blog.

Note: I'm sorry if I've offended any of my 4 readers. I can't remember if any you read Twilight or not. I don't mean to judge anyone, this issue really gets under my skin and I had to say something somewhere or it was going to burst out of my chest! Again, sorry to have offended any Twilight readers. And if you have evidence to refute anything in the article by Stephen Ross I would love to hear it!