|
|
Post by jbr on Jan 14, 2011 21:56:53 GMT -8
Josh,
Andy recommended writing you, asking if you had a concise response to a parent who is "very, very concerned" that a Christian school would have any book having to do with magic, spells, wizardry and the like. I need to write the dad back but since fantasy is not a genre that I read often, I'd love to hear your defense.
|
|
|
|
Post by Josh on Jan 14, 2011 22:10:13 GMT -8
Here's a great article on the subject for now: www.decentfilms.com/articles/magic.htmlIf you don't have time to read it all, pick up at "Magic in Fact and Fiction". I don't have the time just now to write up my own thoughts on the subject, although I'll try to do so sometime soon, but for now hopefully this article can be helpful. Anyone else have thoughts? |
|
|
|
Post by stevekimes on Jan 17, 2011 10:26:38 GMT -8
If anyone's having trouble with Josh's link, it is missing part of the "html" at the end of the address. Just finish it up on the address bar.
|
|
|
|
Post by Josh on Jan 17, 2011 17:36:02 GMT -8
Whoops. Thanks for catching that.
|
|
|
|
Post by Josh on Jan 17, 2011 17:48:46 GMT -8
He brings up a good point which might be expanded by saying: would we have a problem with the idea of an angel summoning lightning, incapacitating an enemy with blindness, or turning a man into an animal, if it was in accordance with God's will?
Of course not. When it comes to "magic" what Christians oppose is the use or attempted use of spiritual power with the wrong motivation (an attempt to manipulate spiritual reality apart from God's will) or by someone not authorized to do so.
So, for a "wizard" like Gandalf, who is in actuality more like an angel in the mythos of Middle Earth, his "magical" actions are lawful just as they would be for an angel in a Biblical story. When a centaur in the Chronicles of Narnia predicts the future or a river-god causes the waters of a river to overcome Aslan's enemies, they are acting in lawful accordance with their own created nature.
|
|
|
|
Post by stevekimes on Jan 17, 2011 17:50:25 GMT -8
As far as the article goes, I generally agree with it. I feel that if someone consistently rejects any kind of magic in their fiction, or insist that it must be considered "evil", that's fine.
But if we are picking and choosing between magic, I don't really find there to be a huge difference between Narnia and Hogwarts. Both are complete fantasy worlds, connected and disconnected to the world that is similar to our own. Hogwarts uses some mythological elements, and so does Narnia-- in fact, Narnia has an appearance of Dionysus (Greek god of wine) as a positive figure.
The only caveat I tell my children in reading any of these is that there is real magic, and these books don't represent that. I tell them about real magic, which is more about the manipulation of spirits than potions or spells and about wicca and paganism.
Generally, I'm a believer in more exposure for my children, not less. Of course I protect them from some things that might damage them, but I will introduce them to popular things and we can have a discussion of the pluses and minuses.
This is just like the Bible that has a lot of stories of people doing immoral things for good reasons. We want them to be exposed to those stories, but not without discussion and interpretation. I think the same for any story-- whether fiction or nonfiction, novel or movie.
|
|
|
|
Post by carebear on Jan 17, 2011 21:29:13 GMT -8
I think it is good to teach children what magic is, after all God is magical and they need to know what kind of magic is wrong.
We know that there is powerful black magic out there and the human nature tends to be attracted to it.
But God is the ultimate wonder maker, and if our focus is on the real source we will know the difference, right?
|
|
|
|
Post by stevekimes on Jan 17, 2011 22:14:25 GMT -8
But I don't see anything wrong in having my children read the stories as long as they know the truth. I guess I don't see the necessity to restrict them unnecessarily.
|
|
|
|
Post by carebear on Jan 18, 2011 11:33:57 GMT -8
stevekimes wrote:
What does this mean? What examples do you have of people doing immoral things for good reasons in the Bible?
|
|
|
|
Post by michelle on Jan 18, 2011 23:22:25 GMT -8
stevekimes wrote: What does this mean? What examples do you have of people doing immoral things for good reasons in the Bible? If I may interject here, the first example that popped into my head was Rahab lying to the king of Jericho about hiding the two men in her house. I think we would all say that lying is immoral, but she is praised for doing something to save God's people. |
|
|
|
Post by carebear on Jan 19, 2011 6:54:21 GMT -8
Yes I remember that story. I am not connecting the idea in steve's discussion very well though...sorry if i'm slow. Steve, what do you feel you are doing immorally wrong for a good reason? Are you referring to the showing of christian fantasy magic? If so, are you saying christian fantasy magic is immoral? i'm not saying this is what i believe, i'm just trying to understand the written discussion.
|
|
|
|
Post by stevekimes on Jan 19, 2011 10:13:41 GMT -8
Actually cb, I was trying to point out that the Bible is similar to a lot of fiction that is morally complex. A number of the histories in the Bible don't give a cut and dried moral, like Rahab or Jacob. These are complex people and their actions are complex. We look at them and different people may come to different conclusions about them. I have always found Sampson morally repugnant, but the writer of Hebrews says that he's an example of faith, so I do my best to see faith in him. Even so, fiction is, a lot of times, what we bring to it. Fiction can be used for the sake of the Lord or in opposition to the Lord, depending on what we do with it. Thus, my choice is to give my children fiction-- as well huge helpings of Scripture-- so they can have a variety of sources to build their life on. I don't think there's anything wrong with someone making another choice for their children. I just don't feel like I should have to defend my choices. Not that I feel anyone was attacking me here  |
|
|
|
Post by carebear on Jan 19, 2011 10:35:12 GMT -8
sk wrote:
sk, I hope you weren't offended....can't tell sometimes with this discussion board when people are offended or not.....what people mean by their writings and what they don't mean. That's the downside of discussion boards I think.
I'm glad you have your own solid view on magic in christian fantasy and fiction.
I think the phrasing and wording of magic in christian fantasy can be somewhat vague. There are so many fiction books and fantasy books out there that they each need to be looked at seperately. That's my personal opinion.
Great thoughts!
|
|
