Whether you love the Twilight series, really just don’t get it, or fall somewhere in between, having to admit with no small amount of embarrassment and even regret that you did get sucked in and you do get it, (though intellectually you resent that fact)—no matter where you fall into the fan spectrum, undoubtedly you’ve heard of it.  Its popularity is undeniable and as inescapable as the fact that at some time or another you are bound to be drawn into some sort of conversation about it. 

When those conversations happen, you can sneer or you can gush…or…you can choose door number three—you can be intentional.  You can use the Twilight series as a gateway, an opportunity to understand more about those around you, and an opportunity to point them to Christ.  That may seem like a far-fetched statement, but it is possible and Shepherd Project has tried to make it easier for you. 

The first step to this is being informed—this doesn’t mean you have to see the movies, read the books or do volumes of research.  It does mean that you need to have some basic understanding though and be equipped with a few ideas and/or questions which will help you turn those conversations from emotional responses (positive or negative) into thoughtful, probing analysis. 

There are a few books and articles that have been written talking about the good, the bad and the ugly of the Twilight series.  Shepherd Project has summarized those for you and highlighted the key points.   

Here is a link to those resources!  

If you are looking for something even more bottom line, we have also provided you with movie reviews which focus on few key scenes or ideas and show you how to use those to connect to the Bible in some way. They also equip you with some probing questions you can ask about those scenes/ideas. 

Here are the links to the reviews:

• Twilight – Click here
• New Moon – Click here
• Breaking Dawn – Click here
• Breaking Dawn Part 2 – Click here

Finally, if you know nothing about Twilight, (except you think it’s silly,) and you don’t really care to learn, here are a few questions you can ask which can help you get past your contempt and find something you can work with with your favorite Twilight fan.

• What is it about the Twilight series that you find so compelling?
• What aspects of the love story would you most like to find in real life, and why?
• Are there any parts of the love story that you might find disturbing if you were to experience them in real life?
• What things about Bella do you find admirable?  Not so admirable?
• If you were to become like Bella (or Edward, etc.), would you be a better or worse person?  Why?  (You could also ask if your parents were like Bella’s would they be better or worse?  If your boyfriend was like Edward…etc.)
• What do you think God would think about these movies if he saw them? Why?
• Any good story gets its genius from mimicking the Christian story in some way.   There’s nothing new under the sun (see Ecclesiastes).  So, what parallels can you think of between the Twilight movies and the Bible? 

 By Stacey Tuttle

The post The Twilight Series – Resources for Careful Consumers appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

Edward’s Gratitude

There is a scene where Edward looks to Carlisle and thanks him.  Carlisle had turned Edward into a vampire about 100 years ago.  It was a tough transition and has had its own peculiar sufferings, but on the other hand, being a vampire also means immortality (basically, anyway—they are immortal but they can die…it’s a little contradictory, I know), super-human powers, and a special kinship with the Cullens.  Edward is suddenly filled with gratitude for this wonderful life that Carlisle gave him and thanks him with touching gravity. 

There was something about that scene that stuck with me (maybe it was the sheer absence of any other powerful scenes in the movie that made this one stand out…but I digress, and almost certainly have polarized friends and enemies with that comment).  I couldn’t help but think that we (Christians) ought to feel a bit like Edward.  Because of what Jesus did for us, we have immortality and the Holy Spirit and are sons and daughters of the King of Kings, heirs to the Kingdom with access to all the treasures and powers of Heaven.  We may forget it from time to time, as we too have our own peculiar sufferings as we pick up our cross and die to self and put on the sufferings of Christ, but we have it SO much better than Edward Cullen ever did.  It made me want to stop and thank God right then and there for what He did for me…and what He still does for me, every moment of every day.

Questions for Discussion:

• How do you see the Christian life paralleling Edward’s life as a vampire and as a Cullen?  How is the Christian life beyond compare with (aka better than) Edward’s?
• Do you envy the power, special talents and immortality of the vampires? 
• Some vampires had special abilities.  Did you know that in 1 Corinthians 12 the Bible talks about Christians having special abilities (see below)? 

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^{[b] 11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

• The vampires had to train and discipline themselves or their hunger for blood (especially when combined with their powers) would wreak incredible destruction.  They also had to train their abilities and learn how to use them.  Do you see parallels to this and the Christian life?
• If you and God were in that scene instead of Edward and Carlisle, if you were about to go into battle against a fierce foe and you didn’t know what the outcome would be (of course, that wouldn’t really happen because we know that Jesus already has the victory, but just imagine…) what would you want to thank God for?

Aro’s Choice

Alice shows Aro his choice.  She uses her ability to see the future to show him that if he continues on his present course, the inevitable outcome will be death and destruction (not just for some members of the Volturi and the Cullen clan, but for himself as well).  Aro has a choice, life or death.  If he chooses to get his way, he’ll die.  If he yields and walks away (letting go his hope of gain), he can live.  

There are many places we could turn to the in the Bible where we are given much the same choice, but one that I love for its incredible clarity is in Deuteronomy 30, spoken directly to the Israelites, but very applicable to us as well. 

¹⁵ See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. ¹⁶ For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, ¹⁸ I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

God is pretty clear.  If we follow Him, we will live.  If we choose to follow other gods, we will die.  Life and blessings, or death and destruction—we all have a choice and it’s laid out for us in the Bible every bit as clearly as Alice laid it out for Aro.  Aro didn’t have to believe Alice’s vision.  We don’t have to believe the Bible—but is that a risk you or I really want to take?  Aro chose wisely.  He chose his life.  If you and I choose life, we get so much more…we don’t just escape eternal death and destruction, along with eternal life we are given the love of God and the riches of heaven.  Our choice is actually far more weighty and far more rewarded than ever Aro faced—“now choose life!”

Questions for Discussion:

• How have you responded to the choice for life or death set before you?  Is it something you have been aware of?
• Have you ever been in Aro’s shoes (other than in your choice for eternity)?  Have you ever been headed down a path and felt that you saw what would happen if you continued…and it was not good…maybe even deadly?  What was it that helped you realize that you had before you the choice of life or death?  What helped you change?
• What examples can you think of in the Bible where a person was faced with a similar choice? 
• What verses can you think of where Jesus or a prophet or a disciple, etc. warns someone else (readers, listeners, etc.) that they must choose between life and death, blessings and curses?

Link to MORE Twilight series resources here!

By Stacey Tuttle

The post Breaking Dawn Part 2 – Review appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

Compiled by Stacey Tuttle

• Bella:  “Childhood is not from birth to a certain age…childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.”

• Charlie Swan as he prepares to walk Bella down the isle: “Ready?”
• Bella:  “Just don’t let me fall, Dad.”
• Charlie:  “Never.”

• Edward to Bella: “No measure of time with you will ever be enough, but let’s start with forever.”

• Edward:  “It’s an extraordinary thing to meet someone you can bear your soul to, who’ll accept you for what you are.”

• Jake to Bella at her wedding: “You’d think I’d be used to telling you goodbye by now.”

• Edward to Seth:  “If Sam comes after Bella, are you really prepared to fight your brothers, your sister?
• Seth:  “If it’s the right thing to do.”

• Leah:  “Being unwanted isn’t exactly anything new for me.  You don’t know how much I wish I could imprint on someone, anyone…just to break the connection.”

• Jacob about Bella’s baby:  “Do you honestly think I could love it or tolerate it if it killed you?”

• Edward to Bella:  “I’m sorry I’ve been so angry.  I’ve left you alone in this.”

• Regarding imprinting:  “It’s like gravity.  You would do anything, be anything, she needs:  friend, brother, protector.”

• Edward:  “Whoever a werewolf imprints on can’t be harmed.  It’s their most absolute law.”

Read the Breaking Dawn Part 1 Movie Review here.

Don’t miss out on some of our other Twilight Saga resources!!!

 Some great books have been written to help you think through whether this is harmless escapism, provides meaningful teaching opportunities, or has some dangerous implications.  SPM has provided a “Cliff Notes” version of several of these books to help you think through it all.  Check out our Twilight Series Resource Page to find out all the various resources we have to offer!

The post Breaking Dawn Part 1—Quote Compilation appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

Breaking Dawn, Part 1 centers around how we define our loyalties and where we draw our battle lines.  Bella’s involvement with the Cullens, particularly her marriage to Edward, is the catalyst which brings the tension between the vampires and the werewolves to a head.  The two clans have maintained peace through a treaty, but suddenly the application of that treaty, it’s interpretation, is called into question. 

The treaty states that the werewolves (Quileute’s) will leave the vampires (Cullens) alone, so long as they do not harm humans.  But, what happens when a human asks to become a vampire?  Is that harming a human?  The werewolves think so, but Bella obviously does not, although she does admit that she has a “blatant lack of respect for mortality.” Either way, Bella’s desires suddenly bring the interpretation of the treaty to the spotlight.  It really comes down a matter of whether the letter of the law is more important, or the heart of the law. 

Kind of reminds me of when Jesus came to earth.  Time and time again he crossed with Jewish tradition.  But when the religious leaders confronted him on it, he was quick to reinterpret the law in a fresh way, a way they hadn’t really seen it before.  Frankly, this became divisive.  Jesus was reinterpreting the boundaries and he drew fresh lines in the sand, asking people to choose which side they were on.  For example, he healed someone on the Sabbath day, a day reserved exclusively for rest .  How did he justify his actions?  He asked the religious leaders this:  “’Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they remained silent.”[1]  The religious leaders had gotten so focused on the letter of the law, they couldn’t see the heart of it.  Jesus put a spotlight on the heart behind the law. 

In Breaking Dawn the werewolf pack became divided in their loyalties.   Tradition said they should follow the leader of the pack.  The only problem was, they now had two leaders to choose from:  Jacob broke away from the pack leadership, which was unheard of.  Jacob decided to go his own way and do what he felt he had to do for Bella.  Now the rest of the pack had a choice to make.  Where was their allegiance?  Was their allegiance to the pack leader, or to their conscience?  This was a choice none of them had previously had to face. 

Two of the werewolves decided to follow Jacob: Seth and Leah.  Leah wasn’t so much following her conscience as she was desperate for an escape from the pain of her broken heart.  (Her ex was the leader of the pack, Sam.  To make it even more complicated, in the pack, everyone can read your thoughts—talk about no privacy as you try to heal from a broken heart!)  Seth, however, was willing to do what he felt was right, even if it meant fighting against his brothers and sister.  He broke with tradition that he might act with conviction. 

Interestingly, following Jesus often requires that same kind of conviction and sacrifice.  Jesus said that to follow him you must hate your father and mother, even yourself.[2]  That sounds awful out of context…even in context it can be hard to swallow.  It’s not that you hate your parents for the sake of being hateful.    The real point is that, if it comes down to it and you have to choose between your family and Jesus, you choose Jesus.  If it comes down to renouncing Jesus or losing your life, you sacrifice your life. 

Seth didn’t hate his siblings at all.  Neither did he want to have to fight them, but Jacob knew that if Seth followed him, he might have to make a choice between his siblings and following Jacob.  He wanted Seth to count the cost before he signed up.  Frankly, Jacob needed to know he could trust his pack, his followers.  Jesus does the same thing with us.  He knows what following him will mean.  He knows that it may cost us greatly to be his disciple.  In fact, he says it will cost us greatly to be his followers[3].  He asks us to count the costs, to take up our cross and to follow him.[4] 

Questions for Discussion:

• The battle lines are drawn.  Where does your loyalty lie? 
• Are you bound to tradition?  To the letter of the law? 
• Are you following people, or are you following conviction, determined to do what’s right? 
• Who is your leader?  Are you fully committed to him? 
• Have you counted the cost of following Jesus?
• What are examples in your own life when you have had to choose how to interpret the law? 
• Do you tend to follow the letter of the law, or the heart of the law?
• Have you ever had to choose between doing what you knew was right, and following people who you loved (or really liked)?
• Have you ever chosen to do something that you knew would cost you greatly?  Why did you choose it?

Don’t miss out on some of our other Twilight Saga resources!!!

 Some great books have been written to help you think through whether this is harmless escapism, provides meaningful teaching opportunities, or has some dangerous implications.  SPM has provided a “Cliff Notes” version of several of these books to help you think through it all.  Check out our Twilight Series Resource Page to find out all the various resources we have to offer!

Click here to see our collection of Breaking Dawn Part 1 Quotes. 

The post Breaking Dawn Part 1—Movie Review appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

I was invited to join a book club that is reading Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush.  Before I had gotten the book myself, many of the girls emailed and said how much they loved the book and how they just couldn’t put it down.  OK, I’m curious.  Then as I was reserving the book via my local library website, I discovered it was written by a Mormon (or at least, a Brigham Young graduate), for “young adults”, was compared to the Twilight series, and had something to do with fallen angels.  Hmmm…interesting for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that at 35 I’m pretty much the youngest member of the book club that has chosen to read this.

I’ve done a little “work” on Twilight, summarizing some of the Christian books written in response to it.  I can see some of the positives and some of the negatives with the series.  I get it.  I see why it was (and is) so popular, even though I often wonder if the rabid popularity of such sensational writing has more to do with the fact that readers haven’t read enough literature with true depth and value. 

I mean, if I compared it to food… Spam may be quick, easy, convenient, affordable and you may even think it quite tasty, until you feast on a truly great filet.  It’s not to say Spam loses all its merits at that point, it may still have its place.  But to call it great meat is laughable to anyone who has ever tasted a fine steak.  It lacks both the flavor and the texture, though it is undoubtedly easier to chew.  Great lit is like a great steak.  It may take a bit of work to chew (read) it, but it’s so superior and tastes so much better you surely never mind the work. 

Anyway, like I said, I kind of understood some of the fascination with Twilight.  And I see why Hush, Hush is compared to Twilight.  The storyline is almost identical.  High school girl living in rainy Northwest corner of US (near Portland) with, for all practical purposes, no parental guidance or involvement, meets dark, mysterious boy in (Twilight fans should be able to guess this…) Biology class.  She knows he’s bad, knows he’s trouble, but is curious and somewhat uncontrollably drawn to him.  She says, “He was the worst kind of wrong.  He was so wrong it felt right and that made me feel completely out of control.”[1]

Previously responsible and forthcoming, Nora begins to do all manner of irresponsible things, not the least of which is lying to friends and authorities (parents, police, school, etc.), breaking and entering, and putting herself into very compromising and dangerous situations (often specifically forbidden). 

Nora does a little internet research and finds out Patch (said dangerous love interest) is a fallen angel, aka a demon.  But, if we can believe vampires can be good, kind and loving, morally upright beings who can earn their salvation through good behavior, then it’s not such a big leap to also believe a demon has the same capacity for goodness and salvation. 

Ultimately, Nora gives her life for this guy (also very Twilight like, right?), but gets it back.  How?  Patch.  He’s an angel, a fallen angel, but still an angel – who can redeem himself and become a guardian angel by saving her life – which he does.

So yeah, it’s basically a remake of Twilight with fallen angels in lieu of vampires. 

But, despite whether or not I might find this story original, it is sensational, it is sexy (WAY too sexy for its target audience, if you ask me – the teens are all very much and very casually about sex—and frankly, I question the actual benefit it brings to any age audience, but that’s just me), and it is already wildly popular.  Just to give you some idea, here is a list of its awards[2]:

• Debuted at #10 on the New York Times Bestseller List
• A Publishers Weekly bestseller
• A bestseller in England, France and Brazil
• YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten pick
• Included in the 2009 Association of Booksellers for Children Best Books for Children Catalog
• Winter 2009 Kids’ Indie Next List Top Ten pick
• Barnes & Noble’s Best Teen Books of 2009 selection
• 2009 Barnes & Noble Dark Romance for Teens Holiday Gift Guide selection
• CBC Favourite Children’s Books Top Ten Pick
• First YA title selected for Barnes & Noble’s First Look Book Club
• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Series

Rather than delve into how appropriate or inappropriate I think the book may be on a basic content level (like the way it treats teen sexuality, teen relationships with authorities, wisdom, how you handle temptation, the stupidity of flirting with danger, thinking you can always trust that just because you like him he’s really good deep down…and that that goodness will overpower any evil desires he may have…etc.), the thing which I think deserves some special attention is the concept of fallen angels and Nephilim (off spring of fallen angels and humans).

The Da Vinci Code made a lot of statements about the Bible which Christians weren’t quite sure how to handle.  And they weren’t sure what was true and what was fabricated for the sake of telling a good tale.    Twilight didn’t really open a can of worms like that, because we all know vampires are mythology.  While Hush, Hush may shamelessly borrow its story line from Twilight, it didn’t stick to mythological creatures, it went to the Bible for its villainous hero.  And like with the Da Vinci Code, Christians aren’t so sure what to do about it.  They don’t know what is true and what is fabricated for the sake of a good tale. 

In fact, though I have heard of the Nephilim, I suspected other Christians I knew may not have (indeed, I only heard of them from a particular Bible teacher back in high school and have never heard mention since).   So, I asked the women in my Bible study – all are women I look up to as believers and are well-versed in the Bible and their faith.  Not a one had ever heard of the Nephilim (which is a fairly critical part of the book).  

And the Nephilim are just one of the many spiritual, Biblical questions that the book is likely to raise as it takes great liberty to give flesh (so to speak) to angels, fallen angels and Nephilim and to show their relationships with each other and with humans. 

The following Q & A is an effort to shed some light (and some correction) on the many questions and misrepresentations about angelic beings arising from a reading of Hush, Hush.
Nora, the main character, did some research on fallen angels, and this is what she found:

Fallen Angels: The Frightening Truth

At the creation of the Garden of Eden, heavenly angels were dispatched to Earth to watch over Adam and Eve.  Soon, however, some angels set their sights on the world beyond the garden walls. They saw themselves as future rulers over the Earth’s population, lusting after power, money, and even human women.

Together they tempted and convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, opening the gates guarding Eden.  As punishment for this grave sin and for deserting their duties, God stripped the angels’ wings and banished them to Earth forever.[3]

Question: What’s your response to the book’s “frightening truth” about fallen angels? 

Answer: 

Well, the “truth” of this is a bit questionable.  We don’t actually know when the angelic rebellion occurred.  I’ve often wondered if Satan’s fall and the temptation of Adam and Eve were actually simultaneous…in other words, if Satan’s attempt to get them to follow him was actually his first act of rebellion… but there really is no clear evidence.  In any event, the rebellion seems to have more to do with power than lust.  And angels don’t have wings, not in their natural state.  Angels are spirits, though they can manifest on occasion as physical beings.  They are often portrayed as having wings, but very few of the biblical accounts of angelic manifestations actually include wings.

The “frightening truth” continues…

…  Fallen angels are the same evil spirits (or demons) described in the Bible as taking possession of human bodies.  Fallen angels roam the earth looking for human bodies to harass and control.  They tempt humans to do evil by communicating thoughts and images directly to their minds.  If a fallen angel succeeds in turning a human toward evil, it can enter the human’s body and influence his or her personality and actions.

However, the possession of a human body by a fallen angel can take place only during the Hebrew month of Cheshvan.  Cheshvan, known as “the bitter month,” is the only month without any Jewish holidays or fasts, making it an unholy month.  Between new and full moons during Cheshvan, fallen angels invade human bodies in droves.[4]

Question:  This passage talks about possession.  It implies that anyone can be turned towards evil and ultimately possessed, but only during Cheshvan.  Is there any distinction between Christians and non-Christians when it comes to the influence a demon can have with them?  And what role does Cheshvan really play in regards to demonic interaction with humans?

Answer: 

First off, the Bible doesn’t speak of “demonic possession” in the original languages.  The phrase “possessed by a demon” (or similar language) translates a Greek phrase that is more literally translated as “afflicted by a demon”.  This affliction can take several forms, the highest of which is when the spirit is capable of controlling the victim’s body to a great degree.  There’s nothing in the Bible to say that this can only occur during a particular time of the year or can only happen when someone is turned towards evil.  If anything, demonic oppression leads towards evil rather than deriving from it.  Presumably Christians have some “natural” resistance to the influence of these kinds of spiritual afflictions, but the Apostle Paul speaks of being afflicted by a spirit to the extent that it caused him physical illness (2Co. 12:7) and he warned Christians in Eph. 4:26 that unresolved anger could provide a foothold for demons to gain some degree of influence over Christians, so we’re certainly not immune.  However, Christians have the authority delegated from Jesus himself to cast out such spirits when we become aware of their presence. 

Nora’s research also turned up this passage on the Nephilim:

…  Fallen angels who have a sexual relationship with a human produce superhuman offspring called Nephilim.  The Nephilim race is an evil and unnatural race and was never meant to inhabit Earth.  Although many believe the Great Flood at the time of Noah was intended to cleanse the Earth of Nephilim, we have no way of knowing if this hybrid race died out and whether or not fallen angels have continued to reproduce with humans since that time.  It seems logical that they would, which means the Nephilim race is likely on the Earth today. [5]

Question:  What does the Bible have to say about the Nephilim?  And, what kinds of powers and traits might they inherit from their extraterresterial parent?

Answer:  OK, this is fuzzy.  The word “Nephilim” only occurs twice in the Bible, once in Gen. 6:4 and once in Num. 13:33.  The word seems to mean “giants” and some translations actually render it that way rather than transliterating the Hebrew word into “Nephilim.”  Gen. 6:4 does say that they were conceived when the “sons of God came into the daughters of men”, but this is almost certainly NOT a reference to angels.  First, angels are non-physical beings who can’t conceive children with human women.  Second, Gen. 6:2 says that this wasn’t just a one-time thing but that the “sons of God” took the “daughters of men” as wives…in other words, this was a permanent living arrangement, not a one-night stand, so to speak.  So these were beings who didn’t just manifest for a time but lived as physical beings for their whole lives…again, not something that is true of angels.  Third, the phrase “sons of God” is only used to refer to angels in Job.  Elsewhere in scripture this phrase refers to a variety of people, but always as a special class with some remarkable characteristic.  For instance in the New Testament it refers to Christians.  It could well be that this phrase is used in the Old Testament to refer to people who sought to walk with God.  However, the fact that the children of the “sons of God” and women were giants suggests that the phrase refers to their physical attributes.  

Question:  Is it possible that the Nephilim survived the flood? 

Answer:  Since “Nephilim” probably just means giants, there’s no particular reason why the Genesis and Numbers references have to be referring to the same group.

Question:  Is it possible or likely that there are Nephilim or Nephilim descendents (the book talks about descendants of Nephilim) on the earth today?

Answer:  Probably not.

Patch, the fallen angel, had previously (before he fell) had a romantic relationship with another angel, Dabria (she was an angel of death).  She wants Patch back and is extremely jealous of his new earthly love (Nora)…so much so that she tries to scare and even harm Nora to keep her away from Patch.  Eventually she spends too much time on earth (which seems to be at least as big of an issue as her deviant, un-angelic behavior) and she loses her wings and joins the ranks of the “fallen” angels. 

Question:  Do angels have romantic relationships with each other?  (The book implies quite a bit of sexuality between the angels.)  Additionally, are angels sometimes jealous of humans?  

Answer:  In Matthew 22:30 Jesus said “For in the resurrection they [humans] neither ^amarry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.”  This suggests that angels are not sexual beings.

Question:  This brings up the question that maybe I should have asked sooner:  What makes an angel fall?  Do angels really fall because of lust and/or love for humans as the book suggests?    I thought pride was the reason for the fall, but pride is never mentioned in Hush, Hush and Patch’s fall is very distinctly related to his romantic interest in a woman.   In fact, Nora asks why he fell.   “Lust.”[6] is his simple answer.

Answer:  We don’t really know why they fell.  In Isaiah 14 there’s a passage about someone who wanted to ascend higher than God and was cast down.  This is probably a reference to a human king, but it contains some language that suggests it may also be a reference to Satan who was both behind the king’s pride and served as a model for it himself.  If this is the case, then pride was the key issue, not sexuality. 

Question:  Patch wants a human body so that he can feel what humans feel (the implication is mostly centered around sexual pleasures).  Is there any evidence that angels are limited in their senses and that they desire to experience what humans do?

Answer:  There’s no biblical evidence for it.  Their desire to take control of human bodies may be related to their desire to inflict harm upon humans…and they seem to harbor some deep-seated resentment towards us.  It may also be a simply act of spite:  we are God’s image, so what better way to spite God than to do harm to His representatives?

In Hush, Hush, heavenly beings have some interesting options.  Once fallen, Patch is faced with two choices: He can save a human life and become a guardian angel, or he can kill a Nephil vassal (a Nephilim descendant – often one whose body a fallen angel possesses during Cheshvan so that he can experience humanity on any number of levels, but primarily a sexual level) and become human.  I guess the third option is that he could remain a fallen angel, (he has apparently been a fallen angel for hundreds of years) but that option is never mentioned.  Patch clearly and desperately wants to be human.

Question:  Do heavenly beings have the freedom to move between realms like this?  Fall and be a demonic spirit, do a good deed to become reinstated as an angel?  Or kill a human and take their place as a human (vs. just possessing them one month a year)?

Answer:  Sounds like pure fantasy.  We know nothing of any redemptive options for angels.  This doesn’t mean that such options don’t exist, but the Bible makes no mention of anything of the sort.

Ironically, his love interest is also a Nephilim descendent whom he had planned to kill so that he could become human.  But of course he loves her and, he’s really a good guy, after all.  So, he saves her life instead, giving up his chance for humanity and reluctantly becoming a guardian angel (her guardian angel, so it’s not so bad).  He didn’t want to be a guardian angel, but, you know, one makes sacrifices for love.

Question:  The book refers to Patch as a fallen angel, not as a demon.  I feel like this is manipulative, we will allow an angel to have goodness inside, even a fallen one—the emphasis is still that they are angelic.  But if he was called a demon, we might not be as willing to believe in his better nature.  Good guys used to wear white, bad guys wore black.  But then, in our quest for “realism” we had to be honest that good guys made mistakes and bad guys sometimes had moments of transcendence and we began to make stories about the flawed hero and the loveable villain…even in our children’s tales (did anyone see Megamind?).  Some of that was a good thing.  But has it gone too far?  Have we lost our ability to recognize evil, or to call it what it is?  Are there some things which are just purely, truly good, and others which are truly, purely evil?  Where do angels and demons fit into that?

Answer:  Interesting question.  Human beings, at least, are a mixture of good and evil.  As the image of God we have an inherent capacity for good, but since Adam that capacity has been twisted by our sin nature so that we never do anything that is purely good.  But that doesn’t mean everything is purely evil, either.  However, the Bible, which is our only reliable source of truth about this subject, doesn’t say that fallen angels are anything but evil, so hypothesizing some possible good in them seems risky to me.

Along with the twisty issues of Patch being a good fallen angel, Dabria who is still an angel is cold, calculating, deceptive, manipulative, threatening, possessive and lusty (for Patch).  There is nothing warm or inviting or trustworthy about her. 

Question:  Shouldn’t angels be holy?  And aren’t demons supposed to be deceivers?  What can you tell us about the true nature of both angels and demons?

Answer:  Well, the word “angel” (or the Greek and Hebrew terms which are translated as “angel”) literally means “messenger”.  In fact, the Greek word “angel” often refers to human messengers.  Given this, the primary nature of angelic creatures seems to be to do God’s will, often serving as a messenger between God and humans.  They seem to have various powers, or degrees of power, so that some are quite powerful entities called arch-angels and some seem to be much less powerful.   The non-fallen angels remain holy, but the fallen ones are sinful..both seem to keep their essential powers, however, just like fallen humans retain most of their basic capacities.

The Book of Enoch is mentioned several times as a reference guide of sorts for angels who wish to become human, (among other things). 

Question:  Is there a book of Enoch, or was it just contrived for this story?  If it does exist, what is it?

Answer:  The book of Enoch does exist.  It is an apocryphal text written sometime during the intertestamental period (between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament period).  It was never considered inspired by God.  It has some strange things in it, including some mentions of angels and such.

Dabria is disgusted with humanity.  She tells Nora , “[Patch] fell because he wanted to be human, like her!  He had me—he had me!  …  At first I was hurt and angry, and I did everything in my power to forget about him.  When the archangels figured out how seriously he was attempting to become human, they sent me down here to change his mind.  I told myself I wasn’t going to fall for him all over again, but what good did it do?…  He didn’t even care that the girl was made from the dust of the earth!  You—all of you—are selfish and slovenly!  Your bodies are wild and undisciplined.  One moment you’re at the peak of joy, the next you’re on the brink of despair.  It’s deplorable!  No angel will aspire to it!”[7] 

Question:  Do you think angels could/do really feel that much disdain for humanity?

Answer:  Angels who didn’t fall never indicate this kind of disdain.  Rather, they seem to be respectful of humans, probably because we are made as the image of God.  How fallen angels (i.e. demons) feel is more complicated.  They seem to hate us pretty powerfully.

Question:  I found it odd that in a book whose primary subjects are angels and fallen angels, there is no real mention of God or Satan.  Of course, there is almost as little mention of parents, which is also odd to me when the other main characters are high school students.  I realize that this may be in some part telling about our society’s response to authority figures.  But, how realistic is it that God and Satan would be so absent in the daily doings of angels and demons respectively?

Answer:  God’s omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, so I imagine He’s pretty involved!  Satan, however, is none of those things so he can’t be as involved.  Still, I would imagine he’s as involved as his limited capacities allow, not absent like some disinterested anti-deity.

A Nephilim, Jules, the one Patch possesses every year for his free-for-all in human form, has the demonic ability/power (inherited from his fallen angel father) to influence people’s thoughts—and he has been messing with Nora’s head.  He tells Nora, “Do you want to know the best part?  You could have blocked me out.  I couldn’t have touched your mind without your permission.  I reached in and you never resisted.  You were weak.  You were easy.”[8] 

Question:  Is there a difference between demonic possession and oppression?  Can you explain?

Answer:  We’ve addressed this a bit already.  All demonic attacks are “oppression”.  How severe these attacks are and what they can accomplish vary by situation and, probably, by the powers of the demon involved.  I suspect there are some demons who couldn’t “pull off” full control of a human body no matter how ideal the circumstances were.  In any event, oppression is a spectrum, with full-blown control or “possession” simply an extreme form.

Question:  Is it true that demons try to influence our thoughts?  And if so, how do we give them permission to do so and how can we resist?

Answer:  Basically, we grant these spirits opportunities to get hold of us by our sin.  Think of sin as sticky gunk that allows spirits to grab us and get a firm grip.  Can they read or influence our thoughts?  I honestly don’t know, but I suspect that influence is at least possible. 

In the end, Nora sacrifices her life for Patch and Patch saves her life, thereby sacrificing his hopes at being human, ergo “succumbing” to, settling for being her guardian angel instead.  But, he tells her, “What good is a body if I can’t have you?”[9]   His consolation is that he is going to get to “guard [her] body” and, as he says, “I take my job seriously, which means I’m going to need to get acquainted with the subject matter on a personal level.”

Question:  Do guardian angels walk among us and talk with us, appearing human?  And if so, do they ever reveal to their wards, “Hey, I’m your guardian angel!”?  The closing scene of the book is Nora and her guardian angel, kissing.  Would a guardian angel ever act this…human and hormonal?  What is your response to this passage?

 Answer:  Matthew 18:10 speaks of children and “their angels” which is the closest thing we get in the Bible to “guardian angels”.  No details are given of their activities, powers or how widespread this phenomenon is.  Most of the kind of thing you’re talking about in this book is a kind of anthropomorphizing…attributing human traits to non-human creatures.   I don’t think angels act that way at all.

[2] Ahhh!!!  See my claws emerge and hackles rise at the number of times it makes a recommended reading list for young adults.  I know it’s tame by comparison to so many things people read and watch these days.  But just because they don’t have sex, doesn’t mean it isn’t ultimately all about sex.  What happened to Nancy Drew?  They were good mysteries and they were clean, and actually about the mystery, not about sexual tension.  And forget about the sensuality, the characters in this story are just plain self-focused.  Their world, their focus is terribly small.  What happened to books like Louisa May Alcott used to write in which the heroines are truly concerned with being good and noble and making a positive influence in the world?  Whether or not you want to say the book is “bad,” can I at least propose that it just isn’t good?  Is this really the best literature we have to offer our teens?

[3] Ibid., 250-251.

[4] Ibid., 251.

[5] Ibid., 252.

[6] Ibid., 314.

[7] Ibid., 325-326.

[8] Ibid., 362-363.

[9] Ibid., 382.

The post Q&A on Angels, Demons, Nephilim and the book Hush, Hush appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

The Twilight Saga:  Calling Evil Good

By Deborah Collins

(DALLAS, TX June 22, 2010)–Hollywood is influencing and promoting the latest vampire craze while many Christians are indifferent about the seductive powers of the books, movies and TV shows that have become a cult.  While some in the Church are clueless others are engaging in all the hype.  Is this innocent “fictitious” entertainment or the latest cult following?  A cult has to do with “extreme or excessive admiration” and the entertainment industry is feeding us an excessive amount of “vampirism”.  For example, there is the popular HBO True Blood series and the prime time TV series The Vampire Diaries.  The most popular by far is Stephanie Meyers’ The Twilight Saga that has sold over 85 million books not to mention movie sales.  What does all this mean?  It is a growing obsession with the supernatural…the dark side.

The Vampire craze has also infiltrated the seeker sensitive Church who has not only embraced The Twilight Saga but will vehemently defend it.  It seems some are more passionate about it than the Passion of the Christ!  Are we so hungry for the supernatural that we are willing to accept a counterfeit and dabble in the occult?  Since we are made in God’s image, we are hungry for things of a spiritual nature and are to fight against the powers of darkness!  Ephesians 6:12 states: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Where the Church often does not acknowledge the supernatural, the secular world does. In many churches, the Holy Spirit has been disabled or ignored which leads Christians to feel powerless, so they turn to the Harry Potter series and The Twilight Saga to fill the spiritual void.

Women of all ages are obsessed with the The Twilight Saga that is about a teen girl named Bella that falls in “love” with a vampire – Edward.  Bella is willing to do anything to be with Edward – even give up her soul!  Women are being lured by the romance between the two main characters but in reality are opening doors to the occult (i.e. supernatural powers, mind reading, psychics, etc.).  We are to be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding not counterfeit romance novels dealing in the occult.  We are to partake in the kingdom of light as Christ rescued us from the dominion of darkness.  (Colossians 1:9-14)  And let’s not forget that Bella wants to give up her soul to be with the vampire!  Somehow, we overlook these details because Edward “seems” chivalrous and romantic!  “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.”  Isaiah 5:20

What is missing in Christian women’s lives that they are being seduced by the supernatural vampire craze?  What is so appealing about the so-called “good evil” vampire?  Is it that he is handsome and exudes sex appeal that makes girls swoon and women’s hearts faint?  Or is it somehow meeting unmet needs spiritually and emotionally?

© 2010 Deborah Collins

Deborah Collins is also a speaker, author and Founder and President of Exceptional Women, a fellowship and networking organization for women in the marketplace.

For additional resources on the Twilight Series, click here to check out our Twilight Series Resource Page!

The post The Twilight Saga: Calling Evil Good appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

TWILIGHT FEEDING FRENZY 

Radio Host asks: But what are we feeding on? 

DALLAS, TX (June 2, 2010) Deborah Collins, Executive Producer and Host of Celebrate Women Radio, thinks it’s time someone offered a long overdue reality check regarding the current pop culture craze and she’s not afraid to do it on her daily radio program. 

It is being called “phenomenon”, “the hottest thing on the planet” and is being “devoured” by young and “grown” women alike. Is it the latest beauty secret, weight loss program, or self-improvement tactic? No. It is a story about vampires, drinking blood and losing one’s soul. It’s being praised virtually everywhere from pundits to professors to pulpits. But remove all the media hype and celebrity gushing and what is The Twilight Saga really about? 

Celebrate Women Radio special programs covering The Twilight Saga slated for the week of June 28 coincides with the release of the third movie. Collins addresses the subject from a perspective probably not available on any national platform. She cuts to the heart of the matter and exposes the darkness behind the subtlety, the seduction and ultimately the deception of the books, movies and countless other products and venues stemming from Stephanie Meyers’ best-selling writings, The Twilight Saga. 

• Self-image of young women: Lead female character is young, insecure, needy and love-sick 
• Obsession: Define obsession and find it’s a powerful controlling force 

 

• Yearning for romance: Women look for honor, respect and chivalry 
• Mother and daughter bonding: Role models who “lust after young men” 
• Advocates of women’s rights: Seem to validate giving up everything for a man 
• Escape: Withdrawing from responsibility and to fill void in empty lives 

Deborah Collins is also a speaker, author and Founder and President of Exceptional Women, a fellowship and networking organization for women in the marketplace. 

Deborah Collins is available for interviews. 

 Twilight Feeding Frenzy – Part 2 

Does Anyone Care What We Are Feeding Our Teens? 

DALLAS, TX (June 2, 2010) Deborah Collins, Host and Executive Producer of Celebrate Women Radio, answers questions about her upcoming programs slated for the week of June 28 dealing with The Twilight Saga and the release of the third move, Eclipse. 

Q) From pop culture pundits to professors to pulpits, it seems everyone is riding the The Twilight Saga train. As a follow up to your radio programming last year on the previous Twilight books and movies, you are devoting a week of programming to discuss this topic. However, you are not riding the same train of thought, so to speak? 

A) You could say I am trying to stop a runaway train! I have seen the first two movies and have major concerns about how the books and movies are affecting young impressionable “tweens” and teens. In all the media coverage, the viral Twilight feeding frenzy, there are a few things that no one seems to be talking about. Like Bella’s poor self-image; her sick “obsession” with Edward and thoughts of suicide. This girl spends all her time fantasizing about a toxic relationship with a vampire. Not to mention how women of all ages are obsessing and fantisizing about Edward – even married women! There must be a real void in women’s lives, if they are focusing so much time and attention on a fictitious teen romance. 

Q) One issue you are especially passionate about is the figure of Bella, the female lead character, and her self-image. You have said that she is a poor role model for young girls. Elaborate on this please. 

A) As I watched the first two Twilight movies and the dynamics surrounding Bella – her self loathing, absentee mother and a father who is clueless I was shocked at the media hype and how so many moms are fueling this “obsession”. Not to mention how Bella is disconnected from the normal teen school activities and social life. She is so depressed and desperate to be with Edward, that she engages in dangerous activities in hopes that he will rescue her. This story line is in the first book and movie but is an example of how distorted the public’s perception is and how media, women and young girls are overlooking some very destructive behaviors. For months after Edward leaves, Bella continues in depression, becoming catatonic, even suicidal and where is her father? There is no adult to intervene in her life. In real-life, we would be horrified that a parent would be so negligent. Without intervention, Bella eventually snaps out of her depression and turns to a teen werewolf who she manipulates to get to Edward! Another dead-end relationship! 

Let’s look at Edward the vampire. He is dark, moody and has nothing going for himself except his supernatural powers. He is not happy being a vampire and mopes around, a loner. And Bella, who has nothing particularly good going for her at this point in her life is drawn to him, obsessed with him and that’s a good thing? We would never tell our teens that this sick unhealthy behavior is acceptable! 

Q) You also have some strong concerns about the words that people are using to describe the so called Twilight phenomenon. Could you address this? 

A) Yes, it has become a feeding frenzy! It’s being said that women and girls are “devouring” these books and movies. To devour means to eat voraciously, or ravenously; to consume destructively, recklessly, or wantonly. Women and young girls devouring The Twilight Saga would imply that there is a void, an emptiness, a hunger that is not being satisfied. What is this craving that is causing females to “ravenously, destructively, recklessly and wantonly consume” these novels and movies? 

It is not just teens who are obsessed with the The Twilight Saga. Women of all ages are devouring these stories in order to escape. Why the strong need to escape in romance novels, a fictitious story full of exaggeration? Has the lack of heroic endeavors and chivalry in our society created such a void in our hearts that we obsess over a fictitious so-called love story about teens, vampires and werewolves? Edward is not a hero! He is a tortured vampire who wants to drink Bella’s blood. He can offer Bella only one thing – a wretched existence where she will never eat food again and will constantly fight against the urge to kill others. Oh, and don’t forget that she will lose her soul and live like this eternally! Somehow, we overlook these minor details because he “seems” gallant, chivalrous, and romantic! 

Bella is so miserable that she is willing to do anything to be with Edward. She obviously wants to be transformed from the insecure, hurting, pitiful creature that she sees herself, to be like Edward, a so-called reformed serial killer with supernatural powers who is not happy with his “authentic self”. She is willing to overlook the dangerous and destructive aspects of this toxic relationship to be with him. Again, in any other context, we would be getting her into counseling immediately. Instead we are cheering for her to be with Edward! This is what some are calling a phenomenon. I call it crazy, toxic and destructive. 

Q) What is your opinion on the Twilight moms’ websites, clubs and various other venues where it’s been said that moms are bonding with their daughters through The Twilight Saga? 

A) Mothers bonding with their daughters over this feeding frenzy makes me sick to my stomach. It is a sad day when grown women are so unfulfilled in their lives that they have an obsessive crush on young men, teens mind you, in the movies. The teens playing the vampire and werewolf roles happen to be very well built. Seriously, mothers are bonding with their daughters over “lusting” after young teen boys. What would these same women say and do if it was grown men obsessing with their sons over teen girls? Women would be outraged! Mothers engaged in fantasizing about toxic teen relationships can not be healthy. Not to mention that mother’s participating in this type of behavior are endorsing Bella as a role model. This is not responsible parenting. Our reaction to the Twilight phenomenon is a sad indicator of how far we have fallen from our responsibility as being good parents and role models. It concerns me that an entire generation of teen girls is lacking secure, moral female role models in their lives. And no one is willing to address these aspects of the so-called phenomenon. 

The same people who give the self-help gurus a voice about being “your authentic self” and not giving “your power away” and being around “good energy” are also promoting the Twilight feeding frenzy. Bella is not willing to accept her authentic self or listen to her “intuition” about heading down a dangerous path. So much so that she is willing to give her “power” away and be around dangerous “energy”. Bella is obsessed, depressed and miserable. I think the so-called “universe” is trying to tell her something! 

Q) Why do you think Christians and the Church so quickly and easily embraced the Twilight Saga? 

A) We are made in the image of God and therefore are spiritual beings, with a soul who live in a body. It is part of our identity in Christ. We are hungry for things of a spiritual nature, for the supernatural and transformation. In my estimation, the secular world has recognized and tapped into the mysterious spiritual world where the church often has not. The sad part is that the secular world entertains us with “good evil” fighting against “bad evil”. In many churches today, the Holy Spirit is ignored or not even allowed to operate. He has been “disabled” or unplugged. In my opinion, many in the Body of Christ feel powerless and are not experiencing true transformation so they turn to the Harry Potter series and The Twilight Saga to fill the void. Of course, these are counterfeit and many are easily deceived. Good Christians go to church, Sunday school, Bible Studies, and small groups and then secretly “devour” the Twilight Saga behind closed doors because they are hungry for the Holy Spirit and good overcoming evil. Some churches and ministries have gone so far as to embrace the books and movies and erroneously teach how Edward is like Christ! Something is seriously wrong when churches are so desperate to connect with the culture that they are watering down sermons to engage with their congregations and be consumer friendly. Some have gone so far as to have Twilight Bible studies! This is calling evil good and good evil! 

Much of the allure about Twilight is that it appeals to our heart, or rather the unmet needs and issues of our heart. The driving need for escape, for romance, for the supernatural. We are investing enormous amounts of time, money and emotional resources on a fictitious toxic romance about the supernatural. Because we are not grounded in the truth of God’s word, and are not being transformed, we are easily deceived and drawn away from the truth to fill the empty void in our lives. 

The imagery in Twilight is strikingly similar to many images and components in Scripture and in fact directly goes against God’s Word. It is clearly prohibited in the Holy Scriptures to eat or drink blood and that drinking blood is detestable and an abomination to the Lord. The life is in the blood and Christ poured out his sinless blood to make atonement for our sins. Yet, many Christians, leaders, churches and teachers are comparing the lead male character in Twilight, Edward, to a type of Christ. I find that questionable at best and heretical at worst. 

Q) So these are just a few of the topics you will be covering in your radio programs that air beginning the week of June 28 to coincide with the third movie release in theaters. Tell us more about your radio show and some of your other topics and/or guests?  

A) Our tag line is “Real women. Real issues. Real answers.” I am focusing on the real issues that women are facing today that are not being addressed from the pulpit and in Bible study. Such as Depression, Domestic Violence, Adultery, Perfectionism and Poor Self Image, Single Parenting, Boundaries and much more. I bring on different guests, some experts and some are just your everyday woman. It is the everyday REAL woman in my audience that I want to address. 

A few of the topics I covered over the past year that got a lot of response are Women That Wound by author Sue Edwards of Dallas Theological Seminary, Setting Boundaries with Adult Children with Allison Bottke, author and speaker; perfectionism and body image with Jen Strickland, author of Girl Perfect and a former runway model; physical health with several women who provide health, nutrition and fitness services; and of course the programs I did on The Twilight Saga topic brought a lot of response last year! 

Q) What about male listeners? First, do you have any and why do they listen? 

A) I always say, “Smart men tune in!” and YES, I do have many male listeners. Some that even write in commenting on the topics and say how much they enjoy the show. I believe men want to understand the heart of the women in their lives. They want to know how to understand their wives and daughters. The men who listen get “real answers” to some of the issues going on in their current relationships. 

For additional resources on the Twilight Series, click here to check out our Twilight Series Resource Page!

Deborah Collins is also a speaker, author and Founder and President of Exceptional Women, a fellowship and networking organization for women in the marketplace.

Deborah Collins is available for interviews.

Contact: Cheryl Pruitt

Celebrate Women Radio
cheryl@capstoneconnections.com

Real Women. Real Issues. Real Answers.™
972-394-9746 Direct 

www.celebratewomenradio.com

214-500-8347 cell   

Weekdays 7:30 – 8:00 p.m 

100.7 FM – Dallas, Texas and Online 24/7

The post TWILIGHT FEEDING FRENZY appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

With the release of the next installment in the Twilight Series fast approaching (Eclipse is due to hit movie theatres June 30), Shepherd Project Ministries wanted to highlight a few books that have been written to help Christians think through the themes and hidden messages (both good and bad) in Twilight.  Each of these books has taken a unique and different approach and each is well worth investigating.  Since you probably don’t have time to read three separate books on this same subject, we’ve written book summaries of each of them.  Click any of the following links to read a chapter by chapter summary of the each book with all the main ideas clearly highlighted.  Additionally, we are putting together a condensed resource highlighting some of our favorite contributions to the discussion from each of the books (to be available shortly).  We hope this will encourage you to not only sieve the good from the bad for yourselves, but will also become a valuable tool to use the phenomenon that is the Twilight saga to lead others to Jesus.

Touched by a Vampire

The most thorough analysis of the Twilight saga of the three books, Beth Felker Jones’ Touched by a Vampire focuses on the underlying messages in Twilight.  While fans love Twilight because it taps into some core needs and desires of our humanity, she finds that many of the ways those needs and desires are satisfied are subtly but critically different than the ways God designed them to be satisfied.  She also mentions several ways Stephanie Meyers’ Mormon theology is revealed in the saga.  (Click here.)

Escaping the Vampire: Desperate for the Immortal Hero

Kimberly Powers uses the Twilight series as a springboard to point readers to the spiritual and lasting answers to the desires and questions which the series taps into.  She defines Satan as the Ultimate Vampire and Jesus as the Immortal Hero, claiming that the longing to be part of the Twilight adventure can help point us to the far greater adventure we are meant to have with Jesus. (Click here.)

Shepherd Project Ministries did an interview with Kimberly Powers, author of Escaping the Vampire.  Click here to read the interview.

THE TWILIGHT PHENOMENON: Forbidden Fruit OR Thirst-Quenching Fantasy?

Author Kurt Bruner takes the approach of a literature teacher, focusing first on the genres of fantasy and gothic horror so that readers can understand the rules of the genres in which Twilight is written.  He gives a fairly thorough history of vampires throughout history and literature.  He then moves the discussion to romantic love, its true purposes, how it’s handled in the series and how it’s influenced by Mormon theology. (Click here)

Please note that none of the authors desire or intend to tell readers what they should or shouldn’t read, but to give them the tools to help them evaluate for themselves which stories nourish them and which stories do not.

Author Interview with Kimberly Powers, author of Escaping the Vampire - Click here.

Twilight Series Movie and/or Book Reviews:

• Twilight – Click here
• New Moon - Click here
• Breaking Dawn – Click here
• Breaking Dawn Part 2 – Click here

Twilight Feeding Frenzy

The post Twilight Series Resource Page appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

Could you give us a brief synopsis of your book?

Escaping the Vampire–  At the core of every young woman’s heart is a longing to be truly, madly, deeply loved.  EtV draws on themes presented in the popular series– romance, superhuman powers, mystery and adventure–to offer girls a real Immortal Hero who sacrificially loves, fiercely protects and never abandons.  Weaving discussion of the Twilight phenomenon, Biblical truths and real-life stories, EtV makes a compelling presentation of Christ as the true escape from sin’s life-sucking traps and the only fulfillment of the heart’s deepest desires.

EtV is helping countless young women navigate the intersection of popular culture and spiritual growth, providing answers to their own personal questions and better equipping them to engage their peers in meaningful discussion.

What motivated you to write it?

I saw the response of teens to this phenomenon.  I would say the name “Edward Cullen” in a room of girls and they would go crazy!  They were asking me “Where is my Edward?…Is this guy for real somewhere?”  Our conversations were filled with their own thoughts not only of Edward but of also of themselves.  They were irresistibly swept up in this adventure of the Twilight Saga on screen (and book series)…so very desperately wanting to experience such a story themselves. What an awesome opportunity  to respond!

Why are teen girls(and women of all ages) so interested in this series (and others like it)?

I have seen for years this desperate longing that girls (and women)experience…this longing for a true immortal hero who can rescue them from their uneventful lives and provide an eternal love.  What an opportunity to come alongside them, talking about their thoughts.  This is an opportunity to see a bit more of what’s going on inside.  This has given an even bigger opportunity to share with them about the Ultimate Hero, Jesus Christ ,and share of His ultimate story of unconditional, eternal love.  Their true Hero never leaves and He offers them sacrifice of HIS life to save THEM.  Stories of an imperfect hero can leave them empty and searching inside.  In Christ, they have a fiercely protective Hero who faithfully loves and provides rescue!  (Everything they have been searching for and so much more! )

How can Christians use the interest in the Twilight  series to turn conversations to more substantive spiritual issues?

As I wrote the book, my ultimate goal was to introduce girls to relationship with Jesus.  If they could just catch a glimpse of who He really is…of His love.  There is NO comparison to this love.  I think for many who don’t have a close, intimate relationship with Christ, this is a perfect opportunity to offer the Truth.

Observing the character,Bella, I can see how girls have related to her insecurities, her struggles and her desire for love and acceptance.  This has opened the door for discussions about their lives.  This beloved story and characters can be a perfect backdrop for sharing the true Epic story of rescue and salvation.

Check out Shepherd Project Ministry’s online Chapter by Chapter Summary of Kimberly Power’s Book: Escaping the Vampire here!

For additional resources on the Twilight Series, click here to check out our Twilight Series Resource Page!

The post Interview with Kimberly Powers, author of Escaping the Vampire appeared first on Shepherd Project Ministries.

By Kurt Bruner / Summary by Stacey Tuttle

Note: additional resources on Twilight can be found at our Twilight Series Resource Page-click here.

Editorial Note: the name of satan is not capitalized in the following document in accordance with the choices of the author/publishers of The Twilight Phenomenon who chose to violate grammatical rules rather than acknowledge his name.  

INTRODUCTION:

Kurt Bruner decided to read the Twilight series to see what all the hype was about when he realized that it was a bestseller, blockbuster hit and, with only one exception, all the girls in his son’s fifth-grade class had read the books. 

He asks anyone who is skeptical of the Twilight books to reserve judgment until they have heard about the themes and ideas in the books and understand a little better why the books are so appealing.  He also asks those Twi-hard fans to be willing to see the books anew with spiritual eyes .

SPIRITUAL FORMATION: 

Bruner is a Spiritual Formation Pastor, helping people along in their spiritual journey—helping them move upward towards Christ instead of slipping and tumbling downward.  He believes that the arts (for these purposes more specifically fantasy and film) can aid people in that upward climb. (One example of that is Grimm’s Fairy tales which gave a moral compass for appropriate behavior.) He says that stories, (especially fiction) aren’t an escape from reality, but actually help us connect to the most important realities, which is why we love them so much.

Part of what makes Twilight so intriguing is the way it so successfully combines two very different genres: romance and gothic horror.

There are two key factors to consider in order to understand how a story will affect our spiritual formation: the author’s worldview/assumptions/attitudes which cannot help but leak into the story (intentionally or not), and the reader’s worldview/assumptions/attitudes which affect they way he/she ingests and interprets the story.  It is important to have the right “lenses” on when reading/watching any story so that you are able to properly distinguish between the good and the bad material (or lessons) in it.  “Remember,” Bruner writes, “just because something tastes good does not make it good for you.”[1]

POSING QUESTIONS:

Bruner lists questions others have asked which he hopes to answer in the book:

• IS it OK for teen (and preteen) girls to read a series about forbidden love with a dangerous “boy”?
• Why are we so fascinated with dark characters like vampires, and what does that fascination suggest about our own nature?
• What are vampires? Do they have souls?
• What is the relationship between romantic attraction and true love?
• What sacrifices can or should we make for love?
• Are we defined by our nature or our choices?
• What is immortality and how is it lost?  How is it gained?
• How do we discern between good desire and bad temptation?
• What is the nature of evil?
• What does it mean to be heroic?
• Is the emergence of the Twilight phenomenon essentially good or basically evil?

The first three chapters of the book look at the fantasy and vampire genres, so readers can read the book in context of the rules of the genre in which is written.  The final two chapters will examine romantic love and its purpose. 

CHAPTER ONE: THE POWER OF STORIES

Good stories are more than mere entertainment, “they encourage us, challenge us or even transform us.”[2] Bruner lists several examples of books and movies which have made a significant impact on our culture (such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin which helped the abolitionist movement and even gets some credit for having started the Civil War). The ultimate example of a book which impacts lives and culture is the Bible.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER…

 Bruner explores man’s longing for happy endings in stories and in life.  He says that our love of a good story isn’t an escape from reality, but a desire to connect with it, arguing that good stories are good, “not because they distract our troubled hearts, but because they affirm our deepest aspirations”[3]  to connect to an unfolding drama in which we play a part.  All good stories have some common elements: a central character (hero) whose normal life is thrown off kilter and thrusts him/her onto a journey or quest full of obstacles and challenges to his pursuit of the object of his desire.  The climax generally includes a confrontation with a villain and requires the hero to sacrifice in some way, often including dying to himself in one form or another. 

Two classic story examples of this story line are the “guy meets girl” and the “action-adventure” format.  Once guy meets girl, ordinary life will no longer suffice and he has to find a way to get the girl – which usually requires he die to self in order to do so.  In the action-adventure version, the hero has to risk his life, limb and/or reputation in order to save his world from the villain who threatens and to restore peace.  Twilight has both story lines woven into its fabric, which partially accounts for its popularity.

According to Bruner, the hero’s journey, reflected in all great stories, is patterned after the Christian narrative.  “A hero (Christ) leaves His ordinary world (heaven) on a quest to face His old nemesis (satan) in order to rescue an object of desire (humanity).  Overcoming great obstacles, He eventually faces death to remedy the world.”[4]  Therefore, Bruner thinks the longings and yearnings which the hero’s journey in a good story stirs up in our hearts are God-given.  He posits that the things we wish were true are meant to point us to the things which ARE true.

CHAPTER TWO: THE TRUTH OF MYTH

Bruner pauses to explain a little about the fantasy genre.  Traditionally “myth” describes a story that reflects universal truth (not the current meaning of something untrue).   “In this context, Christianity is the supreme myth—the true, transcendent story that all others are trying to tell.”[5]

FANTASY AS TRUTH ENCOUNTER

It was fantasy which awakened in C.S. Lewis a desire for the joy that fantasy pointed to and ultimately led him to Christianity.  Lewis’ fantasy stories, most notably the Chronicles of Narnia, have awakened those same desires in scores of readers.  And, as readers come to love Aslan for the things he says and does, Lewis explains that they are really, through Aslan, coming to love Jesus in deeper ways than before.

WORLDVIEW

A worldview—the way in which we view the world—is heavily shaped by our religious perspectives and greatly affects the way we interpret stories and events we encounter, and the lessons we take from them.

THEE QUESTIONS (that every worldview must answer)

1. 1.        What are we made for?

“Regardless of religious perspective, every one of us senses that life has to be more than meets the eye.”[6]

1. 2.       What is wrong with our world?

All the pain and suffering in the world tells us something is wrong.

1. 3.       How will it be made right?

“Even while shaking our fist in anger at a God who seems cruel or distant, we reach for a God we hope can set things right and redeem our pain for a greater good.  We don’t know how.  We don’t know when. But we know things should not, cannot be left wrong.  They must be made right again.”[7]

CHAPTER THREE: THE REALITY OF VAMPIRES

Though the literary version of vampires as fanged, bat-morphing creatures is not real, what vampires represent is a very real and very disturbing thing…and it relates to the second worldview question: “What is wrong with our world?”

WHAT IS VAMPIRISM?

Bruner explores the history and various definitions of vampires. 

• Psychic vampires are people who seek to feed on the energy of others
• Random House Dictionary: unscrupulous (without regard for moral rules/restrictions) exploitation (taking advantage of the unfortunate), ruin, (tearing down the strong, corrupting the good) or degradation (disfiguring beautiful, spoiling the sacred) of others.[8]
• Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary regarding vampirism: “a sexual perversion in which pleasure and especially sexual pleasure is obtained by the drawing of the blood.”[9]
• Summarily: “vampirism is the process of draining life from others”[10] and ranges in extremes from being needy and clingy to abuse and rape.

WHY VAMPIRES?

In a search for the origin of the vampire myth, Bruner lists six vampire-like legends from cultures around the world.  It appears that these stories have arisen from a superstitious response to some unexplainable and painful events in the world.  (Such events were common in a world that understood nothing of germs and diseases…making illness and death seem a complete mystery.) Whatever the origins, common characteristics of these stories include:

• Blood Drinkers (blood is believed to have magical potency)
• Shape-Shifters (not limited to bats)
• Cross Haters (because they embody all things unholy, they despise the sacred)
• Garlic Avoiders
• Lust Indulgers (compulsively driven to satisfy wicked urges… for both blood and sex, etc.)
• Undead Creatures (“Like demons, angels who were banished from their proper place, vampires exist in exile haunted by the memory of human joys now out of reach.”[11])

VAMPIRE HALL OF FAME

A list of the most popular and/or most influential vampire stories includes: 

• The Vampyre:  credited with starting the fascination and transforming the folklore into a fiendish aristocrat preying upon high society
• Dracula:  So named for the Romanian word dracul meaning devil.  Dracula can only be defeated by virtuous men who serve God are willing to sacrifice themselves. The most famous of all vampire stories.
• I am Legend:  “the first to portray vampires as victims of a contagious disease rather than monsters who choose evil.”[12]
• Interview with a Vampire:  by Anne Rice, one of the most successful vampire novelists of all time.

LIVING NIGHTMARES

Even worse than the vampires in literature are the acts of real-life vampirism documented in history.

• The Real Dracula: Vlad Dracul, or Vlad the Impaler (his surname, Draculae, means “Son of the Devil”).  Credited with the death of about 80,000 victims (men, women, children, even babies) by impaling, German stories say he also tortured, burned, skinned, roasted, boiled and cut off limbs of his victims.  Also, he reportedly fed their flesh to friends or relatives.
• Blood Bath: A Transylvanian noblewoman, Elizabeth Bathory, a.k.a. the “Blood Countess”, believed she could hold on to her youthful beauty if she bathed in the blood of beautiful young virgins.  One method was to cage a virgin above her, poke her with sharp spikes and hot irons and literally shower in the blood pouring down.  Her journals record some 600 victims.
• Vampire Butcher:  German butcher Fritz Haarman molested and murdered homeless boys 12-18 years old by biting their jugular and drinking their blood.  It is believed their bodies were then used for sausage meat and eaten.
• Acid Bath Vampire: Englishman John George Haigh in 1940s dissolved victims bodies in acid thinking the police couldn’t find him guilty without a body.  He doesn’t seem to have been motivated by bloodlust himself (he made money selling victims’ property), but the heavy metal band Macabre was inspired to write a song, Acid Bath Vampire, because of him which reeks of bloodlust. 

A DARK REALITY

Our dark imaginings are often rooted in things which are.  Behind our vampire myths, infamous murderers, etc. is the dark, harsh reality that there truly is a very evil enemy: satan.   Note that the following qualities are all also attributed to vampires.

• Shape-Shifter:  He takes on various forms including: serpent, dragon, angel of light, lion.  His servants are known to inhabit bodies (human and animal).
• Murderous Liar:  He is cunning and seductive.  His best weapon is that of deception because it leaves his victims clueless and willing to follow.
• Cross Hater:  The cross represents satan’s greatest defeat (Jesus’ resurrection)

Satan was made for more (created to be an archangel) than he became (the worst of all enemies). (Note the similarity to vampires: once humans, they are now an enemy of mankind.) His fall was a result of pride and self-delusion; he saw himself as God’s equal.  Now he is death itself.  “Death is the opposite of life.  It is not the end of existence, but the beginning of something far worse; an eternity of madness, separated from the source of sanity: continual deception, denying the clarity of truth.”[13] And, Bruner cautions that the “seductive, life-draining, deceptive realities of vampirism are rooted in dark tendencies of the human heart…Like the book I am Legend imagines, humanity changed due to a contagious disease that spread to all but one.  As Jesus, the One, put it ‘men loved Darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil’ (John 3:19)”[14]

Three realities that vampire fiction hints at:

1. Mankind has been deceived by one who seeks to drain the life God intended us to have.
2. Mankind tends to rebel against the good/right—“making the seductive allure of evil something we crave rather than resist.”[15]
3. The memory of the life we were made to experience haunts us.  (Something which the Twilight books have rather significantly tapped into.)

CHAPTER FOUR: LOVE HUNGER

The prevalence in literature and movies (ref. Twilight, Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, West Side Story, Titanic, etc.) of forbidden love that one cannot live without indicates that there may be more to it than mere melodramatic immaturity. 

HEALTHY DESIRE

The desire for romance was created by God in the beginning (before the fall) – and the very existence of that desire indicates there is a satisfaction for it—one that is healthy and appropriate.  However, there are also unhealthy and inappropriate ways to satisfy that desire (just as there are healthy ways and unhealthy ways to satisfy hunger/the desire for food).  God created love and established marriage as the healthy way/place to satisfy our desires for romance and sex.

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Bruner looks at the positive elements of the romance in Twilight, starting with a nod to the more obvious, but questionable elements of abstinence (till marriage) and faithfulness/celibacy. 

• Drawn to Beauty—the fascination with beauty in the book echoes our human response to beauty and our desire for the ultimate beauty, (and creator of it) God.   
• Masculine Strength—displayed most evidently in Edward who has physical strength, but more importantly strength of character.
• Feminine Mystique—The sole mind Edward can’t read is Bella’s and it greatly enhances her mystery and her beauty (a notable point for today’s world where women reveal all—physically, emotionally, mentally—much too soon).

OBSTACLES

Like all great love stories, there are obstacles to overcome on the road to fulfillment for Bella and Edward.  Our longing for their union points to our longing for marriage itself, and ultimately for the marriage of the Church with Christ.

CHAPTER FIVE:  LUST THIRST

Bruner answers a key question: “Does the Twilight series handle romance in a manner that provides young readers nourishing fruit or an unhealthy candy bar?”[16]   Answer:  Both.  He says that while they are about abstinence, they nonetheless evoke “strong erotic images and emotions.”[17]  He quotes Time Magazine, “they’re about the erotics of abstinence… they’re squeaky, geeky clean on the surface, but right below it, they are absolutely, deliciously filthy.”[18]

Bruner outlines the progression of sexual tension throughout the books, drawing attention to the fact that Bella continually does her best to seduce Edward seeing no reason to wait for marriage to have sex.  Bruner also draws a chilling comparison between Bella and the “crafty harlot” in Proverbs 5 and 7, questioning if this is the role model parents really want for their young daughters.  He lists four messages girls are likely to take away from Bella’s example:

• Even good girls are eager for sex before marriage
• It’s OK to tempt a guy—just trust him and his self-control to protect you
• Go with your feelings in the passion of the moment
• A link between sex and marriage isn’t necessary

He also points out that Bella behaves more like a vampire than Edward does in her willingness to drain Edward’s resolve in order to get what she wants (sex without marriage) and outlines her repulsion to the idea of marriage found throughout the books.

TOO EASILY PLEASED

Our natural, God-given desires, have been twisted so that we are duped into seeking cheap, lesser imitations (Bella seeking sex without marriage), without realizing there is a far more satisfying fulfillment.

CHAPTER SIX: SOUL DESTINY

Ethics, morality and the possibility of punishment and reward in the afterlife are on-going themes in the Twilight series.  Questioning if vampires have souls and if so, are they eternally damned?  Can good works, discipline and self-sacrifice save their souls?  The questions preclude two assumptions:  “there is a moral code to respect and…there is an afterlife to anticipate.” [19]

GOOD MONSTERS

While vampires are typically portrayed as monsters, Twilight’s vegetarian, heroic vampires rather force a reconsideration of definitions.  The packaging is not the point (human, vampire, werewolf), the point is the inside, whether a person seeks to protect life or destroy it.

THE GOOD WE WANT TO DO

Edward’s desire to overcome his desires and urges for blood baffles Bella who seems to live by the code of do what you feel.  Bruner points out that the apostle Paul would probably relate to Edward’s desire to wage war against his flesh, but also points out that without the saving grace of Jesus Christ no one can be good enough to earn their redemption (as the Cullen clan is hoping to do).  Redemption comes not from self-discipline but from the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Here, Bruner explains a little of Stephanie Meyer’s Mormon theology (becoming as God through self-restraint and discipline) which certainly has a significant influence on the path of redemption for vampires in the Twilight series.

DESTINED FOR JOY

In the end, Bella is transformed—into wife, mother, vampire—but more importantly, into a joyful person full of strength, grace and dignity.  Her changes come from self-sacrifice, “Bella found her life by losing it.”[20] She gave her life to give life to her daughter and in doing so found inexplicable joy.  Previous themes of self-discipline and restraint appear weak compared to the final theme of self-sacrifice as Bella sacrifices herself for marriage and motherhood.    Bruner again notes some differences between Christian and Mormon beliefs about marriage and family.  Mormon’s teach that marriage and family is not a symbol but an actual means to becoming a deity, therefore it is not surprising that Bella finds her salvation through marriage and family. 

CONCLUSION: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

List of common questions and answers:

• Is Twilight a spiritual allegory?
  • While it touches on spiritual themes (as all great stories inevitably do), it is not written as an allegory intentionally created to illustrate a deeper truth or lesson.  Buner’s book is not intended to reveal Meyer’s conscious agenda, but to explore what her imagination has inferred.
• What is suggested about the nature of the soul from the Twilight series?
  • “In Meyer’s theology, the ultimate destiny of the soul is celestial marriage with ultimate godhood attained through self-disciplined obedience.  Christians believe the soul is destined for eternal life by trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (See John 3:16.)  Mormons, in contrast, believe the soul is destined for godhood by following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.”[21]
• Is Bella an admirable character (in Bruner’s opinion)?
  • Bruner finds Bella a troubling heroine and thinks there is little in her worth mimicking.  She’s self-consumed, manipulative, deceptive and moody through much of the story, lies to get her way, distances herself from her peers (thinking they are too immature) and is averse to marriage and motherhood.   More desirable traits for a woman (especially a woman of God) would include humility and grace, an upbeat, joyful personality and a nurturing spirit. 
• What do Twilight vampires suggest about the spirit world?
  • Meyer breaks from traditional gothic horror, her vampires behaving more like Greek gods than traditional horror monsters, even down to the demi-god-like children produced by vampires and humans.  Her stories are essentially polytheistic superhero tales.
• What about the spiritual significance of Jacob—is there any?
  • Jacob continually sacrifices his own desires in order to do what’s best for Bella and therefore is arguably the most consistently heroic character in the series.   His character is a reminder of the grace of friendship.
• What is the ultimate message Bruner would want readers to take away from the Twilight Phenomenon?
  •  
    • To discern the spiritual message in any story, ask the 3 questions mentioned in Chapter Two: What are we made for? What is wrong with our world? How will it be made right?  Like Bella, we all desire intimacy, but only those who find that intimacy in Christ will ultimately be fulfilled.
• How should we think of the Twilight series—as thirst-quenching fantasy or forbidden fruit?
  • Bruner says it is both.  Key concerns are Meyer’s theology and the mature themes which may be inappropriate for young audiences.  However, it does present an “ideal opportunity to collectively explore the ‘true myth’ that lies beneath every great story.”[22]

 Don’t forget to check out additional Twilight Series resources here.

[2] Ibid., 21.

[3] Ibid., 26.

[4] Ibid., 29.

[5] Ibid., 36.

[6] Ibid., 49.

[7] Ibid., 53.

[8][8] Ibid., 58-59.

[9] Ibid., 59.

[10] Ibid., 59.

[11] Ibid., 67.

[12] Ibid., 72.

[13] Ibid., 86.

[14] Ibid., 87.

[15] Ibid., 88.

[16] Ibid., 113.

[17] Ibid., 114.

[18] Ibid., 114.

[19] Ibid., 137.

[20] Ibid., 148.

[21] Ibid., 158.

[22] Ibid., 164.

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