To Twilight or Not to Twilight

The book series and subsequent movie, Twilight, has women and teen girls across our nation in a tizzy. Already, camps are starting to form on whether this story should be enjoyed by those who call themselves "Christian". The storyline of vampires and sensual teen love have people packing their sleeping bags and canteens and heading for their chosen campsite. What's a girl to do?



Being a Student Pastor for almost 20 years, I have had to wade through these culture wars with students. From tattoos and piercings, Facebook and MySpace, to movies and music, from fads and fashions, I've had to answer to parents and students alike who are looking for the answers to the BIG question: "Is it OK to...(you fill in the blank)?

I answer a question with a question: "What did God tell you to do/not to do?" We are a culture of opinions, rather than running to God for our answers. Many kids are making decisions based on common thought, permissions from adults and friends or simply from NOT thinking at all-just doing. But, I challenge students to ask God what He thinks. He won't keep it a secret! He'll let you know. Tattoos and books are not sin, folks. Disobeying God is sin. If he says "don't read that book" then don't read it - for you it's sin; not because the book is sin, but because God told you not to.

Years ago I saw the movie "Silence of the Lambs". Don't recommend it, but I went to see it-entertaining, but it freaked me out a little. When the next one came out, I tried to go see it, but when I got there it was sold out. A little voice inside said "you don't need to see this movie", but I ignored it. I tried to see it again later and, once again, thwarted. I got the message. God was trying to tell ME not to see the movie. So, I confessed and headed back to my car. I didn't see it. Still haven't. This is my point. That little voice was not Hannibal Lector back from the grave; it was God and He had spoken.

So, here's the question once again: Is Twilight a sin? Answer: I don't know! What did God say to you about it? Don't depend on me for the answer, or your mom or your friends to tell you -ask God...then obey. Now, I fully believe that God gives us parents to help us discern those things we can't fully discern. Scripture is clear: "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right" (emphasis added). Mom said it and that's enough. You don't have to agree, but you do have to obey-it is right. By reading it anyway or secretly, you are not only disobeying your parents, but you're are sinning by disobeying your parents, and God is offended by that. The real issue is obeying God here.

I'd also add one other thought abouth this whole "corrupt" media influence. I'm now in my 40's. I grew up with ghosts, goblins, witches, demons, ouiji boards, adultery, pre-marital sex just like the current generation. Albeit, it is much more intense these days, but one thing I'm trying to do is to train my children to think and pray. Sheltering our children in this "holier than thou" mentality is only deepening the chasm between Christians and their influence on the world. I want my girls to be able to engage their non-christian friends in conversations, rather than look down their noses. I want my girls to be able to look media in the face and be able to see the Truth or lack of it within it's pages, notes and screens. My daughter read the Harry Potter series. She loved it. But, as she was reading, we had regular conversations about the content and how it relates to her spiritually. Even when we sit down and watch an intertaining episode of Hanna Montana, I engage them in conversations: "Was that really honoring to her parents when she said/did that?", "Did you see how she treated her friend there?", "What could she have said there to make it better or right with her teacher?" These conversations FORCE my girls to not simply veg out in front of the television, but to engage their minds to what they see and how it relates to God's word.

Learning to listen to God and learning to discern are two weapons that I feel that most people are not armed with in the culture wars. We as Christians should train ourselves to be godly and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This simply means that we equip ourselves with those things that help us live like Christ in a world gone wrong. It also means that we spend more time listening to our Father than listening to the opinions of others.

"The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves." Romans 14:22