Christians and Writing and Stirring the Pot

Is it okay for Christians to stir the pot with their fictional writing, to raise questions we know will receive negative reactions or challenge millenia-old beliefs? Are we allowed to put words to paper that may end up tearing down the strongholds of 'religious' thinking? Are we heretics if we write anything other than G-rated Christian fiction?

These are questions I found myself pondering last week. On the tail end of releasing a multi-author anthology filled with stories that define the edgy Christian speculative fiction genre, I can already sense the naysayers peeking around the corners, sniffing for blood. "Christian fiction can't have edgy content," they grumble. "Cursing and violence are absolutely prohibited in your novels - if you call yourself a Christian writer." "You wrote a story that had sexual content in it? You're a pervert, plain and simple." "Why would anyone write about alcoholism, kidnapping, murder? Dismemberment? GASP!" *faints*

All sarcasm aside, I'm not surprised when edgy material (ie adult content, violence, cursing) in Christian fiction causes a stir. There are many professing Christians who hold to the belief that including edgy content in Christian fiction is the same as having a bag of week-old trash on the dining room table during Thanksgiving dinner. It just doesn't belong. It stinks, it's filthy, and it distracts from the beauty of the dining room table.

I've finally come to realize that this stir that's constantly being caused because of what I write is actually a good thing. What I write isn't just challenging the boundaries of 'Christian' fiction with the nature of the story itself, but also with the content found within these stories. Did you know that Jesus caused controversy? It's true, despite what version of the Bible you may have read as a child. He was constantly turning everyone's beliefs upside down. He was constantly questioning - and debunking - the status quo. He stretched - and sometimes broke through - the boundaries of peoples' beliefs to show them a new way of thinking, a non-'religious' way of thinking. He came to bring truth, and sometimes the truth goes against the very structure - mental, religious, physical - that people have established within and around themselves.

To break through these boundaries is exactly my reason for writing edgy Christian speculative fiction. When I first penned Black Earth: End of the Innocence, I realized that everything I had written before was based on my childhood belief that Christian fiction had to be squeaky clean - that 'Christian' meant 'Family Friendly'. I couldn't have curse words, I couldn't have any kind of sexual content, I couldn't have anything that resembled more than cartoon violence - and sometimes even that was going too far.

These are things I told myself based on what I saw in the publishing market, in our culture, and in our Christian community. I think that's why I stayed close to the Young Adult genre as I grew up, because it more easily catered to squeaky clean Christian beliefs. But once I started writing out the rape scene that occurs in my novel, End of the Innocence, I felt...well...free. Not just as a person, but as a writer. The scene was written according to what the story demanded. I didn't go into ridiculous and senseless detail, but I didn't shy away from the subject matter either. My character needed to be raped for her story to have purpose, and I couldn't just write, "She was raped. The next day...". Omission works well for some things, but I don't subscribe to the 'rule' that omission is the solution in every single storyline, in every single book.

Here's the way I look at it. If you have a light bulb, you don't stay in a brightly lit room with it. You travel to a dark room and install that light bulb to bring the light to other areas of the building. You don't need a light bulb in a room that is filled with constant sunshine. That light bulb is needed in the room that has no windows, that is filled with shadow. But in taking the light bulb to other dark rooms, you have to encounter the darkness. You don't know there is a need for that light bulb until you encounter that darkness and recognize it as darkness.

I think some Christians who are writers have steered away from being controversial in all the right ways because they are either afraid of being rejected by the Christian community (or the secular community), or they are too busy being 'religious' about the wrong things. I know that first one applies to me. I struggle with wanting everyone to approve of everything I do. I want to keep the peace, I want everyone to get along. I don't want to rock the boat because it will disrupt my daily routine. I don't want the Christian community coming at me with pitchforks because they don't understand - or don't want to take the time to try and understand - why I write what I write.

I know that many Christians read Christian fiction so they don't have to confront worldly things like they would have to in much of the secular fiction that is out there. But writing and reading about the contrast between good and evil is writing and reading about life. You can stick your head in a book and pretend the darkness isn't there. But once you get done with your book and take a good look at the world around you, you'll find that we live in a dark and fallen world full of crime, tragedy, and constant strife.

But we have a savior who died to save all of us from that darkness, a bright light against this tapestry of darkness. And I write what I write to take that light to the dark rooms of the human soul.

photo credit: neonzu1 via photopin cc

photo credit: josemanuelerre via photopin cc

Poopy Faced Christian Prudes

We’ll talk about the title of this post in a second. First, I want to state that this is the first in many blog posts where I try to address some in-depth and sometimes complex issues/themes in the world, Christianity, and the arts and entertainment. Starting next week I’ll be diving into an entire series dedicated to examining the characters and themes in my edgy Christian speculative fiction series, Black Earth. But first I figured I’d lay down the groundwork by debunking an attitude that I’ve come across one too many times now – Christian’s vehemently judging non-Christians for participating in edgy entertainment – books, movies, music, video games, etc. What’s even more annoying is when Christians vehemently judge other Christians for the same thing.

I mean, c’mon, most of us have to admit that a good percentage – although not all – of the Christian population has the well-earned reputation of taking itself too seriously. Harry Potter is evil. Christian rap isn’t real music. Violent movies cause us to kill each other. These are attitudes I see in the Christian community ALL the time. Granted not all Christians feel this way, but some of those that do strive to wipe out any form of entertainment that doesn’t promote Christian themes.

Now before the comments start about how it seems I’m attacking those who hold certain beliefs that they are entitled to have, I want to make one thing clear: I am aware that even though some people believe Harry Potter is evil, it doesn’t make them wrong in their opinion. It could be considered evil for them, personally. The issue I have is when Christians point the finger and make painfully obvious their disgust with those who DO enjoy Harry Potter.

It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that there are definitely boundaries we need to put around ourselves and our children in regards to content in the arts. Some of us are genuinely more disturbed by certain themes than others, and in this regard, we should probably keep ourselves from engaging in content that contains these themes. A rape victim may not feel comfortable watching a movie that portrays a girl being raped. Some are more squeamish to acts of violence in film and television. Some have an extreme distaste for cursing in music. We need to have mutual respect for those who feel this way.

But what I want to talk about is the stigma surrounding Christians completely hating on forms of entertainment that contain anything gritty, edgy, or controversial. It seems some shy away from anything that contains merely the theme of evil because they are afraid it will rub off on them and turn them evil. I just think that some Christians too often neglect to look at a form of entertainment for what it has the potential to be – a platform for powerful stories, though-provoking themes, and issues relative to our world today.

I think many neglect to use discernment when it comes to this and instead, lazily write EVERYTHING off as evil, shunning any type of entertainment that contains cursing, sex, violence, or morally blurred lines. Personally, I find that these forms of entertainment simply reflect the world around us. My neighbor curses, but I can’t shut him off. A driver on the interstate cuts me off, I honk at him, and he follows me into my neighborhood hoping to start a violent feud. While at work, my coworker hits on me and attempts to seduce me away from my wife. This is real life.

No, I’m not saying that we should purposefully seek out a book or movie that is filled with cursing or sex simply for the sake of experiencing cursing or sex. Once again, this is where discernment comes in. What I’m saying is that sometimes entertainment venues contain these things to tell truth in a story, to make them believable, and draw us in. That’s really what parables were all about. Jesus told parables – mostly fictional tales – to get a sometimes complex spiritual truth across in a simple way that the majority could understand.

I think one of my favorite movies is The Dark Knight. The villain in the movie, the Joker, is clearly in opposition to Bruce Wayne, who wants to help make Gotham city a better place. Bruce has seen the seedy side of Gotham, especially with the murder of his parents. And even though Bruce is filthy rich, he realizes that money holds nothing to purpose, and so he finds his purpose in Batman, an icon meant to give the city hope. The Joker on the other hand has nothing to lose, and this makes him a great villain because he is willing to do anything – even self-destruct – to get his plans and purpose across. The Joker understands humanities dark side and even tries to turn humanity on itself by setting up for a prison transport and a passenger ferry to destroy each other. But humanity succeeds and, for the moment, evil takes a hit. The Dark Knight portrays the ultimate battle between good and evil, of a just man and an unjust villain, humanity versus humanity. There is no seemingly sure way of stopping the Joker without killing him. But Batman understands that killing isn’t always the answer. He knows if he kills the Joker, that he himself will become that which he battles. Evil.

Anyone can pull any number of spiritual references from the movie, but I think Christians can gain a lot of insight by learning to breathe every once in a while and take in fine storytelling such as this. I also understand that some may be sensitive to certain themes of violence, and the maniacal and truly insane persona of the Joker can be disturbing to many, but those situations aren’t what I’m addressing here. I’m addressing those who sneer at movies like this or at the Christians/non-Christians who choose to watch them.

I think we as Christians should learn not to be such prudes when it comes to some of this stuff. I know I’ll probably get some negative comments about my heretical theories, but I don’t really care. I’ve felt this way for a  while now and I think it’s time I spoke up. I’m not by any means suggesting we go out and live a sinful life through a constant stream of lewd or crude entertainment. But I think great stories, great characters, great moral conflicts, can be found in some great avenues of media that some of us have been avoiding like a communicable disease.

Keep tabs on this blog on Wednesday when I talk specifically about the bad rap (some not surprising) that some Christian fiction has and my own way of emerging from it.

Is It Just Me...Or Is There a Shortage of Christian Fiction Reviewers?

For the past couple weeks now I've been submitting requests to different online reviewers to have my book, Black Earth: End of the Innocence, read and reviewed. My Black Earth series falls into a somewhat specialized genre I like to label: Edgy Christian Speculative Fiction. I think the title says it all, but for those who want a more basic explanation - my work is scifi/fantasy with themes of horror and some Christian themes/symbolism throughout. I know some don't think those genres can work together - in fact some believe they contradict each other - but we'll leave that argument for another blog post.

As far as the reviews go, I've managed to find some great reviewers who are interested in the book and have agreed to read/review it. But in my quest to hunt down review blogs and read through their reviewing policies, I've come across an obscene amount of reviewers with one particular genre on their 'Do Not Read/Review' lists: Christian Fiction.

Now, I'm not naive to the fact that religious fiction isn't everyone's cup of tea. There is a lot of religious fiction out there that doesn't seek to entertain as much as it seeks to prove a religious point or cram a sermon down someone's throat. Even I don't want to read books like that. But I think lately, some religious fiction, especially Christian fiction, is taking a turn toward brighter horizons.

Personally, I've grown to love the writing of Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. Ted Dekker's Circle series is one of the best Christian fiction series I've read. He incorporates an entertaining story, Christian symbolism, and enough edgy, non-corny content, that I find myself enthralled from cover to cover. Tosca Lee's Havah, even though it is a speculative account of the life of Eve, is well written and entertaining, written in a vein akin to historical fiction. Her book Demon is a great example of what Christian fiction can be when Christian writers step out of our protective shelter and try out new things.

I think it might be the term Christian Fiction that really seems to push some readers back. I think the term evokes a sense of dread that the reader is going to get a sermon wrapped up in a shoddily put together story. I never even labeled my work Christian fiction until I had some reviewers complaining that I wasn't being transparent with my book description and was 'hiding' the fact that my work was Christian fiction, like I was trying to feed them a dish of candy-sprinkled ice cream with some poison hidden in the bottom of the cup.

Why would I hide the fact that my work has Christian themes in it? I'm not in this to be a covert missionary. I just want to write great fiction that contains some Christian themes. Aren't we all as writers told to write what we know? Well, I've been a Christian since I was six years old. I'm 32 now. So yes, Christian elements are going to be found in my writing, but it doesn't mean that I am setting out to convert my readers.

One of the first reviews I received for Black Earth: End of the Innocence was from a woman at the church I used to attend -

"My expectations were blown away when I started reading this book. The story line is absolutely captivating. It is refreshing to read a science fiction book with a christian background that doesn't come off corny. By far this is a must read."

Her and I didn't know each other very well when this review was written, so it's not like she wrote a positive review just because we were good friends. And I was surprised, actually, to get a review like this from a fellow Christian who isn't really into horror - an element found sprinkled throughout my books. The line that stands out in this review is that "it is refreshing to read a science fiction book with a Christian background that doesn't come off corny."

And I think that's the key. Some, if not most, Christian fiction has gotten the rap - both in and out of Christian circles - of being corny. Of preaching Jesus' love to the masses through crappy exposition and silly trite. The quality of some of these stories is watered down and pushed aside to make way for 'the message'. If that's all Christian fiction is going to be about for a writer, maybe they are better off writing Christian non-fiction, like a devotional or something. Sometimes I get the feeling when I hand someone my book, they are looking at it like it's an old Christian tract with a message of Jesus and judgment.

That's why I adapted the term edgy Christian speculative fiction. I want to try and isolate my own writing from others found throughout the genre. I don't want my readers thinking that I have an ulterior motive for writing. I write what I know - or what I pretend to know - and I write what comes to me. I've had Christians in my circle downplay my book as being too violent, too sensual, too scifi. Well, my job as a writer isn't to manipulate the story for my own means. It's to tell the story in all of its glorious, raw beauty. Does my writing show clear signs of Christianity dispersed throughout? Yes. I love themes of redemption and of good battling evil. But I want to write outside the typical Christian fiction box too - to lean more toward getting the real story on the paper while at the same time entertaining my readers.

I do want to give a shout out to those reviewers who have taken a chance on my fiction. You know who you are. And I can completely understand why some just don't want to review Christian fiction. I'm not judging you for it. It just seems the decision to avoid reviewing Christian fiction altogether is becoming more of an epidemic than a style preference. But maybe that's just my imagination...I have been known to have one once in a while.

Is Redemption Always Expected in Christian Fiction?

I received another two star review a couple weeks ago, this one for the second volume in my edgy Christian speculative fiction series, Black Earth: The Broken Daisy. The review as a whole wasn't the most positive I have received, but there was one major thing that really stuck out to me - the reader's disappointment with the direction one of my main characters is going in the series.

In the same reviewer's honest analysis of the first book in the series - Black Earth: End of the Innocence  - she made complaint that my character, Cynthia Ruin - or Sin to her friends - hadn't found complete redemption by the end of the book:

"Also disappointing was the story line for Sin. I would have liked to have seen her evolve more, and truly regret her actions. It felt like she started to regret them a little, but never truly asked God to forgive her."

Aside from me pointing out that this is a series, and that character development, including themes of redemption, can be spread across multiple volumes, I would also argue that, as in real life, people don't always turn to God once something doesn't go their way - if at all. And just because one has accepted Christ, that doesn't mean there isn't a tough road ahead, or that the individual in question isn't going to stumble or backslide along the way to complete redemption. Some may not even make the complete life change that God plans for them. It's sad, but it's a reality.

In the review for the second book in the series, this reviewer continued to voice her frustrations with Cynthia's character development:

"I had hoped to see Cynthia really regret her bad behavior and find redemption, she was leaning towards that at the end of book one, however she ends up seducing Nathan and not regretting anything."

My intention isn't to argue with the review itself. These were the reviewer's honest opinions and she's entitled to them. I appreciate her taking the time to do the review. The comments I highlighted do raise an interesting curiosity for me though. In fiction - especially Christian fiction - has it become expected of the characters to find redemption and turn to God for their answer to life's meaning? I mean, is it a matter-of-fact expectation for the majority of characters involved?

I'll give a bit of background on my character in question: Cynthia Ruin. The first book in the series opens up on the night of her high school graduation, an even which she vehemently opposes. Instead of participating, she instead opts to spend time in a local night club. Throughout most of her high school life, Cynthia is inconspicuously known as the Pink Rabbit, a high school slut who sleeps with and does favors for the guys of her school. With each favor she performs, she stamps a pink rabbit on the body of the male giving him a particular status symbol around the school. It's even rumored she has done favors for hand-picked females.

In other words, this isn't a character your mother would want you to bring home. But that's Cynthia Ruin. Cynthia is raped the night of her graduation at aforementioned night club by an angry individual who was once turned down by the Pink Rabbit. Rejection is a powerful drug that can make many do things they wouldn't otherwise do.

Throughout the story, Cynthia begins to regret her actions. The rape endured at the night club strikes fear and vulnerability in her and causes her to question why she does what she does. But she isn't exactly ready to embrace a loving God. Not just yet.

Cynthia eventually crosses the path of the main protagonist of the story, Nathan Pierce, who is a born-again Christian but struggles with his own ideals of religion and faith. By the end of the first book, Cynthia redeems some of her actions by saving someone's life, but this still doesn't bring her to a point where she's going to drop to her knees and worship God.

I don't want to spoil too much of the story, but in the second volume of the Black Earth series, the world falls into darkness and because of this, Cynthia reverts to her old ways of dealing with life - drinking and sexual promiscuity. She sees Nathan - a Christian - as a personal challenge that needs to be broken of his proclaimed virginity. So she seduces him, claiming that there is no need to hold on to morals or values with the world ending, and they have sex.

It isn't until the end of the second book that Cynthia starts to really have a desire to clean up her act. But even at that point she still doesn't come right out and seek forgiveness for deeds.

So this brings me back to my curiosity: In fiction - especially Christian fiction - has it become expected of the characters to find redemption and turn to God for their answer to life's meaning?

Maybe not all the characters? Any? Isn't the point of Christian fiction to be inspirational, to showcase themes of redemption. Maybe the point is to reveal the character of God to a fallen world. Maybe it's to entertain? I guess it all really depends on your storyline and your characters.

Isn't it a bit presumptuous to assume that characters in Christian fiction - or even those we know in real life - are always going to see things the way we see them, or even how God sees them? This is a fallen world - as is the world in my novels. Darkness overshadows the land, filling it with murder and hate, destruction and chaos. Vices run rampant - sex, drugs and alcohol, among dark and deadly things. But in the world we live in, and my fictional world, there is also light and redemption and salvation. Although, not everyone wants to take hold of such things. Especially in a world falling into darkness, many simply want to party until the planet implodes. Such as in life, evil does win sometimes, and good isn't always accepted by those we love.

So, I'm wondering if some people just automatically expect happy turnouts for the characters in the stories they read. At least in Christian fiction. Who knows what direction Cynthia will go in the third volume? She may end up becoming an anti-hero. She may turn into the story's greatest villain. Or she may just wander through the darkness, ignoring the light altogether.

And it's in watching Cynthia wander that some of us open our eyes and notice those around us who are wandering just the same.

Hmm.

Acquire the Fire

This last weekend I was honored to be part of the leadership group that went with my church's youth group to Acquire the Fire in Phoenix. For those who don't know, ATF is an intense Christian youth conference that travels around the states during the year. It consists of worship, sessions, skits and interactive surveys. This year it took place at the state fairgrounds from 7pm-10:30pm on Friday night and 8am-9pm on Saturday.

Now, I've been to a couple of Acquire the Fires in the past with another youth group I used to help lead over, but this year there was something different in the air. It could have been the intimate melodies from the worship band, Unhindered. It could have been the sessions and skits that spoke to the youth about real-life issues like pregnancy and acceptance. It could have even been the close fellowship I had with the youth group I was with.

The more I think about it though, the more I realize what it was that made this year different than others I have attended ATF in: The theme this year was having an encounter with God. But the main subject that was spoken about was being smitten in love with God. Smitten. Rhymes with mitten and kitten, pigeon and rippen. Even rhymes with fitten. Not sure some of those are even words. Anyway, smitten. The definition of smitten is to be very much in love. Smitten with God. Very much in love with God.

I think we as Christians sometimes get lost in the rules and regulations of religion and overlook the three most important elements of life: faith, hope and love. Love. To be in love with God. To be in love with the One who created us. God knows the number of hairs on our head. Psalm 139 speaks of how God's thoughts about us outnumber the grains of sand. Zephaniah 3:17 tells us that God sings over us.

We overlook these things on a daily basis. That God thinks about us, that He sings over us. Who are we that God would take the time to do these things? One of the speakers at ATF mentioned how God woos us like a groom woos his bride. God knows our favorite things, our hopes and dreams, our passions and desires. He tries daily to bring these things to us, to surprise us, to rejoice in us. Do we have our eyes open to experience these things or are we so caught up in our daily lives that we don't even acknowledge that God is there - unless of course something is going wrong in our lives. Needless to say, this conference - though it was designed for youth - really opened my own eyes to who God really is and what He means to me.

On top of the awesome experience at ATF, I was able to hear and meet female worship singer, Sarah Reeves and her band. She was selling CD's and she and the band were signing them. I even took the photo op and got a picture with her. She has an amazing voice and her songs speak to the heart about drawing closer to God, breaking down walls and rising up in unity with each other. Awesomeness!