Sunday, November 27, 2016

Romancing the Demon

There's been an uptick of using Christian beliefs as a fantasy world.

Angels lose their wings because they've succumbed to the lust of a human woman. 
Demons being redeemed or seen as heroes and acting like any normal guy with regular needs, with a few interesting appendages complicating things.  

I understand that authors take poetic license; it's free speech after all. However, the stories of the Bible come from a world with the lines specifically drawn. 

Some of the best stories come from writers who think outside the box and challenge longheld or current beliefs. I give credit where credit is due. 

For those that are stronger in their faith, this manipulation of their basic tenets and understanding of their faith, and the romancing of evil, is a bit hard to swallow.  I highly doubt that a certain other religion would tolerate such a desecration of their beliefs. In fact, they kill people for less.  So, why do folks seem to think it's okay to treat the Christian faith with a cavalier manner?  Well, we certainly won't rise up and do harm - well, we shouldn't. There are extremes in any form of human decision. I suppose, if authors do any level of research, and they're ... undecided, perhaps a kernel of spiritual truth will find fertile ground and some day bear fruit.  Therefore, not pouncing and making a big deal out of it could be viewed as a passive form of preaching. If there's something worth exploring and  writing about, conceivably there's a possibility that conversion of souls can take place.  They're being exposed to the Lord.  If it makes someone curious about real Christian practices and beliefs, then something good can come of it.  The Lord's work is accomplished by using people, tools and options most cannot even guess at, and not all of them are through "perfect" means, because, absolute perfection does not exist on this earth. We're all sinners.

I have drawn my personal line in the sand when anyone writes Lucifer as a being with feelings, with normal human lust and emotions and connections. First, he was an angel and angels were never, ever human.  He's the total absence of God, he's the darkest dark, and the instigator of the worst parts of the human condition; the destructor and violator of souls.  Not only is he not human but he's not redeemable nor something to trifle with. He's Sauron's worst nightmare,  Freddy Krueger is a novice in comparison, and the  human mind simply cannot fathom the depths of wrongness that is Lucifer. So to romanticize him, make him act, talk or yearn for things as a human male would is, frankly, abhorrent to me. 

If they want to use the premise of angels and demons, take them out of this world, make them aliens, a different dimension and/or write it under the sci-fi/fantasy genre and disassociate it from the Christianity that is practiced here on earth. Use Greek or Roman mythology, like Hades or Pluto, instead of something that is alive and real.

I practice a lot of 'willing suspension of disbelief' when I read, but when it comes to my religion, I'm unwilling to compromise and suspend my beliefs for the sake of enjoyment.  The beauty, strength, grace, forgiveness and love of my God is not something I'll ever be willing to suspend, even for a book written by a favorite author. 

For me, romancing demons and the devil is not an option. 


More Favorite Things

This is a post that accidently was left in draft mode since JULY 2011 !!!  I just found it and figured it's still relevant ... :)
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Why is it, do you think, that we love spies? And intrigue? And masterful men?

Growing up, I had my girlish heart go pitter patter over these:  These links are to intros.

I Spy  What a cool idea when you think of it.  Can you see some of today's tennis players as secret agents? And to think, Bill Cosby used to be an action hero. Cool.
(Nov 2016 - guess things are not so cool for him now. My, how time changes things!!)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E - Now Mr. Vaugn touts a law office. LOL (as of Nov 2016 - Mr. Vaugn recently passed away.  He sure had a long run though.)

The AVENGERS - I always wanted to be Mrs. Peel. (Nov 2016 - still do)

The SAINT - before he was Bond, James Bond

The Wild Wild West - but be aware..when he kisses his would-be assasin?  In the original, he clobbers the vixen and knocks her on her butt.  As far as I'm concerned, they should have kept it.  Not sure why, but he seemed, more manly, more of a rough and tough agent who gets the job done. As it is, she SWOONS?  Nawww... deck her - it shows equality between one agent and another.  ::snort::

VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA - of course they solved crimes - of the "I want to take over the world' kind.

FBI - I used to watch this with my grandparents.  Ephram was such a hottie back then! (NOV 2016 - wish the FBI was as respected now as it was then.)

77 Sunset Strip :  - Ok, it was a bit before my time, but I loved the idea of it.

PETER GUNN - I'm not the only one who thought the theme music was cool,- heck, so did the Blues Brothers. lol

THE MOD SQUAD  - This is one of my favorite theme songs; it was so energetic - and I like the idea of young people really making a difference.  I just want to RUN whenever I hear this music. And why does Clarence Williams remind of of Mr. Fishburn?

SWAT  - how could I forget this?  Robert Urich!  I miss him. What a fun show.

MAVERICK - James Garner - I girl-crushed on him long before the Rockford Files...

RAWHIDE - Before Spaghetti Westerns there was this T.V. series for Mr. Eastwood. Fond memories.

I hope these links stay working on YouTube because I like to listen to them and I have a one stop place to find them. Every one of these T.V. shows affected me as I grew up.  What do kids have these days that doesn't talk down to them, (other than Siri)  or make them seem dumber than they are? What they do have disrespects adults or celebrates dysfunctional families. These listed shows may seem dated, but in them they acted like adults, had characters you could look up to, role models, and even as a kid, I enjoyed every single one.

I Tried a Book Out of My Comfort Zone

Sometimes, reading out of my comfort zone is ... well, uncomfortable. The blurb of the book sounded rather interesting. The Fate of Mercy ...