What the crap is that????

As I watched a movie last night, one of the villains started spewing out Bible verses. They were all out of context and twisted in ways that I don't care to repeat. I'm getting sick and tired of hearing Hollywood mouth off to Christianity, either deliberately or "accidentally," if there is such a thing. Heck, it's one thing when a movie villain starts blaspheming God or the Word because at least you know he's the bad guy and bad guys do that. What about when the good guys do it? Then it is insidious, because it's usually funny and it gets people laughing about sin. After I caught myself laughing at one of these moments I thought, "What is God thinking about this? Does he agree with the general sentiment of what is being said? What are people who don't know the truth thinking about this? Are they going to be driven from the Faith because of a movie?"

Does fiction affect someone who is not a Christian? Does it affect someone who is a Christian?

HECK YES!!!!!

Here's an example: Let's say you've got a kid growing up without much fatherly input. Now let's say you've got a kid who is grounded all the time and can't go anywhere. Now let's say you've got a kid that loves to read fantasy novels. (What percentage of people is this? When I worked as a youth leader, this described at least 2-3 out of every ten students. It describes me, as a matter of fact.) The kid is reading about witches and warlocks and people with supernatural powers, or dragons and wardrobes and hobbits, or wizards and kingdoms and long-lost ancestral inheritances. Pretty soon that kid, especially if he is male, starts to wish that part of what he is reading is true, at least for him. Not to long after that, he starts to pretend it is true. Fast forward a few years: Not only does he believe it, but now he's playing with Tarot cards and "conversing with spirits", if you will.
The problem here isn't that he read fiction, specifically fantasy. C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, L.B. Graham and G.P. Taylor are great examples of Christian fantasy writers that offer an excellent assortment of literature to choose from. I hope to join their ranks one day as well. The problem is that with so many lies and half-truths out there, no one took the time to show this kid the truth. (Of course, when someone finally did, he decided to blog about it many years later.... :)) No one loved (think of love as a verb here) enough to sit him down and give him what was real, which is more incredible and fantastic than anything in a fiction novel to date.
Can fiction effect someone who is a Christian? Remember me laughing about sin in the movie? Need I say more? Or are you immune to it? ( I could go on for hours on this one, but that's enough for now I think.

So, I've decided to examine the movies I watch a little closer and blog about them afterwards. I hope to offer something like a Christian movie review thingy, though they won't be rated, just examined; and of course I'll try to point out fallacies and truths within the 1-2.5 hours of my life sitting in a dark room watching TV (didn't my mom say something about that?).

I hope this dragon isn't to big for a hobbit.

Dan