8/9/10

Thoughts on Twilight

A month or so ago, the latest movie in the Twilight series released. You probably saw news articles about women of all ages camped out in California for days on end, sporting “Be safe” tattoos or shirts with “I love Edward” scrawled across the front in marker. Were you with them in spirit, or did it make you shake your head in disgust?

Personally, I enjoyed the books. Except for the last one, which I pretty much hated, but that’s a different topic. I get that people loved the story. I do NOT get the obsessive fans, like the ones who are now having marital problems because they fawn so much over these fictional heroes.

How did that hero worship happen? How does a book or a movie spawn this kind of following? I really doubt that was Meyer’s intention. It might actually be a little creepy to her to have fans love her characters even more than she does.

I have to wonder what would have happened if Meyer was a Christian and reflected that in the series. I do respect that she put some morals in there—no drugs, no sex before marriage for Edward and Bella—but what if she went further? What if when Edward left and Bella hit rock bottom, Jacob helped her realize that GOD needed to be her everything? If Meyer put God first in the story—the true God—would fans become more interested in learning about Jesus Christ than in debating Team Jacob or Team Edward?

It's something to think about. I'm not likely to see any of my stories in film, but if I did, I don't ever want my fans to make fools of themselves or jeopordize their real life relationships over a product of my imagination. I want to make sure the shining star in the story is Jesus.

Have you read any novels lately that helped you to see your relationship with Him in a new light or challenged your spiritual walk in some way?

1 comment:

Ava Pennington said...

Don't be so quick to say your stories won't end up in film. Double Take has all the makings of a great movie! Someday...