I've always had a deep liking for the science fiction and fantasy genres. Recently, a colleague of mine once questioned how it was that I was a devoted Catholic but loved science fiction. In his mind, those two things were contradictory. So here is why I think the science fiction genre is important for Christians.
Dystopia is a type of science fiction where the author depicts a future world where the government is set up to make everything "perfect," but is actually horribly repressive. The dystopias like "1984," "Brave New World" and "Fahrenheit 451" all show us a world that takes the ideas we prize to an extreme to show where they go wrong.
"1984" is George Orwell's harrowing view of the Cold War sacrifices and ideologies, which shows us a world of informants, where children are turned against their parents, and where sacrifices for the perpetual war rationalize all suffering. The "Thought-Police" arrest and torture people who question is established order and political parties. And the politicians seek to limit the use of language in order to limit thought.
In "Brave New World" Aldous Huxley gives the most scarily accurate portrayal of a "perfect" future world. Every person is a commodity, their are no families, only casual sex, all babies are made and raised communally, there is no education outside of class conditioning, people only learn how to do their jobs, happiness is maintained by "feelies" or movies that have sensory effects, people are separated by class and designed to have a specific intelligence that makes them accept and enjoy the job they have without question. Lastly, when anything gets unpleasant, just take "soma," a nice, little hallucinogen that will take care of everything.
And briefly, "Fahrenheit 451" paints a world where 3-D TVs take the place of families, all relationships are superficial, and books are burned because they would make us think and question the type of "happiness" we have where people waste away in front of the TV by day and take too many pain-killers at night. [These are a scant few of the landmark science fiction classics that are more a thought-experiment about societal order than about aliens]
Although "Brave New World" is only one to deal with religion specifically, all the dystopias show us a world without religion, where man is the measure of everything and man-made happiness has come to supplant true happiness. Moral frameworks are out of the picture, and everything is decided by the governing body.
One of the main themes is lack of education. People only know enough to do their jobs and are not encouraged to think or consider the nature of their lives or what their lives should be like.
These are important questions for Christians to think about since we are called to be pilgrims in this world; we have to consider the present order and whether it is good or not. We have to think about how we are called to live our lives, what type of relationships we are supposed to have and how we are to treat people.
Dystopias invite us to consider the prevailing ideas of our culture and where they are headed if taken to their logical extreme. They allow us to look critically at ourselves and what our role should be as leaven in the dough.
What type of world should we live as an example of?
Do you think that science fiction and Christianity are opposing forces? What is the role of questioning and philosophy in our society, what types of assumptions have we accepted without realizing it? Are those good or not? Do you have a favorite genre of books?
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Comments (21)
Keyword: Fiction
I don't think the genre itself is anti-Christian. I think it depends on the work itself. If one presents in his work a hostility to the Christian faith in SF or Fantasy, that's usually something which will discourage me from finishing it... I'm not interested in reading a polemic
If it is at least neutral towards religion, positive or doesn't deal with it all, then I have no problems with the genre.
LOVE this post.
First of all, I do not believe the two are opposing forces, considering we were created in God's image and God is a Creator, it is only natural that we should imagine new worlds, ideas, and concepts...even though nothing we can come up with is truly original compared with His vast imagination, it can still be fun and healthy!
Second, our modern culture is one of two things: money, and comfort. On an individual basis, we as consumers will accept what is marketed to us on the basis of comfort, and on a corporate basis, those who are doing the marketing will offer it on the basis of whatever sells. Based on these factors, even the most critical-thinking of Christians and unbelievers alike will, to a certain extent, accept what sells, which by logic must be what is comfortable...be it a product, or an ideal. Because of this culture that we, by the will of God, are a part of, critical thinking and questioning philosophies MUST be present at all times. The books/movies you mentioned are excellent examples of what could happen should these propelling factors in our culture be taken to an extreme, which never happens intentionally--only in the fashion of a frog being boiled alive.
As to your last question, FANTASY! A close second being sci-fi. Yes, I'm a nerd, and I love it.
Not sure if the second paragraph was really what you were asking, but in my mind it relates. I can clarify if need be. As I said though, I love your post!
If anything, science fiction shows us the essential human need for God. That and Star Wars is just awesome.
Have you ever read "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russel? It is heartbreaking, but beautiful in kind of a brutal way. And it has Jesuits! The sequel isn't as good, but interesting.
You might love this as well: http://lucis.net/stuff/clarke/star_clarke.html
And I almost forgot to mention C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy!!
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - I remember reading this. Felt like it was almost lifted from the book Blackrobe, same angst and the like. I suspect she used the same books for research as Blackrobe did
You have enough worthy questions here for several posts. :)
I don't think Christianity and science fiction are necessarily opposed, though most of my favorite sf writers are atheists. If there is any barrier, it is that Christians spend more time thinking about the return of Jesus and the world to come, rather than a speculative far-off future in the current universe. Some of the early Christians thought the second coming was just around the corner. Two thousand years later, it's equally hard to imagine that it could be ANOTHER two thousand years off.
Also, many Christians have a suspicion of the arts and entertainment in general. They wonder if the arts are worth the time and effort. As a result, we often settle for second-rate art with 'ministry value'.
Christians need to put much more serious thought into how we live and view society. We shouldn't abandon academia to the secular world.
Story telling is story telling. We're told in Scripture that God created everything in creation. Story telling is as much a creation of God's as rocks and trees are. I honestly don't know where people get the idea that story telling is or should be a problem for believers in Jesus Christ. I suppose the main argument is, "Since a fictional story is a construct of the mind, and did not actually happen, then the center of fiction is lies." But when reading a story what do we naturally do? We willfully suspend disbelief. Why do we even have the capacity to do that.
Many great truths have been illustrated through fictional stories. Many of us read the comic strip DILBERT daily in our local newspapers. One thing I've heard people say over and over again is, "That guy, Scott Adams must have worked for the same company I work for, cause Dilbert is all about this place!" We all know Scott Adam's strip is fictional, but we find so much truth about where we work every day.
Consider the television drama "CSI". We know the show is fiction, but many young people have been inspired to pursue criminology and crime scene forensics, because of this fictional television drama.
We humans are meant to tell and enjoy stories. And we know that sometimes fiction leads us to the truth, better than just the straight facts. Sometimes stories reach us at a deeper place than mere facts can. Stories get through our normal "filters" to reach our hearts. Sometimes fiction works like a spoonful of sugar to help the "medicine" go down easier.
There are a lot of Christians who seriously just need to lighten up!!
I love science fiction. It does make us think about how our faith and our actions can have significant impact on those around us. Another dystopia is "The Giver", a kid's book about a colorless world. My other favorites include Stargate Sg-1, Sliders, Star Wars, and certain Twilight Zone/Outer Limits episodes such as 'The Obsolete Man'. I don't see how science fiction and faith are mutually excluse.
@SpokenThruScott@xanga - Much like parables, then?
@RulesforaRecluse@xanga - Is "The Obsolete Man" the one with the librarian sentenced to death, who gets to choose his method of execution?
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - I agree. Science fiction authors explore in a unique way the human condition. Also, I love the space trilogy! (Not the last one so much.)
The story you linked... it was very sad but very thought-provoking as well. Fascinating!
@ChrisRusso@xanga - Yes.
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - Lewis' Space Trilogy is the first of his writing I ever read. Good stuff.
I couldn't agree with you more. There is, or at least should be, a recognition of the connection or at least compatibility between science fiction and the Christian faith. Tolkien and Lewis recognized this. Yet as many evangelicals equate all forms of speculative fiction, whether sci-fi, fantasy and especially horror, as somehow spiritually tainted by evil, "occult-tinged," too edgy, and contaminated by negative worldview influences. Something like the latter was argued not long ago in a cover story in Christianity Today. Our fears prevent us from interacting with an exciting source for stretching our theological imagination and helping others see sci-fi as a window into transcendence.
John Morehead
TheoFantastique
www.theofantastique.com
@YourOuterCritic@xanga - "Christians need to put much more serious
thought into how we live and view society. We shouldn't abandon
academia to the secular world."
Yes! How better to combat the notions that Christians are backwards and thoughtless than with reasoned, academic discourse?
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - I haven't read those, but now I've got them saved to a list of things to read! Thanks for the recommendation!!
No, I do not think the categories are mutually exclusive. Anyone who says they are is doing a disservice to authors like C.S. Lewis who are artists at blending the two genres into meaningful quality work. I think some of the dystopias you mentioned are not what I would consider worlds gone wrong because of lack of religion; nor do I think religion would be the thing that would solve the problem. Although, saying that I believe Huxley wrote a sequel to Brave New World in which religion was one of the proposed solutions. I think why there is not more “Christian Literature” is it fails to address the role other faiths play in the world. Christianity is not the only religion in the world and a lot Christian literature I’ve read, such as the Left Behind Series, can be downright offensive about how other religions fit into their stories. Secular works can be better at addressing religion because it’s not afraid to see organized religion as something incredibly important, but potentially abused and misused by those who are trusted with it.
Readers might be interested in my recent post suggesting reasons why Christians, particularly Protestant evangelicals, keep science fiction at arms length:
http://www.theofantastique.com/2010/06/29/i09-why-wont-christian-publishers-take-on-science-fiction/
John W. Morehead
TheoFantastique
www.theofantastique.com
I don't think sci fi and religion are necessarily at odds. However, it is worth noticing that in many if not most futuristic scenarios, religion has either disappeared or been relegated to merely superstitious nonsense.
There is more Christian Scifi than you may have thought. Please take a look at a list of authors, and I'm sure there are more, on ChristianScifi.com
I don't think the genres of sci-fi or fantasy are incompatible with Christianity ... but many of my readers apparently do. Science fiction's Utopian view doesn't include room for religion (in many people's minds) and they let me know that in no uncertain terms. Strangely, they often tell me how much they would have liked my books if I hadn't included such things.
You can see my work at www.garisonfitch.com
I bet if I (a Christian) were to write for a television show that is typically atheist, I would probably receive death threats or at the very least threats of boycotts. Now I would not use my faith to shove it down the throats of the audience but I would make sure the lead characters were respectful to those who practiced their religion peacefully. And not make those who believe in God as being stupid or superstitious. That IS the norm on most shows like Star Trek The Next Generation (Who Watches The Watchers) and Doctor Who (pick almost any episode with the Angelican Army) or just about any modern science fiction. Those denying the reality of the thinly veiled hostility that most science fiction writers show for ALL religions is disingenuous at best. You would have to bury your head in the sand, turn the volume off on your tv or just turn their brains off not to notice the overt and covert attacks on religion. Making everyone who believes in God as some sort of control freak (because we speak out against evil) or as stupid or superstitious is just plain childish. It does not make the writers look superior or clever but rather ignorant and intolerant. And yes, I'm sure fools could go back and forth forever with a variety of "you are" or what about your side, bs. rme We are not talking about what a small percentage of religious people do, but rather what a large percentage of science fiction writers do. I would LOVE to be proven wrong on the death threats or childish threats of a boycott and that even atheists can be open minded enough to give a believer half a chance before going off the deep end and find out what the person has written! I would love to see that! I would love to be able to say "Thank you for actually waiting to see what I've actually written before saying whether or not one likes it or not". That would be so awesome. Lets hope thats what actually happens. Let's hope that people keep their big mouths shut and actually wait to SEE what I actually wrote and where I actually WANT the episodes are filmed before sounding any alarm bells. I'm serious. I would want the bulk of tv episodes filmed in their home countries. And only film a small percentage of them like 2 or 3 of them filmed in another country (if the budget could afford it). But who would wait to find that out before screaming bloody murder "she's going to take the whole show to America". lol Anyone care to make any bets?