This topic is a real mind-blower. Do horror and Christianity get along? Do horror movies illuminate fears and help us face them, or do they give Satan a foothold and open up doors better left unopened?
 |
| Vincent Price |
If you want a clear answer of yes or no you came to the wrong place. I deep-dived into research on this and found so many opinions. I'm dividing this into for and against, or rather, should you or should you not. There is no consensus on whether they benefit or harm you in the psychology department.
First of all, my advice to anyone who can't handle dark content is to not hit play. Simple. If you can, okay, but if you can't handle much horror at all leave the room or don't watch it. There is no shame in that. I can't handle some dark of content, so you are not alone if you can't hit play because you won't sleep.
The Positives
You may be saying "what positives?", but keep on reading. While there is bad influence, there is also potential to make good points about social problems. The Babadook represents a study of grief and possibly mental illness, some say. A single mother deals with depression and grief in the form of the Babadook, which she *spoiler alert- look away if you want to be surprised* then ends up living with and locking away in a basement, much like how you can't get rid of depression and have to often live and cope with it. *you can look back now.* Horror can make a mental illness a physical monster, thus making an invisible illness a visible issue to face. While it isn't always mental illness, other points about societal dangers can be made. The recent horror flicks Get out and Antebellum reflect the racism of the past and present. Our horror movies reflect societal fears or wrongs. If you want to face those fears a movie is a safer place to do it, if you can handle doing so.
There is also such thing as exposure therapy, which is exposing yourself to your fears to face them and cope better. Horror provides that opportunity by showing you a fictional fear that isn't an actual threat to you, most times. While I will say some supernatural threats are real, killer clowns are less real. It may depend on the fear here - given there are some things we don't understand. Fear of death and the unknown top the list and most fears can be reduced down to these two. For some, it can be good for anxiety, but not all. Your brain facing fictional stress prepares you for real stress. The intensity of the film helps you leave behind your real-life problems. If watched on DVD or tape or streaming you can skip parts you can't handle (just not in movie theatres).
 |
| The cover of the horror flick Antebellum |
There are times that we should be disturbed, and sin should disturb us. We should fear God (be in awe of Him) and know what movies have deeper meanings versus slasher flicks released just because carnage and gore. It depends on the movie plot itself. Films like The Excorcist are relevant here because a priest casts out demons with God's power. That glorifies God because the darkness has lost. With that example, I also point to Ted Dekker, a man who writes and has films based on his books - all where light obliterates darkness. You should always ask yourself if it glorifies the dark. Some have been driven toward God by horror movies, believe it or not. If you don't believe me I challenge you to check my research. Fear of the supernatural can and does drive some to seek God.
The rest of my positive research can be summed up by how some characters in this genre that are killed or receive consequences are immoral, thus making an example of someone stepping outside good morals or social norms. This can also illustrate vividly what happens when we trust science or humankind over God's plan. These fictional circumstances only happen in some films, but there are cases that prove this point. Pet Sematary is all about a man, warned against reviving the dead, who does it anyway over and over again. You might say the same thing about Frankenstein, even, in the same way. That's just one example, but do your own research at your own risk.
The Negatives
I never thought I'd see so many positives, but there are also negatives. I'm going to start with the obvious - the darkness portrayed. Some Christians feel the dark is glorified in making horror films. Given that some don't include a message to society in them, this could be true (depending on the film). We are fascinated with the unknown, so this also creates a fanbase that seeks dark topics. For example, you can buy Chuckie dolls in stores and online. The horror cinema as a genre has a section that outnumbers the Christian genre films. It has made dolls, clowns, and sharks common fears, and at the same time, fascinations. Some seem obsessed with these roller coaster thrills to a dangerous degree. Clowns and sharks have actually suffered in reputation due to Jaws and It. Sharks got hunted needlessly nad clowns get police called on them if they linger waiting to do a kids party. Imagine the hard time a professional clown has trying to entertain young kids after It comes out.
The next point may have you shaking your head, or you may be nodding in agreement, but it must be said. Dark content can open doors into the supernatural better left unopened. Dark beings may be attracted to negative energy, thus causing spiritual harm to those who open that door. You don't need to be risking it if you think a movie will have this effect. Whether you believe me or not, the supernatural is nothing to be messing with. Spiritual warfare does exist and if something evil sees an opening it is likely to take it against you. If God says don't hit play, He is probably protecting you and your mind and heart. Please be wary of what you are taking in. It is not something to be taken lightly.
Speaking of what you shouldn't take in, horror can lead you to have mental images you can't erase. If you struggle with dark thoughts stop watching now. All those dark images don't go away. Dark images can lead to nightmares and night terrors. Nightmares are the better of the two if they do happen, mostly because night terrors are fear-fueled, awful dreams that leave you waking up in, well, terror. You don't want to go back to bed. (You are reading the blog of one who has experienced some. You don't want to experience one.) This may breed insomnia and lack of sleep.
Images, nowadays, have to be more and more shocking to leave an audience's jaw on the floor or get a scream from the back of the theatre. Unfortunately, this means we have more graphic horror movies, when Alfred Hitchcock was doing just fine (I love Hitchcock, personally). The CGI and special effects just get better and better, which can mean a well-made film (with good writing, acting, or directing). What you do with them in horror makes the 1980s Stephen King films look like comedies. Used well and in good taste nothing is wrong with all these dramatics, but used to show carnage and slasher scenes it means the next director has to compete to get "best horror flick" at the awards ceremony. To get a rise from their audience they have to get past the desensitization of last years' films. We are desensitized to violence as cinema shows us more of it. Horror just gets more graphic.
I will warn you now that darkness glorified breeds more darkness in you. How do you know if this is darkness being glorified? Well, look at the ending. Does the evil win? Does it focus on torture and have little plot other than carnage? If you see these signs I'd say it does. Normalizing this kind of imagery is not healthy, especially if it is sex and torture together. Porn horror is greatly worse than your average horror flick. Watching a bunch of people be slashed for no reason, just for an adrenaline high, is not healthy, nor should it be thought so. I'd do my research, get reviews, ask about it, and pray about it before you decide to watch something. All that filtering should get you only the most light-glorifying horror (if you are going to watch the genre). Ted Dekker is my best suggestion. If nothing phases you anymore take a break for as long you need to. This may be a bad sign.
Conclusion
I vomited a lot of information on this blog post. I can sum it up in three questions, asked in this order. If the answer is no to the first question or yes to 2 and 3, the answer is no to the movie.
1. Can I handle the content?
2. Does it glorify the darkness?
3. Is my reason for watching unhealthy?
It can all be boiled down to this, and what God tells you is okay. Christians have created horror films and called them okay to watch, so I leave the decision of when to hit play or skip the show to you and your spiritual conviction. Take in my evidence on both sides and feel free to read my many, plentiful sources on this blog if you want more information. In fact, I greatly encourage you to if you didn't find your answer here.
Pictures and sources:
Celebrity Tadka
Pop Expresso
Wikipedia
No comments:
Post a Comment