Spies with fabric and string

I was going to do this topic a while back, but I'm doing it now instead. Let's talk about knitting morse code and the role of art in espionage. 

Morse Code Shawl example

Some think the arts are only for children, others don't, but the spy trade takes all forms. Wars produce espionage. Having to send messages to the other side and infiltrate for information takes unusual methods and unusual people, some of which look perfectly ordinary to the average human. Put simply, a spy should blend into the environment. What is more common than knitting during a World War when women are told to knit gloves and hats for the troops? 

Knitting

No surprise here, women were a prominent force in the spy world, mostly because knitting for the troops and sitting in the domestic sphere knitting was a social norm. Female spies could blend in and knit knots of morse code into their sweaters for days, all under the enemy's constant view. It was perfect. You give the sweater to your lovable, soldier fiance and he passes it on to intelligence, who unravel it and hold it against a marked door frame to reveal a message. It is a form of Steganography, which physically hides messages in plain sight. Men and women could both do this method of code, since morse code and knot patterns worked so well in, not only knitting, but embroidery and all string arts. Drop stitches here, add stitches there, tie a few extra knots here, and no one is the wiser. British, Soviet Union, and United States have all used this method of hiding messages in yarn.

That doesn't mean it was fool-proof, especially since the US caught on to this method and banned the sharing of knitting patterns internationally in case an innocent pattern wasn't so innocent. The UK, at one point, banned knitting because of a growing paranoia about secret messages in knitting. Foolproof? No. Smart? Yes. 

Some cases of this code aren't in stitching. In some situations watching someone under a cover of knitting or embroidery is a better cover than holding a newspaper. It makes you look preoccupied, so people ignore you. A woman knitting in front of a window, or several women around train stations (all recording train movement in their knitting for Belgian Resistance) is subtle enough to work. Also, smuggling messages, plans for aircraft, and anything else can be done in a knitting bag or disguised as a ball of yarn. Below I include the brief descriptions of real spies who did what I have described in this section.

UK - Madame Levengle - She sat knitting in front of window, tapping messages with her heels for her kids to record (while pretending it was homework) in the floor below, all while living with a German Marshal. The German suspected nothing.

Soviet Union (WWII) - Elizabeth Bently - She ran two spy rings sending damaging information about the US to the Soviet Union. She also smuggled out early plans for the B-29 and other aircraft in her knitting bag. 

United States (Revolutionary War) - Molly Rinker - She spied for George Washington while knitting, putting scraps of paper in a ball of yarn, then throwing the yarn off a cliff down to a soldier below.

Britain (WWII) - Phyllis Latour Doyle - She parachuted into Normandy, was friendly and unthreatening, and knitted morse code messages to Britain.

Phylis Latour Doyle

Art on Canvas

Welcome to the 1950's. This is Cold War territory - no physical fighting, just a couple of countries verbally sparring. Think psychological warfare. Canvas art for the use of government intelligence included propaganda posters, as well as abstract art shows. The US' thoughts on how art could change and form the country wasn't wrong logically, but it was manipulation. The success of these artists made intelligence services want them. Abstract art shows also allowed some artists to defect across the Iron Curtain. Eventually, the government lost control of these artists, after the 1950's ended, and they made their views on Vietnam very, very clear. They couldn't be held back or controlled for long. Art to portray an ideology or view on the current events continues even today. Psychological warfare is probably still happening, especially with political tensions high and a health crisis going on that gives government more control than before. I would encourage you, my readers, to keep this in mind.

Underground Railroad Quilts

This is not proven, but some think and fully believe that safe houses on the Underground Railroad had quilts on clotheslines and windowsills that were encoded with visual cues about the area slaves were in. Anything from a bowtie meaning to dress in disguise and in high status to a log cabin meaning people were safe to speak to and seek shelter from to a zigzag pattern that means to zig zag because you might be stalked by hounds. The problem is that some patterns weren't even around then. Also, concrete evidence of these quilts is either slim or none. If a quilt that supports this theory is found it is generally in bad shape, been through a flood for example. 

Another point was also made; as this does count as espionage, most probably won't spill their secrets so easily. Bottom line, if it happened the quilts are gone and secrets get buried with the dead. Southern ways are pretty unyielding and racism is still here - especially southern racism. It didn't die so quickly, and not as quickly as we'd like. If you supported abolition as a family back then you could die doing this Underground Railroad. Would you flaunt these quilts soon after, or even ten years after? No. Abolitionists in the south weren't popular, so you could still be seriously hurt or blackballed, even murdered for it. My point? The concrete evidence of this practice is probably destroyed by time or the owners themselves, in order to save their own lives. 

With the current racism even today there is also a consideration of who will tell whom what. Back then the climate was even worse, so do you as a reader think a former black slave, or relative of one, would tell a white man or woman all the details of their escape from slavery and give up the codes that saved so many lives? It is possible they don't feel comfortable doing so, whether you are for abolition or not. If abused by a person who is white for a long time, one doesn't just sit back and spill their beans. A black interviewer is more likely to get more information. 

Sources:

https://blogsofwar.com/julia-tatiana-bailey-art-as-espionage-in-cold-war-america/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/knitting-spies-wwi-wwii

https://handwovenmagazine.com/knitting-war-spies-history/

https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/underground-railroad-quilt-codes

Pictures:

Fringe Association

Daily Mail

Spring Hill Historic Home

ghost hunting and Christianity

Ghosthunting and curiosity toward the supernatural are getting more and more popular lately. Is it biblical? Let's dive into that. 

First of all, I'd like to define the term "ghost". The Bible does not use it how we do. It is mostly "giving up" the ghost that you see. Short answer, it doesn't refer to a ghost as a being lingering on earth as a soul without a body. The Bible does not support our use of the word "ghost". It is used only to show someone giving up the ghost, or the name Holy Ghost. Christian belief says that no souls linger on earth - there is only Heaven or Hell after we die. So, we do not seek ghosts in ghost hunting. 

What are you seeking when you hunt "ghosts"? I hate to tell you all this, but you might be seeking contact with a demon. The use of seances and ouija boards as party games is not anything new to our society - look up the victorian period parties for proof - and it was a dangerous thing to do. It never should be entertainment to seek the supernatural or the dead. "Parlour tricks" was a fascination that the victorian era took to like a child to a cookie. (My last source can tell you more about it.) Today this is replaced by ghosthunter shows, that much like parlour games, are often fraudulent and fake. To keep ratings up there are faked hauntings as well as possibly, but not likely, real ones. No ratings and no shows equal no money, so you can understand why they'd fake it, but it is still not okay. 

But I Saw the Haunting On TV!

Ghosthunter shows tend to be fake, and so do hauntings on youtube or TV. If you can rig it, it can be faked. Houdini the magician debunked so many seances that he became famous for it. No one could prove they were a medium to him. What you see often are frauds, frauds making money on the gullible, curious, and desperate. If you are going to go to a medium out of desperation you'll believe anything you want to hear. The psychic on the phone will cost you by the minute to tell you sweet lies and whatever your little heart desires to hear. My point? It is often a false paranormal experience you see on TV. 

"But I experienced one myself!", you say. Well, so have I, but the difference is that I didn't seek it. I just happened to be living in a house that was probably haunted (with three other women who can support that claim). Real experiences are rare, to be completely honest with you. I can tell you all about my awful experiences in that house, truly, and it would be no lie, but you couldn't pay me enough to go do it again. I don't understand why you'd seek communication with the dead or go ghost hunting for fun when it was utterly terrifying to live in a possibly haunted house for one semester. I do have a point to this paragraph and it is this; real experiences do happen whether we invited them in or not. Not all is fraud, but most of the TV shows are fake. 

I will say one more thing on ghost hunting shows. Even I am curious about it. With that, please note that some watch the shows to laugh at ghosthunters and prove they are fakes. I may be one of those people depending on the youtube video and how dumb the ghosthunter acts. If it is clearly fake it is now a comedy in some of our eyes. It may still mess with your head though, so be careful. I have to curb that curiosity, too, so you are not alone.

Side Affects

As said before, a soul doesn't linger on earth, so you may be confronting or seeking demons. This leads to and has a history of messing with ghost hunters long after they stop. Fear issues, demons following you home, possession (should you not have Jesus), oppression by demons, and altogether bad times for all. It is not a healthy obsession. You contact demons and it is nearly impossible to lose them. If you don't want a spirit to follow you home don't go hunting for it. The only exception to the rule is if God told you to confront something and authorized you to do it, thus giving you His umbrella of protection. If unauthorized you can find some nasty surprises in store for you. Do you like being attacked until you are on the verge of suicide or suicidal behavior (it happened to someone)? Then don't open the door, because it has happened to some ghosthunters. 

God has gifted some who are called to exorcise demons and save the demon-afflicted. This is God-authorized. The gift of discerning whether a spirit is of or not of God is given by God. Dive into God's Word for more proof of it. Paul did this. Jesus did this. We are supposed to help and pray over those who need our help, as Christians. God does not say to leave the afflicted to suffer. This is the one loophole you have. God does not say "go see if demons will speak to you for fun" or "go ahead, experiment in the occult"! Read that sentence again and remember it well. 

Spiritual Warfare

In case you don't know and weren't taught what spiritual warfare was, here's a crash course in it. Satan was thrown from Heaven, with all the angels who followed him instead of God, after he tried to take on God. Satan and his demons were angels of God that became fallen angels. Fallen angels are demons now. The goal of Satan is to turn us away from God and thus far, demons are the most likely explanation for "hauntings". 

They wage war in our minds and there are battles we never see, but make no mistake, they happen often. Demons can possess those that don't have the Holy Spirit, oppress any human, and mess with our dreams and perspectives. We fight as Christians with God's truth at every showing of evil. We wear the armor of God (eph. 6:10-18) and call out for and praise God at every opportunity. God has won the war. God fights for us every day, protecting us. Satan has lost and God has won. Read that sentence as many times as you need to. 

Conclusion

All this may have you laughing at me (should you think I'm a looney), or you may be nodding with vigor. Either way, don't mess with the supernatural and never seek it out for fun. If you have opened that door you may not be able to close it. Any contact with the supernatural has to be God authorized, no joke. Fight back against the spiritual warfare you face, absolutely, but don't go where God says you shouldn't. You will be experiencing some unpleasant consequences should you do so. There are several former ghosthunters that can confirm that. 

Pictures:

A&E

Medium

Deliverance Church Kasarani Zimmerman

Sources:

 https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/3323/christians-and-ghost-hunting

https://yorknewstimes.com/editorial/guest-opinion-paranormal-investigations-and-christianity-not-two-peas-in-a-pod/article_cc240d58-d546-11e1-b1de-001a4bcf887a.html

https://www.sandiegohaunted.com/is-ghost-hunting-against-christian-values/

https://www.compellingtruth.org/paranormal-activity.html

https://answersingenesis.org/angels-and-demons/do-you-believe-in-ghosts/

https://www.bible-knowledge.com/the-dangers-of-ghost-hunting/

https://www.allinallchurch.com/teachings/2016/7/25/spiritual-warfare-basics

https://www.epm.org/blog/2019/Jun/24/spiritual-warfare-demons-angels

https://credomag.com/2020/07/angels-demons-and-spiritual-warfare/

https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-victorian-supernatural

Kansas Jayhawkers

Jayhawkers are not just a Kansas sports team. They wreaked havoc in the name of abolition in Kansas and hated Missouri with a passion. Let me introduce you to the Kansas-Missouri border wars. In case you were curious, this was both pre and during the Civil War. 

To give you a snapshot of what the border war was, here's a brief history lesson. Kansas is for abolition, Missouri is not. For some, there is still animosity over this period of time, mostly due to the damage done to both states and the number of innocent people killed in the process. The Civil War led people to join a side to repay the other side for its actions during the border war. 

The Jayhawkers would use the term "Jayhawker" happily, and the term "redlegs", since they wear red uniforms sometimes. Since some didn't have uniforms early on, it was unknown if they were civilian or military. Jayhawks in verbiage is a cross between hawks and bluejays (so noisy predators). This military abolitionist group was also known as thieves and murderers. To Jayhawk something is to steal something. This whole situation didn't end when Kansas was declared a free state, so after the Civil War it was referred to as "bleeding Kansas". Missouri was known as bushwhackers or border ruffians. A true Jayhawker or redleg wouldn't likely join the US army, but both bushwhackers and Jayhawkers received government backing.

Raids

These groups, whether they were trying to further freedom for slaves or not, did atrocities that were extremely violent. Jayhawkers sacked the town of Osceola for two days. 2500 people lived there at the time. It has never achieved that number again. Less than 200 survived. That was September 22, 1861. They freed every slave they found and let them hitch a ride to freedom with them. The words below can tell you clearly how the people of Osceolo, Missouri feel about it in the 2000s.

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that citizens of the City of Osceola, Missouri requests the University of Missouri to educate the above-named Defendants on the FULL historical origins of the “Border War.”

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that no citizen of the City of Osceola or the alumni of the University of Missouri shall ever capitalize the “k” in “kansas” or “kU,” as neither is a proper name or a proper place.

With those words, I present you with the fact that Osceola contested the use of the Jayhawker as Kansas University's image. I'm pretty sure they still hold a grudge. To be fair to this town, they did have one million worth of goods stolen, their whole town drunkenly insulted for two days, and the whole town burned down. Not to mention the "court-martial" of 9 men that led to their execution-style deaths. I think maybe you'd hold a grudge, too. 

Osceola, Missouri was not the only town that suffered. The raid of Lawrence, Kansas by Missouri Bushwhackers (led by William Quantrill) was nearly as bad. The shouts of "remember Osceola" were clearly heard in this attack. It was spurred on by an incident where a jailhouse of  5 Missouri's women were killed in a collapse. They had been jailed by Kansas, I believe. Quantrill's sister died there (at age 14) and he led all these angry people to take revenge for their loss and Osceola. The raid they conducted killed 200 men and boys. The Osceola raid had a price. 

The War

The Jayhawkers were led by James Lane (who spearheaded the Osceola raid), but also by Charles R. Jennison and James Montgomery. As the Civil War began raids dropped lower in number. People could take sides and take revenge for all the violence towards them. There were three reasons to join the Jayhawker side: taking advantage of chaos to be a marauder, sincere abolitionism, or being a devout unionist defending a home. Old scores were prepared to be settled. They became the Independent Mounted Kansas Jayhawks. They had a lot to do with Kansas being a free state.

Their technical orders were to protect the border from General Sterling Price. They decided to use it as an excuse to raid pro-slavery homes, which extended to all Missourians no matter their beliefs on slavery. They were the Seventh Volunteer Cavalry that lived off of looting and stealing from these people they deemed enemies. They would gather adult men in public squares, put them at bayonet point, and make them swear allegiance to the Union. As expected, some of these men who were in this Cavalry were previous slaves in Union uniforms. This actually spurred recruitment to Confederate forces, just so they could defend themselves from Jayhawks.

A border wars raid

No Saints Here

I'll end by showing you both sides of this border war weren't saints. Jesse and Frank James learned from William Quantrill and both sides of the border war bred those seeking violence. It churned out men who sought blood and chaos. There were no real heroes here, even if slavery did end for some blacks due to Jayhawk raids. The damage was too over the top to be justified. They had orders and chose to use them as excuses to cause pain to others. The border war was nasty, much like most of the Civil War, but it lasted longer and left painful imprints on the memories of Kansas and Missouri alike.

Pictures:

Pinterest

Wikipedia

Legends of America

Sources:

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/kansas-jayhawkers/

https://civilwaronthewesternborder.org/encyclopedia/jayhawkers

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/bushwhackers-and-jayhawks

https://www.espn.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/35412/the-dark-side-of-the-jayhawks-nickname

Horror genre and Christianity

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

https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/what-horror-movies-teach-us-about-christianity/

https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/halloween/should-christians-watch-horror-movies.html

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/gqkj84/why-are-so-many-horror-films-christian-propaganda

https://www.premierchristianity.com/Past-Issues/2015/June-2015/Horror-the-genre-that-refuses-to-die

https://www.compellingtruth.org/horror-movies.html

https://www.christianpost.com/news/should-christians-watch-horror-movies-like-mother-and-it-christian-film-critics-answer.html

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/june-web-only/stephen-king-douglas-cowan-americas-dark-theologian.html

https://www.christianpost.com/news/it-creator-stephen-king-talks-role-of-faith-in-his-horror-stories-watch.html

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/oct/29/stephen-king-religion-dangerous-god-exists

https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-horror-movies.html

https://becomingchristians.com/2017/10/20/top-7-reasons-christians-should-not-watch-horror-movies/

https://www.christianity.com/christian-life/art-and-culture/a-christian-perspective-on-horror-in-movies-and-culture-11640305.html

https://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritual-blog/negative-effects-of-horror-movies/

https://elemental.medium.com/horror-movies-can-be-good-for-anxiety-b542ac8dbed7

https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/horror-on-the-brain-finnish-researchers-map-mental-impact-of-watching-scary-movies-1.4784863

https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/life/leisure/horror-movies-mental-health

https://filmschoolrejects.com/horror-movies-impact-real-world/

https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/12/21/13737476/horror-movies-2016-invasion

https://screenrant.com/babadook-movie-ending-explained-monster-depression-meaning/

the crime genre and christianity

Crime, Christianity, and suspense, Oh my! Will Christianity and crime novels work together? Let's dive into that.

Christian books are somewhat restricted under the guidelines of the genre itself. Cussing is out the window if you are under this umbrella. Some readers love it, others avoid it, but it still exists. Crime and suspense are a tough tightrope walk for some authors and writers. Others are not afraid to scare reality into their readers by showing them the dark forces at their worst, then piercing it with light. The contrast is rather perfect, actually, and wonderfully effective. Some go fluffy and cozy. Some get intense. It depends on your author and their publisher. With brick-and-morter Christian book stores closing, they now have to compete with nonchristian books. 

An introduction to crime and suspense is in order here. We have books that are formulaic- ending with an episode of Scooby Doo-like relief every novel, and others that end with your jaw on the floor and your brain running like a caffeinated hamster. This, too, depends on your author and whether it is suspense or mystery. Mystery is the standard murder, evidence, detective, and solution seen in TV shows and cozy mysteries. Suspense is when your main character is in danger, and while there may be a mystery there, it doesn't end so logically. 

You can get too much of it

Dark crime is something you should not consume for too long. Cozy mysteries? Go for it! Standard Agatha Christies and Raymond Chandlers? Sure! Dark crime and serial killers? Probably not for a long period of time. Your mind, if drawn to dark things, will be a little weird if you don't throw in some cozy books and Nancy Drews between your dark crime. 

Why, you ask, should I not read this for too long? Glad you asked. Upon consuming this dark content on binge-watch mode your brain may skew your perception of life and create a little too much adrenaline and fear. Reading suspense creates adrenaline. When you add the edge-of-your-seat element you create an odd combination of fun, addictive fear. It's why you practically can't put the book down at that exciting climax scene, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Too much of it, however, and you begin to think the person beside you at the gas station is a serial killer (when the said human really just doesn't notice you at all). Simply put, if you are paranoid or can't sleep well you should put the book away and watch something light in content. Dark crime isn't a bad thing but it should be taken in small doses.

The interesting thing about suspense and mystery is that women are into it, majorly into it. Part of the reason why could be that we feel us women are more likely to be victims of crime. We want to know how criminals think and work to avoid harm. Identifying red flags of strangers and people around us can help us avoid being attacked or raped (extreme, I know, but look at our world). Unfortunately, if the criminals, police, and court systems are represented wrongly we get an incorrect picture. Dark crime is, personally, my reason for walking the mall with a man beside me - too many sexual predators represented by James Patterson roamed malls for victims. I am a living example of this concept. 

Comfort in Justice

Despite the dark crime aspect of things, cozy mysteries and classic mysteries can comfort us. Mystery is a structured genre where we can predict that someone will die, the detective will solve the case, and the criminal pays for their crime. Justice is served nearly every episode or book. Scooby Doo, Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie and several others operate on this principle. It is predictable, logical, comedic (sometimes), and every action is explained in full detail (generally, but not always). We want to know it will end well, much like when we watch Hallmark or a kid's TV show. Familiar patterns are what us humans like.

Suspense, on the other hand, can be less comforting and leave you with less explained, less understood, and a charged-up mind. Watch some Alfred Hitchcock to get the full picture. Suspense has twists and turns to it. You can have justice here, but it won't be the same presentation. You read this for thrills, like one rides a roller coaster for the adrenaline rush. If you dislike predictable this is your genre. Some come dangerously close to horror. There is a fine line between suspense and horror that several authors jump to either side on, or straddle. 

Violence - when is it too much? 

Here is where Christians can wrestle with conviction. What does God think of your reading material? You may not be sure, even with persistent prayer. With ratings and TV shows you can usually pick and choose what you want to see. Violence, to be completely honest, is not anything new. Don't blame it on your media, parents, because our sin nature created it much earlier. Some blame books, TV, movies, and video games, but I say it is centuries old and media forms are merely reflecting back our history. Dark crime novels didn't create today's violence; way back when you could read about Jack the Ripper from a newspaper. 

 Yes, some serial killers have patterned kills after fiction. Sadly, even if we stopped unbalanced people from getting inspiration from fiction, it wouldn't end their tendencies. They would find a new source of inspiration, like fevered dreams, newspapers, and social media. Most sane minds don't imitate their fiction, frankly, so please remember that for the future. According to Psychology Today, "The more violent entertainment we've consumed, the more peaceable and law-abiding we become." There is practically no evidence connecting violence and media. It seems that we need to worry less about violence in fiction and more about how to handle real violence well. Panicking out of fear and pain gives the perpetrator media attention and fame, feeding the rush they may get from crime.

 As Christians, we do have to consider (and obey) what God says. He is for justice and truth. He does care about our words. With that in mind, some advocate for "safe" TV and literature. Mystery is on a spectrum that goes from cozy to dark. You can find what you feel God approves there, for sure. It is up to what you feel God is telling you. Supporters of Christian mystery say that it teaches the gravity and unyielding nature of sin and how to restore harmony. Some look at the focus - whether it glorifies evil and the dark. It depends on what you can handle, too. If you can't handle it, it is wise not to pick up the book.

With writing, there are different styles of violence. However, without a purpose they are not worth putting on the page. It's like putting a sex scene in a romance that doesn't need it - it turns readers off and makes them want to return the book. Violence with purpose creates compelling stories, where God's light shines and obliterates darkness. Written well, violence can work toward a better storyline. You can describe it in great detail to make a gruesome point, or leave it up the imagination of your readers. (Jurassic Park is an example of leaving it to your imagination.)

"I think that the best books leave as much as they can to a rich reader imagination. So rather than spend my time focusing on the corpse or a murder scene, I spend time writing the perspective of my sleuths encountering that scene and usually it is enough to see it through their eyes to strike a reaction rather than a visceral description." - Rachel McMillan

In Conclusion

Hear me out before you close this webpage. The long quote below is from Ted Dekker, a Christian author that is as far from tame when it comes to thrillers.

"In my opinion, any gratuitous use of violence for affect alone is wasted space on the page. But worse is the inauthentic state of many gray novels which only pretend there’s no dark conflict in our world. Avoiding the valley of the shadow of death only leads Christians into inauthentic faith which denies the power of the light to abolish darkness. Did Jesus turn away from the leper’s sores because they were too gross to look upon? No. He kissed their faces. Did those closest to Him hide from his gruesome death? No. They stood by and watched with deep compassion. Delicate yet poignant use of violence is appropriate if it makes the reader cringe and then rise triumphant when that darkness is defeated.  But if you have no darkness in your story, the light is lost. This is the fate of all gray novels. Christianity is the triumph of good over evil. Light into darkness. Let us not make a mockery of that triumph."

 "I have no problem with Christians who find violence disturbing—it should be. We all find ourselves in different stages of life, and it’s perfectly fine to turn away from that which bothers us. I would only suggest that they not judge others who will benefit greatly from facing their own fears though a novel—a safe place to do so. We have to ask ourselves this question: Why are we afraid? Why do we fear the storm? The question is at the heart of true Christianity in which light has overcome all fear. To that end, all my novels resolve in staggering love and peace. So then, I would speak peace to all, regardless of their personal preferences." 

I can't say it much better than Ted Dekker, dear blog readers, so I will leave you with one more quote, one that you can ponder this week. 

"The horror story, beneath its fangs and fright wig, is really as conservative as an Illinois Republican in a three-piece pinstriped suit…It's main purpose is to reaffirm the virtues of the norm by showing us what awful things happen to people who venture into taboo lands. Within the framework of most horror tales we find a moral code so strong it would make a Puritan smile." - Steven King

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Sources:

https://crimereads.com/christian-suspense-a-roundtable-discussion/
https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/why-christians-should-read-detective-fiction/
http://hopefulforhomemaking.blogspot.com/2013/01/should-christian-read-mystery-novels.html
https://www.familyfiction.com/suspense-panel-writing-crime-fiction-christian-authors/
https://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/books/whats-too-violent-for-christian-readers.aspx
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-storytelling-animal/201301/does-fictional-violence-lead-real-violence
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/columns-and-blogs/soapbox/article/61222-minds-of-their-own.html
https://www.beemgee.com/blog/crime-fiction/
https://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1631&context=essai
https://www.bustle.com/p/what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-read-true-crime-19348955
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/can-t-we-all-just-get-along/201904/do-you-love-murder-mysteries-youre-not-alone-heres-why

Christian Fiction Genre Stereotypes

The Christian genre is a somewhat cursed genre - even amongst Christian circles - due to it's predictable, unrealistic nature. Hallmark channel uses this genre often because it is not upsetting and goes under the category of "easy watching" or "feel good" films. You don't see cussing, intensity, or shocking images in it. Let's dive into why it is a somewhat cursed genre. 

First of all, I will defend some authors and films in the Christian genre. Ted Dekker is a thriller and suspense writer that reaches intensity levels that keep you on the edge of your seat. He is making good points on Christianity while avoiding Hallmark levels of unrealistic. The films by Sherwood pictures are also realistic and aren't cheesy. That being said, Christian genre fiction and nonfiction can be a bit cheesy, ignorant of reality outside the Christian bubble, or be a self-help book in disguise. Not all authors and directors go under this genre, including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and still represent Christ in fiction - and they did better without the genre attached to them. 

The Standard

Christian genre usually includes standards that other genres don't. This includes making the main character upright and wholesome, but not caring what other characters do. It also includes, in some cases, no alcohol. They cater to the Christian audience. The books are supposed to promote good over evil, family, and generally Christian values. Sex and language are out, and if sex is had out of marriage either they repent or face consequences. 

The main formula you see is a near-perfect young woman with personal issues, maybe a mystery to solve, a man to come along and solve everything, and reconciliation with morals, family, or God. In other words, not relatable to anyone that is outside the Christian bubble. Given they are aiming for that bubble, it makes total sense. Writing can usually come off as fluff or bible-thumping, depending on how one writes it. Unless you are Ted Dekker, then you are as far from fluff-writing as you can get. 

The Audience

The Christian bubble is a subject all by itself, but I'll sum it up here. It is a group of Christian people who tend to stay within the Christian culture without looking outside of it. They tend to dance around issues, in my experience, instead of addressing them. They are not horrible people, but may be ignorant of the world outside them. They are the main target of this genre because of this fact. A language-less, sex-less, cozy novel is just what they want to enjoy on an average afternoon because it is comforting to them. They look for "safe" TV, most times, so Hallmark is right up their alley. With this explained, I'll go on. 

Our audience for this does, for real, want culturally relevant issues and hope in their movies and books. They want comfort and family, to know God has a plan and is there in all the chaos. They want to know they make an impact on their community. They want to know God cares. (He does, in case you're wondering that yourself.) 

You see historical fiction and Amish fiction often. Some have, however, noticed that  Amish is sometimes just a "good person" and Amish life is misrepresented. Historical fiction is usually a good way to avoid fluff or bible-thumping. World War II and Great Depression are common eras to use here. Fantasy is also a good fit here and is an awesome way to avoid the fluffy, cheesy writing. The challenge here is to create culturally relevant, realistic characters that give a message of hope and faith - all while avoiding the fluff and hitting readers over the head with bible concepts. It doesn't sound so easy. Add to that trying to get diverse readers and it makes anyway break out into a sweat while editing the genre. 

The Audience That Avoids The Christian Shelf

I will confess this to you now - I tend to avoid this genre and I am a strong Christian. I do not watch "Safe" TV and would rather know what is out there, instead of ignoring real-world issues. I don't believe we can help others and be ignorant of what is going on in the world around us. This doesn't mean cozy mysteries don't show up in my library (they do, they make good breaks between dark crime), but it means most of my library comes from outside that shelf. I say it is a cursed genre because even some of us Christians avoid it due to the formulas and cheesy perception of it. 

There are some, like me, who advocate for reading both (in my case) with the knowledge of what we believe in our minds. The idea is that we were never supposed to live JUST in the Christian bubble, not all the time. Nothing wrong with faith fiction - we just shouldn't read that alone. We can develop better faith if we know what is going on around us. Outside this genre we can have a challenged faith, thus creating empathy for different points of view in an effort to understand others. Portrayals of reality open our eyes to what we need to know about while living in the world.

In the case of some Christians they are not abandoning their faith, but are advocating for abandoning the Christian Fiction genre. If it is in fact avoided by the general public in favor of other genres, it is losing money. Writers can be labeled as Christian, but not books or movies. Yes, they can connect to Christian ideas, but they don't have to be cursed with the label of "Christian genre" and "Hallmark-like". Amish fiction, however, may have a whole shelf. Walk into Amish country and walk around the shops and you will see they sell. Other aspects of the genre, though, not so much. 

When I say Christian Fiction, I don't include nonfiction, devotionals, and Bibles. I want to clear that up before you ask. None of those are fiction. Those are the part of the Christian genre that can clearly be classified as Christian. Christian fiction is novels, cozy mysteries (not all, but some), and any fictional writing that includes God and faith in it. The fiction is what some publishers have abandoned, and it doesn't surprise me that they would. 

Pictures:

Faithfully Magazine

Mike Duran

Redeeming God

Sources:

https://therideronline.com/stories/2019/10/stereotypes-of-christianity/

https://amishamerica.com/amish-fiction-characters-stereotypes/

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/73661-christian-fiction-keeps-its-allure.html

https://www.christianitytoday.com/amyjuliabecker/2014/june/why-christians-should-read-secular-novels.html

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/can-christians-benefit-from-books-by-nonbelievers

https://www.ebscohost.com/novelist-the-latest/blog-article/the-many-flavors-of-christian-fiction

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=a-delicate-balance-christian-fiction-genre-spotlight

https://mikefrost.net/maybe-its-time-to-drop-the-christian-fiction-genre-altogether/