For what is essentially a Christian blog, I spend a lot of time talking about books, movies, and TV shows whose creators do not share my faith. Many of the conclusions they present in their work do not align with biblical truths. But there is a reason why I enjoy parsing out biblical themes from secular sources. Sometimes, the human conflicts depicted in secular stories more honestly capture what it looks like to battle sin and question purpose and meaning. Sometimes, the outsider looking in will make the most insightful observations.
Case in point: I was going for a walk the other day, listening to the The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast. Jordan’s stance on God and the Bible is an interesting one. He dislikes questions such as: ‘Do you believe in God,’ and ‘Did the Exodus really happen,’ because the words ‘believe’ and ‘really’ don’t distinguish between the literal and the metaphorical or archetypal. I could write an entire post analyzing Dr. Peterson’s view on the Bible, so I’ll just say that he’s an intellectual who doesn’t like to proclaim something as true until he understands it. And, of course, the Bible is full of things humans aren’t meant to fully understand.
So, I’m going on this walk, and the guest Dr. Peterson was interviewing was Alex O’Conor, a young atheist and YouTube phenomenon. Alex suggests that the reason some Christians are so insistent about identifying Jordan’s true beliefs about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (among other topics) is that they ‘want Jordan on their team.’ Alex, who doesn’t have a dog in the fight, is able to discuss the Christian perspective in a way that made me think about the way I sometimes view non-believers. Do I want this person to believe what I do to affirm my own faith, to quell my secret doubts, or am I actually invested in understanding their position and sharing the gospel in a way that isn’t self-serving or manipulative?
That’s the possible danger in extrapolating lessons from Christian media–adopting a filtered version of a faith that exists to please rather than to inform. How many Hallmark-esque Christian movies are out there with a plot that smells suspiciously like the Prosperity Gospel? Just put your faith in God and all your hopes and dreams will come true.
I’m not knocking all Christian media. Heck, why would I be writing this blog if I believed Christians shouldn’t use their artistic/literary talents for God’s glory? There are plenty of Christian movies out there that tell grounded, theologically sound stories without pandering to their audience. Angel Studios, for example, has produced some fantastic films and series in recent years. Their upcoming film, Sound of Hope, looks particularly touching.
It’s also true that venturing into the secular sphere can become a slippery slope. It’s all too easy to lose the Christian mindset described in Philippians 4:8.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Phillippians 4:8
Where is our mind when we consume secular media? Is it focused on converting timeless human truths into biblically-based lessons, or is it prone to dwell on images and ideas best left alone? If the latter is the case, then it’s best to “tear it out” to use Matthew 5:29 language and prevent it from corrupting our souls.
Andrew Klavan, a novelist and media commentator, makes an interesting point in his book The Truth and Beauty: “Any work that puts its characters’ minds in mine, any work that puts the artist’s mind in mine, any work that gives me the inexpressible heart of its creator enlarges me and teaches me to see the creator of all.”
If our goal is to seek the presence of the “creator of all,” then there is no better place to look (outside of the Bible, of course) than in the stories that take the best and the worst of human nature–realities created by God–and reflect that nature back at us. Heartbreaking or inspiring, haunting or wholesome, stories remind Christians of the problem of sin and the possibility of redemption.
The Bible is our solution book. The fun is in checking the answers.