Our lovely council member (and resident Queen) posted this very thought provoking thread on Holy Worlds Sci-fi and I figured I woud share it with you guys here on Holy Worlds Fantasy. Here we go:




Alright, discuss!

Bethany Faith

*chuckles * Thanks, Bethy

What I do? You wrote it, Airi.

Alright, I am no avid reader, I read super slowly. But I know one thing, one of my beautiful little syllogisms:
God created man such that he would have creativity, in God's image
Literature is a product of this creativity
Reading is engaging the imagination, another product of creativity, with literature
Thus, excepting in those parts which have been tainted by the fall, reading literature is exercising a God-given ability
God gave abilities so that they could be used
To not use a God-given ability is to waste it
To waste it misses out on both good things and may incur judgment
which is never good.

Another simpler one is that God gave us the capacity to enjoy ourselves, and if reading does that without being sin, that's great.

I recently read Michael Card's book on creativity, called Scribbling in the Sand (highly reccomended!) and Mr. Card wrote something along the lines Reiyen did...

Creativity is not about me. It is not about you. It is not us somehow acting like little gods, creating on our own in the same way God creates. Although He asks us to imitate Him, we are not imitators of God in this dimension. The most we can hope for is to respond appropriately and creatively to who God is and what He means. Creativity is a response.

That’s what true worship is—a response.

Perhaps we struggle to see the connection between worship and the call to be creative precisely because they are so intimately linked. We have forgotten that the call to be creative is a call to worship.

Another thing I gleaned while reading :

If writing is your God-given gift of self-expression, you literally NEED to write. To not write is to harm yourself by placing your personality in a restrictive cast, and also to cut off others by not communicating to them in the way God meant you to.

Those are some wonderful thoughts, Cassandra. I agree.

Sounds like a book I need to read.



That is so true. I think I need to be able to quote that one at my parents.

Moved to Village Lore since this is about the craft of writing rather than story related.

I only really read books by Christians or books that are old enough to have proper morals and thought provoking concepts (the last time I read popular fiction was a total waste of time). Reading for me sheds a lot of light on concepts I may not have thought of before, or show me something of God I needed to see. Literature is a form of communication and the one God seems to talk to me through the most no matter what I'm reading. As an author, when I started digging into my writing I discovered a side of God I didn't know too well before and that's His role as the author of my life. Writing characters that are real enough to me to not like when they go through troubles shows me how God sees me on my bad days. I know for some people (and myself in some moments) it can be a distraction from the big picture, but mostly I've grown closer to God in everything I read and write.

Wow, that was a mouthful.

Thankyou!

Riniel Jasmina: I find I had the same trouble with popular fiction. Modern fiction doesn't seem to have any... depth to it. Take Jackie French's books. (In Aus. she's an acclaimed secular author). They address some problems, yeah, but none of her books have that 'lastingness' of stories that hold and reveal insight on deep truths. Modern fiction can be exciting, interesting, etc., but even if well written, it never reaches that mark that puts it on my favourites list as do meaningful books by Christian authors.

I too find that God speaks to me amazingly through the books I read. He directs me to certain books when I need to read them... and the things I learn from them fit together so perfectly... it's awesome.

*nods * Amazing how He orchestrates even the little things, isn't it?

Absolutely.

It is interesting that we were talking about this the other day, Cassandra, because the Lord yet again demonstrated this truth powerfully to me yesterday.

This whole thing reminds me of a Spurgeon quote: “The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains proves he has no brains of his own.”

God uses books to reveal Himself. I'm convinced of that. After all, He revealed Himself through a Book. And, specifically as it pertains to fantasy, I think there is great opportunity. I think that fantasy is possibly the most inherently spiritual genre. It's almost impossible to write fantasy without making a spiritual statement and it's almost impossible to read fantasy without gaining some spiritual insight (be it good or bad).

Wise words, Sir. Thank you for sharing that.

That's wonderful Airi! Actually, I really can't find a good enough adjective. He's been demonstrating the this authority a lot in my life... one of the reasons why I was thinking about it.

Yet again, He lines everything up perfectly, doesn't He?

Sorry, Airi--belated answer:

Yes, yes, oh yes! I love Romans 8: 28-30.

I like to read some for educational purposes. Beyond that the above comments would help. You kinda sound like King Solomon in Ecclesiastes...

A couple other points...

- I've had people tell me that writing FANTASY in particular is a waste because it has nothing to do with the real world. If I want to write fiction it should be realistic.

What they don't understand is that oftentimes, it's easier for people to digest the Truth when it's hidden in a fairy tale. In some ways, fantasy is like Jesus' parables. It's easier to accept and see as the truth when it isn't quite as personal and in your face.

Also, just because the story takes place in another world with beautiful unicorns and such, doesn't make the characters any less relatable. Many of the circumstances in fantasy novels could also be in historical or modern fiction. (Minus the magic and dragons and such. ) The people face difficult decisions and have the same emotions and hopes. The fantasy element is there because it's fun! And it helps to pique interest in the real theme of the story.

- I've also heard that Christians should always be focusing on God, and spiritual matters in whatever they're reading or thinking, and that fiction drives them away into other worlds. But you know, I'm not sure it is possible for our minds to constantly be involved in weighty theological thoughts. That seems like it would be exhausting! Sometimes, it's nice to be able to retreat and rest a little, like with a simply enjoyable book, and then you're recharged for your spiritual life.

Lovely post, Willow.

Also you can learn from analagies and such, also; it really gives you hope sometimes and makes you dream, emotions are good!