Here's a great discussion about Potter and his literary roots started on ReadtheSpirit.com:
....which included the wonderful quote: "When people begin to stand in the darkness in order to—they believe—safeguard the light, then gray is the inevitable result." (Greg Garrett)
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I think it's great to find Christian elements that can be used by believers to point the way to the real thing. I would stop short of saying that Christian elements/imagery/ideas make the product "Christian", however.
You don't believe Lang made an evangelistic movie, do you? I drew a Captain Marvel project a few years ago. There were some messianic elements to the story that I was excited to talk about in a couple interviews -- not to sell the book as Christian (I stated clearly it was not Christian), but to use the story elements as a way of bridging the conversation to at least a mention of Jesus as Lord in my life.
I haven't seen the restored version you have mentioned (and saw the less-restored version long ago). Perhaps I'll give it a look. I did read a couple lengthy articles discussing the religious imagery in the movie. Again, nothing in those articles would lead me to change my opinion that the movie is "Christian" (in fact, one of the articles - from a secular source - says the same, that it shouldn't be confused with _being_ Christian because it contains the imagery). There are too many things -- even given the symbolism that is used -- that are twisted up and wrong-headed when compared to what is truly Christian. For instance, in the movie the workers are victims of the machinery/upper class/Pharisees/whatever you wish to put in the upper strata, when no matter what strata of society we fall in, we are victims of our own sin. We weren't on our way to hell because of someone else other than self. Another; John Fredersen, the father of the "messianic" figure (Freder) is portrayed as disconnected and unconcerned with those needing "saving". If this is the Father God figure, then isn't this, too, a gross twisting of the true? God the Father unconcerned and aloof?
Again, Buzz, I have no problem discussing the imagery and saying Lang took these elements from my Jesus whom I worship, adore, and follow. I only have a problem calling it "Christian". Use EVERYthing we can to point the way to Jesus- yes!, but I stop short of saying it is Christian. Ecclesiastes tells us there is "nothing new under the sun". Everything evil is a twisting of something good (God created everything "good"), and therefore there are probably elements we could pry from anything that we could use to point to the Lord.
One quick thought on "the dance"; I hope you at least can see that there's a huge difference between saying something happened in text, and showing it happening? Things in scripts that I've had to draw have often disturbed ME once I've created the images for them (I'm talking in the years I wasn't walking with the Lord). The bible _tells_ us things, and in pretty understated language. The dance _shows_ us -- and even in the showing, there is a lingering -- a _coaxing_ into sharing in what those men are experiencing ... hedonistic lust.
I have a loved one who has been in a cult for over 30 years. It is based on the bible. They speak of Jesus' death and resurrection, not through mere imagery, but OPENLY. There are way fewer things about this cult that deviate from biblical truth than is contained in "Metropolis". But, there is no mistaking; the cult is not Christian. How can this movie be?
You of course know that "Christian" means, "little Christ", or "little anointed". Whatever the symbolism in "Metropolis", there is no anointing. Or, if there IS an anointing, it's of a very different kind and not from God.
The Lord bless you, Buzz
Lee
(a clip from METROPOLIS)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z5FFwO1f0k
Reply to the following statement: "Entertainment is the devil's substitute for joy." ---Leonard Ravenhill - Fully disagree - unless further context of the original statement is provided. (i.e. What is Leonard Ravenhill's ideology as a whole regarding entertainment, and in what context is the statement being used.
Changing the word "IS" to "CAN BE" I think would be a more accurate position therefore reading as: "Entertainment CAN BE the devil's substitute for joy."*
That said, a comic that addresses this very succinctly: http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3735
Reply to all that has been said: Believers need to be critical thinkers in all manner of content we consume and consider carefully what it is we choose to watch, read, consume and produce. So, my position as always - pray and ask for guidance in the process.
*Note: The statement in and of itself has a bunch of semantic and logical propositions that can be analyzed and considered. For the sake of not boring us to death, I have decided against writing a lengthy diatribe regarding it.
Again, where is Jesus in Metropolis? He's not there. It's Christless fantasy about a future world where a mere mortal man has some (not many) allegorical attributes that infer a messianic type. Accept no substitutes. "Antichrist" is Greek, and means "in place of Christ," not "against Christ" (which is Latin).
I'm a born again Christian. I don't just know about Jesus Christ, I know Him personally. I also know what His Word says about genuine and false believers (wheat and tares), and that you shall know them by their fruit. Furthermore, I have rich fellowship with other born again believers from many different parts of the world, and despite different cultural backgrounds, we are of the same Spirit. I "amen" what they're saying, as they rightly divide the Word of truth, and conversely they do so with me.
I don't see that same sweet fellowship here, and that's unfortunate. That means something's wrong.
I've examined my own heart and motives, and know where I stand. By God's grace, I'm a soul winner. It is my earthly life's greatest pleasure to see people cross over from death to life, from sin to salvation, and I've personally led hundreds to Christ over the years, and have taken part in ministries where hundreds of thousands have been saved.
Going to the "right" church won't make one born again, but going to a healthy church where Christ is worshipped in Spirit and truth, and where the Word is brought forth with unction will make all the difference if one's heart is open to correction, even after salvation. Much of the church in the western world is terribly unhealthy, and is gross misrepresentation of Christ (just like most Christian comics---so guess where their creators are likely attending, if at all?). It's either dead, dry formalism (an increasing rarity), the "prosperity gospel," or ecumenism with papal Rome at the head. Genuine signs and wonders follow those who believe. If we believe, we'll tremble at His Word. Jesus said, "If you love Me, obey My commandments." Ephesians 5:11 says, "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (expose them, in the NASB translation)." And so I'm doing.
Amen anyone? I didn't think so.
"Entertainment is the devil's substitute for joy." ---Leonard Ravenhill
Amen Brother. When we fall into that trap, it's time to evaluate if we are indeed still attracting or just attacking.
http://vigilantcitizen.com/?p=5208
If anyone is still not convinced, have a look at the film via Netflix or on Youtube. It won't take long to see that it's not of God----after all, none of its principle creators were born again Christians (and a few were Nazis-in-the-making).
For the glory of God and the souls of men---that's what the born again life is all about. The fields are white unto harvest, and the need out there is very great---but, as our Lord Jesus said, the laborers are few. That's a tragedy. There's nothing more effective than personal evangelism. In the western world Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons are doing more door-to-door "witnessing" than Christians, and that's a sad commentary.
As for Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien was a Roman Catholic, not a born again Christian. Tolkien prayed to the "queen of heaven" (Mary, "co-redemptress" with Christ), prayed the rosary, prayed to "saints," believed in purgatory, indulgences, paying for mass cards to get out of purgatory sooner, and a host of other Romish tenets which are contrary to Biblical doctrine.
As for C. S. Lewis, he had no convictions over defiling his earthly body with tobacco and alcohol, and like his Romish friend he believed in purgatory. Romans 6:10 says of our Lord Jesus Christ, "For in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God." Lewis had the gall to have his Aslan (Christ as a lion) character die and resurrect in the Narnia world, saying of his earthly persona, "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason you were brought into Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you might know me better there." Surely Lewis had read Romans 6:9 which says that "Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more," but contrary to this core doctrine of the faith he has his readers enjoy a surrogate "Christ" (Aslan) with a second resurrection.
We need an anointing in this apostate generation as never before. Christ is coming back for a bride without blemish, a church that operates in the same character, consecration, and supernatural power as the first century church, and nothing less.
Lord of the Rings and the Narnia series were both written by Christians and include magic, evil entities, bad guys, death, sorcery, sin, and all kinds of stuff the Harry potter books have in them....but they also have the morals and values present in the text that align with what Christ taught. Love, justice, Good, fighting for the right things, friendship forgiveness ect.
As a christian, I have the holy spirit, this allows me to make judgements on what I read, or watch or stay away from. I started reading these books after I came back to the Lord and have never felt conviction once over anything in the books. Everyone needs to make a decision on what they stay away from or embrace. It's different for all. I respect the decision of someone staying away from Harry potter, or Star Wars, or Ghostbusters, just as much as the person who likes those things. Loved Deathly Hallows part 1 by the way
The apostle Paul wrote, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 1 Corinthians 3:10-13
Is Jesus the foundation of the Harry Potter novels? No. Is magic or the occult in direct contradiction to God's Word? Yes. What would the first century church have done with the Harry Potter books, were such in their possession (ostensibly before being saved)?
"Many of them also which used curious arts (magic) brought their books together, and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver." Acts 19:19. The very next verse shows the direct result of such action: "So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed."
The Harry Potter novels have appealed to a half billion readers with a yearning for the supernatural, a yearning to break out of the mundane---such occult fantasies appeal to the fallen nature without bringing conviction of sin and the knowledge of the Son of God Who is the only way to true freedom in this life and eternal salvation in the world to come.
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