Twilight’s Blood-Soaked Romance
Cross Post fromBrio Online
Twilight’s Blood-Soaked Romance
by Melanie M. Cogdill
In the dappled sunlight in the clearing of a meadow on the edge of a forest, 16-year-old Bella Swan’s heart races as GQ-model-handsome Edward Cullen draws near to her. Edward, in love with Bella, musters every ounce of self-control not to kill her. Killing’s his first instinct—because he’s a vampire. This scene, a vivid dream of author Stephenie Meyer, sparked her imagination to write Twilight, the first book of a bestselling young-adult series.
The Phenomenon
From that original dream, Stephenie, a 30-something housewife and mom of three young boys, has birthed a four-novel series that has sent teen girls and women of every age swooning over the star-crossed love story of Bella and Edward. In fact, a movie based on the series, starring Kristen Stewart (Into the Wild) as Bella Swan and Robert Pattinson (two of the “Harry Potter” movies) as Edward Cullen, opens Nov. 21.
The series has certainly appealed to a wide audience, but just because everyone’s reading it, should you? Despite the series’ surface appeal as a romance, it communicates many messages that are contrary to the Christian faith, and that’s not something you should be filling your mind with.
Truth and Relationships
God created us as relational beings, and girls in particular are created to be relational (Genesis 2-3). We tend to focus on relationships, but sometimes we make an idol out of them or fantasize over our desire for a relationship with that “perfect” guy. No guy can ever live up to the way Stephenie portrays Edward. He’s the fantasy creation of a woman writer.
Bella’s obsession with Edward is wrong. She’s even willing to become a vampire herself so she can “live” forever with Edward. But how can a human ever be yoked to or be in a serious relationship with a vampire? And what’s dangerous about Stephenie’s series is that the reader, too, enters into Bella’s obsession with Edward.
If we believe in God and believe the Bible guides how we live our lives, then we know our highest priority is our love for God and our relationship with Him. God should be the driving force of our lives and not a guy, no matter how attentive, respectful, cool and loving he appears to be. The “Twilight” books don’t communicate God’s truth about relationships.
The “Twilight” series also teaches unbiblical attitudes toward authority. Bella doesn’t respect her parents. She loves them, but they come across as clueless and out of touch with what’s going on in her life. Edward sneaks into Bella’s room every night to sleep next to her, and Bella lies to her dad about it.
Talking About God
Every part of culture (books, movies, music, art and fashion) communicates the belief of the writer, musician, designer or director. The “Twilight” series is no different. It conveys specific beliefs about God. Statements about God and salvation are peppered throughout the story in a subtle way. But are they biblical?
Good and evil in Twilight.
Edward and his family are supposedly a different kind of vampire. The Cullens think killing humans is wrong. Even though they thirst for human blood, they abstain and instead hunt bears and large game for their blood. Stephenie’s story communicates that even though Edward is technically an evil being—he is, after all, a vampire—he tries to be good by not killing humans for food. But can an evil being ever be “good”? If he repents and reforms his ways—Beauty and the Beast, anyone?—yes, but the vampires in this series do not. They remain vampires.
Good and evil in the Bible.
The Bible teaches the opposite of what “Twilight” does about goodness and salvation. Human beings are sinners. We cannot know God apart from faith in Christ’s death on the cross for our sins. Romans 3:22-24 states, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Many people believe that when they die, God will allow them into heaven because they tried to live a good life and do good deeds. That is basically what the vampires of this series do; they believe that by doing “good” deeds (e.g., not killing humans), they can be saved.
But the Bible clearly teaches no one can be redeemed by good deeds. It’s only through faith in Christ that we can enter heaven and into the presence of the God. Yes, the “Twilight” story is only fiction. It’s not the Bible, but Christian readers need to be on guard to discern if spiritual statements in books, films or music match the truth of God’s Word.
An Entry to the Occult
The final book in the series, Breaking Dawn, makes a hard turn from romance into horror and the occult. Bella and Edward get married and have sex.
In one extended, very disturbing scene, Bella dies and is transformed into a vampire. She gives birth to a half-human, half-vampire baby, which tears its way out of her belly with torrents of blood.
What Do You Believe?
It’s easy to think it’s no big deal to see the latest hip movie or read the books everyone else is reading and not pay attention to what those media are saying.
We’re to love God with every fiber of our beings, and that includes loving Him with our minds (Matthew 22:36-38). We need to think about what fills our minds. Does it reflect biblical truth? The “Twilight” series does not. Just because the culture loves these books does not mean you should. As Scripture tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
This article appeared in Brio magazine in December 2008. Copyright © 2008 Melanie M. Cogdill. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
What the hell are you serious! No one is gonna stop reading twilight because you zealots think that it is bad. Twilight is a FICTION FICTION I repeat FICTION book of romance and was not written to try to make people fall in love with the perfect guy. People read twilight because it is an amazing book, and if it’s that bad then why do so many christians read it? Isn’t this website supposed to be about advice what kind of advice are you giving by voicing your opinion that twilight basically sucks and is bad. There is nothing wrong with twilight so get over it! Stephanie Meyer is rich now so **** you! Go read the bible that’s FICTION too.
April 15, 2009 4:06 PM
Many people confess to be Christians but are not. Going to church doesn’t make someone a Christian just like sitting in a garage doesn’t make someone a car. Those that do the will of God are true followers of Christ.
WeUsed2bu ministries is here to serve Jesus Christ and the readers of this blog in Truth. The Truth of God’s Word. We are aware that the Gospel offends those that have been blinded by the world and the enemy of our souls, but we know that our labor is not in vain. We know that God’s Word never returns void. The Word of God is alive! It is the Way, The Truth, and The Life. That is what we stand for. That is what we share and will continue to do so even in the face of persecution.
Thank you for your comment it helps us build endurance and confirms that we are doing God’s will. May our Lord give you eyes to see and ears to hear what His Spirit is saying. May He protect you and draw you close to Him. It is not His will that any should perish. He loves you and died for you. If you will call on the name of Jesus and repent of your sins He will save you and give you life more abundantly. We love you sister..
p.s.
A person can be rich financially but poor and destitute spiritually. What does it profit a man or woman to gain the whole world and lose their soul? Mark 8:36
April 15, 2009 4:12 PM
TWILIGHT
A very well written novel that captivates young and mature hearts to the point of addiction. Leaving you grasping for more……
As a lifelong avid reader and collector of books I have always encouraged my children to read. As a child of The Most High, GOD, I have learned the seriousness of my responsibilities first to My LORD, husband, children and community. So with that in mind, it is my business to know what my children are involved in, reading or watching. In offering my children my love and instruction, I will pass it on to my community. Yes, this is my INFORMED opinion.
My oldest daughter became very consumed by Twilght to the point of completly isolating herself from the rest of the family. I knew very little about the book but I knew the content was not biblical. I repeatedly asked her not to read the book. I have to admit a wanted to know what had her so captivated about the book. I don’t ever recall anything too attractive about vampire stories. I wanted to find something so obviously obsence with the book, to back up my claim and throw it out. Instead I found myself mesmerized and intrigued by chivalry, romance, respect long gone and an undying love. Whoa!!!Was that subtle and sugar coated or what?!?! That’s a lot to throw at a full grown woman, much less a young adolescent girl.
In reality, what is being dished out is acceptance of necrophaliaic love, or desensitization of necrophalia, acceptance of blood thirsting demons, (who by the way are higher in the order of life then humans), according the the storyline. What else, a seventeen year old who is willing to die for her obessison with a person or thing. Bella wants her old living self to die so she can live forever in a perfect body. Hhhmmmm, I think I’ve heard this story told much differently.
Truth be told, there is nothing new here. Just a new presentation, that is taking our young (ignorant)and mature (willing to turn a blind eye), to accept things that are not of GOD.
I must confess the power of these novels has an intense grasp of your person, that you just can’t put it down. Many, people who have read the series have stated that they couldn’t read them fast enough. Spouses, were feeling neglected or even made anger or jealous comments about time spent reading these novels. Think about it did they leave you desperately anguishing for more??..obsessed??..
I read all four novels–
I grieved the Holy Spirit within me
I knew, I feel it, and he was so
convicting me. There was NO
justicfication! With a
repented heart, I asked for
forgiveness.
From the beginning of time satan has envied GOD and wanted what was his. This is the cheap copy or imitation of the plan the LORD has had in place from the begining.
A PERFECT LOVE
OUR GIFTS/GIFTINGS
BLOOD (SIGNIFICANCE)
MAKER-GIVER OF LIFE
DYING (OLDSELF) TO LIVE FOREVER
A PERFECT BODY
THE SEXUAL CHEMISTRY THAT IS
MEANT FOR MARRIAGE. GOD
CREATED SEX AND MEANT FOR IT
TO BE PERFECT IN EVERY SENSE OF
THE WORD. IT IS US WHO MESS IT
UP.
Don’t believe me??? Check it out for yourself. TEST HIM!!!!
READ THE ORIGINAL STORY……
OF YOUR FIRST LOVE……
April 19, 2009 5:27 PM
Thank you so much for you comment Rose Mary. It is a blessing to have believers come along side us to help us unveil the lies of the enemy.
Blessings to you sister..
Lisa are you serious i dont aprove of this article at all no ok first of all twilight is alsome i would read that faster than i wll read the bible please and dont give me a response about your believes ok please you say that kids should be themselves and read now that im reading ALOT your going to tell me to read something more good for my spirit well NO! i agree on every single word that Karen had said ok i would rather be with edward cullen than be with someone thats a church person. thanks for reading
Jasmin J. Cullen
Bye
We’re not surprised that people are offended by the truth of the Word of God, or that you see us as the bad guys trying to take something away from you that you enjoy. It would be easy to flatter people and justify sin in order to be popular, but that would make us enemies of God. We love Him and respect and fear Him and His word too much to compromise how we share His truth. And hopefully you will believe me when I say that we also love you, too, or we wouldn’t be in this ministry. We aren’t here to put you down, or to be critical of your feelings. We want you to have a great life that’s full of joy and happiness! So when we speak out against something that is deceptive, such as the Twilight series, it’s to help our readers understand that even though something comes in a good-looking package, it can still be rotten at its core. I know you don’t like when I say that, but stay with me a little longer, and keep reading…
I can see that you feel really strongly about the character of Edward. It’s awesome to think about having a powerful, handsome guy be totally in love with us. Every woman wants that. God gave us that desire to love and be loved, and He wants it to be permanent. Eccl. 9:9 says that a man is supposed to live joyfully with his wife all the days of his vain life under the sun, because that’s God’s will for him. And God wants our man to be strong, to pursue us, and to make a statement to the world about how much he loves us. He needs to be a one-woman guy, who appreciates our beauty and wants to take care of us. Most importantly, he’s supposed to love us with Christ’s love, a love that comes from God and is centered in His word, so that he can help us draw closer to God in our own lives. All of these qualities are described in the Bible, and they are not fictional. They are real, just as God is real, and I can tell you that because I have blessed to be married to a real flesh-and-blood man who has walked through the fire with me and for me. There is the perfect guy out there for you, too, one who will be willing to lay down his life for you, not the way it happens in some story that was created by people in the world who don’t know the love of Jesus Christ. True love and desire come from God; it’s a love that’s stronger than death, it can’t be bought or bargained for, and it can’t be quenched or drowned out by what comes against it. That’s the kind of love that Jesus has for us, that caused Him to die a gory, bloody death on the cross for us, so that we could live with Him forever in paradise (references from Song of Solomon, John 15, I Corinthians 13, Ephesians 6, Hebrews 9 & 10).
The world wants to put a dark spin on love, to make it more dramatic and more sensual, so that it can pull on our feelings and keep us in turmoil. That way, we stay oblivious to the fact that we can’t find God’s love in what the world has to offer. God is the source of love, and in Him is no darkness at all (I John 1:5, 4:7). If we belong to Christ, and are children of God, we are supposed to walk in the light and have no fellowship with the darkness of sin, including the occult, demonic forces, and vampirism (II Cor. 6:14-18). That means not reading books that don’t accurately portray the love of Christ or the importance of receiving His salvation so that our eternal life will be in heaven with Him. (That’s another important point to make: Eternal life does not begin here on this earth, as it does for the vampires of Twilight; it begins after we die and are judged by God. See Hebrews 9:27)
Don’t allow yourself to be fooled into buying the cheap imitation of love that the world is offering through the Twilight books. Instead, I would challenge you to read and learn about the One Who loves you since before the beginning of this world, Who wants to bring you into His kingdom, and wants to give you real eternal life. The book of Revelation describes what He will look like when we see Him:
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords”. (Rev. 19:11-16).
That’s my eternal Beloved, my Savior, and He wants to be yours, too. I truly hope and pray that you will open your heart to Him, and everything He wants to give you. He wants you to hunger and thirst for righteousness, not for blood (Matt. 5:6). He already shed His for you. Think about it.
Sincerely,
Beloved by Him
April 27, 2009 10:00 AM
Even though this book isn’t viewed that great by Catholics, it depends on how the reader takes the book. The reader can read the whole series in their free time and love it. And then still live a holy and religious life. Everyone KNOWS that this book is FICTIONAL and they don’t try to believe that what it says is true. When you wrote, “But can an evil being ever be “good”? If he repents and reforms his ways—Beauty and the Beast, anyone?—yes, but the vampires in this series do not. They remain vampires.” I was confused in your way of thinking. Because- They can’t just “not be” vampires anymore. That’s like telling a human to literally change into an angel or butterfly or something. Then I didn’t understand why you looked down upon Edward and Bella “GETTING MARRIED and THEN having sex.” I understand that some parts of this book don’t show the ways of the Christian faith but it was a fictional story and I don’t understand why everyone looks down upon it.
May 21, 2009 12:38 PM
Thanks for visiting WeUsed2bu and for leaving your comment. We love hearing from our readers.
The writer of the article is saying that the vampires remain vampires. They can never be good. They will always be evil beings who crave death and blood.
Regarding your comment about the writer looking down on the characters for getting married and having sex, she was not looking down on it. She is just saying that further on in the series they get married and have sex producing an evil little blood thirsty baby that rips through Bella stomach.
I know it may seem hard to understand why we believe the way we do especially if you do not know what the Word of God says about renewing your mind, guarding your heart, demonic influence and spiritual warfare. The more we have to respond to this topic the more I remember the word of prophecy spoken through the prophet Hosea,
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” another translation says “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me.”
Knowing the Word of God and applying it to our lives is what gives us freedom. Living in this world without the Word of God is like walking around blindly and stumbling around in the dark, allowing others to lead you. We are not to allow the world to lead us around with its foolish and spiritual dark ideas of entertainment. It is dangerous to our spirits and minds.
Regarding this twilight series.. I have heard other believers say, “It’s just a movie.” Or “It’s just a book.” But as Christians we are told by the Word of God to not be conformed to this world’s way of thinking and its customs.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2
The bottom line about this whole Twilight series, other vampire movies, movies about witchcraft (Harry Potter), werewolves, and other movies about demons, ghosts, and spirits are not good for our minds. True Christians (followers of Christ) are supposed to follow the Word of God. Our minds are supposed to be meditating on good things not on evil or demonic influences and powers such as this demonically inspired book series.
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8
Twilight is not true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. It most certainly is not excellent and worthy of praise. The god of this world satan and his demonic forces twist evil and try to make it seem good so that people who are influenced by the world will accept the deception and consider this whole series as harmless. But is it really? Any time we post anything about this we have harsh and disrespectful responses from young girls who are obsessed with the characters in this book. Some girls say they want to be vampires too and others have gone has far as saying they would rather be with Edward Cullen than a godly man. It’s sad..This is the influence of the Twilight series.
Christians who understand that we are in a spiritual battle will try to protect their minds from demonic influences and will not submit themselves to movies, books, or music that will compromise their beliefs and the Word of God. The fact is that we ARE in a spiritual battle. Listen to what the Spirit of God says through the apostle Paul about this:
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:10-12
The Word of God would not have scriptures like this if it were not to warn us and to teach us of these things. It is our choice what we do with it.
When we watch or read books such as Twilight we are just opening doorways for the devil and his demons to mess with our minds. We need to stay alert! Watch out for our enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
This is why WeUsed2bu is speaking out against this series..
I hope this response along with everything else that we have posted helps you better understand the spiritual relevance of this subject. Blessings to you my sister and thanks again for your comment.
Pam said…
I just spoke with a friend who’s 5th grade daughter is hooked on the “twilight series” and now has become rebellious to the point of hitting her father when she didnt get her way and when he corrected her, she let out a blood curdling scream. I actually heard this scream while on the phone with her mother and believe me, it wasn’t normal. Her mother says they can no longer control her. People are so oblivious to the demonic forces taking over our children and are like zombies giving in to their every desire. Parents need to get these books out of their homes NOW and allow the Holy Spirit back in.
Thank you for your blog.
** Cross post comment from Blogger. Received June 1, 2009 9:41 AM **
Amen Sister!!
I can not stress enough the word that comes to my heart. It’s the same word that the Holy Spirit spoke to the prophet Hosea:
“My people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge”.
WeUsed2bu Ministries is here serving as Christ’s ambassadors, ready with the sword of truth to unveil the lies of the enemy.
Thank you for your comment. We pray that you will continue to join us in this endeavor.
Be Blessed Sister. In Jesus’ Name!
Trophy of Grace.
Maybe next time you should add a spoiler warning before divulging the whole plot of the fourth and final book.
I think you should have more faith in young adults. If they truly believe in God, have morals, and are supported by their families then they can make their own decisions. This is living life with free will. If someone is obsessed with these stories then it’s possible there is some other problem. If the Twilight Saga didn’t exist then they would turn to something else.
One could also think of the positive aspects of this Twilight phenomenon. I’m glad that so many young Americans are actually reading books. Of course it’s easy reading but it’s a start. It’s possible young adults will think twice before having premarital sex and instead focus on a relationship. They might even consider learning more about classical music, literature, science, and foreign languages. If you want to get real nit-picky the end of the series emphasizes the importance of family, kindness, and one’s responsibility to society.
When I read the books I didn’t alienate my husband. In fact, I watched the movie with him and then he purchased the books. English isn’t his first language so it was good practice. We could enjoy something together. Sometimes we were laughing at it because it can get pretty cheesy. Other times we felt a certain excitement. Why wouldn’t a first love feel like that? The vampires are secondary. No matter how hard tweens, teens, and nerds wish vampires existed, the truth stays the same. Vampires are fiction. A better example of an evil could be found in The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
Finally I have to wonder if it’s possible to respond without quoting half of the Bible word for word. If you understand “the word of God” then please explain with your own thoughts and words. Otherwise you are the one who sounds like a zombie and you are the one alienating others.
This is my humble opinion:
I read the first book and i liked it. I am not obsessed with it, actually for me it was like another book, one more on my bookshelf and so far i am not even planning to read the other three books. These kind of books have existed for a long time and it is all fiction, fantasy and dreams, but it becomes dangerous when you don’t have the maturity to separate reality from fiction.
Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons are another example of fiction books that are really far away from God’s truth, in fact they are a total blasphemy. But in my opinion what makes Twilight dangerous is the market it is directed to: teenagers.
And let’s not just focus on books, there are television, video games, internet, music…
The world is so corrupted now and God says the days coming are going to be worse. We are surrounded by evil things 24/7 and we have to be very careful and have strong founded beliefs , but this doesn’t mean that we are going to be in a bubble and locked up during our lives here. God gave us free will and we are able to make our own choices, so the question we must ask ourselves when we are going to watch, listen or read something is: do we have the enough spiritual and mental maturity to read/watch/listen this?
It’s terrible to read comments like the first one and people who worship these novels, and the case of the 5th grade girl, but i mean, what is she doing reading that?…
I am not excusing myself because “i read Twilight”, i just think it is all about criteria and maturity, mentally and most of all spiritually.
Oh just forgot Thanks Lisa for these links! =)
And God bless all of you for working in this ministry, you are in my prayers!
Dear Akazukinchan
The purpose of WeUsed2bu Ministries is to give women advice based on the Word of God and our life experiences. Without the Word of God we would be babbling words with out mind renewing and eternal power. The Words we speak are alive and powerful because it is the Word of God. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our readers’ innermost thoughts and desires. This will help them for sure because it is God’s Word that teaches us what is true and makes us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and helps us to do what it right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. The Word of God gives direction, comfort, and most of all salvation to those who will receive it. Our own words do not have this type of power. That is why we use scripture because we know that it never returns void.
After all who cares what we think. What matters is what God thinks. That’s why we give biblical counsel. After all it is a Christian Girl Advice site. We are Christian women and this is a Christian ministry. Anyone choosing to seek advice here will always get the infallible and indestructible Word of God.
Regarding the whole twilight saga..
You are right people have their own free will. It is their choice to fill their heads with garbage movies and books or not. There are better and more edifying books and movies out there in which one can find entertainment, love, passion, and action. It’s a matter of discernment not free will.
Thank you so much for your comment. Many blessings to you in Christ Jesus name.
Sincerely,
Trophy of Grace
Dear Karencilla,
I understand your point about being in the world and not of it. You are right when you say that we cannot be locked in a bubble during our time on earth. If we did that, we wouldn’t be salt and light. Jesus understood that He came for the sinner, not the self-righteous, and we need to imitate Him. But therein lies the point I want to make—our time in this world has a purpose: to glorify God by loving Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. All of our choices—what we eat, how we live, whatever we do—should bring Him glory (I Cor. 10:31). That should be our criteria, our standard, when deciding how we should spend our time, particularly when it comes to entertainment. Part of maturing in our relationship with Christ is recognizing that we should not consider ourselves wise in this age, and foolishly accept what the world wants to offer us as entertainment because we think we can handle it (I Cor. 3:18-20). If we follow the Bible’s definition for criteria and maturity, then for Christians, how can Twilight make the cut?
Because of His sacrifice on the cross for our sins, we owe the Lord Jesus a debt that we could never possible repay, nor should we try to (Gal.3:2-3, I Cor. 6:12, 7:23, Eph. 2:8-9). He wants us to have freedom and joy in Him, and not worry about our lives or our future. But this is exactly why we should be willing to present ourselves right back to Him as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2). He gave us His righteousness so that we could live holy lives (Luke 1:74-75). Our true identity in Christ should be lived as debtors to the Spirit and slaves to God, producing holy fruits (Rom. 6:22, 8:12-14). Not because we have to, but because we have tasted the Lord and seen that He is good! (Ps. 34:8) When we were sinners, we were compelled to live according to what our flesh wanted, and we couldn’t help but be displeasing to God (Rom. 7:5,8, 8:7-8). But now, praise the Lord that we know we have a higher calling! We can present ourselves to God as instruments of His righteousness, so that we can do the good works He planned for us (Rom. 6:13, 19, 22, Eph. 2:10). We purpose to live according to the Spirit, because He gives us the life of Christ. How can the loss of anything in this world compare to that Life in us? As Paul says in Philippians 3:7-9,
“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”
Now I know that this scripture also describes our liberty in Christ Jesus, and that we are not under the law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14). We can choose to approve or disapprove of things according to our conscience before the Lord (Rom. 14:22). However, just because we are already justified does not mean that we need to complicate or hinder the sanctification process. We still have a spiritual battle going on in our bodies, because our flesh constantly wars against our spirit and vice-versa (Gal. 5:17). Since that’s the case, then why would we not want to refrain from something that does not directly benefit our spirit? We can’t kid ourselves—the Bible promises that whatever a man sows, that’s what he’ll reap (Gal. 6:7). If we sow something corrupted into our souls, we can be sure that eventually we will harvest that seed in its true form, whether it’s a weakness in temptation, a deceived thought process, or even a full-grown sin. We should never think ourselves so wise that we wind up putting confidence in our flesh (Phil. 3:4-6). We are God’s temple, and we are called to be holy (I Cor. 3:16-17). Part of that holiness is putting nothing vile or wicked before our eyes (Ps. 101:3). It’s not about maturity—it’s about godliness. The Bible says that we are either for the Lord, or against Him, and that the carnal (worldly) mind is God’s enemy (Luke 11:23, Rom. 8:7). Twilight may be a work of fiction, but because of its distortions and deceptions about vampires and eternal life, the reality is that it should have no place on a Christian’s reading list.
My sincere desire is that Christians will continue, especially in these perilous times, to consecrate themselves to God by cutting away anything from this world that is weighing them down and keeping them from fully abiding in Christ. Time is short for all of us, whether the Lord returns in our lifetime or not. Our lives are but a breath and a passing shadow, but God’s word and purpose stand forever. Let us embrace His word and His purpose for us until we are home with Him, where we can give Him glory and praise in person.
“Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (II Timothy 2:21-22)
Love you, sister,
Beloved by Him
1. I love this article!
2. I read (devoured would more appropriate) all four books from beginning to finish.
3. I was skeptical at first of a vampire story, but my friends finally convinced me and now I wish I had stuck to my guns. “Just Say No” has to apply to more than drugs these days.
4. The Twilight Series is written by a woman of the Mormon faith. The Mormon faith is a false faith full of lies and demonic doctrine.
5. The demon-influenced faith is transferring trough the books into our culture.
6. I saw the movie, and it was stupid.
7. My GRANDMOTHER and 30-40 YEAR OLD AUNTS are also obsessed with this particular piece of literature.
8. I applaud Stephanie Meyers for finding a way to capture an audience so vividly and dramatically, but I wish she could have done it in a way that glorifies God.
9. I don’t understand why people can not realize that when they are becoming angry about what someone says in response to a FICTION STORY BOOK (which is in NO WAY political, truly religious, or economic and therefore of little importance) they are exhibiting in themselves how unhealthy they’re OBSESSION with worldly culture is. (I mean really, Jasmine J. CULLEN? that’s sick)
10. I would lastly like to reiterate my earlier statement. I enjoyed the books. However, I wish I could have avoided them all together as they were not really worth my time.
Dear Abbeygail,
We love your Spirit-led insights on this subject. Thanks for sharing your testimony about how these books do not edify, but instead cast a shadow over those who allow themselves to be taken in by them. Our hope is that the Lord calls other people to take a stand for His righteousness by proclaiming the truth about the Twilight series and others like it. Be blessed, sister.
Thanks SO MUCH for this article! If you don’t mind, I’d love to post it as a note on Facebook for my friends to read, I’ll of course cite it. I just think that everyone needs to read this, especially my many Christian friends who are so obsessed with Twilight!! Hopefully this will open up their eyes.
I too have read all the books — actually I’m in the middle of the 4th and after reading this I’m pretty sure I’m not going to read any more. I wasn’t one of those people who read like the entire series in one week or anything; in fact it’s taken me like 2 years to (almost) finish the series. To me, they were nothing special.
Unfortunately that’s not the case for some people… even believers out there who are infatuated with this overdramatic hopeless romantic series. It’s too cheesy for me, but others just devour it.
Thanks so much for this article again. I hope it reaches so many more people than it already has and changes everyone’s mind!!! Much love <3
-Mego
That would be great sister! Feel free to share whatever you want from here. All we ask is that you link it back to us.
Also, beware of what you consume through your eyes and ears. Although the series did not affect you the way it did others, you should be careful what you put into your temple. We can often times grieve the Holy Spirit by what we read, watch, or listen to. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and to prompt you when you are indulging in things that do not please Him, could hinder your walk, negatively influence you, or desensitize you and lead you into compromise.
Thanks for your comment and for sharing the Truth with others. Be blessed sister.
I have read all of the Twilight books and did not find myself obsessed with it, I believe that If you are spiritually strong enough to not become obsessed or engrossed with it than I believe it would be a fine book to read. There are some scenes in which young teenage girls should not be reading, but If you look at so many young adult fiction books, this one is at the bottom of the innapropriate books list. I believe it would be an appropriate book to be read by highschool kids.
Dear Sister,
There are certainly more inappropriate books out there then the Twilight series, just as there are movies with different ratings because of the amount of their graphic content. However, the end can’t justify the means here. Galatians 6:7 explains what happens when we choose to compromise—even a little—instead of sticking to those things that honor God. It says, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” (NLT) Not sometimes; not if you think you’re spiritually strong; not if you didn’t think it was a big deal, but ALWAYS.
If we became obsessed, engrossed, or addicted to sin from the first time we did it, we would probably see the warning signs much sooner and be convicted to stop. But that’s not how the enemy works. Temptation and corruption are a process. “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15, NLT) Our desire to compromise doesn’t come from God. There is no darkness or shadow in Him. (James 1:17). It comes from our flesh, in which there is no good thing (Rom. 7:18). We need to have disgust for those things which are of the world, and a delight for those things that are good, uplifiting, holy, and pure (Ps. 101:3, Phil. 4:8).
We can never take for granted or assume that we are above temptation. Our flesh, even though it was crucified with Christ Jesus on the cross, is still at war with our spirits as long as we are on this earth, and the bible says that we are slaves to whom we present ourselves to obey (Rom. 6:16). Just as pride comes before a fall, practicing compromise means weakening our spirits and setting ourselves up to fail (Prov. 16:17-18).
It didn’t take moments to read those books, but hours. That’s a lot of seeds planted. Galatians 5:9 says that “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” How much useless, false junk will we allow into our minds before we realize that we’ve been corrupted? It’s not worth it. Let’s be wise in how we spend our time, and make ourselves stronger, not weaker.
“A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.” Prov. 15:14 (NLT)
“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” Phil. 3:8 (NLT)
I would like to thank the authors of this article and the leaders who have commented, i have found it most useful. I have not read the books on principle, however during a school lesson i was forced to watch part of the film ( supposedly a ‘chill’ lesson as we had had an exam…)At the start i seemed like a harmless romom type and i could feel myself being drawn into the storybline and almost wanting to watch more or even to read the books. I’d had some Christian friends read it and have seen some signs of them not being obsessive but very big fans. Anyway i was tempted to read the books or continue watching but having read this article i have decided not to. So thank you. I have realised that i need to apply this approach of Godliness to other books or films that I watch or read.
Many Thanks May God Bless
Jesusloverofmysoul
Your welcome sister. We are glad that the article ministered to you. May the Lord give you wisdom and courage as you seek to serve Him and commit every area in your life to Him. Be filled with His Holy Spirit and the power of His love.
Blessings to you sister in Christ Jesus name!
Thank you soooo much for wrtng this article!!People in my school are so obsessed with this bok its disgusting!This one girl even opend one of her wounds and ut her bloood on the book so nobody would stael it!I read this book loke 2 years agoand i loved it.But then my aunt came and told me how books like this can lead to cults and stuff and people can become overly obsessed with it(which they have!)and i literally threw it in our trash.My sister doesnt see the point in how books like this can chang e u and i keep on telling her and i even brought her over to read the article but she still thinks that”im a good person and reading things like this wont do anything to me”.On top of tat she listins to not very clean music sometimes and every time tell her she starts turnig on me and saying that i shouldnt judge her.I dont want her to become like everybody else in our school,doing stuff with boys and letting them touch her hand and shoulders and stuff(sorry this s off topic)but i dont know what i should do,and i need someone to talk to about this and other stuff.
We are so glad that you received revelation from the article. It was a crosspost from Brio Online written by Melanie M. Cogdill.
You are doing the right thing sister by watching what you consume through your eyes and ears. If we put garbage in we will mostly certainly put garbage out. One of our counselors, Beloved by Him, wrote a two part series on purity in media. You should take a few minutes and read them.
http://www.weusedtobeyou.com/2009/04/13/purity-in-media-part-one/
As far your sister goes I believe that you need to pray for the Lord to remove the blinder on her eyes. Ask for the Truth of His Word and His will for her life to be revealed to her. Your prayers will never be in vain. In fact the Word says that the prayers of a righteous man or woman are powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
Sometimes people will say that we are judging them when out of love for them we are speaking the truth of God’s Word into their lives. If nobody tells them of their sin or tries to help open their eyes then they may stay lost. We are called to be watchmen for one another. If we see another believer overcome by some sin, we are to gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. However, if they do not want to listen then that is between them and God. (Ezekiel 2 & 3, Galatians 6:1)
Don’t hound your sister about these things. If she comes to you about these issues or others that do not line up with the Truth of the God’s Word, then stand your ground and speak the truth in love. Trust me, God’s Word never returns void it will fulfill everything He wants it to. Be patient and long suffering with your sister. You live a holy and pure life and that will be the best testimony you could give her.
We are here to help you with whatever you’d like to share. Feel free to leave as many comments or questions as you’d like. We are here to serve all of you ladies because of the love that Christ has put on our hearts for you.
Sincerely,
Trophy of Grace