Twilight is Coming to a Theater Near You
Photo courtesy of Pricegrabber
Teens, both Christian and non-Christian, are all a-twitter lately over the new Twilight movie being released on November 21, 2008. It is so anticipated that some theaters have already sold out for the opening night, and it is the number one movie on movie ticket websites. Now, some Christian teens won't read the books because of their concerns over its content, as it is about vampires and werewolves, so they won't see the movie. Yet others read the books, since they do demonstrate values like saving sex until after marriage and overcoming temptations. The Twilight series was also written by Stephanie Meyer, who is reportedly a devout Mormon and a graduate of Brigham Young University. She even avoids doing any promotional work or writing on Sundays, and refused to add pre-marital sex to the novels, despite her publisher's urging.
Yet, despite some of the more positive themes in the books, it doesn't necessarily mean those values will transfer onto the screen - even if Stephanie Meyer had a strong hand in approving the script. However, it might be nice to see, for once, a teen movie that didn't promote sex before marriage and showed teens trying to be responsible (even if those teens have been around for a for 70, 80, 90 years or so). Yet, the fact that it does use creatures that many people consider "evil" to demonstrate those values may also turn Christian teens off.
Share your views on the new Twilight movie in the comments below.
Suggested Reading:
Comments
As a youth minister, i have noticed a lot of my girls reading this huge books!! They even have a club that is going to the first night showing in our little town! Several brought up the point that they don’t have sex. I’ll probably go see it so I know what it is all about, Lord knows I don’t have time for the massive books!!
To me, anything that promotes a relationship between a human and something that represents evil is wrong–lack of premarital sex or not.
So I’m reading the book right now. Its taken me two days to almost finish it and I realize why girls are so obsessed with the story. Although no sex is involved I think that we are somewhat using that fact as a way to justify the other promotions of, really, lust, love, and emotion. As a girl it really has been drawing me into the world of emotions (a scary place sometime) and I can’t say I like it. The book in itself is rather intoxicating. I think, although maybe not intended, it is filled with too much passion. I find myself wanting them to have sex or kiss/ touch because I want their love to be fulfilled. Too, when I finally lay the book down for the night I become somewhat depressed because I don’t have that. I would just place a warning tag on the book. It promotes alot of sensual images and needs that ALL girls look for. No sex in the book is great, but the emotional ties may be a little much and should be taken into consideration. Oh, and I’m seventeen and I see this, I wouldn’t want my little 12 and 14 year old sisters reading this and I’m not sure if, personally, I will read the rest of the series.
i love reading the twilight books and i really dont see a problem with their content. whatever emotions youget from reading is it,is completely what you think of it all, not necessarily what meyer wanted you to feel. my youth leader says maybe these books could be bad as theyare about vampires and things, but they arenot exactly encouraging me to take a wrong path or anything,so i dont see the problem with these made up characters.
do alot of christians not watch harry potter?
i also think its cool how paramore, and mutemath, both popular christian bands have wrotethe theme songs for this film.
I just finished reading all four books, and now am searching around to find some thought from other Christians who have read them.
I personally have no problem with the mythological creatures (vampires, werewolves etc.) especially considering that the heroes of these books are committed to being different and to make the most of their lot in life. I guess you could say they are “reformed” vampires.
As for the sensual part, that did bother me a bit. I am a senior in high school and have been exposed to the sort of thing before, but I know a girl my age who gave the books to her 13 year old sister to read and was appalled! It really made me mad. When I tell people about the books I ALWAYS make sure to mention that they are not childrens’ fiction.
I very much did appreciate many of the morals that they lead guy (Edward Cullen) held. He was born in the age of chivalry and this glowed through him. A lot of the time he was the definition of chivalry (sometimes even a little too chivalrous) He also had moral about saving sex for marriage and he forced those morals onto his girlfriend.
I guess I feel that the book has many redeeming qualities. Even though I believe they were written to be “Christian” qualities, I am glad they were there.
Plus, I just really enjoyed the pacing/style of writing of the books. I couldn’t put them down!
God has not convicted me that they are wrong to read, or even to enjoy.
I’m thirteen and I’ve read all four books, anticipating the 5′th which i do believe will be written in Edward’s perspective. I like it mainly because it’s romantic, but not too mushy, it’s fictional, they don’t believe in sex before marriage, you really get into the book, like you know the characters,it’s very well written and it’s not thoroughly predictable. There’s many more reasons to love the series, but I won’t go on about it any further. Read it -.^ Twilight, then New Moon, then Eclipse, and last Breaking Dawn.
Oh well, I’ve not read the books but my fifteen-year old has and loves them! Since I’m a Christian who writes about vampires and werewolves myself, (none of which have sex btw for reasons you’ll have to read about to find out)I have no problems with the series.
I’m more intrigued by the fact that Stephanie can openly profess that she’s a Mormon and her work is still widely accepted by Christian readers and of course by readers of the broader general market. How cool is that!
So it seems the message is getting out there that Christian fiction doesn’t simply apply to work targeted to a specific fraction of Christians.
Way to go Stephanie!
I’m right behind you!
I have read some of the first one online and had to stop, for it promotes weird feeling on you. I personally don’t like it at all. yes I think the auther is an awesome writer but It started off with one girl in my class reading it, then a week later I saw everyone walking around with them. and that was all they would talked about and thought about. and it was no more prince charming to marry it was a vampire. I think this book has a heavy hold on the life of teenagers these days. And the scary thing is no body sees this as it truely is. Full Props, that she didn’t let them have sex before marriage. but she is planting a lustful desire in the minds of 12 year olds. She is suppost to have some religon right??? well don’t they have a verse about if you lust in your heart that is just like doing it for real???
don’t you find it at all weird that people that never meet are say the same stuff about the effects of this book. The person who said she sets the attitude of the reader to want bella and Edward to have sex. Is so true beacuse I’ve heard people say that while talking about the books.
For those of you who are true believers doesn’t it alarm you that these books are written by a Mormon? Mormons are NOT Christians. They don’t believe in the same God we do. They think Jesus was a good man, not our Messiah. They don’t believe in the trinity. Jesus is not God according to their beliefs.
I was on the web searching for some answers regarding this movie. As soon as I read that it was written by a Mormon, I got my answer. I don’t need to look any further.
There are lots of reasons to choose to read or not read Stephanie Meyer’s books, but a misunderstanding of her Christian beliefs shouldn’t be one of them. As a “Mormon,” which is a very misleading nick-name for our church, I just want to let you know that we devoutly believe in and worship Jesus Christ. Everything about our religion points us to Christ; every prayer, every worship service, every ordinance. We believe in and are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. We believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Creator and Savior of the world. We believe He is the God of the both the Old and New Testaments. We believe it is through Him that all man-kind is saved. We believe He atoned for all sin in Gethsemane and on the cross. I show my belief and faith in Him, by patterning my life after His example and choosing to keep His commandments. He is my Savior and I am completely dependent on His grace. Please seek accurate information about our faith at www. mormon.org
i don’t think christian should read this book
yeah they say theres nothing bad to it but there
is…the VAMPIRES…evrything..thats how the devil pulls you close to him….he doesn’t wwant you fully he just needs to know that you are not being woth God and b that book.. it brings readers closer to the devil……which is scarier than the scary parts in the book….yeah people say the’re christian when they’re really reading horrible books like Harry Potter and the Twilght series and so on…….look at what the devil created to get his siners close to him…A.K.A readers of those kinds of books
i just don’t think it s right..
I think it’s ridiculous that so many people are complaining about these books. They are not evil! Evil, that’s books like The Anarchist’s Cookbook, or bands like Cannibal Corpse.
We need to pick our battles. If you don’t like the books, fine, but don’t go around saying they’re evil or condemning them because the author is a Mormon! This is why so many teens are turned off to Christianity.
i didn’t know about the movie before i watched it. i liked the story,but i wasnt really paying attention to the story. i was just looking at the cute guys in the movie. you can really feel the sexual tension between the two main characters. i was just waiting to see when or if they were going to do the “deed”. i would not let my kid watch this because its too unrealistically romantic. then again, it is just a movie.
I wish everybody would get as excited about God as they are about that vampire movie.
It would be healthier if you read your bible instead of those books. You can read in the Bible about not having sex before marriage.(Seems like that is an excuse for some christians to watch that movie}.
It’s absolutely ridiculous to say that a fiction book can actually influence people one way or another. You have to have sin in your heart in the first place to be lured away.
Simply reading something just to enjoy a story is not going to cause that. If you are that easily influenced, maybe you should move into a cardboard box far away so no one can come near you and possibly tempt you by smelling of the outside world.
So take that!
I’ve read a couple of the books from the Twilight series, I have seen the movie, and I am a Christian teenager. I personally don’t find a lot wrong with the books. In my opinon, it’s ok for Christians to read books about magic and the undead, as long as we are able to keep a clear line in our heads of fiction vs. real life. The one problem that I found with it, however, has to do with the total obsession Bella and Edward have with each other. They love each other above and beyond anything else. In later books, a respectable, smart character states that he is certain that there is a God, and as mentioned, premarital sex is nonexistent, but I still found it a little disconcerting that Bella, especially, was willing to give up her entire life for Edward. Maybe that’s just me who found that odd. Overall, I think it’s an acceptable book if the reader is able to keep it real.
Truthfully, Twilight was the “BEST” Romance movie i have ever seen in my life and too bad noone has a guy as sweet as Edward /cullen>>*
Hey guys, let’s all just lighten up on each other okay? We are Christians (of different denominations, sure) and we should love each other, not be down on each other for our opinions!
My opinion is that these books are too consuming, I have seen many of my friends read them and be obsessed with them and that’s all they can talk about.. maybe that is their problem, but still, it’s a little unnerving.. I strongly agree with Heike that I wish people would get more excited about GOD than these books.. I read 2 really great reviews, one about the movie and one about the books, on www.pluggedinonline.com and I highly recommend them. Some say that those reviews are harsh, but atleast it gives you a piece of mind.. and also the discernment article about which nature are you feeding? I believe this book and movie leans towards the nature of the flesh, and most likely feeds the Spirit of no one.
Mostly, pray about it, be willing to sacrifice it… if you’re not willing to sacrifice that book — then you love it too much!
And mostly, decide for yourself.. don’t force someone else to like it or not like it.