The Content We Consume (Part 5)

"Man Writing" by Oliver Ray

Today I conclude the series on responsible content consumption. After a summary of the previous four parts, I'll briefly look at some examples. I am indebted to my friend for his help in developing this content.

General Principles

In Part 1, I looked at various Scriptures as background and guiding verses for this topic (those include Philippians 4:8, 1 Corinthians 10:23-32, and Romans 14). I offered this a framework to determine value of a given object, condensed here:

1. Is it true?
• Truth involves both knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is provable information (or 'propositional truth'). Wisdom includes principles, beliefs, and other things that can be verified empirically (through observation and experience). Note that the latter can be delivered in a fictional vehicle.
• As we look at a given object, we must discern the message(s) it is proclaiming, and each must be examined to see if it is true, either in knowledge or wisdom.
• All truth is God's truth. We are all made in God's image and therefore carry attributes of Him, even if we do so unknowingly (or have corrupted images due to the fall). There may be truth in specific actions and words of others even if their overall lives may not align with our convictions.
2. Is it good?
• Truth is the start, but not the end. There are many facts about the evil in this world; we shouldn't focus on nor celebrate those. 
• As we look at a given object, we must discern the goal or intent of it- and whether it is good. It may be simple appreciation/enjoyment, to deliver knowledge or develop skills, to enable social interaction, or to deliver a message.
3. Is it edifying?
• What is true and good is eligible to be edifying, but that does not inherently make it so. Ultimately, it comes down to the fruit that results from consuming it.
• What is edifying/fruitful to one may not be for another, depending on their respective strengths/weaknesses, age/maturity level, or current state. If it tempts you in some way, it should be avoided.
• It is possible for something to be partially edifying- partially true and partially good. We must weigh the benefit to the cost- the good to the bad- to determine how to proceed.

Creativity

In Part 2, I explored why we create art, perform musicals, make movies, write books, or do anything like this in the first place, and then zeroed in on fiction. I concluded:

We are creative creators because we reflect the Lord's attributes, which we see in His world and His Word. Fiction is one facet of this, producing works of art that may not have 'fact of' truth but contain a wealth of wisdom. So as we wrestle with what content is suitable to consume, we should not ignore the power and beauty of fiction.

On Fantasy

In Part 3, I focused on fantasy, the genre of fiction that includes fantastic abilities and supernatural elements, generally set in a completely different world defined by the author. 

I provided varous definitions of fantasy and highlighted that it is not tied to reality or fact. I then focused on its value, emphasizing its ability to convey wisdom through creating imaginary worlds and using them to convey powerful truths unencumbered by our real-world biases. 

I looked at magic in the Bible, concluding that calling on the supernatural is perfectly fine if it is God and absolutely forbidden if it is not- it all comes down to the source. I then argued that magic in fantasy works is part of the creative element and not necessarily making a statement about magic in the real world at all. When judging the magic system in a fantasy work, what matters is the source and intent.

I concluded by looking at religion in fantasy, where I argued that the fantasy writer is under no obligation to create a world with a religion like ours (or at all). And that should not scare us- the point of such stories is to convey specific wisdom, not all wisdom. We shouldn't look to fantasy for a systematic theology. It comes down to the author's messages, goals, and intent.

On Tabletop Games

In Part 4, I focused on tabletop games, which I define as "a competitive activity whereby participants engage a closed, formal system to overcome a challenge using skill and/or luck." Because games are closed systems, taking actions in a game is not the same as doing that action (or condoning it) in real life. 

We play games for mental exercise, social interaction, and entertainment. The themes in most games are there for flavor or to aid comprehension, and there is seldom story in a game. The goal and attributes of games mean there may not be a message (truth or wisdom) in the game. That said, there may be messages in the win conditions, and multiplayer games have a political/psychological component that can reveal our hearts.

Examples

Throughout these posts, I've tried to emphasize that we need humility, wisdom, and discernment as we evaluate content. We should neither turn our brains off (and assume all is okay) nor be quick to judge (and assume it is not). 

I now turn to four examples. Because fantasy in particular can be so controversial, the below are all in that vein.

The Lord of the Rings

We'll start with an easy one. J.R.R. Tolkien had a hugely influential role in the fantasy genre with this work. I mentioned the cogent points in part 3: Tolkien's work was consciously religious and yet he despised allegory. He once wrote: "That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like 'religion', to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism." There is magic, fantastic creatures, and terrible fiends here. There is clear good and evil, and worthy themes like friendship and self-sacrifice. These books (and the movies based on them) are full of wisdom and remain some of my favorites. Check out my main page on the topic for more commentary and book/movie reviews.

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series is one of the most popular of all time. Yet J.K. Rowling's tale of "the boy who lived" has seen quite a bit of controversy, and the books have been banned in several countries. Some Christians oppose these works for the magic in them, arguing they are turning kids to witchcraft. Others oppose them because it is an example of children having to save adults. And some are upset because there is no mention of God. The wikipedia page dedicated to religious debates over the series is a good overview.

I've read the books and find them excellent. I agree with Erik Raymond, who says:

What do we have in the Harry Potter series? We have an enemy who threatens to destroy as he pushes his wicked agenda. We have a hero character who seems unlikely and weak, yet uniquely powerful and driven. He is characterized by self-sacrifice, mission, the honor of his parents, vindication of good, and friendship. He is willing to sacrifice himself for the benefit of others and the defeat of evil. Potter is called the chosen one who fights the evil one and must ultimately defeat death.

The From Homer to Harry Potter book also makes some good points about the series (and many other fantasy works). Overall, I find the series edifying for its primary moral messages- especially self-sacrifice. And remember that fruit matters: the biggest contribution I believe Harry Potter gave us was making people (kids and adults) love reading. That is powerful indeed.

Regarding the opposition by some Christians, I would say the following:

- on magic: like Tolkien and Lewis, Rowling's world makes no attempt to be realistic. The magic system shown is not drawing on the supernatural at all (per my argument in part 3 of this series). Per Christian writer Stephen Graydanus (quoted in the religious debates article linked above): "If anything, the magic in Rowling's world is even more emphatically imaginary, even further removed from real-world practices, than that of Tolkien or Lewis; and, like theirs, presents no appreciable risk of direct imitative behaviour." Rowling herself has repeatedly denied encouraging kids to practice witchcraft and believes the charges ridiculous, and has pointed out Christian themes she deliberately placed in the series (again, see the religious debates article). 

- on children saving adults: I argue that Harry Potter shows the children both powerful and weak- both reaching out to do things on their own (without adult knowledge or consent) and yet also relying on those adults in times of trouble. The series portrays Dumbledore and others as being wise and worthy of confidence- both kids and adults have value and roles to play here. 

- on no mention of God: this is frequently true in fantasy works- see Lord of the Rings. As I stated in part 3, the fantasy author doesn't need to re-create true religion in a fake world. Instead, they use a fake world to illustrate specific examples that can inspire us in the real world . . . and I believe Harry Potter does this.

A Game of Thrones

This wildly popular television series is based on the best-selling fantasy books by George R.R. Martin. I read the first book 20 years ago, long before it hit the screen. Martin writes well, providing an engrossing world and engaging story. And yet . . . looking through our list of questions (good/true/edifying), AGOT falls flat. This series lifts up power and control as the ultimate thing; it is what the major houses vie for, without ever making value statements about so doing. That message is neither true nor good. There is no higher purpose or noble ideals that I recall, either. That's one problem, and there is another: both the books and television series are full of sexually explicit material. I agree with Kevin DeYoung and John Piper; I don't see enough value here to justify consuming this series (in either form). Any good elements are overwhelmed by the bad.

Magic: The Gathering

This trading card game launched a new industry in 1993: the collectible game industry. Here, you take the role of a 'planeswalker' (a wizard-like character), and build a deck of cards (your 'spells') to go against your opponents. I introduce the game here and started a separate blog to explain/explore/enjoy it here.

Collectible games differ from traditional tabletop games and resonate with us because they (perhaps uninentionally) hit on some greater truths, including creation, diversity, progressive revelation, and synergy. I did a presentation on this category of games a few years ago; the transcript is here.

Like Harry Potter, Magic has come under fire from some Christians. Ultimately, I believe the concerns are ill-founded; it's not at all about doing magic or practicing witchcraft. Magic is a card game invented by a mathematician (he talks about it here and the New Yorker covers it, too); astute observers will note it features "combinatronics, specifically, the hypergeometric series" (source), and game theory in it has been much studied (see here). It is ultimately a strategy game with generic fantasy themes, from Greek mythology to Germanic fairy tales to other tropes. The main site states the game's mission: "have fun while bringing people together." It is edifying in the mental exercise that comes with creating and playing a deck, and is a wonderful way to gather with others and enjoy the weird and creative combinations in the decks that people construct. 

The big danger of Magic, as I see it, is not in the theme but the overall concept of a collectible game. It is addictive and expensive. You may have seen the joke: "Get your kids into Magic. They won't have money for drugs." That is true. I've had several friends refuse to play on these grounds- they know they are prone to addiction and need to stay away. I respect that.

Conclusion
I'll conclude with a thought from my friend: "If some media (boardgame, video game, movie, etc) fills our mind with sinful images, creates sinful emotions or desires, or distracts us from giving proper attention to God, then that media should not be consumed." Distracting us may be the category we ignore the most, but is very important. Even good things can become bad things if we make them the ultimate things. "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" (Proverbs 4:23)

The content we consume should be edifying, which means it will be true and good in some way, be it in message or goal. Christians will disagree as to what qualifies as acceptable, and that is okay. In such cases, we must remember Romans 14, and look to love both the one who consumes and the one who abstains. Humility, wisdom, and discernment are key.