Fantasy and Reality

I am very curious about how people deal with fantasy vs reality in churches

For example I know many Christians who will refuse to watch anything with magic or supernatural themes
while others are completely fine with it

My personal view is that if you are able to separate fantasy from reality then it is completely fine.
I know some people struggle to do that and for those people it would probably be better to steer clear of these genres

I think you have said it all as far as this subject goes.
I would make one causion when imbibing entertainment; be aware of the messaging. Saddly makers of entertainment are to concerned now days with the messaging than with creativity. So they rehash old stuff and cram their agenda into it. There are lines that i draw and recommend folks draw their own.

We are much affected by what we see and hear. I'm 72, saved 50 years ago. I was raised with the occult, the real thing, not Disney stuff. It's dangerous, even in cartoon form.

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things."

I don't know how you do that watching Harry Potter or similar stuff. The Lord has led me to avoid even movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was not always so discerning. Yes, some things are harmless to some and not to others. But some things are harmful to all believers.

My father is a hardcore satanst.So is my younger brother.I remember my father getting my younger brother cartoon movies like Thomas the train,among others, and telling him the meanings behind them.
Tptb have always used cartoons as a tool to indoctrinate the children into the occult,and the desires of the flesh.It's normalized.That's why lukewarm Christians are ok with it.

This cartoon hits close to home with me.I've seen plenty of people who identify as Christians who will actually join the cults hidden beneath the churches because they want to partake in the flesh,while looking like a good Christian on the outside.
Whatever it be money,power,or sex.
This clip is really subtle.Nowadays they're more open about it,because it's like a spell, and people are blinded.

To keep it simple.What would God approve of the things you bring into the temple?

I find it very interesting how those with direct experience of these things see the world in a much different light.

and I can understand that people who have a more intimate experience would have much stronger views against these things

in the same way that someone who was once an alcoholic may prefer to abstain from drink entirely.
to this the bible does say Have a little wine for your stomachs sake
but also that we should avoid any stumbling blocks ( I forget the wording of the verse )

to some a glass of wine or half pint of larger would not cause them to sin
but for other the consumption of alcohol can be a stumbling block which could cause them to fall into Sin

there are certainly stumbling blocks out there. I did not want to mention any specifically however Harry Potter has been brought up.

for me it does not sit in my mind, I enjoy the special effects and story telling in some of them (I am not as fond of the later movies). but to me that is all they are, I am not a person who gets swept away with wonder and amazement at a green screen and some digital rendering.
however I have met people who make it their entire personality. buying the merchandise, imitating the spells, dressing in the robes.
to me that is where the separation becomes fuzzy.

for some people this will not be a stumbling block. for others it will.


but the lines are also interesting.
I did mention magic in the original post.
but other sinful things are in media which people may not Evan contemplate being a problem.

I have known very strong Christians who would swear away harry potter or lord of the rings, but watch soap operas with murder, theft and adultery without a second thought.

if this clip is subtle then I dont know what you would consider to be more open

Read the comments of the first and then these ones where it's more out in the open.

I vaguely remember watching that film. didn't think much of it to be honest. I always thought that they were making fun of conspiracy theorists. ..... are you suggesting that this is more than a joke?

I think that the Ruby Franke case has more to do with fantasy vx reality than many want to credit the situation.

2.5 million subscribers....not to mention the casual viewership. Meaning roughly a million dollars a year in revenue.

All the while the children were being subjected to abuse on a daily basis. Both emotional abuse and physical abuse.

Hello BrightRiver. One Christian being fine with magic themes and another not, sounds like a subjective standard. But by the Biblical standard any involvement with it is forbidden. For example there are commands in Leviticus chapters 19&20 about magic/spiritism and the like, on the same list are bestiality, child sacrifice and incest. I think this shows the seriousness of it.

Would a 'fantasy' depiction of bestiality, incest and child sacrifice be acceptable?

'Magic' can seem like harmless fantasy fun, but Satan disguises himself as an angel of light and is a deceiver. God Bless

there's 2 major reasons being activated here. is this about yourself, or, are you part of a family unit? if about yourself, you stay away from the things that allure you and next thing you are doing things like googling magic and whatever which has removed time away from God and can now become an Idol. if about the family unit, don't let them be tempted by things that [[you]] can control NOW.

also, i firmly believe, what you watch, read, think about, speak about, is what you let enter into your domain.

now, as one who studied [i know it now and no longer research it] (this is about when i did research it) both sides. i studied the pagan individual religions like occults and witchcraft and paganism because i was seeing how [[EVIL]] worked in them. they are our enemy. one should know your enemy. especially, when it deals with the soul and eternal destination. Plus, for the life of me, most of the women that used to make themselves known to me, were witches. but in doing so, you will face it. it will come at you. obviously, who cares, i just say, the LORD Rebuke you, Satan, in the Name of Yeshua of Nazareth! then i explain, it was never welcomed nor ever will be welcomed and to go back to the depths of the pits of hell where it came from.

but you know how Jesus [[STANDS]] at our heart knocking to be welcomed in?

Satan, you just open the door an 1/32 of inch to take peek, he slithers right in.

God, asks to come in, Satan, sneaks in, by your opening doors you are not aware of.

a correlation i will render is i'm a drummer & will very rarely listen to bands that are on the evil side just to check out the quality of musicianship but i don't entertain evil thoughts or support them by buying their music. some of those bands are extremely talented! remember Romans 8:28- "and we know all things work together for good......"

Psalm 101:3

"I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."

1. IMO, if it's for kids, you really don't want that introduced to them--just as newborn babies cannot withstand high viral loads, because their immunity isn't developed yet, you don't want anyone (eg, kids) who may not be developed enough to be contaminated with it.

2. I actually play video games, sometimes, that have "magic", and some of that stuff bothers me, but I try to just ignore it, because I know it's just a video game, and I know I have no plan to do that.

3. Witchcraft is not "fantasy", it's the "reality" of many many, and it will become more and more the case as things progress, IMO.

depends on how it is portrayed
s presented, I have like the original original star wars trilogy, can't see anything wrong with that, but the blatantly witchy stuff, like in the series The Originals, I don't like.

It's also a matter of conscience and where we are at spiritually. I've watched the first Star Wars movies. There are some wrong concepts, such as the impersonal "Force" but mostly it is a bit of fun. No blood, no sex, the good guys win.

There are deeper occult undertones in the later Star War movies. I watched one and regretted it. My wife is way more sensitive than me. She avoids even a hint of violence or the occult.

I really just want to make one point on this whole issue:
It is very very difficult, for any of us human, to make unbiased moral judgements about our own cultures, especially on cultural issues that are old or established.

Because we are immersed WITHIN a culture, we usually have a limited perspective on that culture.
A- It's easy to tell something is wrong in a culture when it CHANGES, because we can differentiate change.
B- It's also easy to tell something is wrong if it is VERY CLEARLY contrary to scripture.
C- But there are always things that are less clear, or that we don't even think about.
D- In every culture, people are going to have some blindness toward their own culture.

Since this is inevitable, I think we just study the scripture, and pray, and expect that we will continue to learn and grow.
I also think we need to really listen to our conscience, and have some respect of other men's conscience... since that's in the Bible.


Overall, I don't think this is an easy topic.
I think this is very very difficult.


God Bless.

.

Well in the church library I only allow non-fiction books if people want fiction or christian fantasy they can go to the public library for that.

So sorry you are not borrowing 'The Shack' or 'Redeeming Love' or the Left Behind series or Narnia from our church library.

Has nothing what so ever to do with being able to separate fantasy from reality. We should not be playing with things that are not of God never came from God. So after this life no one will be thinking about fantasizing, writing books making lol movies about "magic" and the like.

As if since its not real its OK! Nope.. does not work that way. If Christ is the filter so to speak then all this would be filtered out. We bring every thought and "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ". So how did some of you get it past Christ? HAHA as if "He's ok with it".

So how do you know what's of the enemy? Fact is you don't have no clue. Yes some are not evil yet God is not in it at all. Like allot of worldly music it's not evil just there is no God in it or to say it better as He has "there is no life in it". Shocking how many believer are very happy with listing to something that is not from God about God gives no glory to God will never be in heaven. As if He GOD has nothing better? Me me me.. all about self to say the truth

I sometimes think fantastic stories get me thinking about how things will be radically different someday and that this "someday" may not be far away. Dystopia coming for some, Utopia coming for others.