How Do You Feel About Christians Watching Horror Movies?

[Joshua_Belyeu]

I know there's lots of people at both extremes of this, but I'm slightly more to the center from the right. For example, I adore the original Halloween because there's very little blood and nudity, no explicit sex, and minimal language...even for a film made 47 years ago. The spooky nature of it is mostly set by the isolation, and John Carpenter's unforgettable score. However, I can't watch any of the recent sequels, because from what I've read the content was escalated beyond a disgusting level, to the point of the story almost being lost.

By contrast, I saw all the A Nightmare on Elm Street movies, and to this day I regret them...mostly because of the spiritual implications. Unlike killers such as Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger says "the dream people (are) the ones who gave me this job". The sixth film shows Freddy's house being burned with him inside as referenced in the original, but while that's happening some floating beings appear who ask him what he wants. His defiant reply is "I want it all!", to which they reply "Then you shall be forever..." So in every way but being completely direct, that franchise says demons "rewarded" Freddy for his sins by giving him the power to continue them in people's dreams.

Similarly, I refuse to watch anything related to Hellraiser - the title alone puts me off. I saw the first three Scream entries, but that was 25 years ago and I haven't kept up since. I may have watched part of a Phantasm movie once, but switched it because I was so disturbed. The earlier I Know What You Did Last Summer installments had some unsettling moments, but not a ton of them - unfortunately, I read the new one killed the restraint option.

As for similar stories, I like some but not all vampire tales. I used to watch both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel in their heyday, but the stories told eventually felt like they were almost celebrating evil instead of fighting it. The same goes for Bram Stoker's Dracula from 1992 (too much explicitness there too), but one of my favorite comedies is My Best Friend is a Vampire from 1987.

Basically, when you break it all down, I enjoy quirky and sppoky movies, but I don't want to give Satan any entry points into my life. Do you think this can be accomplished for any believer? Is it a fool's goal in your mind, or are you somewhere in between? Sound off!

 

[Doll]

Bram Stokers Dracula was spectacular. I adore Gary Oldman.

Dracula 2000,starring Gerard Butler,was great too. Because it did something no other Dracula movie ever did. Though I don't know if Bran Stokers novel contained the twist.
No spoiler,but it was a great touch in telling us why Dracula was affected by sunlight,the cross, and silver.

Classic horror movies were good scary fun.
Today's horror movies are disgustingly psychotically violent.

 

[Brasspen]

These movies can mess you up.

 

[Going_Nowhere]

My avatar might give it away: I'm a fan of the genre.


And when it comes to Christians watching them:


The world is scary and crazy enough as it is. Chances are, you're gonna deal with or witness some kind of "horror" in life no matter what.


In fact, I honestly wonder which is scarier: Real life horror or movie horror?


So I don't see them as a big deal.


On a related note, I saw the new I Know What You Did Last Summer in theaters recently. Fun time.

 

[Joshua_Belyeu]

Bram Stokers Dracula was spectacular. I adore Gary Oldman.

Dracula 2000,starring Gerard Butler,was great too. Because it did something no other Dracula movie ever did. Though I don't know if Bran Stokers novel contained the twist.
No spoiler,but it was a great touch in telling us why Dracula was affected by sunlight,the cross, and silver.

Stoker's novel was very different from any adaptation that's ever been done. Many of the popular elements were things he never wrote, such as Dracula explicitly being either Vlad the Impaler or Judas Iscariot, his loving Mina in any way, she herself being his reincarnated bride from centuries prior, and especially his becoming a vampire by renouncing God and making a literal blood pact with Satan. Also, the bestiality scene in the garden from the 1992 film wasn't from the novel, either...but Dracula giving the baby to his three brides is. Stoker wrote that to show that the curse of vampirism takes one of the most sacred acts that God ever created (motherhood), and perverts it in the worst way.

Classic horror movies were good scary fun.
Today's horror movies are disgustingly psychotically violent.

Agreed, unfortunately. Part of me really wants to see the new Halloween trilogy, just because I adore both Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Myers as a character...but after "Resurrection" in 2002, I'd had enough of the extremities. I mean, he cuts a guy's head completely off with one swing of a common butcher's knife...really?! No one could do that; it was just too much.

These movies can mess you up.

They key word there is "can", and in most cases I'd agree with you, which is why I'm very selective with them.

 

[Gideon300]

I know there's lots of people at both extremes of this, but I'm slightly more to the center from the right. For example, I adore the original Halloween because there's very little blood and nudity, no explicit sex, and minimal language...even for a film made 47 years ago. The spooky nature of it is mostly set by the isolation, and John Carpenter's unforgettable score. However, I can't watch any of the recent sequels, because from what I've read the content was escalated beyond a disgusting level, to the point of the story almost being lost.

By contrast, I saw all the A Nightmare on Elm Street movies, and to this day I regret them...mostly because of the spiritual implications. Unlike killers such as Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger says "the dream people (are) the ones who gave me this job". The sixth film shows Freddy's house being burned with him inside as referenced in the original, but while that's happening some floating beings appear who ask him what he wants. His defiant reply is "I want it all!", to which they reply "Then you shall be forever..." So in every way but being completely direct, that franchise says demons "rewarded" Freddy for his sins by giving him the power to continue them in people's dreams.

Similarly, I refuse to watch anything related to Hellraiser - the title alone puts me off. I saw the first three Scream entries, but that was 25 years ago and I haven't kept up since. I may have watched part of a Phantasm movie once, but switched it because I was so disturbed. The earlier I Know What You Did Last Summer installments had some unsettling moments, but not a ton of them - unfortunately, I read the new one killed the restraint option.

As for similar stories, I like some but not all vampire tales. I used to watch both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel in their heyday, but the stories told eventually felt like they were almost celebrating evil instead of fighting it. The same goes for Bram Stoker's Dracula from 1992 (too much explicitness there too), but one of my favorite comedies is My Best Friend is a Vampire from 1987.

Basically, when you break it all down, I enjoy quirky and sppoky movies, but I don't want to give Satan any entry points into my life. Do you think this can be accomplished for any believer? Is it a fool's goal in your mind, or are you somewhere in between? Sound off!

Satan is the source of all fear apart from the fear of God. Back in the 70's, there were horror movies based on Dennis Wheatly's books. Before I was saved, I read most of them. They were based on the life of Anton la Vey, a true Satanist and a man steeped in witchcraft.

A movie called "The Exorcist" was released at that time. I was born again by then. My occult experiences and God's Spirit told me to stay well away from it. Our church had quite a few calls from people who were traumatised by the movie.

I happened to be at a drive in with a friend. I kept getting like a prodding sensation in my spirit. I looked at the other screen to see a scene from the Exorcist. The young woman was genuinely demonised. It was not an act.

Before I was saved, I watched an hilarious send up of the Vampire genre called "The Fearless Vampire Killer". It includes the funny line, "How do you like your stake (steak)?" as the vampire is sent to his doom. It came on cable decades later. I wanted to watch it again. I could not. The Holy Spirit constrained me.

People seem much hardened nowadays. Perhaps so many horror movies have desensitised them. I advise Christians to stay away from it. Surely we have enough real life horror to deal with.

So I agree, don't give Satan an opportunity. It's not sin to watch the occasional movie. But observe what it is doing to you spiritually. The older I get in Jesus, the more selective I am.

 

[tourist]

I don't believe that it is wrong, but personally, I don't care to watch them.

 

[DeanM]

Ive been a fan of '40s horror and 50's sci fi all my life. That is pretty tame compared to some that came later. Some rail against Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. I actually heard one tv preacher say that Harry Potter knew the actual words to cast spells. So, as long as you know that what your watching is just a movie I think you are safe. I dont recall which movie it was but a tag line was, its only a movie, its only a movie lol

 

[Joshua_Belyeu]

Ive been a fan of '40s horror and 50's sci fi all my life. That is pretty tame compared to some that came later. Some rail against Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. I actually heard one tv preacher say that Harry Potter knew the actual words to cast spells. So, as long as you know that what your watching is just a movie I think you are safe. I dont recall which movie it was but a tag line was, its only a movie, its only a movie lol

Trivia Fact: the so-called Killing Curse from the Wizarding World ("avada kedavra") is actually Aramaic for "Let the thing be destroyed", while "Abracadabra" is Hebrew for "I will create as I speak". I have no problem with The Lord of the Rings, since Tolkien was an outspoken Christian (even though he preferred the Roman Catholic church). He even said that while his writings were not a direct allegory for the faith, he didn't mind people seeing them as such.

 

[Tall_Timbers]

It doesn't bother me if others want to watch them, but I've never cared for them. There is one exception and that's Dracula movies... for reasons I don't understand I like a lot of those.

I prefer comedies followed by romance movies.

 

[Doll]

Stoker's novel was very different from any adaptation that's ever been done. Many of the popular elements were things he never wrote, such as Dracula explicitly being either Vlad the Impaler or Judas Iscariot, his loving Mina in any way, she herself being his reincarnated bride from centuries prior, and especially his becoming a vampire by renouncing God and making a literal blood pact with Satan. Also, the bestiality scene in the garden from the 1992 film wasn't from the novel, either...but Dracula giving the baby to his three brides is. Stoker wrote that to show that the curse of vampirism takes one of the most sacred acts that God ever created (motherhood), and perverts it in the worst way.

Agreed, unfortunately. Part of me really wants to see the new Halloween trilogy, just because I adore both Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Myers as a character...but after "Resurrection" in 2002, I'd had enough of the extremities. I mean, he cuts a guy's head completely off with one swing of a common butcher's knife...really?! No one could do that; it was just too much.

They key word there is "can", and in most cases I'd agree with you, which is why I'm very selective with them.

I cheated and watched the ending of last ever instalment of the Halloween series, Halloween Ends.
Boy,did it end.

I don't know if there was an absolute final of Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm street.
I think the Hellraiser series ended in the sequel where Pinhead was in space.

Thanks for the information about the Stoker nobel.

 

[2ndTimeIsTheCharm]

I'm guilty of watching zombie movies. I don't know why. I think it's because of the adrenaline it produces. The movie will usually start with a normal, everyday setting. But then slowly, gradually, there will be people that aren't quite normal starting to pop up who have a voracious hunger for humans. And then it becomes like a devil's tag game where more and more humans get infected and join the other zombies.

I like that eventual build up and then hell breaking loose!

Favorite zombie movies/shows:

1. The Walking Dead - Up to Season 6.5. I knew that Glenn was going to die at the beginning of Season 7, knowing it would be absolutely devastating to me, so I completely left after the first half of the sixth season.
2. Train to Busan - South Korean zombie movie in a train. Oh my gosh! This movie was so good. Many relationships are showcased and how they are affected by the zombie pandemic. Oh I cried so much at the end! I'm mean, I was BAWLING! Full-on ugly crying, lol! Almost every time I watch this movie!
3. Rec[3] - Is a zombie movie from Spain. The third in a series of four. They are all good, but this is my favorite one. It starts with a wedding reception. Unfortunately, an uncle who is a vet, got bitten by the infected dog from Rec[1] and you'll see him get worse, poor thing, until it finally overtakes him. And then pandemonium ensues. What this focuses on the most though is the couple that just got married. And the rest of the movie, shows them trying to get together without getting bitten.
4. Zombie for Sale - This is another South Korean zombie movie on the funny side! A zombie escapes from a lab - formerly a college student. He's not very dangerous though and a family captures him. They discover that his bite makes old people young again or more energetic, and they started charging people so that the zombie will bite them! The things is, they didn't know that the bite will eventually turn them into voraciously hungry zombies, and the town starts to get overwhelmed with them. It ends well though! They found that their father who was the first one bitten is actually immune so now they have their Dad bite all the zombies to cure them. It's a very funny movie, lol!
5. Rammbock: Berlin Undead = a man goes to Rammstein to find his ex-girlfriend who he still loves, but can't find her. Zombie outbreak occurs though I'm not sure how, but it's terrifying. He and a good number of people are stuck in the apartment complex they live and if you live in Europe, the buildings usually surround an open area. None of them could just run downstairs and cross to the other apartment buildings, so that was also a big part of the movie. Anyway, he eventually finds his ex-girlfriend. It was very touching in the end...
6. Shaun of the Dead - So awesome and funny! I think everyone knows about this movie. I've been waiting for it to go on sale at Amazon, but so far I either missed those sales, or have yet to see one.
7. Rampant - Yet a THIRD South Korean zombie movie. They are really good at producing zombie movies. This one is set during the Joseon era (1392 to 1897, but more toward 1800s). I LOVE the costumes back then. An evil minister in the king's court wants to take over the throne and discovers a man infected that turns voraciously hungry for humans and thinks he could use that. So the zombie invasion starts.... The scenes are spectacular - has very high production values!
8. Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead - Hilarious zombie movie from Norway. They also did the first Dead Snow which was also good, but it's more serious. This one was so funny but very well written!

There are others, but I'm tired of typing! But yeah, these are some of my favorite zombie shows/movies!

 

[Daisy2]

the problem is the mind cant tell the difference between real and fake so we need to be careful what we watch.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: Ephesians 5:8

Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27

Psalms 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. Psalms 101:3

22 "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:22-23

which leads to

"14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."Matthew 13:14-15

 

[CarriePie]

My avatar might give it away: I'm a fan of the genre.


And when it comes to Christians watching them:


The world is scary and crazy enough as it is. Chances are, you're gonna deal with or witness some kind of "horror" in life no matter what.


In fact, I honestly wonder which is scarier: Real life horror or movie horror?


So I don't see them as a big deal.


On a related note, I saw the new I Know What You Did Last Summer in theaters recently. Fun time.

I agree with this ^

I've watched many horror movies from the 1920s until the current time period. I don't feel one way or the other while watching them or after watching them. I used to go see the latest Saw movie every year with a friend at work. But, I've seen a ton of other horrors at the theater and at home.

I think my neighborhood is scarier than those movies lol.

These days I tend more towards action than horror, but I still get in a horror once in a while. Growing up, I'd watch action movies with my dad. I much preferred his movies to my mother's movies lol. The genre I like the least is romcom. Next is comedy, although I do like a lot of John Hughes' movies (Great Outdoors, etc.). Anyway, I feel much more entertained by a movie with a lot of butt kicking and gun play than being miserable at a romcom. It's all in how you see things.

The way I look at it is, everyone has their preference of genre they prefer. I don't judge people's preferences in movies or music (I get judged though lol). There are much more critical areas to be concerned about in my viewpoint.

 

[Daisy2]

I agree with this ^

I've watched many horror movies from the 1920s until the current time period. I don't feel one way or the other while watching them or after watching them. I used to go see the latest Saw movie every year with a friend at work. But, I've seen a ton of other horrors at the theater and at home.

I think my neighborhood is scarier than those movies lol.

These days I tend more towards action than horror, but I still get in a horror once in a while. Growing up, I'd watch action movies with my dad. I much preferred his movies to my mother's movies lol. The genre I like the least is romcom. Next is comedy, although I do like a lot of John Hughes' movies (Great Outdoors, etc.). Anyway, I feel much more entertained by a movie with a lot of butt kicking and gun play than being miserable at a romcom. It's all in how you see things.

The way I look at it is, everyone has their preference of genre they prefer. I don't judge people's preferences in movies or music (I get judged though lol). There are much more critical areas to be concerned about in my viewpoint.

There is a difference between our opinion and that of biblical truths. the bible also says all thing are lawfully unto me but not expedient 1 Corinthians 10:23 which means not helpful and even harmful. Feelings can be deceptive. Did anyone ever set out to be more evil? People can grow spiritually colder and not know it. We want to be more like Jesus not the devil. God is merciful of our faults though knowing the evil times we live.

 

[Joshua_Belyeu]

Feelings can be deceptive. Did anyone ever set out to be more evil?

Satan did - even though it's not in Scripture, tradition says he was once the leader of God's choir. But for some reason he became envious, tried to take God's throne, and convinced a third of his fellow angels to follow him when cast out.

 

[Daisy2]

Satan did - even though it's not in Scripture, tradition says he was once the leader of God's choir. But for some reason he became envious, tried to take God's throne, and convinced a third of his fellow angels to follow him when cast out.

Lucifer was the closest angel to God

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. Exodus 34:29

And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.Exodus 34:30 The brilliance of his was of having been in the presence of the Lord


There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 16:25:

 

[Joshua_Belyeu]

Lucifer was the closest angel to God

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. Exodus 34:29

And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.Exodus 34:30 The brilliance of his was of having been in the presence of the Lord


There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 16:25:

No disrespect, but there's debate even among pastors and Biblical scholars, whether those verses refer to Satan or one of the Babylonian kings. Even the word "lucifer" means "day star", while "satan" means "accuser" or "adversary".

 

[Daisy2]

No disrespect, but there's debate even among pastors and Biblical scholars, whether those verses refer to Satan or one of the Babylonian kings. Even the word "lucifer" means "day star", while "satan" means "accuser" or "adversary".

It was addressed to a king tyre who must have been very wicked in the sight of the Lord to be compared with Satan.

 

[Daisy2]

Even the word "lucifer" means "day star", while "satan" means "accuser" or "adversary" Hebrew names are like that they tell a story or the Characteristics of the person.