I just read this post on Jeffrey Overstreet’s blog about “Christian Fiction” and the faith of J.K. Rowling and Sara Zarr. It’s a great little rant about Christians who oppose Harry Potter because magic is of the devil.
But also in the post is an excerpt of an interview with Sara Zarr, author of Story of a Girl. As a Believer, she writes honestly and frankly about real life issues, and the interviewer asks if she’s worried she will be labeled as a ‘teen smut’ novelist.
Her answer is quite lengthy, and right on about everything. My favorite part is when she says, “Reactionary people without critical thinking skills aren’t really my target audience.”
I LOVE that.
Regarding the label of “Christian fiction,” Jeffrey writes,
Christians are writing truthful stories all the time, but many of them avoid using the buzzwords and cliches and allegories and moralizing that often characterizes books published under that banner. I have yet to see a definition or defense of the category that makes much sense.
I have really become disappointed over the years with a Christian sub-culture that is too lazy to think and too sheltered to understand what is happening in the world around it. I wonder how many Harry Potter-bashers have even read the books? Nothing frustrates me more than somebody complaining about something that he or she knows nothing about.
That’s my Thursday night rant for ya. I’d love to hear your thoughts (though I think if you read my blog with any regularity, I may be preaching to the choir).
[Edited to remove a paragraph that, upon a second reading, was not very well communicated. And since I am too tired to think of a better way to say it that is less offensive, I chose to delete it and go to bed. Goodnight].
Hi Jen,
I often have the same frustrations with those who sheltered themselves in a Christian sub-culture. One of the reasons why I love churches like Mars Hill, is because they take sin very seriously; and yet I felt more freedom during my visit to Mars Hill, then I ever had in any of the churches I grew up in. And I think it has to do with the fact that they don’t turn “conscious issues” into “sin issues.”
The Bible is quite clear about not taking part in witchcraft, or any kind of occult practice. But I have not read anywhere in which it says that “Thou shalt not read any books that contain witchcraft in the context of their story.” But those who turn “conscious issues” into “sin issues”, will say “witchcraft is a sin” and therefore “reading or watching anything to do with witchcraft is a sin.” And these are probably the same Christians who will tell you that drinking alcohol is a sin, even though the bible only speaks against drunkenness.
You know, I should really go to bed, because it’s 10:15PM and I’m just rambling here.