Twilight. As the next movie gets closer, I see the excitement rising from many of my girl friends. And shockingly, from some of my guy friends too. The guys I don't really understand, but I understand the following this series has from young women. I get the teeny-bopper girl appeal. Edward (in some sick way) is what girls want. He is a mysterious man who comes out of nowhere to love and rescue his girl.
I read all four books and I saw the first movie three times. That's when I started to realize that my Twilight obsession needed to end. Actually, that's not true. I realized my Twilight obsession needed to end a little ways into the first book. But Twilight, for me, was addicting. And it was the kind of book that I HAD to know the ending to. I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed it. Yet even as I enjoyed it I read it with a nagging feeling that maybe I shouldn't be enjoying it. I gave up the Twilight series- movies, books, Team Jacob fan club membership- all of it.
What do I have against Twilight? This could be a book.
I am no feminist, but I hate that the "heroine" is portrayed as weak and clumsy and that she finds her worth in a man (if you can call him a "man"). I hate that the book is so poorly written but somehow draws its readers in. I hate that Bella is so annoying. I hate that Edward sparkles. I hate that Jacob falls in love with a baby. I hate that Bella constantly has guys chasing her down. I hate the hundreds of millions of times that Bella refers to Edward as "god-like", "angelic", and "beautiful". I hate that it's somehow OK for Edward to switch moods and become angry for no reason. I hate that Jacob never seems to be able to find a shirt (we wouldn't want him to rip another one!). I hate that Bella is suicidal when Edward leaves her. I hate that Edward would like nothing better than to eat Bella because she is somehow extra tasty. I hate that Bella would be alright with being eaten. I hate that Bella uses guys to her own advantage and ditches them as she wishes. I hate that the human men in her life were not enough for her. And I HATE the "spida monkey" quote.
As you go to watch Eclipse, let me just give you a little food for thought. There are only two things I PASSIONATELY hate about the Twilight series.
The first is that for some reason the Christian community has adopted this series as pure and even as a Christian series.
Why? Because they wait until after they're married to have sex. But please tell me that we don't have that skewed of a view of purity. Purity is a lifestyle, before and after marriage. Purity does not equal not having sex before you're married.
Edward and Bella do not live a lifestyle of purity. They want to 1. have sex and 2. eat each other (perhaps another portrayal of sex, in the guise of sucking blood). The only thing that keeps them from this is Edward's morals, because Bella doesn't mind not waiting. They may have waited, but certainly not from a lack of dwelling on it.
In the 80s as homosexuality started creeping into our media and entertainment, Christians were concerned and made a stand. Now as occult, blood sucking, people/animal attraction themes enter our media and entertainment, Christians find a way to make it Christian! What will be next? And will we even notice?
Twilight is about lust. It is about lusting after what is forbidden- the forbidden fruit that has always haunted us and caused us to sin.
The second thing that I passionately hate about Twilight is that many say it has a prolife message. This, quite bluntly, makes me ill. Bella becomes pregnant with Edward's child- half human, half vampire. The baby is attacking/eating her from within but she "chooses life". PEOPLE, what is WRONG with us?! There are a lot of things I could say. But let us STOP comparing a monster vampire eating its mother from the womb and born in a blood bath to the prolife message. This does not help the prolife cause. This is not a prolife story. And to be honest, I'm offended when I hear that Twilight has a prolife theme.
All of that said, I actually don't have a problem with people going to see Eclipse. We all make movie choices daily. My personal choice is to stay away from Twilight because from past experience I know how involved I get in it. One thing I ask of the Christian community- please do not make the assumption or claim that Twilight is a good or Christian series because its pro abstinence and prolife. I would like to think that the Christian young women of today have purer thoughts and hearts than the so-called pure Bella Swan. I would like to think that the Christian young men of today are stronger leaders with more pure intentions toward their Christian sisters than the so called pure Edward Cullen. And I would like to think that the prolife movement has much more to stand on than the life of a monster baby eating its mom.
Oh, and I prefer UNsparkly men who actually wear shirts.
Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
1 comment:
Wow Randy...you should really right a book! That was really well written!
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