While there are all kinds of problems with the Twilight series, the one that makes me want to pull out my hair, or at least a sturdy soapbox, is the issue of blood. Twilight's vampire is good, I'm told, because he suppresses his urges and only sucks the blood of animals. “It's like eating tofu,” they say. “You’re never really full.” It’s a catchy comparison, but it doesn’t override a foundational, Biblical truth – the blood belongs to the L-rd.
I realize that blood is practically a non-issue in contemporary faith. Every now and again it shows up in a worship song, perhaps around Easter, but it carries only a vague, esoteric meaning. And we have no idea what we’re missing. To paraphrase Dr. Moseley, what’s missing in the Church today is the stench of blood from the sacrifices required by our sinful lives. But that’s for another discussion.
The blood is foundational because the L-rd set it up that way in Torah. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." (Lev. 17:11)
The life is in the blood, and all life comes from Him, the Giver of Life. The blood provided the atonement because of its connection to the life. And if the blood is all about atonement, then the real connection between blood and twilight is not vampires.
"You shall keep it [the Passover lamb] until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it." (Ex. 12:6-7)
Twilight's glorification of vampiric life is an affront to the holy requirements of G-d and to the sacrifice of His Son, our Passover Lamb. The enemy is trying to claim the blood for himself, for the blood is an instrument of worship. He doesn’t care whether Twilight’s readers realize its powerful significance; their ignorance is his bliss. But ignorance cannot be our excuse. Our very covenant with G-d depends on the blood – Messiah’s blood.
13 comments:
You just articulated my sentiments! I have had such a hard time with this "blood lust" that seems to be taking over our culture. You said it perfectly. Bless you, Susan. I felt His presence and his joy over you as I read this. The enemy just wants a way in - no matter how little or overt. I pray this post pulls the wool off of many eyes.
Keep standing on that soap box!
excellent post
i think my middle school students should read this!!
Nicely done Susan. Well said!
Amen! i agree, there are so many reasons why this series is bad, but you put it in the clearest terms.
I was chatting with a scholar on askmoses.com, and she was saying that the word used in Hebrew in that verse (it starts with an "n," sorry I can't remember it) means soul. She said that Torah says "the soul is in the blood," that there is a close relationship between the soul and the physical blood. It was an interesting convo. I'm glad you took the leap...
I'm proud to be your brother. :)
Paul
that is really profound. nice Exodus reference... fascinating how it even specifies the time... Twilight?!
thanks for illuminating this topic so succinctly with G-d's word and your right our covenant is completely dependent on His Blood. How intense. I love it.
Nicely put.
Perhaps I was born to start trouble. I'm still figuring that out. That's neither here nor there. Here is what is here, and possibly, simultaneously, there:
1. I've got nothing but love for you and yours.
2. This may not have been the best forum for something like this in lieu of a conversation.
3. I disagree with a few things said here, as if it matters :)
They are, because I like numbered lists a lot right now, as follows:
1. Vampires aren't real. If they were, then their glorification would be an "affront to the holy requirements of G-d". But they're not...
2...and second, the books don't glorify the vampiric life, at least not the blood-sucking part of it. Substitute super-heroes, or if you want to talk about power struggles, make the vampires the local football team causing trouble and you've got essentially the same dynamic in terms of a plot. Nowhere in the book are the protagonists depicted as enjoying the vampiric lifestyle, if blood drinking is what we mean by vampiric lifestyle. The powers like strength and such? Sure, they're cool, but that's more superhero and supervillain than vampire.
3. I realize that they ARE in fact vampires, and that vampires are not great protagonists when it comes to the good/evil delineation, however, these specific vampires are constantly struggling with how to become better, redeemed, and honorable. What's on the horizon of Twilight (har har) is love, friendship, heroism, self-sacrifice, with a generous bit of teen angst (which is VERY real) and perhaps some issues with where and when boys should be in a home with a teenage girl. That would be an extremely worthy blog post for anyone with children :)
4. I'd also have to give it to the vampires that they are not killing human beings. If it's a sin to consume animals, then I've got some repenting to do, as Arthur Bryant's is so ridiculously delicious that it's practically sinful (again, har har).
5. I will not defend all of Twilight, but it is not the enemy's tool to claim blood and its significance (which is an esoteric claim in and of itself); it is a book, a work of fiction, and a pretty good one at that (though it brings me no closer to understanding teenage girls).
I'm sorry if this has offended anyone, but perhaps this could be a time to be thankful that teens are reading again, or reading at all. Should Twilight be read by all people? Probably not. But to brush it aside outright may be a bit harsh; to call it the enemy's tool for claiming blood that's the L-rd's? I think that misses the point, and is quite a logical leap from fiction to reality. It's easy to dismiss nearly anything this way, but I find it neither productive nor positive to do so.
But this is what books have always been about, no? Argument? Discussion? Controversy? I'm glad we have them.
The Aaron post is some what funny. They also say sex is a good form of exorcise, and teens today are getting so fat. We should be glad that they are at least working out some how, right?
Fact is that some activities are not healthy for development of young people. And joining honorable concepts "hero and self-sacrifice" to demonic things is also not healthy. what if I were to write a book about a Nazi Dad who was working hard to provide for his family, and in the story he is faithful to his wife and loves to play with his kids. Should we focus on the story of "hey this guy is a good man just trying to make it." and ignore the fact that in the back drop of the story he is teaching the children that the root of all the worlds problems are caused by the Jewish people and the only way to right the ship is to wipe them from the earth. You say that this is a harsh example, but when a story involves going against the Lord's teaching, honestly what can you allow? how much ground will you give? We over look details, for example Aaron is swaying so much here he did not say eating Blood, he only says eat meat, and then makes a joke... the point was not the eating of meat, it was the Blood! But he lets it go because of the fact he likes the story. I do not want to upset Mr. Schwartz, but his name would tell me that he himself is Jewish... Jews focus on the essence of a story correct? That is what is real to the Jewish mind, and so what does it matter is if vampires are not real, the essence of the story is what is real, and the story is teaching that the way one can "live forever" is by ignoring the Giver of Life and spitting on His Law. Not acceptable!
When ever you read please look at every thing tied to the story, because some might see that Nazi Dad shows that the Nazi party was not really all that bad, or vampires can be your friend even if they live forever though unholy means. Same thing right?
Bernard Christ
Amen, Amen, Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not Jewish, and I don't label the demonic with honorable labels, and I don't appreciate anonymous comments. I wrote a lengthy response, but I don't want to hurt people and alienate friends. For now, I'll swallow my pride, and simply say I disagree. It will do little good to disagree anyway; no one's listening, and everyone already knows everything definitively, so what's the use? I'd like to share my response, but I don't think it would be appropriate at this time. As frustrating as that is, I don't think a conversation with someone I don't know (and who obviously doesn't know me from Adam) is going anywhere.
Aaron, thanks for engaging with my post. I'm sure no one has meant to offend anyone here (and Bernard responded to your comment, although he did put his name at the end). It has obviously brought up issues where opinions run deep and start touching emotions.
As to your comment that no one's listening, and everyone already knows everything definitively, so what's the use: Don't let's be silly, as the saying goes. I, for one, was listening to what you said. But I wrote the post because of the types of arguments that you listed, not in ignorance of them. And I can't allow myself to apologize for having an opinion about this, when I have a strong opinion on so few topics.
As to your initial set of comments, I didn't respond here because we are coming from assumptions based on different worldviews. I’m not sure if it’s my role to persuade you about the reality of the unseen world and its interaction with ours, so I left things unsaid. I'm sorry if my silence offended you. You know I love you very much, even when we disagree.
If you truly want to hear a more detailed response from me, I’d be happy to continue this conversation in person. I value you too much to risk unnecessary hurt feelings or misunderstandings due to the forum.
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