How My Faith Informs My Writing. Pt 1

  Do to some pressures in my life I have been unable to produce as much content as I would like. However the topic that I was addressing in my other blog seemed like a good blog to share in this format as well. Because of this I will be taking a break from the previous series for this week and the for the next post as well. Please be assured that I will continue with my apologetic series after the next post. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this post on how my Christian faith informs my writing.

Some hobbies and careers are explicitly un-Christian.
     Most things you decide to spend your time on however, will fall firmly in no-mans land. Writing is one of these. Because pure creativity and diversity in media however you have the ability to make your story very toe that line...or jump it. If you have read my stories and know that I am a conservative, born-again, Calvinist Christian (I know: too many titles), you might be surprised to see what I've put down on paper.  Some people might be uncomfortable reading it. Some might think that I am turning my back on some of my morals. Before you think those things know that every word I put in my books is a choice. The themes that I include are developed with purpose. The characters are given a special amount of attention. I am not writing simply out of boredom, I want my work to have a reason for existing. That is why I wanted to release this blog before beta-readers ever touch my book. In it I would like to discuss a few of my reasons for including what I have, and excluding what I did. This won't account for everything in my stories, but at least it will give you an idea why I did what I did.

    A Note of Characters:
          I hate most Christian fiction. I have read very few that have impacted my life at all. It might have been the genre I was reading. I won't judge you if you enjoy them, but the quality is lacking.
I remember reading a quote when I was young that stuck with me. I cannot remember now the exact words or the source. The basic idea was that Christians should be the very best of artists because we intimately know the creator. We know what beauty really is. Think of great books like Lord of the Rings, Anna Karenina and The Brothers Karamazov. These were all written by Christians, but do not force themselves into a straight jacket. Because of that, they have created a huge impact both in and out of the Christian world.
  My problem with Christian fiction is about the same as it is with Christian movies. Christians are so terrified of breaching their morals that their characters more resemble paper dolls cut out of church bulletins then actual living breathing humans. Unfortunately, character is the most essential aspect of fiction so the affect is a sub-par story with forced morals and shallow emotions. There are a few exceptions to this but I'm speaking generally here. My challenge as a writer is to create Characters that are real. This means that they will have human nature. Human nature means evil.
  In order for my characters to feel real I have to let them follow a different moral code then me. I have to let them have a different god then mine. I have to let them live organically out of the culture I've created for them.
  As a believer that means that I will not agree with a lot of the things my characters do. Despite this I can still find ways to tell the narrative I chose and to ask questions of the audience that will hopefully lead them to the right answers. After all, we learn best from mistakes.
  So how do I judge what is OK to add into my story and what I should avoid at all costs. After all, I can refuse to read "Game of Thrones" based on it's content and then add the same into my stories. Even if that is a realistic format for humanity. Do I chose my content based on my emotions? Do I just wing it?
  The answer is found where it always is: The Bible. I have chosen to used the Holy book to guide every other book I write in hopes that God's words will be active through me, even if it's not explicit.

    On Foul Language.
       I don't swear. That being said, I am generally not to offended by it. Most swear words are arbitrary. "Crap" for instance, means nothing different from "Shit", but one is looked down on more then the other.
  Strong language has purpose and can be used to great effect when used properly. God doesn't cut corners on strong language and strong imagery. He uses language that would make us blush from our pews if we spoke them in church. But when God calls Israel the harlot or compares a rogue nation to a virile donkey we cannot say He is sinning. Those very words that make us blush are words that the Bible commands we do not take out of scripture.
  This doesn't mean that we should all start coloring up our language. We need to understand that this kind of language has a purpose and a place. When God uses it He uses it to bring home a point or tocatch someone's attention.
  When I use bad language I do so very carefully. Sometimes I will use the words that offend me less in simple dialogue for the purpose of tightening the mood, expressing the character or even just for a laugh. After all, these are supposed to be the characters words, not mine. As long as I am developing a character that will impact the reader then I feel comfortable with it. If a reader is more convinced at a character by his or her use of an expletive then they will take them more seriously when they have a deeper line that is meant to provoke though.
   There are some words that have heavier meaning and are actually degrading to humanity in any form they are used. The "F" word, "Bitch" and any of the words that convey sexual promiscuity. "Bastard" and more. These words I will not use unless the sentiment cannot be conveyed any other way. The concept is one that has to lead to a redemptive point though. If a guy just wants to call an ex-girlfriend a name, there are far better names to use. However, if a concept has to be brought across in order to allow the reader to ask themselves the "deep" questions, I will use one of these more weighty words but only sparingly.
  Some words simply have no place in my story and can be replaced with a wiser choice. I will have no need to use racial expletives. I can see a time and a place for them, perhaps in a historical fiction in the same vein as "Uncle Tom's Cabin" or "How to Kill a Mockingbird" but for my purposes I can use words that only would hold weight in that particular culture.
  Racism, classicism and the value of human life are things that I address in my book. Because I am working with Science Fiction and Fantasy I can avoid anything that carries deeper meaning in this culture and create versions in my story that might convey the sentiment without causing any discomfort.
  How do you view strong language? Is it ever acceptable to use it? Would you be less likely to read my books knowing that I use strong language in them?

   On My Use of Violence.
      Most violence doesn't bother me. When reading in a book or watching a movie I expect a bit of violence. Maybe I am desensitized, but I actually enjoy a good "dark" story. That being said, there are times when it becomes excessive or pointless.
  The Bible doesn't use kid gloves with death and violence. I remember being quite young when I first read the story of the Levite and his concubine in Judges 19. I was horrified. But we cannot look at this story or any other instance of death and destruction as pointless.
  Violence can be an excellent tool for adding weight to a scene and expressing the danger that the characters are in but it has a deeper purpose. Violence can reinforce positive views on the value of human life, teach empathy, encourage real life action against social injustices and help us address our own mortality. There is no greater tool for evangelism then a correct understanding of death.
  When we go through times of great pain we are brought face to face with these types of questions. Fiction brings us a way to address these things in a safer way. However, we have to avoid violence just for the sake of violence.
  America has an obsession with violence. For this reason you will never see me writing about a serial killer, or describing sexual violence in depth. It's simply unnecessary and  unhealthy. These things should not be glorified. In each instance in which I include death in my stories I try to focus on the reaction of the character and bring up questions of the morality of those actions.
  What is your view of violence. Is the use of violence in media justified or do we glorify it unnecessarily?

  I will leave you with these points for now but stay tuned for next weeks blog where I will be addressing some more points as well as some things that you will never see me use in my fictional work. What are your thoughts on these subjects? Be sure to comment and let me know.
  As always, I encourage you too look me up at Facebook and twitter. I am also publishing a Sci-Fi novel on my wattpad account if you would like to get a taste of my writing style.

78 Answers Pt 4: No Doubt

 A common concept I find repeated by atheists is the idea that "faith" means that one forces themselves to think a certain way, despite their true hidden thoughts. Most would often say that Christians believe without or despite evidence. Because of that I find a lot of questions posed by atheists that aim to either jostle believers out of their security with "gotcha" moments, or that try to make Christians aware of their own doubt. This video had it's own share of these questions, but only two of them will be addressed in this blog post. Oh, yeah, and there is this really dumb one. 17  Is there anything in your life that makes you doubt God's existence? 18 How would your life change if you had serious doubts about God's existence?19 Was Jesus white? Let's start with the dumb one. Was Jesus white? No. Don't ask stupid questions anymore. Ok?      The Bible beautifully addresses doubt with the story of the disciple Thomas, often called Thomas the Doubter. You can find this story in John 20:24-29.   This story takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thomas is one of Jesus's twelve disciples that was not present for Christ's first post-resurrection appearance to his followers.  Thomas's words on the subject are very reminiscent of modern sentiment. "Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails. And place my hand in his side, I will never believe"    Eight days after this Jesus appears again to the disciples and the embarrassed Thomas is given exactly what he asked for.  The point of this is not that Jesus gave in to Thomas's requests. He was under no obligation to do so, and Thomas's doubt was not only arrogant in the face of so much evidence, but also poorly founded, as Jesus had blatantly told the disciples exactly what was going to happen to him.  The amazing thing about this story is how kind and gentle Jesus was with his errant follower. He did not accuse him, call him an idiot, or even attempt to discipline him. Jesus patiently gave Thomas all he needed to believe and taught him.    Now, many people might argue that God is failing somehow by not giving us this direct proof in the same way as He did for Thomas. What they fail to understand however was that Thomas was not an unbeliever, but a Christian already: a disciple of which Jesus said "I have not lost one of those that you have given me." (John 18:9) For unbelievers Jesus has words as well. "If they won't listen to Moses or the Prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone is raised from the dead" (Luke 16:31).   When I ,as a Christian, deal with doubt it is very different from how most Atheists would believe I deal with it. And I do doubt. I doubt very often. My life is by no means easy or safe, though no person makes it through life without a good deal of bruises and scars. Not only that, there are some real hard questions out there, and many convincing arguments.  When I face questions in my life, whether they be theological, emotional or historical and scientific, I take it on like a bull. That might not always be a good thing. Some obstacles you can easy barrel through, some are much more difficult. I remember some doubts as a child leaving me in a state of fear so strong that I couldn't sleep and was constantly throwing up and unable to eat for nearly three months. I discuss this more in my book "He walks the Earth, A Biblical Conversation on Spiritual Warfare". My bookshelf doesn't just contain amazing books on apologetics and theology, but a fair amount of Atheistic counterparts. This is because I often seek out the strongest opposing arguments.  When I approach this however, I do it very differently than an unbeliever would. I do not challenge God or demand He give me proof. I approach the subject with the full belief that God is Truth, and that it will be reflected in every aspect of life. I seek out those questions that are the hardest and lay them before God, inviting Him to show me the truth. I weigh each argument with as much wisdom and intelligence as I can and carefully    I have gotten to the point in my Christian life that I no longer doubt that there is a God who hears me when I pray. I have no doubts when faced with scientific or historical questions because I understand the overwhelming weight of evidence that falls on the side of the Christian world view. I see the holes in philosophies and have enough understanding to hold my own in most arguments. This isn't because I'm shockingly intelligent, but because I am determined.   My doubts have been plentiful, and the greater the doubt, the more convinced I find myself emerging from it. While not all Christians take this approach I find that doubt and trials are some of the greatest trainers in the Christian faith. You can sit and listen to a wonderful sermon, or be comforted by the wisest of friends and pastors, but faith takes on an entirely new meaning when you have wrestled with God in the stillness of many sleepless nights. This is what it means to come to questions from a mindset of faith. It is a willingness to find truth, and trust that if God is real, that means finding Him.   How would my life change if this didn't happen. Firstly, I've come to a place in my faith now that I can't imagine anything shaking me out of my faith. I believe I will face doubt again, but doubt is different from losing faith.   I couldn't leave Christianity without defying truth, the evidence is too overwhelming.  But if something were strong enough to shake me out of my faith my life would change in almost every way. For starters, I would feel no obligations to any earthy expectations. Freedom, you say, good. NO! When morality rests on Christianity (and make no doubt, it does) and meaning depends on God and life has gone from a worthwhile endeavor to an empty wasteland there is no reason for anything but the worst of human nature to persist. I'm not a hedonist, in fact, I quite hate myself, so there wouldn't be a lot of deterrence to me fulfilling all the worst desires of my heart. I cannot foresee the world benefiting greatly from my fall from faith.   " If God doesn't exist, everything is permitted" from "Brothers Karamazov"  Thank God that in Christ those great evils of my heart that would rot me to the core are slain on the Cross and all that lives in me is Christ.   Now, what if we asked the reverse of these questions to a believer. If there was evidence that God existed, would you give your life over to him?