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I was reading through the thread on "What Moral Lessons Are Today's Youth Learning From Movies?" or something to that effect, when someone commented on various genres of Christian literature. I myself would like to write a novel that has a Christly message but struggle with the most creative and realistic method of conveying my ideas. By that I mean, I want to be able to write things as realistically as possible, like using swear words, graphic imagery, and really tough themes. But, I don't know if Jesus would want me to do any of that, especially using swear words, and describing certain events like sexual encounters or something. Plus, I figure that I'd lose my audience with those things anyway [redis they agree that Jesus wouldn't approve of such things.

What do you all believe about this? Do you think it would be a sin to use these methods in writing. As a Christian I always feel like maybe I shouldn't bother writing a book at all if it's not somehow useful for spreading the Gospel and furthering God's Kingdom, and I figure that it seems like I'd be compromising with the world as a means to that end, by using these "worldly" methods. So, then I think I should just not bother writing a "Christian" novel at all, and just sell out and write a novel about any old thing. But, again, that seems like such a waste when I'm a child of God and I can do something for His Kingdom.

Please give me your thoughts on this matter?

Tigress

The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7

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I was reading through the thread on "What Moral Lessons Are Today's Youth Learning From Movies?" or something to that effect, when someone commented on various genres of Christian literature. I myself would like to write a novel that has a Christly message but struggle with the most creative and realistic method of conveying my ideas. By that I mean, I want to be able to write things as realistically as possible, like using swear words, graphic imagery, and really tough themes. But, I don't know if Jesus would want me to do any of that, especially using swear words, and describing certain events like sexual encounters or something. Plus, I figure that I'd lose my audience with those things anyway is they agree that Jesus wouldn't approve of such things.

What do you all believe about this? Do you think it would be a sin to use these methods in writing. As a Christian I always feel like maybe I shouldn't bother writing a book at all if it's not somehow useful for spreading the Gospel and furthering God's Kingdom, and I figure that it seems like I'd be compromising with the world as a means to that end, by using these "worldly" methods. So, then I think I should just not bother writing a "Christian" novel at all, and just sell out and write a novel about any old thing. But, again, that seems like such a waste when I'm a child of God and I can do something for His Kingdom.

Please give me your thoughts on this matter?

Tigress

The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7

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There is the little button with a pencil on it on the top of the posts we make that allow us to revise without reposting.

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My second novel, The Will, is a legal thriller. There is a strong Christian subplot in the book—Christian, that is, as distinct from Spirit, or Universe, or any other Oprah-friendly term. Jesus is mentioned by name, as is the cross and salvation. But like a lot of books in the genre, the novel is also a bit gritty. When my agent presented my half-finished manuscript to CBA publishers, I was offered three multi-book deals, all of which contained the following caveat: "We love your book, but you can't use some of the words you use, the two main characters can't have sex, and it has to be more orthodox." Conversations more or less like this ensued:

"Come on. Don't make me do that."

"Sorry. Personally, we love it the way it is. But we don't actually make this type of decision."

"Aren't you the publishing company? Who does decide?"

"The bookstores. And they say no profanity, no sex, must be orthodox."

A pause, as I mull that over. "Orthodox as in, say, Benny Hinn?" I ask.

Some extended throat-clearing. Then: "Your main character spends a good bit of time wondering if Jesus was divine. And the question is not, strictly speaking, answered."

"Don't you ever wonder if Jesus was really divine?"

"Again, you're missing the point."

Confused looks from me, because I thought I was exactly on point. Not every book has to be about the answers; some, I would think, could be about the questions.

"Also," I was told, "they can't have sex."

"People do that sometimes," I replied.

"Not the main characters in CBA books, not when they're not married." A pause. "Unless they repent or something bad happens to them. That might fly."

I think they could tell I wasn't interested in writing by committee. The process they were describing was more like putting together a puzzle than creating a work of fiction. They were very nice about it. "Look," they said, "we don't like it any more than you do. But if you don't play by the rules, the bookstores send your product back. All of it. Every page—even the good ones. And then you can't write. You don't want that, do you?"

That had a very bad ring to it. "No," I admitted. "Why would they do that?" "Because a little old lady will come into the store waving your book around, saying that it contained an offensive word, and little old ladies are not to be trifled with in the world of the CBA."

"Little old ladies?"

"Yes. And by the way, they tend to like Benny Hinn, so he can do what he wants."

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Tigress wrote:
Posted - 05/12/2003 : 10:03:02 AM
I guess I'm just saying that we should take the movies as it is, and not try to see it as something that it's not and therefore use that as an excuse to say it's okay to show all these sexually explicit scenes. No film needs these types of images to make them better films.

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Tigress wrote:
Posted - 05/12/2003 : 10:03:02 AM
I guess I'm just saying that we should take the movies as it is, and not try to see it as something that it's not and therefore use that as an excuse to say it's okay to show all these sexually explicit scenes. No film needs these types of images to make them better films.

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Tigress wrote: I myself would like to write a novel that has a Christly message but struggle with the most creative and realistic method of conveying my ideas. By that I mean, I want to be able to write things as realistically as possible, like using swear words, graphic imagery, and really tough themes.

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I’m confused. First you wrote post after post about the use of sex in the media as being harmful (on the Matrix thread which you started) now you say you want to write a graphic novel, or a screenplay for Star Trek.

Hmmmm

Springs

PS: Hey hey Semeia.

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Springs,
Hmmm...I like you. You're sharp!

I'm against sexually explicit material in the media (and by media I mean television, films and photos) because there are actual people engaging in those activities, acting or not, and there are people actually seeing them do these thing.

In written form no one is actually committing these acts. And by using the term 'graphic' I meant writing SOME details of the event, but certainly nothing majorly explicit or pornographic. Some authors go into every single minute little detail of the sex act in describing it. For instance I've read the four books in the "Clan of the Cave Bear" series and the author, Jean Auel, does this. (I'm currently reading the fifth book in that series.) I would not. I might simply write about some of the necking and touching and "fade out" so to speak. But, this is why I'm asking for Christian opinions. I don't know if I should do this at all. Oh, and the Star Trek story wouldn't contain anything sexual. The sexual stuff might possibly come up in some other type of story I may write in the future.

Thanks for your input.

Tigress

The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7

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Tigress: I am in the middle of finishing my first novel and it has much sweating in it. I simply believe I should be true to what my characters would honestly do. That, to me, is God honoring.

BTW: i dont believe in the term "christian" novelist or Christians musician. People either create God honoring art or they don't. I think such terms are a way for Christians to feel safe. Many times whether or not a person is a Christian has nothing to do with how godly their art is. In fact, most bad art out there is fostered on the public by Christians.

Edited by - honorman on 07/16/2003 02:17:29 AM

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The Fed Ex thing really doesn't work. Go to http://www.loc.gov/copyright/ - it tells you everything you need to know. You don't need to register to have a copyright, but you do need to register if you want to be able to sue to enforce the copyright later.

Your own work is copyrighted as soon as it is done. The site tells you about how to put the notice on your work.

But as an example : COPYRIGHT NOTICE. © 2003 Ban-Koe Systems, Inc. and/or its suppliers, BAN-KOE SYSTEMS, INC., Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55431-220 U.S.A. All rights reserved.

That's my company- and the notice we put on our website and on various other docs.

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