The Power of Stories - For Evangelism?

[Saint Kevin]

I honestly don't know what forum to put this in. This is an escerpt from my journal that I'd like some feed back on. Thanks in advance.



After watching a lot of anime today, some bad, some ok, and some very good, I realized that the real reason I like anime has nothing to do with sex or violence. The captivating characters and stories that really have something profound to say, that show me the depths of humanity, for both good and evil, those are the anime I will remember for years to come.

I've also come to realize that more often than not, the anime which appeal to overly violent or sexual themes to attract viewers are those with the least substance in terms of story. Sometimes I wonder if the writers and creators know that something of substance is missing, and that they are compensating for it. Maybe deep down they do, but I'm a little more pessimistic. To them, throwing in elements of fanservice and unbridled and unnecessary violence is probably just conforming to the status quo, to the usual order of things, "sex sells" and all that. It's my hope that more of the story-centered anime will be created in the future.

I guess I could say the same for video games as well, but I don't see that as likely to happen, except in RPG's and the like, because I see games as more appealing for their competition and strategy than for their storyline, and a good story as often the icing on the cake of solid gameplay.

I've been wondering a lot about the relevance of these media (animated stories and video games) and their potential for evangelism for some time now (you can thank CAA for that). I think I've come to the conclusion, at tentatively, that the stories told in anime and video games, if they are to be effective in evangelizing, should not be overtly Christian. The stories that are told should no doubt have evangelism in view, but I think that they should focus their efforts and making the hearts and minds of people receptive to the Gospel by first dispeling the foolish ideas - that exalt themselves against God's truth - for the lies that the really are. This could take the form of taking a belief (and the actions that go along with it) to its logical, and futile conclusion.

If there is one thing I have noticed about good cinema, it is that it has great potential for making hearts and minds soft, but it seems to me that 99% of anything that is overtly Christian is immediately rejected by the majority of unsaved people.

So then, what form should storytelling, especially our more modern forms of stroytelling through cinema (tv, games, animated programming, etc.) take if it is to be successful for evangelism?

Also, am I entirely off-base with the whole, not-overtly Christian thing, or am I on to something?

I know Jesus preached often through parables, and sometimes without including the subtle and more profound point of the parable, to his followers. How does this relate to the topic at hand?

[Sieg9986]

In the matter of salvation, tact should always be used. It is very unwise to force religion down someone's throat, as it can lead to trauma in that person's future when they deal with other situations with religion involved. People are most susceptable to a message when they are in the right mood, and often times story writers keep this in mind when presenting a moral or a meaning to a plot. Jesus also did this, like you said, by making the meaning of his parables more subtle, allowing the recipient of His message to fully digest it through open thought.

For some reason people love to believe that they have the final choice as far as their own salvations go. Lets not get into the subject of free will here though, as i believe it will be a long and difficult argument.

On the matter of stories being used for Evangelism, I believe it is very effective to evangelize with stories, though this is usually called Testimony. The power of Christ working through someone else's life is the most powerful message there is. A sinner completely turning around and becoming a saint, that captivates people. Yet, it also drives the cynical away. The people driven away have most likely already had trauma in their past from others forcing religion down their throat.

So yes, it is true that stories can be a very powerful means to Evangelize, however to the unreceptive person, there is nothing that can be done, save God's intervention into their life.

On the matter of fanservice...the unreceptive person tends to appreciate this more generally because it has more substance to them than any plot or moral...while this is ridiculous, that is how many people i know who have disdain for religion feel about the fanservice anime. This is because their own Gods are sex, violence, and immorality. They worship these by showing more admiration for these than any message being presented.

I personally think that's just plain ignorance...but that's just me....meh.

[Fsiphskilm]

Because

[ice122985]

don't really know what to say on this one. the only thing in the Bible for the unbeliever is the gospel. The rest doens't apply till you become a believer- remember, the Bible is our manual that tells us how we are to behave and conduct ourselves as Christians.

So let's say you make a story that teaches Christian morals, without screaming CHRISTIANITY!! The viewer will say that's all nice and good and go on with his/her life. There's nothing in the story that marks it as different from other stories that actually have storyline, where virtue and goodness is the mark of the hero.

So then you make a story that teaches Christian morals and does scream Christianity. ONly the christian will give it shot cause the unbeliever will immediately reject cause he/she is tired of all this Christian rhetoric. Again, no change in the life.

Now I'm not against storyline with Christian elements. Christian entertaintment is a rarity and should be sought out. But as a tool for evangelism...well, I'm not so sure it would work. This is why i don't understand when christian artists go mainstream, "in an effort to reach the lost". The message of Christ is really a matter between the individual and God, not something that can be encapsuled in a story or a song. Christian music is meant, at least in theory, to be a form of worship to God- it's not supposed to be for anyone else but God.

But this is me. If you want to discuss this, pm me.