This post should do exactly as it says in the title: no more, no less. Yet I hope it’s also deep.
With my break this week in writing the still-to-complete Top seven risks for young restless Reformeds series1, I have been busy over at Speculative Faith.
That site, for readers and authors exploring Christian visionary fiction, has been busy this week with several fascinating columns and discussions: God’s possible views on the fantasy genre, how stories’ victories emerge from defeat, preaching the Gospel through fiction out of love for one’s readers, and why Christian fiction authors should also read nonfiction.
My column contribution, as of yesterday, focused on a certain oft-controversial fantasy series, especially given the recent film’s release: How do we love a fiction legalist? — part one.
And that brings me to this column’s title, which believe it or not does relate to Harry Potter.
This is the picture. It came up during a random online image search (one must be very careful with those). Further research didn’t confirm any artist who combined the two elements, but there is a Facebook group oriented around the artwork itself. Most of that group’s participants spend their time mocking creationists — a strangely popular pastime nowadays.
From what I have read, the artist who made this image might have been trying to mock Jesus.
Now, how one reacts to this image may also be the same reaction some Christians have, understandably, to something like the Harry Potter series. Two assumptions may be:
- Obviously the artist is trying to mock Biblical truth. It could even be dangerous.
But why should I buy into the artist’s intentions? Does Scripture say his sin is contagious?
- Such a piece of work seems, maybe not dangerous or sinful, but useless. What’s the point?
Pardon a moment of potential immaturity, but … it’s Jesus with a dinosaur! Dinosaurs are cool — God created them (Genesis 1, Job 40!). And Jesus is even cooler! So it’s the Creator holding one of His most incredible creations. That’s all I see there. It could even glorify Him.
Sure, whoever put together the photo — or the Harry Potter series — might not have meant to glorify God. Yet can Christians not see whatever truth is reflected in these creations?
Romans 1, describing man’s depravity, nonetheless argues that even a sin-cursed world, which is not God’s ultimate revelation (as His Word is), gives enough evidence of His existence and goodness that men can’t claim they weren’t told about Him.
And Romans 8: 19-22 makes clear: even a corrupt, sinful world reflects a longing for its rebirth:
I see that longing for a better world, to glorify God forever, even in a silly, perhaps-intended-for-mockery Photoshop combination of a Jesus painting and dinosaur picture.
And sometimes I even see it in the Harry Potter series. For more on that, just read here.
Any criticisms, questions, rebuttals, or reactions are most welcome.
- And to reply to comments. ↩
