The following is a comment I made to another blog article on Twilight. The original blog was questioning why (or what) the evangelical crowd thinks of the new Twilight book series... since they had such issues with Harry Potter. As a Christian, I don't have a problem with either series from that perspective, as I realize it's all fiction and don't believe my kids think otherwise. However, I also find it interesting that I haven't heard much from them about this. Here was my response to the other blog.
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It's taken me a while to respond to this, mostly because I wanted to see if I could find out anything about the evangelical point of view. I tried looking on line and haven't found much either except for the fact that some of them are trying to say it's good because it somehow teaches good points of Christianity and how they feel about demons, etc. I don't see that at all. But those are the same ones that claimed Lord of the Rings had great Christian sub-stories at the same time as Harry Potter was just pure evil.
I asked my oldest if she'd heard anything in church or anything from other kids her age and nope... she hasn't. She also doesn't understand why HP was so bad... but also has refused to read or watch that series, mostly because of the hype at this point.
Having said all that, I don't have any trouble with the books based on any Christian beliefs because I'm quite capable of differentiating something that is just entertainment from thinking my kids will start studying witchcraft (in the HP sense) or determining that there are real vampires or wearwolfs (in the Twilight sense). However, I have had conversations about this new series of books with my girls for different reasons.
As a mother of girls, I have real issues with the way that Bella is portrayed with her "obsession" with Edward. It's not a healthy relationship from the perspective of Bella at all for teenage girls. She is so completely obsessed that she spirals into the deepest depression ever when he leaves (for her own safety). While in that deep depression, she then clings to Jacob as a friend, but just as hard as she did to Edward. All the time she's obsessed with either of these boys, she has no other life at all. She does nothing with other friends, etc. When with Edward all she's thinking of is how to get him to have sex with her or when it is she can end her life to be with him (her first boyfriend) for all eternity as a vampire. Blah Blah. The whole storyline is about what she'll do to have him, what she'll give up to have him, how she'd die if he weren't around, how much trouble and near death experience she puts up with just to be near him. And all of that stems from how poor a view she has of herself and how she never feels worthy to even be in his presence. What is that all about for young girls to hear. Crazy.
They are entertaining and quick easy reading like HP, but the sub-context of "he is all that will ever matter in my life and I'd die without him and die to be with him" is NOT a good lesson for the age girls that are reading these books. As I said to my ex-husband when he had issues with the HP books... "it's a parents job to understand what they are reading and talk to them about your own views if you think they're not smart enough to realize this is fiction". I hope more parents, of girls especially, are talking to their girls about these books as well. Not a healthy look at a first relationship at all... in my opinion. Hopefully parents are paying attention and speaking to their girls. I know I am.
And... yes... I'm on the 4th book myself and only started reading them about 3 weeks ago. After reading the first one, knowing my girls had read them all (or in the process of doing so) I really need to know how far it all goes. But, we've already spoken about my view of how Bella is portrayed in the relationship department.
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