Friday, March 11, 2005
It's Fiction, People
My wife is slightly more of a tv fan than I. I wandered through the living room the other week and she was watching some show about a clairvoyant woman who assists law enforcement in the solving of crimes. Personally, I prefer Jerry Orbach's wisecracks, but hey: whatever knocks you out. A few days ago, I became aware of nervousness over Medium. Catechism 2115 or thereabouts: all magic and things like that are evil because they deny God's proper role as our ultimate Trust.
I'll admit I love fantasy, and I prefer it in literature as opposed to tv. From the ten minutes I viewed this new show, it struck me as a fantasy. Here's what else is fantasy: Touched By An Angel, Joan of Arcadia, The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and Harry Potter. In all of these works, the author/creator has suspended belief in how the world is (or created completely new worlds) and endowed the creations therein with magical powers.
I suspect that if Patricia Arquette received visions from God or the Blessed Mother, Medium would be considered more acceptable Christian fare. Of course, one of those "acceptable" fantasies is about "angels," and another was written by a "good" Catholic. In all these works, magic is part of the universe. Plots hum along because of the good and bad choices fictional characters make. Some magical people are good (Samantha Stevens, Gandalf, or Hermione Granger), some are conflicted (Endora or Spike) and some are just pure evil. In the human imagination, it's not about who or what you are, but what choices you make. Just like in real life.
Focusing against magic in fiction is a poor way to do religion or moral theology. Every human person has God-given gifts. Every person has free will to utilize those gifts for good or evil. Even good gifts well-used can be a means for over-indulgence and putting God out of the picture. What's more dangerous for people? I'd say people so enamored of business and making money that overpaid CEO's, callous attitude toward employees, and worship of the almighty dollar create great evil. Enron or the Charmed sisters? Physical appearances aside, that's still a no-brainer.
If you twist my arm to watch tv, I'm going back to Law & Order. But I think those who indulge in a little magical fantasy, even if it's on the tube, should do so without guilt or regret. Key word here: little, not magical.
