James Somers is an ordained Baptist pastor, surgical technologist, and Christian fantasy novelist. Quite the combination. And some might say there is at least one contradiction in that biographical statement. How can a Bible-believing Christian (and a pastor, no less) read and write fantasy fiction? Well, who better to help us deal with that question than the man who is, in fact, blending biblical truth with fantasy fiction? I’m honored to interview Christian author James Somers for this blog.
Side Note: The original interview was conducted a few years ago for a different blog (now defunct), and has been updated and provided here.
Brian Tubbs (BT): Thank you for taking the time to “sit down with me” (digitally at least ?? ) for this interview. Most Christians take their faith seriously and want to serve the Lord. And yet they also want to enjoy life and that means they want to enjoy some of what we would call “worldly entertainment.” And that means making choices, and that’s where you come in. Thank you for taking part in this interview and offering us some of your wisdom.
James Somers (JS): I’ll do my best, Brian.
BT: You’re a Christian and an ordained pastor. And you would be the first to say that Jesus Christ is the most important person in your life. When did you confess Christ as your Lord and Savior? And when did you feel God’s call into pastoral ministry?
JS: I repented of my sins and received Christ as my savior in March of 1996, after attending church with my soon-to-be wife. My family never raised me in church. I had visited only a few times before and had an experience with a youth pastor where I basically got cornered in his office for not raising my hand during an invitation. He led me down the “Romans Road” and I answered every question with one goal in mind: how to get out of his office as fast as possible. I was told that I got saved, but I had no idea what that meant and I knew nothing had actually happened to me. I didn’t care about my soul then.
Later, when I had an ear to hear what the Lord had to say to me, I realized my lost condition and put my faith in Christ. I think sometimes we ministers are too eager to give someone assurance of salvation. The Lord will assure them if they really get saved. Our job is to distribute his Word as witnesses.
I felt the Lord leading me into the ministry in January of 2000 after I had spent about a year teaching teenagers in Sunday School.
BT: You’re also, as we said before, a fantasy novelist. Maybe not at the level of C.S. Lewis (yet) or George R.R. Martin or Raymond Feist, but you’re definitely on your way. When did you start writing science fiction and fantasy? And how many books have you had published to this point?
JS: I’m nowhere near any of those guys, Brian. And as for Martin, I’ll steer clear of the kind of fantasy that includes perversion like I found in my failed attempt to read Game of Thrones.
BT: I agree with you about Martin.
JS: I began writing my first novel in 1996 as a diversion to take my mind off of the stress of college…a way to relax. It began as a Star Wars story just for fun. When I got to about 150 pages, I decided to go back and use the characters in a story of my own. Chronicles of Soone came from that story. I’ve since published over a dozen novels. Other than Chronicles of Soone (published through Breakneck Books), I’ve utilized Amazon’s Kindle Publishing exclusively — and love it!
BT: When it comes to entertainment in general, I think of something I read recently by John MacArthur, a very well-known pastor and theologian. Dr. MacArthur says that, as Christians, our worldview is (or at least should be) based on the “reality” of God’s world, His Truth, and His revelation. And that, by contrast, the “world of entertainment is not real.” That it is, in fact, about “escaping from reality.” While he stops short of saying it’s a sin for Christians to watch TV, read fiction, and so forth, he is certainly raising a red flag when it comes to people allowing their worldview to be influenced by imagination and entertainment. Do you agree that this is an important cause for concern?
JS: I would agree that we must always be careful with our thought life. It can be easily influenced. However, I also believe that a mature believer can recognize what’s real and not real. Is it a lie to tell someone a story, if they fully understand that it is fiction? A lie is an intent to deceive. That’s not what fiction is. It’s meant to engage the reader and entertain.
Consider that Christ used many parables to explain complicated truth to those who heard him. Parables are simple stories. They were not necessarily real events or intended to be. They were stories with a point. A story can also have a good message to be understood as well. Was Paul condemning the Olympic type games when he used them as examples of fighting the good fight, running the race and winning a crown of righteousness? I don’t think so. Yet those games are pointless entertainment.
At the same time, I don’t think we should take pleasure in unrighteousness. We are to meditate on what is good.
However, clearly there are serious descriptions of evil in the Bible. Is describing evil as evil in a story sinful, if it’s not sinful to talk about it in the Bible as fact. It’s a matter of perspective and motive. Are you promoting wickedness or describing it with the understanding that it is wrong? My novels describe evil characters as what they are. Some are redeemable human characters…others are angelic and unsaveable. I try to approach them the same way the Bible does. A wicked man can be saved. But an angel cannot. That’s truth. I don’t contradict what the Bible says is truth, not even for a fiction story.
BT: As you know, many Christian parents are very uncomfortable with their kids reading fantasy novels or watching sci-fi movies or playing any kind of computer games that feature wizards, witches, necromancers, or any of that sort of thing. Of course, Christians run the gamut on these things. The Old Testament obviously forbids, under penalty of death, anyone having anything to do with witches, contacting the dead, etc. And both the Old and New Testaments teach that light has no fellowship with darkness and that we, as Christians, are to not love the world or the things of the world. In light of these things, what are some general guidelines or principles that Christians should keep in mind when it comes to their entertainment choices?
JS: Obey the scriptures. I would say, however, there’s a big difference between describing something in a story and promoting that evil thing or action as being good. Are witches good? No. Is necromancy good? No. Is murder good? No. Is Fornication/adultery good? No. Are these things all discussed and described in the Bible? Yes! Does that make God’s Word wicked? No. In the light of Scripture, these things have their rightful place…they are discussed, but also condemned as wrong. I’ve never seen more idolatry than when studying the Scriptures, descriptions of terrible murders and evil things…yet, they are cast in the appropriate light as being wrong and condemned by God.
A fiction story or movie or whatever can cast these same things in the appropriate light as being evil and there’s nothing wrong with that. The problem in our day is that Evil is called Good & Good is called Evil…that’s the problem with much of our entertainment today.
BT: Let’s take some specific concerns and questions and apply some of what you said to each of them. Is it a sin to read fantasy?
JS: It is not a sin to read fantasy…but it would be a sin to read something that encourages you to have sinful thoughts. I mentioned Game of Thrones earlier. Game of Thrones has some sexual stuff going on that is wicked and descriptive to the point that your fleshly mind will begin thinking things it should not. When I got to this in the book, I realized I couldn’t keep reading it. To say someone committed incest is not the same as describing the ordeal for the reader. The Bible speaks of incest between Lot and his two daughters after the destruction of Sodom…it does not describe the matter in any sort of detail for us.
It would also be sinful to agree with the views of any fictional story or movie that contradict God’s word or which disavow God’s principles. You might, as a preacher, study false religions in detail, their views of God and Salvation, etc…they are false. Is that sinful? No. What would be sinful is to agree with them against the Bible…to change our view from truth to a lie because of what we read. That could happen with fantasy, or anything else you read or watch or listen to.
BT: Is it a sin to watch Star Wars? We know that Star Wars has a lot of Buddhist and New Age influences behind it. Should Christians stay away from the Jedi, the Force, and all things Star Wars?
JS: Again, you might read or watch Star Wars and have no problem understanding that it’s make-believe and carries a false view. However, if you start dressing like a Jedi and claiming to be one with the Force, you’ve probably got a big problem. You might think I’m being funny…well sort of. But there are people who believe in the Force.
Have you ever read the beliefs of Scientology? It’s all science fiction: waystation on Mars, Thetans and stuff…pure sci-fi. But it’s now a religion.
That brings me to the question: is it wrong to consider other views in the world?
We are surrounded with all manner of beliefs in the world. God never said to shut our eyes or ears to the world around us…however we are called to believe the TRUTH, and not LIES. Can I watch Star Wars and believe the truth, and not be deceived by false views? I can. Can you?
Paul’s concerns about things sacrificed to idols comes to mind…he said, it’s not sinful to eat that meat, because an idol is nothing in reality. The god behind it doesn’t even exist. But the perception of others when you ate that meat was a problem. You could become a stumbling block. If you’re grounded in truth, watch Star Wars and understand it’s not the truth. It’s just entertainment. It’s fairly wholesome and has a message about good vs. evil that makes easy sense. Talk about it with your kids…let them know what’s not true. Help them understand.
BT: How about Harry Potter?
I’m going to end up repeating myself on these because they all have the same issues. Is witchcraft good? Nope. Absolutely not. There is no such thing as White Witchcraft either. Anything that promotes or encourages witchcraft is bad. We should stay away from it.
The problem I think is misunderstood about Harry Potter is that it doesn’t present a form of witchcraft described by the Bible. Harry Potter treats magic like a natural power inherited from parents. It treats it like the force in Star Wars frankly, which is not what witchcraft is at all. Witchcraft, Wicca, etc…is a religion and practice that involves consorting with demonic spirits (even when the witch doesn’t realize this) in order to do what they hope to accomplish.
The biggest problem with Harry Potter is that children may not get the difference, because it is called “witchcraft” in the story. If this is seen positively and then explored by them as they grow up, they’ll find something entirely different from Harry Potter, but they could become entangled in it before realizing.
BT: Is it a sin to play World of Warcraft or Dungeons & Dragons?
Same answer here also…we must be grounded in truth because we are faced with all manner of beliefs in this world. Is it a sin to send your children to public school where they will be drenched in Evolution? No, but it would be a sin to allow those teachings to go unchallenged in our homes…we must be grounded in truth and help our children and others to be grounded also.
BT: Other than your own books (which I do highly recommend – without reservation), what are some other authors or works that you’d suggest Christians check out?
Wayne Batson has some good fantasy novels. There’s also Jonathan Rogers. And I also enjoyed the Mistborn series quite well by Brandon Sanderson.
BT: Any closing thoughts for parents especially?
Ground yourselves and your children in the Word of God. Understand the truth and it will protect you from the lies we encounter in the world everyday. The world is drenched in lies…fiction is seen as entertainment primarily. While it can influence people to false beliefs, I think this is only the case when people aren’t discerning about those beliefs. If you don’t know something is false, you might believe it. If you don’t know the truth of God’s Word, you are more likely not to recognize those false views.
If a Mormon came to your house claiming Christ as the way, you might believe he knew the Biblical Christ if you hadn’t studied the word. But when you do, you realize that Mormon believes in a false Christ made up by men. Which Jesus are you talking about?…you’ll only know when you find him described by God’s Word. The same goes for all of our views as Believers. We should believe and follow what God says is true. We should not believe what contradicts God’s word.
The truth can make us free…but only if we are grounded in it! Can I read Richard Dawkin’s God Delusion? Many Christian pastors have studied this book. Are they swayed by it? Not if they are grounded in truth. They recognize and identify the lies in it, and remain grounded in truth. That’s an extreme example. Can I watch a dinosaur movie and not be made into an Evolutionist by watching it? Sure I can, and I’ll even discuss where it’s wrong on Creation with my kids in the process.
BT: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. I know you’re a busy man, but your wisdom will help a lot of my readers, I know.
JS: I hope it’s helpful. Thanks for having me over (digitally that is).
*****
For more on James Somers, check out his blog and his Author Page at Amazon.
You can also check out my take on this subject at “Christianity and Fantasy: Is it Wrong to Read Fantasy Literature?”
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