Fantasy...Good or Bad?

Alright, I'm not going to lie. I love fantasy...especially medieval-style fantasy. But is such fantasy something that a professing Christian should be taking part in?

So much of the genre is corrupted by gnostic teachings (the pursuit of secret knowlege aka. magic) and duel mystic philosophies (yin and yang...good and evil are balanced).

Because of this, I am afraid to touch fantasy merely for the effect that it can have (and actually did have) on my subconscious. Part of what bothers me so much about it all is the fact that such occult practices as open witchcraft (see Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Oblivion, and a whole host of other games, movies, and books) are widely accepted hobbies and even careers for characters to pursue within the culture of their respective fantasy worlds.

My brothers, this influence must be stopped. Will we simply sit idle while the influence of the occult grabs at the minds and hearts not only of ourselves, but of our much more vulnerable non-Christian friends and neighbors? Are we going to let pop culture desensitize us so thoroughly that the open practice of magic no longer causes us to shudder in sheer revulsion?

In so many of these worlds, false gods are known to reign supreme. In the expansion Shivering Isles for the popular video game Oblivion, the player has the option of serving a physical representation of 'the mad god', and eventually becoming a deity him/herself (or so I've heard...I got rid of my own copy of Oblivion long before this particular expansion was released).

Now, as much as I huff and puff against the influence of these games, books, and movies, I do not necessarily see anything wrong with playing/reading/watching them once in a while. Is it wrong as a believer to read the Qur'an? Certainly not, in fact it helps us learn how to counter the influence of Islam abroad! Is it wrong to spend so much time reading it and studying it's teachings, that you no longer spend enough time reading the Scripture that the living God has supplied you with? That would be a dangerous mistake indeed!

What I am arguing is that when taken in high dosages by the believer, these games can have a profound effect on one's subconscious...I know, I opened doors that I wish I hadn't. I allowed myself to get very deep into the 'mysteries' of how a pretend system of magic would work if it were real. And I am also cautioning the danger of this content when taken in low dosages (let alone high) for the non-believer, who has no protection from the influence of demonic or satanic powers as we do.

If you are as interested in this subject as I am, and especially if you are working through these same issues in your own life, I highly recommend the book UnHoly Spirits by Gary North. This is a battlefield in our culture today, and we need to arm ourselves properly, lest we fall pray ourselves to the fiery darts of the enemy.