How Horror Movies can Hurt your Faith

ever had I ever, ever seen even one horror movie in my entire twenty years on this earth. I never will, but that fact doesn’t change my opinion in the least. The fact that anyone wants to be scared or likes to be scared baffles me.

Sure, it’s just a movie, as anyone would say. Movies can’t hurt you, in theory. It’s all Hollywood, dramatized for the audience, perhaps based on a true story, but as all Hollywood productions go, the facts can be adjusted and exaggerated for the sake of…what? More creepiness?

Anyway, if you can’t tell, I am really not a fan.

I don’t want anyone to come at me for putting down an entire genre that I never even watched, because that is irrelevant. People who hate on certain politicians don’t have to meet them to form an opinion, therefore I don’t have to watch a horror movie to have an opinion.

I have heard about them, I know what they’re about, and I know the mind games that come with them.

All media forms play with our minds, actually. The Marvel movies play on our sense of justice to get us to root for the hero. The subplots can get the audience to feel sympathy for the antagonist, if their backstory is tragic enough, or if they are the more likable character. These are planned. Their writers aren’t dumb. The same goes for all the social media we consume, the books we read, the news we watch, and every other movie or TV show to ever exist.

I could go on with the psychological aspects of all these and how the creators subtly alter our thinking to what they want us to think, but horror movies are the focus here. 

Fear is an emotion activated by adrenaline. When we feel afraid, our body is triggered to release adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol to help prepare our body for a physical, action response to the stimuli. Other studies reveal that our body will respond to the dangers portrayed on screen as if they are real.

But they’re not real. Everyday life is not a movie, as we all know, whether it be horror or Marvel or High School Musical. 

So why is horror so popular?

Adrenaline gives the brain a high, elevating heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and other bodily levels in a way that “feels good”. People with a higher tolerance rate will enjoy a horror movie, because they are able to get their high without facing real danger. Those with a lower level probably find the stimuli too overwhelming. 

Some people, myself included, just have a weak stomach. 

But I don’t just avoid horror because it makes me feel sick at merely the thought. 

It’s common knowledge that horror brings to life the vilest events that one could imagine. Death and demons are glamorized. Viewers are drawn to the evil of the killer/ demon(s)/ ghost(s)/ fill in the blank. 

It’s enticing. It keeps you wondering what will happen next, just like any action or thriller storyline. But horror doesn’t focus on the hero winning a victory over evil: it’s primary focus is the evil itself, often shown very graphically. 

Yes, “good” typically wins in the end, just the way we like it in the media. That aspect gives us hope about the problems we face in real life. 

Is there a better way to appeal to this?

I’m addressing my fellow Christians here. After accepting Christ, we technically “broke up” with Satan. We shouldn’t want anything to do with him, we shouldn’t see him, call him or answer his calls, and every reminder of him should make us sick. 

We should know that visiting with him, or being “just friends” is a bad idea, because he hurt us before, and will again if we let him in. We should be blocking his number and avoiding where we know he hangs out.

Watching horror is literally inviting him right into your living room. You get to watch some of his evilest notions right in your own home. These are demons, Satan’s best friends. His demons do his work for him and we just get to be in it all.

Jesus overcame the world, but that should mean that we want all of Him and not His enemy. We shouldn’t want to watch evil.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2

We should not even associate with evil. Not that I am perfect and completely give myself over to Christ 24/7. We all struggle with our own desires, putting what we want over what God wants.

But I don’t want any serial killers in my house, on screen or not. As I said before, God conquered Satan and I don’t need to bring him (Satan) back.

 “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

In a horror movie, while the story could be based on some truths, the Truth (Jesus) is nowhere to be found. Sure, The Exorcist puts a spin on getting rid of demons, but is the glory really going to God? Or to people?

There is nothing “noble” in a serial killer or a ghost.

Killing people in cold blood is not “right”.

The evil notions of the human heart are not “pure”. We know the world is bad enough without using the worst problems as entertainment. 

Killing, fear, demonic possession – none of these are lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. 

If you are a Christian and horror is your thing, I’m not here to tell you that you’re wrong and I’m right. I just want to make you think: why do you like horror? Does it bring honor to Jesus or bring you closer to Him? 

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5

Horror is dark – there is no arguing that. If God is light, and we are supposed to be like God, how can we be associated with darkness? 

I just want you to think about it. We all get to decide for ourselves. Christians are to test every spirit to see if it is of God or not (1st John 4:1-3). Is horror of God? 

Not everyone feels the same things that I do towards the horror genre. Personally, I feel this way about all of Halloween. My idea of a good Halloween movie is It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and therein is about all the Halloween that I can take.

Nevermind ghosts and goblins.