“Without art no one will see the Lord” –Hipster Hebrews 12:14
I’ll be honest, I’m not quite hip enough to say something like, “I love good art.” Truth be told I’m probably a bit too drab to enjoy a good painting when I see it. I’ve a tendency to get lost in a good story but I doubt I’d really appreciate that super-artsy film that has everyone raving at the Sundance festival.
I say all of that to say I might not be the best person to offer this critique, it might be better coming from inside the camp. Yet, I do own a Bible and I think I love good art enough to at least have a tiny voice. So please hear this critique as one from a friend who truly would like to enjoy some of the art that ya’ll are feasting upon.
I could have picked a few shows but there is one particular show which has been bugging me as of late; Game of Thrones. It seems like the type of show which would be right in my wheelhouse. I love history and castles and most of the things you’d find in a fantasy epic. It seems to me that the show is very well done and that the writers tell an intriguing story which hooks the viewer. And I really want to watch it. Believe me I do. But there is one problem for me.
Holiness trumps art.
From everything I’ve read of the show and even a few of the previews I’ve unfortunately had come across my screen, the show is filled with vulgarity and sexuality. I looked through the parent’s guide for a few episodes and every one of them seem to have full-frontal nudity.
I know my heart too well. I can’t trick myself into saying that what I’m really doing is glorifying Christ through my enjoyment of story. This is what I mean when I say holiness trumps art. I mean that holiness is more important than a shadow which might somehow reflect the Great Storyteller.
I’ve got enough to feast on in the unadulterated gospel of Jesus. I don’t need to dabble in shadows which are filled with the world’s version of a good story, even if somehow there are hints of the Grand Story. It isn’t worth it. There isn’t enough meat on the bone. Yes, story is grand. Yes, story stirs up something within me. But at the end of the day holiness trumps art. If the two go head to head, I’ll choose holiness and save my feast upon art for the new heavens and the new earth.
I’m confident there won’t be anything like Game of Thrones in the new heaven and the new earth because we’ll be relishing a much better story. A story which will then be real and enjoyed in actuality without the reek of sin and death. So I’ll just cling to holiness and save the art for glory.
Besides I’m not strong enough to handle the pride which would certainly accompany a Christian being so holy as to be able to watch such things without sin and lust arising in his heart, if such a one were to exist. Nor do I want the deadening which much certainly accompany such a thing. If the art truly is beautiful then it had better elicit emotions. The writers in Game of Thrones aren’t aiming to bring about Christ-honoring emotions. If I could stare at such “good art” and be unfeeling then something terrible must have happened in my heart.
Wouldn’t it be much wiser to pursue our affections being stirred by Christ?
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I appreciate this from John Piper: 12 Questions to Watch Before You Watch Game of Thrones. Also, I’ve also tried to tackle something similar when talking about video games.
Photo source: here
