Evidently, Stephenie Meyer lives within a stones through of our home, here in North Scottsdale.
I have been observing the Twilight phenomena for quite some time.
This young vampire love story has no particular calling to me, but I have been greatly curious as to why it has made such an impact on our culture.
John Granger, in his article Mormon Vampires in the Garden of Eden, brings forth a most informative survey of these novels.
After reading his thesis, he captured my attention for the whole article:
"I suggest that the Twilight series is something for thoughtful people to be aware of and to think seriously about, first, because of its remarkable hold on the imagination of American readers and movie-goers, but second, and more important, because of the reason these books are so popular: They meet a spiritual need. Mircea Eliade, in his book The Sacred and the Profane, suggests that popular entertainment, especially imaginative literature and film, serves a religious or mythic function in a secular culture. When God is driven to the periphery of the public square, the human spiritual capacity longs for exercise, and it often finds it in the “suspension of disbelief” and activity of the imagination that are available in novels and movies."
Granger goes on to detail how Stephenie Meyer, drinking deeply from her Mormon faith, has created nothing short of a brilliant allegory of Mormonism, with a post-modern twist.
Our culture can't get enough of this type of allegory. Seemingly, it shows us that we were created to worship, and if we won't worship God, then we will find something else to put in his place.
If our desire to worship can't be filled with money, sex, beauty, or any number of other idols, perhaps we will find contentment in the bloody fangs of a Mormon vampire.
There is a great deal here to consider. Think about it!
HT - Justin Taylor
