"About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him, and I didn`t know how dominate that part might be, that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."
-Stephenie Meyer, Twilight
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It all started with that quote. You pick up the first book, look on the opposite side of the cover of the girl holding an apple, and there it is, plain as day. Whoever Edward is, he's a vampire. You already know the whole secret, right?
Wrong. There's a lot more that goes on in these books than just the fact that Edward's a sparkly, strong, somewhat controlling, annoying, cynical, demanding, kind, thoughtful, strange, off-putting, loveable, pessimistic, selfless vampire. All those things, wrapped up in one! It's up to you whether to love him or hate him.
Now, it may not sound like it, but I'm 100\% Team Edward. :) Because Jacob is a million and two times worse. But I digress. That's not the point of my essay--to argue teams--rather, to illustrate the high points in Twilight. I've seen a lot of negativity regarding it, but I don't think people have related it to others in the right light. So, this is kind of my attempt at letting you all know the good things about it. And, of course, I'll illustrate some bad things, too.
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Here are a list of things you might think about Twilight from what you've heard:
1) It's all about evil.
2) It's inappropriate.
3) It's extremely shallow.
4) The vampires...sparkle. It's stupid.
5) It's unrealistic, and overall a waste of time.
It's all about evil: Twilight is, by all means, a story of the triumph of good over evil. The Cullens (the main vampire family in this book) are, as dumb as it sounds, vegan-vampires. In their opinion, that means they only drink the blood of animals. No killing people, no human murders. On the contrary, they strive to be good, regular people. Which doesn't always work. But they try, which, in my opinion, makes them good.
It's inappropriate: I wasn't allowed to read Twilight until I turned twelve. I'd call it a PG-13 book, but mostly, this first book is made up of conversations. So I don't find it to be inappropriate at all. It's no worse than what I write myself. :-)
It's extremely shallow: I will not deny the fact that Bella often makes extraneous comments about how good-looking Edward is. Looks are something front and foremost in her mind, mostly because she doesn't see how Edward could ever care for her. Bella is, esentially, a plain girl. So, yes, you will see a shallow side of each character. But there are also the perceptive, in-depth moments which make you think. So I think it balances quite nicely. We ourselves can be shallow at times. (Well...I know I can!) I think it makes the characters more realistic.
The vampires...sparkle. It's stupid: Everyone knows that Stephenie Meyer's vamps sparkle. They're...like jewlery! Totally glitzed-out! It's up to you whether it's stupid or not. I kinda like it, myself! The reason being that Twilight was based off a dream. In Stephenie Meyer's dream, the boy sitting with a girl sparkled. So...she just didn't say, "Hey! Let's make 'em sparkle!" There was a reason.
Here's an excerpt from Twilight:
Edward in the sunlight was shocking. I couldn't get used to it, though I'd been staring at him all afternoon. His skin, white despite the faint flush from yesterday's hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. ((chp. 13, pg. 260))
It's unrealistic, and overall a waste of time: Another personal opinion matter, but my own experience was this: I enjoyed the book. I've re-read the series several times. And, of course, this isn't suppossed to be realistic. Are fairy tales realistic? Twilight is a toned-down fantasy. It also has a little horror, and drama...and romance! So it's a mix of everything.
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Surprisingly, Twilight came into our lives by the reccomendation of my voice teacher. Up until the day she was told about it, mom had thought it was a silly, teenaged drama and romace. What she found beneath that infamous cover was a book layered with wisdom, maturity, and suspense. Needlessly to say, she went and saw the movie in theatres! I was only eleven, then, and wasn't allowed to see it yet.
By the time a year had passed, mom decided I could watch it. We sat down together, and I was hooked. I loved the movie--and I knew I just had to read the books. So I checked the first one out.
It was all I did for a whole week. I managed to consume all four books in a matter of seven days. I loved it. I loved Bella, and Edward, Jacob, the Cullens. I felt like I knew them. I would read whatever chance I got, up until the last minute before all my appointments. It was early December, so we were quite busy.
I don't much remember a reaction to the first book except L-O-V-E. My mom and I then went to the theatre together to see New Moon. A year later it was Eclipse with one of my friends. Most recently, Breaking Dawn Part One came out in theatres. We took my tomboy cousin with us who, upon walking out of the theatre, had this to say: It was AWESOME! And those are just the movies. The books are infinitely better, even though I've adored each of the films.
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And now, some not-so-high points. The first Twilight novel is quite long based on everything that happens. Stephenie Meyer tends to write with much description, so I can pretty much tell you what Bella has for breakfast every morning. Some parts do tend to drag, but if you're a fast reader, you can get past them quickly and onto the main point.
Another thing that bothers me is Bella's constant whining. Yes, sweetie, we all know how handsome Edward is and how you don't measure up to him. GET OVER IT. He obviously sees something in you. Quit being such a pessimist. So, yes, her complaining and inner monologue can get to be bothersome. I tend to overlook it.
Those are basically it for the first book. I might be biased, but truly, I can't think of anything else. If you don't strongly dislike a teeny bit of whining and a hearty amount of description, then you're good to go.
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Overall rating for first book: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (4 out of 4)
Overall rating for movie: ☆ ☆ ☆ (3 out of 4)
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"I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin. It was like there had never been a whole in my chest. I was perfect--not healed, but as if there had never been a wound in the first place."
-Stephenie Meyer, New Moon
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The above quote is what you'll find on the back copy of New Moon, the second novel in The Twilight Saga. New Moon is probably my least favorite book, but mostly because Edward is good and gone for most of it. I won't say why--it would give too much away--but I can let you know that Bella gets pretty depressed about it.
In this book, we see more of Jacob Black. We really get to know him, and maybe even love him a little bit. Goodness knows I did. Until...well, later. But you'll find out more about that in a little bit.
The beginning of this novel is suspenseful. Then comes "the happening." The Happening changes a lot of things in Bella's life, and all you Edward-lovers will be more than a little upset. But still, this book explores in depth what Bella's life is without her vampires.
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In this book, you get a look at some shape shifters! This was a neat aspect, another good-over-evil thing. This is is, even, perhaps less romantic than the first, so it's pretty safe. It does have some aspects of Romeo and Juliet. You all know how that ended. *rolls eyes* So, yes, this one can get pretty dramatic.
I didn't like the part after Edward left, where Bella is in a constant haze. You kind of feel like you're in one yourself. It can get annoying. When she pulls out of that phase, though, you end up feeling like her: extremely cautious and aware. The book goes on, occasionally boring, until Jacob comes in. Jacob is funny. He's good-natured. He's generally happy. But, of course, there have to be more mythical creatures, so in come the wolves!
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I don't have a whole lot to say about New Moon, except a new family of vampires will be introduced to you. I don't like them....and I don't think you will, either.
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That covers the first two Twilight books, their perks, and their downsides. Keep an eye out for part two, in which I will talk about Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Comment away!! :) If you have questions regarding the books, leave them in the comments, and I will answer them in my next post. Thanks!
Comments
The first thing I should say
The first thing I should say is that I've never read the books. The second and third things I should say are reasons why I've never read the books.
But in the middle of that I should say thank you for writing this; it was a helpful summary, especially with the quotes.
The lesser reason I haven't read Twilight is that good vampires bother me. Almost every story will be about good versus evil. But the fact that Mrs. Meyer is taking something that's traditionally represented evil and making it good blurs a lot of important lines that have been drawn between good and evil.
But even with that I might still read them, except for the bigger reason. The stories may not be physically inappropriate, but the Twilight books fall into the category I've heard both men and women define as 'emotional pornography.' Maybe there's not the physical aspect going on, but you're still feeding on an emotional aspect of it. We as girls and women long for love from men. That's how God created us. But He also gave us parameters for that in family (fathers and brothers) and marriage (husbands). When we fill our minds with reading about other people's relationships we begin to long for them and become discontent with our own state.
I'm not saying this as well as I'd like, so I'm going to refer you to a very good article that sums up my opinion pretty well. The quote you have from New Moon is a great example of the kind of emotional pornography they and I are talking about.
Enjoy the article, think about it, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I'm a weak person. Things like Twilight and other romance novels cause me to lust and stumble, which is why I don't read them. I want to protect others from those same problems.
I also don't want to get into a long discussion again, just to share my thoughts and reasons for not reading Twilight.
http://visionarydaughters.com/2009/11/how-twilight-is-re-vamping-romance
Hi, Kyleigh!
Hi, Kyleigh!
Thank you for giving me the link to the article. I enjoyed reading it, and I did agree with quite a few things they said. But I don't agree that Twilight is any form of emotional pornography. I can see how it might be for some, but I don't see anything wrong in daydreaming (not about Edward--trust me!) but about boys in general. I'm sure many will agree with me (and several might also disagree).
This is the point I disagreed with strongest:
In God’s world, the woman was created for the man; in the wonderful world of romance novels, the man is usually created as an accessory to the woman. God created men to have a dominion-focus, not a woman-focus, and the woman was to be his helper in his mission. In romance-novel-land, however, the heroine is the center of the hero’s universe and his reason for living. As Edward tells Bella in Twilight, “You are my life now.”
Maybe that was so way-back-when, but I think our focus has really shifted, and we now see men and women more as equals. I think the above comment is sexist. In todays society, the women have the opportunities to do just about anything men can. And I see nothing wrong with a man cooking his wife breakfast, taking care of the kids, or helping HER in her goals. Isn't that the whole point of marriage? To join two individuals who love and care for each other, who would do anything for one another, who will help each other along. Women can help men acheieve their ultimate dreams, but the man should be just as willing. And here's where I think we really can learn something from Twilight. To respect one another as equals, to show that WE ARE THE SAME. What truly makes it appeal to so many fans is, I think, the fact that the characters are not perfect. That might be surprising, since the vampires, ya know, sparkle and all (my friend's quote! LOL) but it's true. It's a story of two people falling in love who, against all odds, make it work because they care about each other. Equally. They both make horrible (really stupid, I might add...) mistakes in the book, but that's what life's all about. (Another friend-quote....hahaha!) You mess up, but there's always that one special person to pull you back on your feet, to hit you upside the head and say, "Look, I care about you. That's all that matters. You CAN DO THIS." (Of course, my post has now turned into a Hallmark movie, but I think life IS cheesy in general and...oh, dear. There I go again.)
So, hey, I'm not going to go for someone who won't feel up to cooking ME breakfast. And it's not because I'm a crazy, Satan-worshipping, selfish, nutcase (okay, nutcase might be along the right lines for homeschoolers, especially me)...but because I want to spend my life with someone who truly cares. And I think people are missing the point.
And I definitely wouldn't call you weak, Kyleigh!! You have your opinions, and you go about sharing them in a way that's convicing and kind. I don't think just anything could set you off track, and definitely not Twilight. Though I certaintly don't think people should have to read it under any circumstances.
Kyleigh, You seem very spirited, strong-willed, and exactly the kind of person that could take charge and change things in this world. If you didn't get married, or did, and the guy was the stay-at-home dad, well, would that hurt you so much? Or if there weren't any children involved in the picture at all? (of course, I'm all for having children...) I think God created people to...give things life. Without that, we'd be nothing. MIght as well take that life and do whatever you want with it...as long as it's not illegal. ;) You have so much potential. Take it, keep it, use it wisely. It's your's. And if you feel that potential is to settle down, get married, and encourage your husband in his goals...so be it. We need more people like that in this world. Just make sure you see everything in their true colors first. And I hope that doesn't sound like a threat...LOL! You're definitely old enough to have decided what you want to do with your life, but I'm not, and that's why I'm saying this.
So, thank you for once again giving me something to think about and contemplate. I really enjoy talking to others and sharing my opinions. I'm very...opinionated, you might say, so I hope my posts don't come across as rude. Ugh. I'm sure they have more than once, and thats the least I want to do.
Thank you!! :D
-HomeschoolGirl
While it's hard to find
While it's hard to find common ground in saying that it's wrong to be daydreaming about guys (it's something that can be categorized as 'lust' and therefore sin by scripture's standard, but since we don't agree about the standard of scripture we obviously won't agree there), I think there's very practical reasons for it as well. Say you spend your unmarried days daydreaming about the perfect guy, say perhaps Edward. Then you get married and find your husband isn't anything like Edward and are very unhappy, because the person you thought he was doesn't even exist and the idea of a happy marriage and perfect husband you'd built comes crashing down.
That's why I don't want to fill my head with fake men (not saying I never read books with male characters in them, just that I don't fantasize over them and don't enjoy reading about Mr. Darcys and Edwards because they fill my mind with unrealistic expectations), not to mention making me discontent with the unmarried state I'm in now (which I'm really enjoying, actually, and finding it to be a wonderful season).
The idea of woman being created for the man and man being created for dominion comes from scripture, which never changes and never becomes 'out dated.' (Again, you won't agree with that, but just sayin'). Men and women are equal but have different roles, different callings, different duties - but that doesn't make one better or worse than the other. And I agree, that the husband can be there to help the wife just as much as she helps him - we all need help. The question is more of who's vision is the primary one, and scripture says it should be the man's, because marriage is ultimately a picture of Christ and the church, and Christ is the one who leads and the church the one who helps.
I'm not against husbands cooking breakfast for their wives and serving them. I know men who do that. But there's a difference between that and a stay-at-home dad, which I believe the bible speaks against because it says it's the man's job to provide for his family, and commends women who are keepers at home.
I don't mean weak in opinion (I know I can be VERY strong-willed and stubborn there) so much as that I'm a sinner and it's easy for me to sin and sinning isn't something I want to do and so I avoid romance novels because they stir up desires for love before it's time.
Nope, I don't think you sounded rude or threatening, don't worry! And it's so hard not to sometimes, especially when disagreeing! Thanks for keeping it gracious! :)
Reply:
Hi Kyleigh!
If you note, I didn't say scripture was outdated. I merely pointed out the fact that several "old-fashioned" customs now are. Point being that men and women are treated more as equals now, among several other things.
A stay-at-home dad can be providing for his family by taking care of the children, can't he? I find that to be a very noble position. If it works best for the woman to go to work, then I think that's wonderful. I don't think there should be gender stereotypes.
I don't believe an equal partnership between two people means the man's vision is the primary one. Both goals should be treated equally. I'm not going to marry someone who won't support me in my endeavours, and who won't treat them with the highest upmost importance. I plan to do the same for whoever comes into my life.
In regards to daydreaming about your perfect guy, if fantasy/romance novels are going to blur so many lines for you, then obviously you shouldn't read them. But I am very aware that Edward isn't real, and never will be. Who would actually want him to be? Daydreaming about your perfect guy for me means realizing your expectations. That way, when the perfect guy for you comes along, then you'll know it. And no, I didn't say someone who's "perfect." That person doesn't exist. We all make mistakes, we all make choices, and we all do what's best for ourselves. Esentially, perfect does not exist. But the perfect person for you does. And by that I mean someone who is just right for you. Obviously, a guy that makes you smile and laugh, who challenges you and respects you, and who understands you like no one else. There's your perfect guy. :D And it's not unrealistic to believe someone like him exists. Are your parents not exactly right for you? Could you imagine yourself with anyone else to call mom and dad? How about your siblings? Don't they bring out the best in you? They're all perfect in the way that they fit you.
I call "sins" mistakes. Or wrongdoings. I don't believe any of them can turn you away from God, except for things that are, deep down, so very wrong. (Murder being at the very top!!) People are not suppossed to be perfect. Realizing what you do wrong and fixing it is fantastic, but living in fear of the slightest thing setting you off track is going about it in the wrong way. How are desires considered wrong?? Are we as people not entitled to wanting things?
Once again, another too-long post. LOL! Thank you for taking the time to read my replies, and I hope you enjoy getting a different perspective from someone. :)
-Homey
One very quick, off-topic thing...
Murder is not, not, NOT the worst crime. In my opinion that would be rape. But I also think that people are creative enough to come up with progressively worse crimes, as well as progressively better ideas.
"I always wonder why birds stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth. Then I ask myself the same question." - Harun Yahya
Thu, 01/12/2012 - 14:50
In reply to One very quick, off-topic thing... by Bridget
Well...
It's certainly up there, is it not? LOL! (>.<) There are too many deep-deep-deep down wrong things to do to even name. But I think killing someone is just slightly worse than the other thing, though it's disgusting and horrible and I definitely think people need to go and STAY in jail for it.
Ok, I don’t have a lot
Ok, I don’t have a lot of time so this will be (hopefully) short.
There's a lot in there we don't agree on and that would take a really long time to take apart and comment on. Lots of presuppositions that feed our views, that if we don't come to an agreement on we'll always disagree... and those presuppositions (things like the ‘perfect person for you’ and equal partnership, to start with) would take a while to unearth and discuss - but we can if you're interested in doing it.
So for right now, I’ll just say a couple things:
One, if you're saying some customs of scripture are outdated, I don't see how that's different from scripture itself being outdated. The commands in scripture (such as a man providing for his family and a woman being a keeper at home) transcend culture, custom, and time, because God transcends all those. Roles in marriage also transcend culture and custom because they’re a picture of something greater.
As long as there is a physical difference between man and woman, there ARE going to be gender stereotypes. Just sayin'.
Second, I’m not afraid of going off track. There’s a difference between that and wanting to stay on track. You can want to please your parents to avoid punishment, or you can want to please them because you love them and will want to do what makes them happy. Also, if you’re aiming for a goal and get off track, it’ll take you longer to get there in the end. But I don’t agree sin is just ‘getting off track.’ Of course, if you define sin as 'off track' it's not going to bother you as much as something that takes your devotion from God, and something that’s treason against a Holy God.
But a lot of it right now boils down to the difference between fear of doing wrong and love of doing good.
… and that’s all I have time for.
Reply to Kyleigh:
Thank you for your offer, but I'm not really a person who would enjoy participating in a religious dicussion any longer than what we have. I'm sticking with my thoughts on religion and the gender stereotypes. :o)
Let's agree to disagree, shall we? LOL! We're both writers, homeschoolers...and those two things can certainly be shared and happily discussed upon. I'm always willing to get into big discussions regarding writing and homeschooling. :D That's where many of us seem to be like-minded. Yay! Haha!
So...maybe I'll start a new post to discuss homeschooling and whatnot. I realize that's off-topic, but we can always agree there, and if there are disagreements, they will be much smaller than what they are in religion.
Thank you for your posts!!
Am I late?
Hi,
I'm rather late in this conversation, though I have been watching it for a while now. What I agree with has already been said by HomescoolGirl and my points have already been discussed and tossed back and forth.
For one, I'd just like to say how this was a very interesting post and well writen ;-) I find the way you look at Twilight fascinating, you make fun of it, but your still madly in love with it ;-) LOL!
I have disagreed with Twilight for a long time, but now that I've read this post and debate (and don't say it's otherwise, because it's SO a debate :-D) I am very tempted to read it. I might hate it and torture myself to read the rest of the book, but I might also love it extremely, like I did Harry Potter (long story!).
I think the thing I most disagreed with was your link Kyleigh (absolutely revolting to me), I was angry and not only felt belittled, but felt the manliness of the writer. Wasn't it a man? I TOTALLY disagree! Lust, love and daydreaming about boys is natural. Why would an all loving "God" want you to feel bad about the feelings he created in you? Why should you be afraid of something that is unsurpressable? It's like saying that sneezing is illegal and you'll go to jail for it ("Hell"). Though I know this has been discussed before, I'm just mentioning this in my own words.
Women do cleaning and cooking and caring because of Instinct (and I think you were "trying" to say this in your lattest comment), but it is not only instinct that compels us to such things, it is "Love." I know it seems impossible, but it is really "love," not duty or social canons! IT'S L.O.V.E. And saying that it is not makes me frustrated. (Yes this has already been discussed but I am just saying!)
The way you see people Kyleigh is very interesting... we're not robots, we're not all the same. There are some men in the world who do want that dominating possition in his family and wants more respect than others (though this does not mean that the woman has to cower and let the man go live his dreams while she sits home rocking babies and wishing for a better life), than there are the men who could care less and want the dominating role in his family. My mother and father are perfect examples of my theory. My mother was always trying to get my father to be the dominating person in their relationship... but sometimes that doesn't work out, my father was more like "Yeah sure... what do you want honey?" instead of: "Oh yeah! Absolutely!". People are just different, they think and act and react differently to all the same things in life. Cars, homes, families. And I'm pretty sure that when you are in a relationship, being the person I think you are, you will be the dominating one ;-).
Which domination... oops, I mean "Denomination" are you, I have an idea, but I just want to know for sure. LOL!
So... I have placed my thoughts. Though they are exactly the ones already stated :-P.
Write on,
Kassady.
"Common people! if you can't laugh at yourselves, laugh and everybody else,"~ Tim Hawkins (comedian)
"Here's looking at you, Kid"
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Write On!
Great thoughts...
I just wanted to let you know, I agreed with everything you said! (but you already know that...) I'm going to step back and let other people respond to YOU now, instead of me. LOL! Thanks, Kass!! Love ya!! :)
-Homey
Kassady - While this is none
Kassady -
While this is none of my business, I think you were rather rude to Kyleigh just now. You said that you felt belittled by the link she posted, but what you just did was belittle her own opinion, and then state that you didn't believe she would feel the same when she got into a relationship of her own. Everybody has the right to their opinions, and even if you cannot STAND what somebody else believes, common courtesy dictates that you simply state your personal opinion and not attack them personally. Maybe you didn't mean it like that. I'm not trying to offend. That's simply the way I saw it.
"I always wonder why birds stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth. Then I ask myself the same question." - Harun Yahya
You know what, I hadn't even
You know what, I hadn't even seen Kassady's reply to me. :) Oops!
Kassady - the link was written by two sisters. I'll agree the feeling of attraction to someone IS natural. So is the desire for love. But it's what you DO with those feelings and desires that matters,
I totally agree; we're not robots and we're not all the same. Yet there are many ways we're all the same. ... and I really don't have the time nor desire to go into this further; it's a complicated issue and we don't agree on the foundations of it so I'm not going to bother with the surface. But I will say that I will not be the dominating one in a relationship someday. There's a difference between having strong opinions and leading.
Denomination... that's complicated. For one, I don't like the label of a denomination mostly because I don't fully agree with any, at least the stereotypes of them. But if I had to, I guess reformed baptist/evangelical, with a little different theology here and there.
I didn't feel in any way offended at all, and think perhaps it's time this discussion officially ended, for all our sanity. ;)
Replies:
Bridget,
I've been talking about this discussion with Kassady through emails, and the truth of the matter is she that was offended by the link Kyleigh posted. If anything, Kassady's reply was mostly directed toward the link and what it said. She knew that her post could be taken as offensive, but she took the risk and put it out there anyway. I'd say, "freedom of speech" and all of that, but it's already been said. :)
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Aredhel,
Thank you for your reply! I would not call Twilight a complicated peice of literature, but books are meant to be fun, aren't they? That's what Twilight is. On the contrary, Stephenie Meyer seems to write with the simplistic mind of a twelve year old. LOL! She uses the bigger words when she needs to, just as many authors do.
From the posts, you have already seen my thoughts on religion and such. :D We're liberal Quakers over here, with some conservative views mixed in. Luckily, our whole family agrees that there is no such thing as Hell, so it's nice to have someone to agree with you as well. :) The option to be a bad person that would deserve such a silly place doesn't exist for us. What we believe is being a good, helpful, moral, honest person.
This is what the more traditional (my mom think it's a good guide--it hung above her dinner table as she grew up) Quaker's believe. This is called the Quaker Dozen:
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1. Begin each day with Prayer.
2. Work hard.
3. Love Family.
4. Make light of trouble.
5. Follow the Golden Rule.
6. Read the Bible.
7. Show kindness.
8. Read worthwhile books. (we deem Twilight as extremely worthwhile, because it's a book about selfless love. We could all learn from it.)
9. Be clean and pure.
10. Have charity in your heart.
11. Be respectful of others.
12. End each day with Prayer.
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Thank you all for participating in this discussion! Like I've said, I've created a new entry on my page where we can discuss homeschooling, writing and whatnot. (Lighter topics than religion, considerably. LOL!) Here's the link:
http://apricotpie.com/homeschoolgirl/homeschooling-discussion
Thanks!!
-Homey :)
Here we go again . . .
not that I mind. In fact, I'm kind of excited about this.
Kassady and HomeschoolGirl: I don't think that lust is good. It is natural now, but it's not what God intended. I do believe that God created the feelings of affection that a woman can have for her husband. But after the Fall, after the first man, and woman sinned, our desires were twisted, and lust is a perversion of those feelings.
To quote Screwtape Letters by C.S Lewis ( written from the perpective of a devil interestingly enough)
'' All we can do is encourage humans to take pleasures at times, in ways, or in degrees which the Enemy has forbidden.'' (In the quote the Enemy is God.)
An aside I would like to mention is that I love C.S Lewis, and think his books are awesome! If you haven't read the chronicles of Narnia they're great.
In the Song of Solomon, which is a passionate love poem from the Bible, it says;
'' Daughters of Jersalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field
Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
I kind of see Kyleigh trying to guard her heart and not awaken that love.
One thing I would like mention is I can see how easy it would be to think of
Christians as people will a whole bunch of rules. But really this isn't the case. Christian love God and want to do their best to obey God's will, so that they can please him, and be a light for the rest of world. Likewise, the Bible is much more that just a set of rules; it's the story of God's beauty, his righteousness, his love, and grace. The Bible is just as relevant today as it ever was; it has the power to change hearts.
As far as Twilight goes besides the objections Kyleigh brought up, my personal questions would be, is it a well-crafted piece of literature or is there something more worth your time? My answer to the first question would be no. From what I read Bella feels like a Mary-Sue, and it seem like Stephenie Meyer is squeezing as many long adjectives into her paragraphs as possible. Now, for the record, I have a fairly good vocabulary, I just don't like authors sticking in long words for no apparent reason.
I understand that you're going to disagree with me, and that okay, but I felt the need to put in my two cents, so take it in the spirit that it was given. :)
Symbolism in literature.
I thought of some else I wanted to add! I believe that one of the powers of fantasy stories is symbolism, like in most fantasy stories I've read unicorns of are symbolic of purity, and snakes are symbolic of evil.
There's a reason why for me at least it's wrong for vampires to sparkle, or to come out in the sun at all; you're destroying the symbol.
By vampires not being able to come out into the sun physically, symbolically they are excluded from all that is bright and beautiful.
There's a reason why in the novel Dracula cruxifixes are used to ward off vampires; it's because the cruxifix is a symbol of God's power, and that novel is a good against evil novel that's meant to show that God's power is greater than any evil, no matter how great it seems.
Me Ending.
Hi!
I totally agree Bridget! I was very rude and I am sorry for belittling everyone... who I belittled. Homey was correct, I was very offended by the link, but I agree that I should have not struck out like I did, and what I said was mean spirited, I am very sorry!
After going to church today (The Spirtualist Church), my mind has been a lot more clear and focused. The sermon (sort of? More like preaching or... speech!) was really good, it was talking about let go of all the luguage you carry with you, one of bag was of everything in your past that people said about you, all the bad stuff ("Just the bad stuff... no we don't want the good stuck, nope! Just the bad stuff!") and all the things that you think about yourself. The second bag was of guilt ("Even the guilt of planning an outdoor party and then having it rain... how silly are we to feel like we can controle the weather huh?"), all the guilt, everything we might have been, done, seen, cared... everything. The third bag was a smaller, carry on bag, but it was still very heavy, it was pride ("Are pride says, ' oh we don't have problems, I've already went through all my baggage.. oh yeah! I did'...") and that was what made me think of this discussion... my pride has been striking out too much and hurting other people and I'm sorry... The last thing that she preached about was a baseball bat *laughs*, that she said "That I beat myself up with all the time, I beat myself up for my guilt, my past and my pride... I beat myself up all the time" and we beat ourselves up all the time! I'm doing it right now actually... I'm beating myself up for belittling other people and I'm truly, deeply, sorry!
Well, I might not know I people in right now... but there is one thing I do believe in more than anything! I believe in Love. Unconditional Love... because Love conquers all! It comes in all shapes and sizes and that's what it all boils down to... Love. Not fear, regret, worship, etc. It's just love!
Love you guys!
Peace out!
I'm ending her and now.
Share the love and believe in love.
Write on!
"Here's looking at you, Kid"
---
Write On!
'ello!
I've been writing my own essay on Twilight. I had it planned before you put this up, but I'd like to take your opinions into consideration. Would you mind if I used parts of your reviews in mine?
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief
No, I don't mind-
No, I don't mind. :) Thanks for asking, haha. Lemme know when you post it, 'cause I love Twilight essays.
-Homey :D
*salutes*
Will do, ma'am! :) Thank you. I should warn you I hold quite a different opinion, but I'm not going to mindlessly bash or anything like that.
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief
I never have read the
I never have read the Twilight books, so I don't have a very educated opinion about them. However, I have read snippets from the first book and to me, it seemed shallow and kind of ridiculous, so I didn't read it. I know that a lot of people really love them, and I've had some friends that started reading them, got really into it, and then stopped because after they thought about it, it was ridiculous, lol. So anyway, the point is that I thought you did a good job with the review, and in showing the good and not-so-good points of the book :)
"You were not meant to fit into a shallow box built by someone else." -J. Raymond