http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2009/05/12/sense-of-wonder-more-bashing-christian-horror/

What I look for and value most in supernatural horror is an intensity of experience that can draw a viewer or reader that much nearer to what William James evocatively calls the “radiant core” of life. In VARIETIES OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE, where he introduces that phrase, he discusses mysticism and intoxication as pathways to such a heightened state of feeling and perception. Sissela Bok, in MAYHEM, reads other texts of his as suggesting that violence is another such pathway, and I’d argue sexuality counts as one, too.

That’s why I think sex and violence are important to horror–not because they’re “cool” or “transgressive” (by the way, if you think I’m a fan of “torture porn,” I’m not), but because they’re such old, basic, and therefore powerful (when exploited properly) feelings, experiences, and heighteners of experience, all of which could also be said of fear in general and specifically the kind of response to the supernatural (whether real or imagined) that Otto discusses at such length in IDEA OF THE HOLY. Yes, sex and violence are often applied sloppily and gratuitously in horror, but when they’re tapped and channeled properly by a talented creator for a receptive audience, they can give the experience of the horror a vastly greater whallop.

Of course I don’t think every horror creator has to resort to them every time, but I think any horror creator could benefit from being open to using them and developing an intuitive sense and talent for when and how to do that for maximum effect. Also, I suspect that creators who simply rule them out in advance may be closing themselves off and limiting themselves in other ways, more than they realize.

And that brings us to the question of “rules and regulations.” “Rules and regulations” is probably not the best way to put it–we’d probably do better to talk about this in terms of attitudes of openness or resistance/hostility, comfort levels, social pressure, values, etc. If you can show me a Christian creator who seems truly open and comfortable ratcheting the intensity of his supernatural horror up to a level that will feel literally Satanic to his fellow believers, and who seems truly open and comfortable using sexuality and violence toward that end, I’d be very interested in having a look at that. I can show you examples that go the other way. Fear and Trembling claims, “You’re at the only site dedicated to publishing original and Christian-friendly horror on the web (as far as we know),” and its submission guidelines include the following: “While our stories may be frightening and may include harrowing scenes, stories we present to our readers will not offend traditional Christian values. Under no circumstances will we consider works that include R-rated language, disturbing violence, or graphic sexuality.” Similarly, Joshua Ellis of christian-fandom.org is quoted as saying, “Christian horror is ‘safe’ horror. If a book or DVD is going to be sold in a Christian retail outlet, it will generally follow a set of guidelines: no foul language or explicit sex; violence is implied, not shown; there is usually some sort of redemption story; and there is always an explicit gospel message.” While I’m sure they don’t speak for all Christian horror creators or fans, they kind of function that way by default if nobody else steps up to be an example of an alternative approach or viewpoint.

Again, just to underline this point–I’m not saying horror has to be “cool” by breaking Christianity’s “rules”; I’m saying horror has some potent tools available to it that Christian culture doesn’t seem very comfortable with or open to exploiting.

As for my “weird comment,” I tried to indicate with the smiley face that it was a joke meant to interject a touch of lightness into the discussion, but I guess I failed in that regard.

John–far be it from me to tell you how to run your site, but was putting on your “admin” identity, referring to me as “Those who . . .”, and threatening me with comment deletion really the best way to address your concern?

Which Christians? It would seem to me that one of the greatest arguments against Christianity being a set of moral rules and regulations is that Christians can’t even agree on what they are or how important they are. And perhaps I read you wrong, but it seemed to me that horror’s necessary transgression of the presumed rules and regulations of Christianity (or any rules and regulations… except, I guess, those that constitute horror) was a key point of your argument.

“On that note, I’d add that if you want to impress me with how free from rules you are by cussing, you only get points for that if you actually spell it out.”

I wasn’t trying to impress you and, honestly, that’s kind of a weird comment to make.

“I don’t think evangelicals find their range of horror mostly limited to “prayer fighting invisible spirits” because they’re “Neo-Platonic Gnostic-types,” but because they’re trying to depict the supernatural “realistically” according to their beliefs, and vampires aren’t realistic, even on the Sacramental view you describe.”

Then your problem, it seems to me, would be with realism in horror, not Christianity. I would agree on those grounds that there’s a problem, but only because I don’t find realism and horror compatible. To me, the parade of body issues that has flooded into horror film after metaphysics were kicked out isn’t really horror… it’s just a cynical elaboration on the evening news. That’s probably why I don’t like it either. If I want stories like that to curl my toes, I’ll just talk to my dad about what it was like being a German refugee during WWII.

Where it could gain weight as real horror is if it grappled with the theodical question of why that happens. Right in the pit of your soul is where horror – awful, sublime, existential HORROR – hits you… If we were going to get into definitions of horror, I would probably say that you, Curt, only touched on superficial characteristics of particular kinds. Horror has to be sexy and violent and cool, and Christianity is none of the above, and therefore Christian horror belongs in quotes. Maybe that’s why torture porn is popular with teenagers and modern Christianity isn’t? Or why Karloff and Lugosi films from the 30′s aren’t either?

For horror to be anything more than a visceral titillation at adolescent body issues requires metaphysical reflection. Frankenstein stitches a guy together out of cadavers and reanimates it… so what? Why are all those old white men getting so bent out of shape over Mina’s soul? Why is Larry being so damn whiney all the time? I mentioned PI, which freaked me out because of how it dealt with the question of whether or not metaphysical contemplation itself leads to insanity. The added black and white was a bonus.

The Bible has it in spades (as well as sex and violence and general cool) and it would be fertile ground for any Christian author or filmmaker. I will admit that you have me on any Christian artists I can mention because I don’t go out of my way to consume Christian media. But I would certainly be interested in someone who used the genre to wonder at the question of what it means to fear God without watering it down into platitudinous responses like “it doesn’t mean being afraid of God” or “that’s dumb and therefore there is no God”. As it stands, I’m just a Christian who loves me the bats and cobwebs and is working on a novel that involves a surprising amount of cannibalism.