I write fiction.  Especially the fantasy type.  I try to make it as real and logical as possible, even for systems of magic and other worlds.  There are many then that claim Christianity is no less fantasy.  So considering the effort that I put into creating these stories, what convinces me that those things in the Bible I believe in are not just stories as well?  Why dont they rank up there with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, dragons and elves?

            Also, how do I portray this to others so that they are steered towards the faith I hold dear, rather than being distracted by all the magic and fantastic creatures within a story?  Obviously, I cannot ultimately force a persons interpretation or final extraction from a story.  That is their choice, and on that I can only pray that the Holy Spirit will do its work as it always has, independent of human failings.

            Ayn Rand has successfully portrayed her beliefs and worldview through the vehicle of prose.  If you have ever read any of her work, youve seen how powerful and compelling her stories are.  Her characters represent the ultimate human achievement, strength, intelligence, self-reliance.  She has affected millions by creating the Objectivist worldview, and she is hailed by many as a proponent of modern thinking and philosophy. 

So in creating my stories, I need to focus on the fact  that what I do is a manifestation of gifts God has given me, rather than a substitute or true alternative to the faith I have lived with so far.  It is an extension, rather than a replacement.

What themes then, might I strive for in the fiction?  What do I want people to be able to come away with after reading a story, more than just the plot twists and clever (or not so much) descriptions?

Hope is a big one for me.   I see so much hopelessness in the world today, that if people can be imbued with a desire to continue fighting, to believe that there is something beyond the evils we struggle against in whatever form, then despair will never win.

Freedom in truth is huge.  I have, by virtue of being a rather bad and habitual liar as a child, come to recognize the value of trust, integrity and so on.  Trust and honesty are foundational aspects of relationships, love, courage and freedom.  Truth truly sets us free, not only from the shackles of deception, but also free from self-constraint, from the lies we make ourselves believe about ourselves, such as our worth, our faults, our inadequacy and so on. 

In pursuit of that one theme, which I see time and again in the stories Ive written so far, I have villains who tell truth up to the 99 percentile, and then imbue it with 1% of poisonous deceit, which destroys the value of what they do and what they inflict on others entirely.  Lies are never worth telling, because they only further the trouble when they are uncovered. 

So, hope, truth.  Love.  Not only in what others consider the smarmy, chick-lit or those romance novels where youve got impossibly muscled men who somehow look good in pink satin on the front covers.  Love between friends, love and sacrifice, even for ones enemies.  Love that uplifts and anchors one in life.  Love gives us purpose and joy.  It makes us weep and hurt because if we love those who are suffering, we want to do all we can to remove the pain and cause of it. 

The characters are not demi-gods, nor are they perfect in any way.  They each have weaknesses, just as any of us have weaknesses.  They are flawed as we are, and they stumble and struggle with one another despite their best intentions.  There are many more I could address, but these three themes are broad enough that they can be found and imbued within any story, however fantasaical or unrealistic it might be. 

Not only atheistic writers such as Ayn Rand used this method, but realize even Jesus himself used fiction to present truths in a more approachable and applicable manner.  In the way of parables and stories from his own time and culture, Jesus appealed to peoples love of a good, compelling story.  He used all the methods any good storyteller should.  Protagonists, antagonists, conflict, tension, suspense, climax and resolution. 

I recognize and believe that all truth ultimately comes from God, and no amount of twisting or distortion will change the foundation of that.  Keeping the perspective of what is real and eternal allows us to approach the fictional entertainment without getting sucked into the half-truths, or entire fallacies it is laced with.  We become more secure and shrewd in picking out what should affect our lives and what we should cast aside.

My faith then, comes in believing that moral values, portrayed through fiction, can make a difference in a reader.  Perhaps it might plant a seed that is watered through life and flowers later on.  Or perhaps it provides an alternate view of life that a reader never considered or accepted until they go through the story and come out wishing they could experience that manner of hope, freedom or love in their lives. 

I can pray, and I can write.