Popular Speculative Fiction

Before I knew the difference between religion and a relationship with God, I remember reading about a spark plug discovered within a piece of rock millions of years old. How cool is that? Proof that time travel will occur in the future! That's what I thought at the time anyway. That's right, I didn't question that the rock couldn't be millions of years old. I mean science said so—how could I question that?

And then there was the story about how Adam and Eve were really aliens from another planet sent to populate the earth. I didn't stop to consider that God's Word said he created Adam and Eve—because I never read the Bible at that time. Nor did I stop to question why they were populating the earth. For what purpose? But I can't help but think of the Twilight Zone where the aliens tricked the humans to come aboard their ship in the episode titled "To Serve Man". The humans were invited for dinner and the twist was they were the dinner.

These stories circulated back in the 70's, and the only reason I mention them is that they generated discussions among lost people. I was one of them. I can't help but stand back now and see how clever Satan can be mixing truth and error to help steer people in the wrong direction—just like he did with Eve in the Garden. For instance, the truth is someone found a spark plug inside a rock. The error is that the rock is millions of years old.

Yes, the enemy can be shrewd, but we can be too. In Matthew 10:16 we are reminded, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Speculative fiction is the perfect venue to turn the trick on Satan. Think about it—a story about a rock containing a spark plug—it could be used as an element in a story where the readers see into the spiritual realm. Good vs. evil in the fight for souls. Angelic forces place a spark plug within a rock and when it is discovered the eyes of a few are opened to understand the folly of evolution while others have faith enough to believe in time travel and pour their life's work into perusing knowledge to make it happen—and then the scientist who squanders his life in the pursuit of knowledge uses that knowledge near the end of the story to travel back in time which gives him enough time to accept God's grace before he steps over the threshold to the other side of eternity. Okay, so I like happy endings.

You see, Christian speculative fiction teeters on the edge of truth. As it teeters, the reader's focus follows and they move into a new realm of possibilities. In fact, I'd say there are millions of speculative fiction connoisseurs in the world today, but just like those humans in the Twilight Zone's To Serve Man most aren't aware of what's really going on. Popular non-Christian speculative fiction topics today include global warming, animal rights, disposable humanity for the cause of quality of life…and the household idol (TV) convinces us we are in control of our planet. What great fodder to be shrewd, gentle and creative!