Comments on: New Moon: Self as the Standard of Spiritual Truth, Love as the Ultimate Idol http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/ Catholic News, Catholic Articles, Catholic Apologetics, Catholic Content, Catholic Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: stutmann9 http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/comment-page-1/#comment-44251 stutmann9 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:29:16 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/#comment-44251 I have something to say to young people devoted to Twilight: Are you looking for the kind of love that Edward and Bella have? That breath-taking, "totally consumed with" kind of love that causes one to place themselves in danger for the sake of the beloved? You have that desire because GOD HIMSELF placed it in you! That is how you are created in HIS image and likeness, and the reason you have that desire is because there is only One person who can satisfy that kind of love in you; Jesus Christ, GOD made flesh,and the second person of the Most Holy Trinity who placed himself KNOWINGLY in grave danger and went TOWARDS death and actually experienced it, not for a creature who is already dead and damned for all eternity, but for YOU, that you should LIVE. HE is the Eternal GOD who is passionately in love with YOU, enough to die an unspeakable death on the cross that you should LIVE and NEVER die, and that you would live eternally WITH HIM in Heaven! Therefore, do not for an instant go without thanking Him for this great gift, and do not replace Love for HIM, which should be ABOVE all things, with love for a mere creature, but return His love for you with YOUR life LIVED for HIM! Get to know Jesus, the one who truly loves you to the death! He is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE!(John 14:6)Don't exchange the Truth for a lie! I have something to say to young people devoted to Twilight:

Are you looking for the kind of love that Edward and Bella have? That breath-taking, “totally consumed with” kind of love that causes one to place themselves in danger for the sake of the beloved? You have that desire because GOD HIMSELF placed it in you! That is how you are created in HIS image and likeness, and the reason you have that desire is because there is only One person who can satisfy that kind of love in you; Jesus Christ, GOD made flesh,and the second person of the Most Holy Trinity who placed himself KNOWINGLY in grave danger and went TOWARDS death and actually experienced it, not for a creature who is already dead and damned for all eternity, but for YOU, that you should LIVE. HE is the Eternal GOD who is passionately in love with YOU, enough to die an unspeakable death on the cross that you should LIVE and NEVER die, and that you would live eternally WITH HIM in Heaven! Therefore, do not for an instant go without thanking Him for this great gift, and do not replace Love for HIM, which should be ABOVE all things, with love for a mere creature, but return His love for you with YOUR life LIVED for HIM! Get to know Jesus, the one who truly loves you to the death! He is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE!(John 14:6)Don’t exchange the Truth for a lie!

]]> By: lauriefrancis1 http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/comment-page-1/#comment-44250 lauriefrancis1 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:27:58 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/#comment-44250 I really enjoyed your review. I am a mom of 2 tweens and I have read the books with my eldest. I was disappointed with the New Moon movie. It glosses over so much of the book. I love the Twilight series because I find that it is a catalyst to talk to young women, even some of us moms about realities and truths that would not be easily introduced into a run of the mill conversation. Unlike the author of the above review I have to say that the books lay a better foundation for Edward's having a soul than what the author of the article outlined. I repeat it over and over that Carlisle who is so little the focus of reviews is the corner stone of the whole story since he is the one who hopes for salvation for himself and his family, if they live a life based in self denial and service to humanity (especially Carlisle being a gifted doctor). Carlilse hopes in God's mercy, which I think is an excellent message to give people who are struggling to overcome the darker side of human instincts. While Bella is obsessed with Edward she also falls in love with a family, the Cullens as a whole, which is something sorely lacking in her previous experience. So her vunerability can be directly related back to the cycle of broken human notions of love as experienced through her parents in particular, along with a complete lack of spiritual foundation. Since vampires are fictional I think of the story as a tool for reflection rather than a moral dilemna. I may be wrong, but New Moon is the most emotionally painful of the novels, except for the struggle in Breaking Dawn when Bella risks her own life for the child she is carrying. I think the story makes its strongest statements when taken as a whole. By the end of Breaking Dawn the focus is on the Cullen family as a whole and the values that have bonded them together, values which cross lines of animosity with other fictional characters, the wolves of New Moon, and vampires that have not embraced the life of the Cullens but come out of friendship to "witness" for them. Vampires and werewolves aside there are lessons that we have forgotten to speak of with our tweens and even adults that can be approached almost through the back door if we take the time and make the effort not to be so judgemental because Stephenie Meyer used vampires as a literary tool. I really enjoyed your review. I am a mom of 2 tweens and I have read the books with my eldest. I was disappointed with the New Moon movie. It glosses over so much of the book. I love the Twilight series because I find that it is a catalyst to talk to young women, even some of us moms about realities and truths that would not be easily introduced into a run of the mill conversation.
Unlike the author of the above review I have to say that the books lay a better foundation for Edward’s having a soul than what the author of the article outlined. I repeat it over and over that Carlisle who is so little the focus of reviews is the corner stone of the whole story since he is the one who hopes for salvation for himself and his family, if they live a life based in self denial and service to humanity (especially Carlisle being a gifted doctor).
Carlilse hopes in God’s mercy, which I think is an excellent message to give people who are struggling to overcome the darker side of human instincts.
While Bella is obsessed with Edward she also falls in love with a family, the Cullens as a whole, which is something sorely lacking in her previous experience. So her vunerability can be directly related back to the cycle of broken human notions of love as experienced through her parents in particular, along with a complete lack of spiritual foundation.
Since vampires are fictional I think of the story as a tool for reflection rather than a moral dilemna. I may be wrong, but New Moon is the most emotionally painful of the novels, except for the struggle in Breaking Dawn when Bella risks her own life for the child she is carrying. I think the story makes its strongest statements when taken as a whole. By the end of Breaking Dawn the focus is on the Cullen family as a whole and the values that have bonded them together, values which cross lines of animosity with other fictional characters, the wolves of New Moon, and vampires that have not embraced the life of the Cullens but come out of friendship to “witness” for them.
Vampires and werewolves aside there are lessons that we have forgotten to speak of with our tweens and even adults that can be approached almost through the back door if we take the time and make the effort not to be so judgemental because Stephenie Meyer used vampires as a literary tool.

]]> By: PrairieHawk http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/comment-page-1/#comment-44249 PrairieHawk Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:40:05 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/#comment-44249 For some strange reason, real life never seems as compelling as fantasy, even destructive fantasy. A life of love, that is of self-gift, is a life full of adventure, passion, and wild desire, whatever your state in life. One of the mystics once said, "When you go into your room to pray, you must be prepared not to come out alive." Why doesn't prayer appeal to people as adventure when you stake yourself, body and soul, every time you pray and you never know what the outcome will be? I've always wondered why movies tend to feature evil characters, and more movies are not made about the lives of saints. The Church's heroes are heroes in full, who lived lives of hope, of daring, and of soaring joy. Once you've had a taste of it, you'll find there's just no substitute for the real thing that only God can provide. For some strange reason, real life never seems as compelling as fantasy, even destructive fantasy. A life of love, that is of self-gift, is a life full of adventure, passion, and wild desire, whatever your state in life. One of the mystics once said, “When you go into your room to pray, you must be prepared not to come out alive.” Why doesn’t prayer appeal to people as adventure when you stake yourself, body and soul, every time you pray and you never know what the outcome will be? I’ve always wondered why movies tend to feature evil characters, and more movies are not made about the lives of saints. The Church’s heroes are heroes in full, who lived lives of hope, of daring, and of soaring joy. Once you’ve had a taste of it, you’ll find there’s just no substitute for the real thing that only God can provide.

]]> By: stutmann9 http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/comment-page-1/#comment-44247 stutmann9 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:18:11 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/2009/11/27/124356/#comment-44247 I think today's kids are just too thrill-seeking and impatient to even consider what the church offers to them-the author of love and life itself! They seem to want the heart-pounding, adrenaline-driven feelings, and how sad that love should mean that to them, because then life will have to be all drama to them for it to mean anything. They will find the sacrifices of daily life extremely boring, and yet, that is what we must embrace as part of married life, that it's not always going to be exciting, and heart pounding. This is a perfect set-up for lifelong disappointment for our young people! Turn to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for the fulfillment of all your desires kids, and you will never be let down! Let yourselves be intoxicated with that kind of love and excitement for GOD, as all the Saints did! I think today’s kids are just too thrill-seeking and impatient to even consider what the church offers to them-the author of love and life itself! They seem to want the heart-pounding, adrenaline-driven feelings, and how sad that love should mean that to them, because then life will have to be all drama to them for it to mean anything. They will find the sacrifices of daily life extremely boring, and yet, that is what we must embrace as part of married life, that it’s not always going to be exciting, and heart pounding. This is a perfect set-up for lifelong disappointment for our young people! Turn to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for the fulfillment of all your desires kids, and you will never be let down! Let yourselves be intoxicated with that kind of love and excitement for GOD, as all the Saints did!

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