James 3:16 and The Diamond Lens

INTRODUCTION

The Diamond Lens by Fitz-James O’Brien is a science fiction cautionary tale we’ve read all too often. Selfish ambition at all costs leads the protagonist down a dark path until the very thing they were chasing after crumbles before their very eyes. Today, this could not be more true of many who lust after the things of this world instead of “seeking first the kingdom.”

Without further ado, let us jump right into the passage.

THE SCRIPTURE

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

This verse from James reeks of warning and it is truth at its finest. Here we are being warned not just of the evil inherit in selfishness and self-centered desire but also of the cost: disorder. This disorder can range from physical to deeply spiritual as we marr our souls with each sin we commit, mainly the result of indulging in the selfish pursuit of something impure. In the case of The Diamond Lens the protagonist seeks out a perfect microscope lens by which to examine the unknown reaches of the microscopic world. The story seems simple enough until O’Brien throws in a bit of the supernatural to spice things up. He consults a medium–a fraud by all other names–on the advice of one of his friends, Simon. There he learns he will find a rare and gigantic diamond whereby he will craft a lens that will help him see so deep into the microscopic world, where none have ventured before. The protagonist practically licks his lips in anticipation, but this is hardly the worst part.

JAMES 3: 16 in THE DIAMOND LENS

The story reaches its climax when the protagonist meets with Simon to discuss his meeting with the medium, discovering in the process that it is Simon who actually possesses the diamond he has been “promised” to find. The circumstances would almost seem ordained, had not Simon grown violently defensive of his treasure–no doubt a sign of his own greed and ambition to become filthy rich. In response, the protagonist goes as far as to devise Simon’s murder, making it look like an accident before stealing the diamond and making his lens. What he finds next after the lens is finished quickly becomes an obsession. While peering into a drop of water he encouters a nymph whom he falls in love with. He cannot speak or interact with her. He can only observe her through his microscope. Then, one fateful day he exames her once again only to find she has withered away and died. Destitute he lives the rest of his life in agony, and the story ends.

HOW THIS STORY APPLIES TO OUR LIVES

The lesson to be learned here is the price of selfish ambition that James warns us against. The cost is a disorder unlike any we can foresee. We build prisons and Hells for ourselves the moment we give into our lusts and follow them through over and over again. Murder is no joke in The Diamond Lens but the greater tragedy is how quickly the protagonists ambition comes back to burn him. There’s a reason why Yeshua tells us to build up our treasure trove in heaven, and why the Bible teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God. We are guaranteed peace and joy everlasting when we follow that path rather than the latter.

As always, let’s close in prayer.

PRAYER

ACTS

Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication

Abba, how grateful are we for your Son. How wonderful that we now have the truth to ward us away from darkness and lies. You teach us what is important in our lives and what we must pursue to truly find the peace we need. We confess that we have given in to our own selfish urges ask for you to forgive us, receiving the forgiveness you promise when we confess our sins with a grieved and sincere heart. Thank you Holy Spirit for convicting our hearts and reminding us of who we are in Jesus; for stirring us to come before the lord in confession. Jesus in all we say and do help us to seek first your kingdom, setting aside all personal and selfish ambitions, that we may continue to be your hands and feet as we pursue your face each day. Amen.

Matthew 10:39 and Mr. Valdemar

INTRODUCTION

Yes, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be science fiction, and if you don’t believe it, pick up a copy of Classic Science Fiction published by Word Cloud Classics and you will find it there. Welcome back to Faith and Science Fiction, and on this Sabbath day we explore Matthew 10:39 and Poe’s grizzly science fiction tale of mesmerism and death.

What does death mean to you? Are you scared of death? What do you believe happens after your body dies and you take your last breath? Pretty heavy stuff for a holy day, but if we truly know Jesus we know he is all about asking tough questions and provides some pretty complex answers. How much so when it came to the topic of death. Jesus made it clear that anyone who believed in him with their whole heart and would count on him as their personal savior and lord would experience everlasting life, but how suecure are we today in these truths amidst COVID-19? Do we value our spiritual lives more than our physical? How many people would be okay with the prospect of dying right now?

These questions are at the heart of our exploration of Faith and Science Fiction when exploring The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. A story, brimming with death and oozing with the fear of what comes next. The story begins with a hpynotist embarking on a grand new experiment to mesmerize a subject (M. Valdemar) at the moment of death to see what would happen. The day finally arrives with M. Valdemar insisting they perform the proceedure immediately, as he has put it off long enough. What ensues is that M. Valdemar enters into a trance just as he dies and is preserved in a semi vegitative state for seven months. During this period M. Valdemar speaks with an otherworldy voice, going on and on about how he is dying, dead, and finally begs to be awakened or put to sleep indefinitely. The visibly shaken hypnotist obliges only to be rewarded with one of the most grusome scenes in literature. M. Valdemar’s body literally corrodes, leaving behind a disgusting, putrid mess.

THE WORD AT PLAY IN THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF M. VALDEMAR

Okay, so this is a really graphic description of death and dying for a Sunday, but this blogger promises there is a point to all this when looking at Matthew 10:39. The focus isn’t so much on the hypnotists pseudoscientific exploration of death and mesmerism. Rather, the focus is on M. Valdemar’s intense fear of his own death. Let’s dive into some scripture.

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.“

When this blogger first read these words as a relatively knew believer they had to admit that they were being challenged by them. Of course, the passage has a lot more to say about clinging to one’s life (money, possessions), but the most jarring is clinging to “life” itself in a worldly sense. In this verse Jesus is hitting us with some hard truths, warning that if the disciples literally “hung” onto their lives in a wordly sense all they would get is death. But, if they chose to relinquish their hold on their myopic view of life and cling to him, they would discover true life, spiritual life and live forever.

HOW DOES THIS STORY AFFECTS OUR LIVES

Despite being kept alive by the experimental hypnotism, M. Valdemar cries out several times that he is dying. He has clung to his life and just as Jesus promised he lost it. Are we like M. Valdemar? As Christians, we are given the promise of eternal life in Jesus, but how many of us truly believe this? Are we being asked to throw our lives away? Jesus asks us to give up our lives for him, in mission, in love, in the service of others. Jesus asks us to represent our faith and our beliefs to the nations even under threat of death, as Paul and the early church founders did.

TAKEAWAY MESSAGE

Even today, Christians in some parts of the world are literally threatened with death because of their beliefs. Do we perhaps take for granted the coziness of our own lives that if we were faced with death in the form of COVID-19 in we begin to question the fundamental tenets of our faith? All hard questions, but Jesus has the answer. Trust in him. Trust in his truths and his promises. Our Father in heaven never lies, never fails and is always our refuge. If the fear of death is on your mind, especially during this terrible COVID-19 season when so many are dying, this prayer is for you.

PRAYER

Heavenly father, we adore you. You sent us your son, Jesus to be our way back to you. In him we will live forever. What a wonderful and glorious savior. We confess that in many ways we have clung to our lives, holding fast to our worldy fears instead of leaning and trusting in your promises. We beg your forgiveness, Abba! How thankful we are that you are a faithful and loving God, always ready to help in times of trouble. You preseve a place for us in your kingdom, one in which we will live in forever with you. Holy Spirit, help us to never forget the truths of our faith. To never relinquish our hold on Jesus, and to cling always to him. Let not the enemy lead us into fear with his lies, but maintain us with your indescribable love. Amen.

Ephesians 6: 4 and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

INTRODUCTION.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. What does this 1818 Gothic novel, and proto-science fiction book have to say about Ephesians and God? Intentionally, nothing at all, and it is this blogger’s opinion that much of science fiction has little intention to discuss the bible in a constructive way. Still, even the most obscure writings can point to God and truths from the bible, even if the goal of the text is to belittle Jesus. As such, this and other posts concerning science fiction stories and the bible will avoid discussing the author’s intention (even if that author is C.S. Lewis) and focus on pulling out concepts present in the texts themselves that point towards passages in the Old or New Testaments.

Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus is a story often associated with the dangers of playing God, scientific malpractice, or taking scientific exploration and experiementation too far. This post will focus on a key scripture, Ephesians 6:4, and discuss it’s relevance in Shelley’s novel.

So who is Frakenstein? He isn’t the monster, if that is what you are thinking. Rather, he is the scientist who cobbles together various body parts of cadavers to form a man (in his image) and bring him to life. The story and subsequent films go something like this: mad scientist brings a corpse back to life with electricity and, in turn, becomes God… well done. Except, it isn’t the beautiful human specimen Frakenstein expects, but an undead monster he shuns. Throughout the course of the novel, films, and graphic novels, the monster stalks Frankenstein and murders everyone he ever cared for, including his lovely fiancée Elisabeth.

THE WORD AT PLAY IN FRANKENSTEIN

Where then, does Ephesians 6:4 come into play? Let’s look at what the word of God says:

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”

Solid advice from Paul, especially coming after a verse that reiterates the importance of obeying your parents. The significance of Ephesians 6:4 was to encourage parents not to mistreat their children; love is a two way street, and children deserve to be nurtured and cared for, (See Matthew 18:6).

You see, a lot of people who hear about Frankenstein today think of the 1930’s film version, where the monster gets the brain of a psychopath and goes berserk (even killing a little girl by drowning her). This iteration isn’t exactly what Shelley gives us on the page. The monster, or rather, “creature” is more like a gentle giant, a child who is cast out by their parents to live alone in a harsh and cruel society that spurns them (the creature is actually chased out of town and beaten for his appearance). The monster runs to the shelter of a forest and encounters a family in the woods, deciding to live in their pigstye (unbeknownst to them). There he would watch the family through a crack in the wood of the house. There he learns english, how to read, and determines to become a part of the family. Spoiler alert, he doesnt. They attack him and abandon their home, to which in anger the monster burns their shack to the ground.

HOW DOES THIS STORY AFFECT OUR LIVES

What is important about this part of the story is the stories he reads while camping out in the pigstye. After reading Paradise Lost he starts to compare himself to Satan, rejected by his father (Frankenstein), and God. It is at this point in time that the monster goes on a rampage. He systematically hunts down Frankenstein and kills his family. So what is the lesson to be drawn from this story if we look at Ephesians 6:4? Is the monster right? Should Frakenstein have been a little nicer, a little more “fatherly”?

Better yet, are there sons and daugthers reading this post who feel like monsters their parents have rejected or abused? This blogger did, once. Their father rejected them due to an ugly divorce. Sides were taken, things were said, and families were broken apart. Throughout it all Ephesians 6:4 stood to convict their father, and for a time this blogger used that bible verse as a racket to beat down and condem their father for years. But if Frakenstein teaches anything, is that justice and peace never come to pass when condemnation reigns.

THE MESSAGE TO TAKE AWAY

The novel ends with both Frankenstein and the creature dead. No peace is found. Lost sons and lost fathers stand to be convicted by Ephsians 6, and if a believer opens their heart to the holy spirt their is a huge message not to be missed: Forgiveness. In the end, parents screw up! Kids will mess up too. You see, sympthizing with the monster is what we all tend to do, especially if we feel rejected by those we love (not just our fathers). This mentality of being wronged and doing wrong in turn is what makes the monster a “monster” in the end. When we get caught up in that type of thinking we become destructive, not just to ourselves, but to others. How quickly have people burned bridges in an effort to “get even”? This does absolutely nothing for anyone and only makes matters worse. What’s more, it hurts our relationship with God. Staying mad, holding a grudge, and hating someone is akin to murder in the Lord’s eyes, and will stand to condemn us in our time alone with God. As a result, we will pull away from God and wallow in our own misery. Thankfully, unlike Shelley’s monster who’s story is written, we get a choice to forgive or forgoe forgiveness. Choose forgiveness. That is what Jesus would want for our lives. Remember, you have a parent in God who formed you in your mothers womb. Let him heal those wounds if you’re dealing with them today.

PRAYER

If you are struggling with this type of rejection ask God in prayer to speak to this issue in your life. Invite him in and let him heal you. He is your heavenly father and he loves you more than any bilogical parent ever could. This prayer is for you, and I hope it helps give you encouragement.

ACTS. Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Suplication.

Father God, I adore you. Your wonderful name endures in my life. You never gave up on me, and you‘re always guiding me towards better things. I confess I hold bitter feelings in my heart for those who rejected me, whether they be parents, friends or lovers. Forgive me father, for this is not who I am in Jesus. How thankful I am that I am your child. That in Jesus I am adopted into your family. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and for all the blessings I sometimes tend to miss in my life. Father, may your unfailing love be sufficient for my life, stirring me through the holy spirit to forgive those who may have wronged me in my life. And in doing do, if it be your will, find peace and reconciliation with them. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.