| USING FICTION AS A WEAPON IN THE CULTURE WAR |
Former US Navy JAG Officer and Author
DON BROWN
SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL SEMINARY
WRITER'S CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 22, 2007
LECTURE OUTLINE
WWW.DONBROWNBOOKS.COM
DON BROWN
SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL SEMINARY
WRITER'S CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 22, 2007
LECTURE OUTLINE
WWW.DONBROWNBOOKS.COM
Using Fiction as a Weapon in the Culture War
By Don Brown
Author
Treason, Hostage, Defiance, Black Sea Affair
www.donbrownbooks.com
Fiction
What is it?
Fiction – A powerful weapon… but an overlooked, and rarely deployed
weapon in the modern culture, at least rarely deployed
Fiction is one of the most powerful tools, yet one of the most
overlooked tools in the arsenal of those embracing the philosophy
known as “Biblical World View” [hereinafter BWV]or for those seeking to
preserve a Judeo-Christian heritage in the United States of America.
Why? Many embrace attitude, its fiction so it’s not real. Wrong. We
underestimate its effect and power on the culture.
There’s been a subliminal attitude by many of us, and it’s an attitude
that embraced until about ten years ago, that “we don’t have time to
read or write fiction, because fiction isn’t true, and nonfiction is.”
But is truth found in these works of nonfiction?
It Takes A Village, by Hillary R. Clinton.
Mien Kamph, by Adolph Hitler
The New York Times
As BWV thinkers seeking cultural change, we must change the
paradigm of our thinking and understand that fiction vs. non-fiction is
absolutely not a question of truth versus that which made up, and
therefore fiction should be secondary.
And as BWV thinkers, we must understand the awesome power of
fiction as an agent for cultural change.
Real issue is whether the work, either directly or subliminally, espouses
Biblical truth.
As an agent of cultural change…. An argument can be made that fiction
that over the long haul is a more powerful element of cultural change
that nonfiction. This statement does not pit fiction against the
scriptures, which are the ultimate agent of change, but rather against
nonfiction categories of books that you may find at your local Barnes &
Noble.
BWW proponents Lost or Losing Culture War because largely ceded its
use to the opposition in three areas of the arts where story …
particularly fiction … in the principle median of entertainment.
1. Movies
2. Television
3. Novels
Fiction … What is it?
Define “Fiction” by Comparison and Contrast
Fiction is one of two categories of something called “Story”
What is Story? – Recanting of events, either (1) orally or (2) by
written word.
Within Story, two broad categories
1. Fiction
2. Nonfiction
Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Notice it isn’t Fact vs. Fiction, but rather Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Note that the lines oftentimes get blurred.
Nonfiction …. (a) A good-faith effort to use story to recount an event or
a series of events as that even or those events actually occurred (b) a
good-faith effort to teach, encourage, exhort, or explain religious,
academic, or philosophical precepts based upon time-honored
principles that are generally held to be uncontroverted and that may be
based upon events that actually occurred.
Examples
Truman, David McCullough [biography]
Purpose Filled Life Rick Warren [Zondervan Publishers]
The New York Times ?
CBS News? …. Here’s Katie Couric with our “story.”
Fiction … Using Story to recount events which may or may not have
actually happened, but where the occurrence, or non occurrence of
such events, pales in significance to a different purpose or a higher
purpose
Examples of Fiction Affecting Cultural Change …
Whether for Better or Worse Depends on Your Philosophical
Framework
For Better ….
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe
[Schools of thought flow that influence politicians in the
culture]
One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Atonement Child, by Francine Rivers
For Worse …
Heather Has Two Mommies, by Leslea Newman
Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
Why create such a storm if just fiction?
Because whether we overtly recognize it or not. we implicitly realize the
power of fiction, and the potential for blurring the lines.
Supreme Example of Story to Affect Culture
The Biblical Parable
Biblical Inerrancy – Scripture Totally True
Chronological account and factual account literally true.
World Created 7 days literally
Miracles literally happened … parting Red Sea, Resurrection
of Christ
Some portions of scripture not meant to be a chronological recitation of
events, but rather to paint with powerful imagery and teach universal
truth.
Song of Songs
Parables of Jesus….
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Parable
(Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to the Heb.
mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used to denote (1) a
proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2) a prophetic utterance
(Num. 23:7; Ezek. 20:49), (3) an enigmatic saying (Ps. 78:2; Prov. 1:6).
In the New Testament, (1) a proverb (Mark 7:17; Luke 4:23), (2) a
typical emblem (Heb. 9:9; 11:19), (3) a similitude or allegory (Matt. 15:
15; 24:32; Mark 3:23; Luke 5:36; 14:7); (4) ordinarily, in a more
restricted sense, a comparison of earthly with heavenly things, "an
earthly story with a heavenly meaning," as in the parables of our Lord.
Instruction by parables has been in use from the earliest times. A large
portion of our Lord's public teaching consisted of parables. He himself
explains his reasons for this in his answer to the inquiry of the disciples,
"Why speakest thou to them in parables?" (Matt. 13:13-15; Mark 4:11,
12; Luke 8:9, 10). He followed in so doing the rule of the divine
procedures, as recorded in Matt. 13:13. The parables uttered by our
Lord are all recorded in the synoptical (i.e., the first three) Gospels.
The fourth Gospel contains no parable properly so called, although the
illustration of the good shepherd (John 10:1-16) has all the essential
features of a parable. (See List of Parables in Appendix.)
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Parable of Prodigal Son …. Lk. 15:11-32
Pharisee and Tax collector Lk. 18:10-14
Question … did Jesus have a specific person in mind when he told
this story?
Scripture doesn’t say. A number of prominent conservative biblical
scholars who embrace inerrancy of scripture think not.
Question … even if Jesus didn’t have a specific person in mind, when
he told this story, does the story contain universal truth?
Significance of Multiple Use of Parable in Scripture
Gene Veith … Professor at Patrick Henry College … Reading Between
the Lines. Writes on parable pretty sure takes position that some
parables are fiction not always dealing with real people in real
situations. and most are framed to help us understand… but teaching
universal principle. Note – couldn’t get hold of a copy of this before
completion of outline. Go read book.
Rev. Timothy Worrell, Pastor, Presbyterian Reformed Church of
Charlotte; Rev. Jeffrey Lettow, Pastor First Baptist Church Lemon
Grove California, both conservative theologians, espouse this position.
The Master, who created us, understands a human desire and
yearning for story, and understands better than anyone the power of
story to convey universal truths. That’s why he did this at least fifty
times in the gospels! Why? To convey truth.
Parable, a sublime form of story, is used by the Master to convey truth.
Effective Fiction
How so?
What makes Fiction Effective?
AT BASE LEVEL
At its base level, effective fiction must do three things. First, it must
entertain. Second, effective fiction must entertain. Third, it must
entertain.
Fiction must Entertain… at the base level, the novelist, I have an implicit
contract with someone purchasing one of my books that they will be
entertained. Novels are purchased for his. Movie tickets bought for this
reason. NFL tickets, opera tickets. The writer must understand that the
reader or viewer wants to escape into a world beyond the four walls of
his/her living room.
Entertain …
Entertain
And Entertain
What is the key ingredient for entertainment?
TENSION!!!
Effective fiction will have alternating patterns of tension and resolution,
repeated, throughout. Effective scenes will offer up tension and
resolution. Scene by scene, chapter by chapter, if a storyline contains
tension, it will entertain?
What is tension? In a word, simply this. Tension is Conflict!
TENSION = CONFLICT!!!
FOR CONFLICT, we must pit something against something, or
someone against someone, or someone against something.
Boys like champion wrestling – Why are boys drawn to it? Bautista vs.
Mark Henry vs. the Great Khali
Anything wrong with entertainment?
Entertainment is like the internet … for some people, it is the internet
…Nothing wrong with it, if in proper context.
Absolutely not, if it leads to the sublime as opposed to the gutter. It’s
like the internet. A means to a higher or different purpose.
The stories of Jesus, that is the parables, were entertaining. So
entertaining, in fact, that he drew huge crowds. On one occasion, he
has to feed 4000. On another occasion, he fed 5000.
BEYOND THE BASE LEVEL – EFFECTIVE FICTION SHOULD
EDUCATE –
Historical Fiction best way of learning history
Gods & Generals, Killer Angels
The Corps, Ruska, Lincoln by Safire
Contemporary Fiction can also educate …
Sample chapters 4 and 5 from Treason
SUBLIME PURPOSE –
Effective World View Fiction Should Embrace a Biblical Concept of
Truth … What would a believer do in this situation?
Ways You Can Use Fiction as a Weapon ….
Write it ….
Novel
Short story
Writers Conference...
Read It…
Most powerful educational tool good historical fiction
Safire’s Lincoln
The Corps by WEB Griffin
Promote It.
Understand and buy into this concept that story and particularly fiction,
is an agent of cultural change.
Get involved at local level school boards... insure that fiction that will
educate is included in local curriculum.
Start or Get involved with book clubs that review and discuss these
books.
By Don Brown
Author
Treason, Hostage, Defiance, Black Sea Affair
www.donbrownbooks.com
Fiction
What is it?
Fiction – A powerful weapon… but an overlooked, and rarely deployed
weapon in the modern culture, at least rarely deployed
Fiction is one of the most powerful tools, yet one of the most
overlooked tools in the arsenal of those embracing the philosophy
known as “Biblical World View” [hereinafter BWV]or for those seeking to
preserve a Judeo-Christian heritage in the United States of America.
Why? Many embrace attitude, its fiction so it’s not real. Wrong. We
underestimate its effect and power on the culture.
There’s been a subliminal attitude by many of us, and it’s an attitude
that embraced until about ten years ago, that “we don’t have time to
read or write fiction, because fiction isn’t true, and nonfiction is.”
But is truth found in these works of nonfiction?
It Takes A Village, by Hillary R. Clinton.
Mien Kamph, by Adolph Hitler
The New York Times
As BWV thinkers seeking cultural change, we must change the
paradigm of our thinking and understand that fiction vs. non-fiction is
absolutely not a question of truth versus that which made up, and
therefore fiction should be secondary.
And as BWV thinkers, we must understand the awesome power of
fiction as an agent for cultural change.
Real issue is whether the work, either directly or subliminally, espouses
Biblical truth.
As an agent of cultural change…. An argument can be made that fiction
that over the long haul is a more powerful element of cultural change
that nonfiction. This statement does not pit fiction against the
scriptures, which are the ultimate agent of change, but rather against
nonfiction categories of books that you may find at your local Barnes &
Noble.
BWW proponents Lost or Losing Culture War because largely ceded its
use to the opposition in three areas of the arts where story …
particularly fiction … in the principle median of entertainment.
1. Movies
2. Television
3. Novels
Fiction … What is it?
Define “Fiction” by Comparison and Contrast
Fiction is one of two categories of something called “Story”
What is Story? – Recanting of events, either (1) orally or (2) by
written word.
Within Story, two broad categories
1. Fiction
2. Nonfiction
Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Notice it isn’t Fact vs. Fiction, but rather Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Note that the lines oftentimes get blurred.
Nonfiction …. (a) A good-faith effort to use story to recount an event or
a series of events as that even or those events actually occurred (b) a
good-faith effort to teach, encourage, exhort, or explain religious,
academic, or philosophical precepts based upon time-honored
principles that are generally held to be uncontroverted and that may be
based upon events that actually occurred.
Examples
Truman, David McCullough [biography]
Purpose Filled Life Rick Warren [Zondervan Publishers]
The New York Times ?
CBS News? …. Here’s Katie Couric with our “story.”
Fiction … Using Story to recount events which may or may not have
actually happened, but where the occurrence, or non occurrence of
such events, pales in significance to a different purpose or a higher
purpose
Examples of Fiction Affecting Cultural Change …
Whether for Better or Worse Depends on Your Philosophical
Framework
For Better ….
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe
[Schools of thought flow that influence politicians in the
culture]
One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Atonement Child, by Francine Rivers
For Worse …
Heather Has Two Mommies, by Leslea Newman
Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
Why create such a storm if just fiction?
Because whether we overtly recognize it or not. we implicitly realize the
power of fiction, and the potential for blurring the lines.
Supreme Example of Story to Affect Culture
The Biblical Parable
Biblical Inerrancy – Scripture Totally True
Chronological account and factual account literally true.
World Created 7 days literally
Miracles literally happened … parting Red Sea, Resurrection
of Christ
Some portions of scripture not meant to be a chronological recitation of
events, but rather to paint with powerful imagery and teach universal
truth.
Song of Songs
Parables of Jesus….
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Parable
(Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to the Heb.
mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used to denote (1) a
proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2) a prophetic utterance
(Num. 23:7; Ezek. 20:49), (3) an enigmatic saying (Ps. 78:2; Prov. 1:6).
In the New Testament, (1) a proverb (Mark 7:17; Luke 4:23), (2) a
typical emblem (Heb. 9:9; 11:19), (3) a similitude or allegory (Matt. 15:
15; 24:32; Mark 3:23; Luke 5:36; 14:7); (4) ordinarily, in a more
restricted sense, a comparison of earthly with heavenly things, "an
earthly story with a heavenly meaning," as in the parables of our Lord.
Instruction by parables has been in use from the earliest times. A large
portion of our Lord's public teaching consisted of parables. He himself
explains his reasons for this in his answer to the inquiry of the disciples,
"Why speakest thou to them in parables?" (Matt. 13:13-15; Mark 4:11,
12; Luke 8:9, 10). He followed in so doing the rule of the divine
procedures, as recorded in Matt. 13:13. The parables uttered by our
Lord are all recorded in the synoptical (i.e., the first three) Gospels.
The fourth Gospel contains no parable properly so called, although the
illustration of the good shepherd (John 10:1-16) has all the essential
features of a parable. (See List of Parables in Appendix.)
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Parable of Prodigal Son …. Lk. 15:11-32
Pharisee and Tax collector Lk. 18:10-14
Question … did Jesus have a specific person in mind when he told
this story?
Scripture doesn’t say. A number of prominent conservative biblical
scholars who embrace inerrancy of scripture think not.
Question … even if Jesus didn’t have a specific person in mind, when
he told this story, does the story contain universal truth?
Significance of Multiple Use of Parable in Scripture
Gene Veith … Professor at Patrick Henry College … Reading Between
the Lines. Writes on parable pretty sure takes position that some
parables are fiction not always dealing with real people in real
situations. and most are framed to help us understand… but teaching
universal principle. Note – couldn’t get hold of a copy of this before
completion of outline. Go read book.
Rev. Timothy Worrell, Pastor, Presbyterian Reformed Church of
Charlotte; Rev. Jeffrey Lettow, Pastor First Baptist Church Lemon
Grove California, both conservative theologians, espouse this position.
The Master, who created us, understands a human desire and
yearning for story, and understands better than anyone the power of
story to convey universal truths. That’s why he did this at least fifty
times in the gospels! Why? To convey truth.
Parable, a sublime form of story, is used by the Master to convey truth.
Effective Fiction
How so?
What makes Fiction Effective?
AT BASE LEVEL
At its base level, effective fiction must do three things. First, it must
entertain. Second, effective fiction must entertain. Third, it must
entertain.
Fiction must Entertain… at the base level, the novelist, I have an implicit
contract with someone purchasing one of my books that they will be
entertained. Novels are purchased for his. Movie tickets bought for this
reason. NFL tickets, opera tickets. The writer must understand that the
reader or viewer wants to escape into a world beyond the four walls of
his/her living room.
Entertain …
Entertain
And Entertain
What is the key ingredient for entertainment?
TENSION!!!
Effective fiction will have alternating patterns of tension and resolution,
repeated, throughout. Effective scenes will offer up tension and
resolution. Scene by scene, chapter by chapter, if a storyline contains
tension, it will entertain?
What is tension? In a word, simply this. Tension is Conflict!
TENSION = CONFLICT!!!
FOR CONFLICT, we must pit something against something, or
someone against someone, or someone against something.
Boys like champion wrestling – Why are boys drawn to it? Bautista vs.
Mark Henry vs. the Great Khali
Anything wrong with entertainment?
Entertainment is like the internet … for some people, it is the internet
…Nothing wrong with it, if in proper context.
Absolutely not, if it leads to the sublime as opposed to the gutter. It’s
like the internet. A means to a higher or different purpose.
The stories of Jesus, that is the parables, were entertaining. So
entertaining, in fact, that he drew huge crowds. On one occasion, he
has to feed 4000. On another occasion, he fed 5000.
BEYOND THE BASE LEVEL – EFFECTIVE FICTION SHOULD
EDUCATE –
Historical Fiction best way of learning history
Gods & Generals, Killer Angels
The Corps, Ruska, Lincoln by Safire
Contemporary Fiction can also educate …
Sample chapters 4 and 5 from Treason
SUBLIME PURPOSE –
Effective World View Fiction Should Embrace a Biblical Concept of
Truth … What would a believer do in this situation?
Ways You Can Use Fiction as a Weapon ….
Write it ….
Novel
Short story
Writers Conference...
Read It…
Most powerful educational tool good historical fiction
Safire’s Lincoln
The Corps by WEB Griffin
Promote It.
Understand and buy into this concept that story and particularly fiction,
is an agent of cultural change.
Get involved at local level school boards... insure that fiction that will
educate is included in local curriculum.
Start or Get involved with book clubs that review and discuss these
books.