Back in the 1970s and 80s, practically every church had a 16 mm reel-to-reel film projector in its basement. It was the youth pastor’s VCR DVD YouTube of its day. Occasionally, they would show films to the entire church—which is how, at age eight, I came to see two low-budget Christian films called “A Thief in the Night” and “A Distant Thunder.”
Every GenXer who, like me, grew up in a conservative church is probably familiar with this film series. But for those who aren’t, I’ll provide some background. They were essentially Christian horror films that invited the viewer to place themselves in the shoes of someone who remained on earth after Christ returned to take Christians to heaven. As the films depicted it, those remaining faced the near-impossible choice between receiving the “mark of the beast” tattoo on their forehead or right hand—thereby damning themselves to an eternity in hell—or resisting the beast and facing near-certain death by execution.
Hard to believe today, but in those days, these films were presented as church-sponsored movies for the whole family to watch. To my knowledge, there was no content warning or any indication that the movies might be too intense for younger viewers. They were simply shown to the whole church, and people of all ages watched.
The budget may have been low, reportedly less than $70,000, and the scripts were cheesy by today’s standards, but the two Iowa filmmakers who produced these films absolutely knew what they were doing. One of them had previous experience making horror movies, as a producer on the 1958 horror classic, “The Blob.” Their intent was to instill fear—and it worked.
Rather than market the films to movie theaters, they went direct to church, providing 16 mm prints for showing in the church sanctuary or basement. They were offered as evangelistic tools to encourage people to make a commitment to faith and the church. The results were as designed. People responded to post-screening invitations to commit their lives to Christ. Offerings were taken. And churches rewarded the producers with a payday that was reportedly in the millions.
As an 8-year-old, watching these films in church had a far-reaching, negative impact on me. The thing about the horror genre is that viewers can usually take comfort in knowing the events depicted in the film are purely imaginary. While these films were identified as fiction in some sense, they were presented as events that would really occur in the future according to the Bible. It was horror without the redeeming comfort that you didn’t have to worry about it happening to you in real life.
In fact, that was the whole point: This could happen to you if you don’t do what we tell you.
As I said, it worked. As an 8-year-old boy, who was as Christian as an 8-year-old can be, I was terrified in a way that I never had been before. These films didn’t draw me closer to Christ or help me to grow spiritually. Instead, they caused me to feel alone and unsafe, almost as if I had been “left behind.” I was sure that someone would break into our house while I slept and try to give me the mark of the beast. So I began sleeping on my right side with my right hand under my pillow. That way, I thought, I couldn’t get the mark while I was sleeping. While I didn’t sleep face-down, I turned my head as far as I could and wrapped the pillow up around my forehead to protect it.
I sometimes still find myself sleeping this way today. I’m not afraid of those things anymore, but my body remembers. It reminds me that those fears were real and deep. They were existential fears. Irrational fears. Totally unnecessary fears. Fears brought on by religious manipulation.
I won’t get into the deeply flawed theology that led to the production of these films or their screening in churches. But I will say, as clearly as I can, that any spiritual teaching that manipulates by fear is anti-Christ.
Fear entraps and enslaves, while true spirituality brings freedom and abundant life. Abundant life includes knowing that you are loved with divine love, that you are safe and at home in the universe, that you have a calling and true purpose to fulfill, and that everything you need is always available to you.
I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10; NAS)
One of my goals here is to build a community where people can feel safe and free from religious manipulation as they take their next steps to true freedom and abundant life. If that appeals to you, I encourage you to sign up for my weekly newsletter at the form on this page.
Return to the Faith over Fear (Series beginning).