Paranormal: Vampires

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.VAMPIRES13 contrasts between Christ and the "Dark Christ"One was human, but now is no longer truly human. He has been transformed into a being who preys on humans – not for their good, but for his own advantage  Yet Christ chooses to leave the heavenly, eternal world to become human, for our good (John 1:14).The vampire takes our blood (always thirsty), while Jesus pours out his blood for us. One takes life, bequeathing a living death in exchange, while the other takes death, and gives us life (Hebrews 2:9, 14). In the communion, we "drink" the blood of Christ, while in vampire lore the night stalker drinks our blood.One leaves wounds on your neck; in the case of Christ, when he gives himself for us, he himself is wounded (his famous five marks).One comes out of the grave at nightfall, the other goes up from the grave (Easter morning).The vampire returns to his grave daily; Jesus dies and rises from the dead one time only (Hebrews 9:27).One cannot stand the light (John 3), whereas Jesus is the light. God is light (1 John 1:5).One hates the Cross, and whatever is holy. The other loves what is true and right, and in fact embodies it (1 Corinthians 1:30).Dracula breaks down your free will and seduces (forces himself on) you; God does not force anybody (John 7:17).The dark one is extremely handsome, whereas we do not even know what Jesus looked like! See Isaiah 52:14.One offers a false immortality through immorality – murder, and often sensual sin, sexual in nature; the other offers immortality through complete morality – selflessness. (Or should we say the vampire is amoral?)Like Christ, and like Christians, the vampire delivers a message. But it is the “bad news,” not the gospel, the good news.Vampire himself, in eternal bondage, needs redemption. A wooden stake must be driven his heart to release him. Jesus dies on a wooden cross, bringing redemption to us. Without a death, there can be no peace; without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).These imaginary creatures of the night life at our expense. There is no offer of grace here. GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.In these and other ways, VAMPIRES are a type of anti-christs, dark christs.Conclusion Of course this is nothing but legend, despite some factual kernels:Transylvania is a real place.Vlad the Impaler was an historical individual, 1431-1476.Vampire tales are indeed extremely ancient, but then so are many legends and superstitions.There are such things as vampire bats, that suck the blood of their victims.Still, 99% of the vampire tales are superstition without any basis in reality. Yet does this mean we should simply ignore vampire culture? Is it possible we may underestimate the potency even of superstition? A few caveats:Jesus said we although we are in the world, we are not of it (John 17). We are called to be children of the light (John 12:26, Ephesians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:5). Do we glorify evil?Vampire culture -- even "Christian vampire fiction" -- can be a slippery slope. The goal is seduction, desensitization to sin.Can lead us to some dark places. Dovetails with worship of dark heroes, despising the bodies God gave us, masochism, cutting, the occult, etc.  Yet there is real evil in world: violence, oppression, genocide, abuse, greed, materialism. The vampire is not our true enemy. Dracula is but a parody of him.Am I lost in a fantasy world? We are called to live in the real world, to do some good.Beware the "vampire" schedule: to bed at dawn, sleeping through most of the day. So easy to slide into living an unproductive and self-centered life.There is one gigantic difference between the vampire and Jesus, between the real Christ and, as he has been called, the Dark Christ. One can save you, the other cannot, for he himself is in bondage to sin and death. There is only one savior, and one path to eternal life (Romans 6:23).