IWSG: No God Allowed
Time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group, founded by our fearless leader, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, I have a question for you. First, a bit of background. My first published novel, Three Daves, is a mainstream, college-age, chick-lit/romance. Early on in the story, two of the students have a brief discussion about King David and the Bible. Soon after, the main character tosses the Bible into her bolster, never to be seen again for the rest of the story, but I cap off each chapter with a relevant Psalm, offset from the main text and easy to skip over should a reader choose to do so. If you haven't read the book, you're just going to have to trust me that it's done in an entirely non-preachy manner.
Well, every once in a while a review will pop up in which the reviewer leaves a comment to the effect of "I almost stopped reading when they started talking about the Bible" or "I was afraid when they started talking about the Bible." I don't understand this. Real people do discuss Biblical figures and scriptures from time to time, and isn't college a time when minds are extra curious and exploring all manner of topics? Would anyone almost stop reading or be "afraid" if the characters instead talked about an historical figure like Abraham Lincoln or if I quoted Shakespeare at the end of each chapter instead of King David?
Actually, that question I can answer---I do quote Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln in the text, and I've not gotten one single comment about those bits. So here's my question for you: why do you suppose that a small, non-preachy reference to Biblical figures and scripture in a mainstream novel scares some people to the point of them almost putting the book down?
And by the way, the reason I chose King David wasn't a religious one at all...anyone care to take a stab at why he, of all historical figures, would've been appealing to me for this particular book?
Well, every once in a while a review will pop up in which the reviewer leaves a comment to the effect of "I almost stopped reading when they started talking about the Bible" or "I was afraid when they started talking about the Bible." I don't understand this. Real people do discuss Biblical figures and scriptures from time to time, and isn't college a time when minds are extra curious and exploring all manner of topics? Would anyone almost stop reading or be "afraid" if the characters instead talked about an historical figure like Abraham Lincoln or if I quoted Shakespeare at the end of each chapter instead of King David?
Actually, that question I can answer---I do quote Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln in the text, and I've not gotten one single comment about those bits. So here's my question for you: why do you suppose that a small, non-preachy reference to Biblical figures and scripture in a mainstream novel scares some people to the point of them almost putting the book down?
And by the way, the reason I chose King David wasn't a religious one at all...anyone care to take a stab at why he, of all historical figures, would've been appealing to me for this particular book?
Comments
Considering most wars are started over religious reasons, I can understand how it could be considered controversial to some.
Even a small thing like a bible verse in a book can set some people off. They may consider it "preaching" (even though it's not).
I just published a short story dealing with an angel and writing a novella that deals with religious persecution so I'm a little nervous how it's all going to be received. It's not my usual forte.
It's something an author has to be aware of, and learn from. Yes, write honestly and from the heart and be ready to battle the naysayers if needed.
Strange reaction because whether or not your are religious, the bible is part of our history as humankind.
Love,
Janie
I think our culture has become more secular and any mention of the Bible makes some people anxious. They might fear that you will start proselytizing? (Which you didn't do.) I thought the Bible verses were nice though I don't think I entirely understood why they were there.
Great IWSG topic!
And I totally missed the King David connection until now, too.
Yup. And in answer to your question, is it because David, ahem, experimented?
I don't have issues with religious references (hell, I read and LOVED Jan Karon's MITFORD series, and the protag there is a 60 YO Episcopalian minister--lol), but I have seen the criticisms you mention in the reviews of romance novels, especially.
Writer In Transit
An innocent statement twenty years ago would be highly insulting and politically incorrect know. People get offended by the most ridiculous things.
Not that I'm saying religion is ridiculous, this is a general statement.
Spiritual beliefs are part of our society. Why shouldn't a character have them? It's ridiculous to put down a book because of a psalm reference.
Again, people tend to over react. It's a sign of our times. We, as writers, need to write what WE believe, and if someone gets offended, Oh, well. That really is THEIR problem.
When will people ever learn not to read/watch something that stirs negative emotion in them instead of just embrassing it and excepting it for what it is.
Great post!