When you can live forever what do you live for?
Monday, December 7th, 2009I’ve enjoyed the Twilight vampire saga by Stephenie Meyer. The content is so rich with yummy angst that there’s plenty to talk about: desire, temptation, friendship, manipulation, suicide…. But the topic that keeps spinning in my head is the movie’s tagline: When you can live forever, what do you live for?
The promise of eternal life is something many Christians long for and sing about. But in looking forward to a new tomorrow, they often overlook the power they possess to deal with a very ugly today.
The Twilight story roots characters in the present world while illustrating the difficulties of living forever. The Cullen vampires are incredibly healthy (immortal), wealthy (years playing the stock market), wise (endless school and travel), and gorgeous. They are billed as heroes because unlike most vampires, they have chosen to eschew human blood. They hunt less tasty animals instead. Clearly, it’s a noble struggle on behalf of humanity, but is restraint enough of a cause? When you can live forever, what do you live for?
Only one of the Cullen family answers to a higher calling. Carlisle is a doctor who derives great satisfaction from treating humans although it took a lot of passion to sustain a career that constantly appeals to his appetite. The rest of the Cullens, however, could rightly be called “bloodsuckers,” since they live in society but don’t give back to it.
With their talents, they could do so much good in the world, or even in their own school. Instead, we find them cloistered together around a small cafeteria table, talking only to each other, wasting their resources on the frivolous pursuits of fast cars and perfect clothes. Utterly bored to death, but unable to die.
Followers of Jesus are called to so much more than living for tomorrow. What do Christians live for today? What did Jesus live for?