I have returned! Now let's take a look at your imagination...

So, over the past month or so, my (new) computer has been breaking, and about two weeks ago it died. That's what you get for buying refurbished, I guess.

We sent it off to Apple since it was still under warranty, they basically had to replace every main system, and they sent it back. 

We thought we'd backed everything important up, but somehow the two most important things, the music I've recorded and Everything I've Ever written, failed to copy. So I lost almost everything.

The good news is, an auto-save of my book managed to copy elsewhere. So I still have that. But pray for me, please, cause... Well, I did lose a lot. And not only does it hurt, but I have a terrible memory so pray I can remember so I can re-write it all... Thanks =]

And now moving on to stuff I usually write about. 

Where do books and movies come from? Where do writers get the intricate (or dull and useless) plots for our entertainment? 

Well, the greeks had an answer: the muses. Humans in general can take inspiration from anything, from their friends to leaves in a park. But almost every story follows the same path as the rest in its genre. Nothing is truly 100% original. 

Actually, that's not true. There was a first, a precedent. And everything, absolutely everything, is branched off somehow from that.

The original can be found in the Bible. It's the story of God and Humanity. 

This story has everything; it's a love story, with Jesus as one main character and you as the other. Sometimes you ignore him, or maybe you think he's stupid, or whatever. But he still loves you and thinks you're perfect. 

It's an action story, with cool epic fight scenes. Jesus comes back with a gigantic army and slays everything that stands against him. Plus it's an action/love hybrid, since he's coming back and epically destroying everything to save us (you) whom he loves. 

It's even a horror story, if you're one of those that stands against him (Which seriously isn't a good idea.)

Of course few read the Bible and then run off and write Romeo and Juliet or Transformers (Though I must say, with the Fallen, and the transformer's heaven, and Optimus rising from the dead and all, they may have read the Bible first...)

So how does this answer the question of where inspiration comes from? It doesn't, not directly anyways. Inspiration comes from a built in longing in the human soul, from the world we live in and the typically ignored story of it.

We were built for love, we were made to be rescued. Humanity has written stories that are only a poor re-telling of truth, because that truth is inescapable. Mankind has humanized an eternal tale of true love and true glory many times over in attempts to satisfy this longing in people without them having to turn to God.

Not that christian writers don't do the same. There really is no other kind of story to tell. Even real life follows similar patterns, though not usually to the same extent as the books would have us believe. There is only one truth, whether it's written as a story darkened by sin and wrought with things to capture the heart of man, or whether it's written in an attempt to give Christians books they can safely read. 

What do we do about this? Is it bad? Am I saying to stay away from entertainment, and relationships, and pretty much everything?

No, this post isn't to tell you that all entertainment is evil and horrible (though, there's a lot out there that is...) 

But yes, you should stay away from it all... To a certain extent. 

Similar to relationships, stories can capture your heart. Not in the same way, obviously (then again, maybe it is the same way. Which is why people stalk actors and wish they could marry book characters. Or even game characters.) 

If you're going to spend your time in the beautiful world of books, or the fantastical world of tv, or even playing computer and video games a lot, make sure God has your heart first. Spend at least as much time in the Bible and talking to God as you do with fictional characters. As humans we are so easily caught up in the things of the world, and with so much out there the more we let ourselves go the harder it is to find God when we need him. (Which, we really need Him all the time but that's a matter for another post)

And, naturally, try to stay away from stuff that encourages immorality and glorifies sin. And after you watch or read something, as yourself was it really worth it? What did you gain from that tale? What did it teach you?

I'll hopefully post again later this week. Oh and hey, if you read this, comment! I would love to know that people are out there listening... And if you read this and like it, suggest it to others too... And read the other posts... Yeah. Anyways. 

Have an awesome day!

~Silver