Should Christians Watch Horror Movies?

Many of us have some experience with horror movies. Some of us grew up in the era of Jaws and Halloween, while others remember checking their closets before bedtime for Freddy and Jason. For my generation, most scary movies dealt with the paranormal and demonic, with some of the most popular horror movies centering on exorcisms.

With Halloween quickly approaching, many Christian teenagers and parents may not only be wrestling with questions surrounding Halloween but also with scary movies. This article seeks to help student pastors address the question many parents and students may have: should Christians watch scary movies? 

Don’t Judge a Book by its Demons

We would be off base to say that the horror genre is inherently “demonic.” After all, the presence of demonic figures in a work of media does not automatically make the work demonic. For example, C.S. Lewis’s famous book The Screwtape Letters is a fictional story composed of letters from an imaginary demon named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, who seeks to secure the eternal damnation of a British man. Lewis’s purpose was to describe everyday temptations and how the devil might use those to cause Christians to stumble. Also, the famous (or infamous, depending on whom you ask) Left Behind books had the antichrist as one of its main characters. These characters are portrayed not as heroes but as antagonists who seek to destroy Christianity.

However, we have ample reasons to be concerned when demonic figures are shown in a positive or entertaining light, like in films such as the newly released The Exorcist: Believer or 2007’s Paranormal Activity. Films such as these knowingly or unknowingly glorify, in a sense, evil spiritual forces. It is doubtful the filmmakers would say that, yet when demon possessed children mocking the Lord’s Supper and demon possessed girlfriends killing their boyfriends is seen as entertaining and fun to watch, a glorification of the demonic is the result – whether it’s intended or not. This should concern youth leaders and parents of teenagers.

While there is no chapter and verse in Scripture saying horror movies are sinful for Christians to watch; it would be incredibly unwise and even dangerous for believers to partake in films that make light of the demonic and make it look entertaining.

Eyes Off the Prize

These films can tempt us to take our eyes off the glory of Christ. Whether the films are about demons, exorcisms, or serial killers, they can cause our hearts to go from rejoicing and resting in the Gospel to anxiously checking behind shower curtains and double-checking the alarm system. While there are real things to fear in this life, these movies rob us of the joy, peace, and contentment that are ours in and through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6).

Why would we intentionally partake of something we know that might rob us of these God-given blessings? Of course, this argument isn’t unique to horror and can be used with any film or television genre. A Hallmark Christmas movie can cause us to idolize dating relationships or fall into despair if we are single. A home renovation show can cause us to grow discontented with our homes and envious of others. And a comedy may cause us to feel lighthearted about a topic we should treat with sensitivity and care.

There are unique challenges anytime we thoughtlessly partake in entertainment. That said, I believe that horror movies pose a unique and more extreme challenge for the viewer because they cause us to fear the demonic when we ought to feel secure in Christ.

As C.S. Lewis said in the preface of the aforementioned Screwtape Letters, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves (the devils) are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” We want to avoid errors that create an unhealthy, unbiblical fear or obsession with the (very real) demonic powers whom Christ conquered and conquers.

Someone Call an Exorcist!

On that note, watching horror films can also become dangerous for the Christian. These films can cause us to think that demonic influence looks like vomiting, spinning heads, and abnormal bodily movements. The Scriptures paint a different story. We see demonic possession and influence in the Gospels (Matthew 17:14-18; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 22:3-6; John 13:2) and the book of Acts (8:5-8; 16:16-18). These possessions had visible bodily effects on the individuals. These incidents are real and still happen today, especially in areas where the Gospel is not widely believed (a different article for another day). However, a focus and obsession with demonic possession, like we see in the movies, can distort how we engage in spiritual warfare.

Christians should not consume horror movies the same way we watch fantasy or sci-fi. Demonic activity is not like unicorns and dragons. While we are called to “fear not,” we must also remember that every Christian is engaged in spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:11-12). You, as a Christian, have an enemy who prowls around day and night (1 Peter 5:8) seeking to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). If you are in Christ, you need not fear being possessed by a demon – however, you must be alert, because you are not immune to the enemy’s schemes. We can still be influenced and drawn away by evil forces.

Movies dealing with demonic possession and exorcisms can also distract us from the reality that the enemy seeks every moment of every day to attack us. This can cause us to forget that hypocrisy (Acts 5:1-11), persecution (Revelation 2:9-10), divisions in a local church body (2 Corinthians 2:5-11), and temptation (James 1:13-14) are all schemes the enemy uses to tear down Christians and the church. We are to be on guard against the enemy at all times. Watching horror movies may entertain us for a moment, but they can slowly cause us to have misconceived ideas of the devil and distract us from how he may tempt us to fall into sin.

One specific way these movies misrepresent the demonic is they portray demons as fantasy and even humorous! When one watches 1973’s The Exorcist, the viewer gets the impression that the filmmakers want us to laugh or find amusing the crude and shocking ways the demon tries to outsmart the two priests. The ways demons and possession are portrayed are so over the top and ridiculous that one may find themselves thinking demons are nothing more than mere fantasy like other horror movie creatures such as vampires and werewolves. Again, Christians need not fear demons because of our victory in Christ; yet it is wise to take spiritual warfare seriously. For, “if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Murder She Watched

Another danger with horror movies, particularly those dealing with serial killers, is that it might lead the viewers not able to sympathize with those whose families have dealt with the loss of a loved one through murder or have been victims of crimes themselves. Graphic depictions of murder and other crimes may harden our hearts to news about murder or violence against fellow image-bearers.

Christians are called to weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:14), have sympathy for one another, and have a tender heart (1 Peter 3:8). God is described as a comforter who helps us in our sorrow (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Jesus wept over the sins of Jerusalem, the destruction that would come upon them (Luke 19:41-44), and the presence of death (John 11:33). Watching films where the goal is to be entertained by gory deaths such as in this year's Saw X can desensitize us to the very real violence all around us. When screams of agony are what entertain us, we can’t be surprised when they do not trigger sympathy and pain in real life.

Conclusion

All that to say, I don’t see evidence in Scripture that it is outright sinful for Christians to watch horror movies. However, before students rush to watch the next scary movie they can find, we must remember that just because something is permissible does not make it beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23). Further, simply because something may not be overtly sinful, this does not make it prudent or wise, nor does it mean that such things will not eventually lead to sin.

It is a reasonable question for parents and youth leaders to ask teenagers, “What does the consumption of horror movies do to your heart?” They’ll likely respond with an eye roll, but it’s a very good question.

Horror movies impose a real and legitimate danger to our spiritual walk. They may not cause us to lose our salvation (Romans 8:29-30), but they can cause us to live in fear, misunderstand the schemes of our very real enemy, and be desensitized to the people hurting all around us. Whether it's horror, comedy, or home renovation shows, let's encourage our students to partake of entertainment that helps them to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).