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Biblical/God Fiction

GuffreyGuffrey Registered User regular
edited April 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
I'm a Christian and have gone to church pretty much my entire life. I've started watching Kings, and love the Biblical aspects, God as a character, etc. Im wondering if there are any other movies, tv shows, books, comic books, games, any other sort of media that fits in the same kind of niche as Kings. Also I understand Battlestar Galactica has an interesting religious angle to it. Although that isnt exactly like Kings, Im also open to suggestions like that. Any help is appreciated.

Guffrey on
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  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    What exactly are you looking for? Kings is basically a biblical retelling... are you looking for that? Books with a religious theme? Books about god or mentioning god or having god in them?

    Can you be slightly more specific about what you're looking for?

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  • TaminTamin Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Well, the obvious place to start would be that pinnacle of Christian FanFiction: Ben-Hur, if you haven't already.

    If you're fairly easy going, you might enjoy The Brick Testament.

    Tamin on
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    There are religious undertones in a huge amount of American fiction because we're such a Christian country. Just hit all the classics, and more often than not you'll get your God fix, and even if you don't, at least you read a classic book.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    The graphic novel series "Lucifer" works off of Christian (and other) mythology, though for the full backstory read the "Season of Mists" run of the "Sandman" series.

    KalTorak on
  • SkyGheNeSkyGheNe Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    A canticle for Leibowitz

    SkyGheNe on
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Kings? The biblical book of Kings?

    I would recommend anything by CS Lewis, even the kids stuff. Try "The Screwtape Letters" which is a series of letters between two devils discussing the best way to tempt Christians.

    Watch out for the "Left Behind" series of books. They are theologically dodgy and promotes some very strange doctrines. If you read them, don't read them uncritically.

    CelestialBadger on
  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    SkyGheNe wrote: »
    A canticle for Leibowitz
    This is exactly what I was going to recommend.

    Thanatos on
  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    TychoCelchuuu wrote: »
    There are religious undertones in a huge amount of American fiction because we're such a Christian country. Just hit all the classics, and more often than not you'll get your God fix, and even if you don't, at least you read a classic book.

    That's pretty nonspecific, though. You can't exactly read Tom Sawyer and get what he's looking for.

    I recommend anything by C.S. Lewis, still. Guy was a great writer. Sometimes his language and meaning can be difficult to decipher in one go for a young person. Screwtape Letters is an interesting perspective. Out of the Silent Planet and the rest of that trilogy is supposed to be good.

    I have heard good things about Frank Peretti, starting with This Present Darkness. You will probably want to look him up.

    There were other contemporaries that I know people liked but I can't remember them at the moment.

    Also depending on your reading level, if you're up for some involved non-fiction I can recommend some good ones - The Language of God by Francis S. Collins is worth reading.

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  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Joan of Arcadia has an amazing first season and a pretty good second season (at least up until Friday Night -- it kind of falls apart a bit after that)

    Blackjack on
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  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Good Omens, by Pratchett and Gaiman.

    It's hilarious.

    Daedalus on
  • SkyGheNeSkyGheNe Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Lamb is another good one, by christopher moore - comedy.

    SkyGheNe on
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited April 2009
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  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Good Omens and Lamb are great if you have a sense of humor, with GO being my favorite book(strangely enough, I really don't care for much of Prattchet's other stuff).

    Also, if you're feeling brainy, Paradise Lost.

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  • CygnusZCygnusZ Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Space Runaway Ideon attempts to answers mankind's most pressing question:
    What if God was a giant robot?

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  • TaminTamin Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    KalTorak wrote: »
    The graphic novel series "Lucifer" works off of Christian (and other) mythology, though for the full backstory read the "Season of Mists" run of the "Sandman" series.

    I keep meaning to pick that up. How well does it compare to Sandman in general?

    Related to Cygnus: The Last Question is quite good, and is seriously short.

    Tamin on
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    If you're looking for that sort of thing then you *need* to watch Battlestar... it's not really Christianity-centric, though it does borrow from it, and you'll get a lot of other rich theological references.

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  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    The Stand

    Rent on
  • KilroyKilroy timaeusTestified Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I'll second anything by Christopher Moore or C.S. Lewis.

    If you haven't yet, you owe it to yourself to read Milton's Paradise Lost. It's amazing how many people who think they're quoting scripture are actually quoting Milton.

    This may not be exactly what you're looking for, but Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming and If at Faust You Don't Succeed by Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley are both very funny books that deal with some interesting issues regarding heaven/hell/angels/demons and such.

    Kilroy on
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  • GuffreyGuffrey Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Wow, thanks for all the quick replies. I forgot to mention things that I have already read. I have all the Narnia books, along with the Screwtape Letters. And I have read the Bible, I just found Kings version in a more modern setting to be really engrossing. Also, The Brick Testament is amazing. I havent looked at that in a long time though. Back to CS Lewis, I've always wanted to pick up The Great Divorce. Any opinions on that? And is there anywhere to catch up on Battlestar for free? If I remember Hulu only has the last few episodes. Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I'll be sure to look into them.

    Guffrey on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Christopher Moore is awesome, In addition to Lamb, I'll suggest The Stupidest Angel.

    Also, I really enjoyed Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice for another take on Christianity.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • IcemopperIcemopper Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    If you like C.S. Lewis, I must recommend "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Vanauken. A great story with tons of religious references. However, it is very romantic, and I would more recommend it if you are with the person you want to marry, and read it with them, but in either case, it is still a fantastic read, and has some great commentary on God, as well as C.S. Lewis.

    Also, another non-story book, but Donald Miller books are great reads in that they're easy, with great anecdotal stories, and again, fantastic God commentary.

    Sorry I don't have many stories like you're looking for, but in the lines of Christian books, those are my favorites.

    Icemopper on
  • GuffreyGuffrey Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I'll have to let the wife know about Severe Mercy and look into that. And just general Christian books are fine too. I enjoy them, but there are so many, so its nice to know which ones come recommended. When I get a nice block of time Im going to be going through all of these suggestions. I have a feeling my tax return might be getting partly spent on books.

    Guffrey on
  • SiskaSiska Shorty Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Good Omens by Terry Pratchett. Very funny, like all his books. God does not make an appearance it, though, mysterious ways an all that. It's about armageddon, free will and confused angels and demons.

    Siska on
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Bible Stories for Adults by James Morrow.

    Trust me.

    Also, second Canticle.

    firewaterword on
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  • TL DRTL DR Not at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    SkyGheNe wrote: »
    Lamb is another good one, by christopher moore - comedy.

    This is an amazingly funny book.

    TL DR on
  • Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Timothy Leary Come Check Out This Theory wrote: »
    SkyGheNe wrote: »
    Lamb is another good one, by christopher moore - comedy.

    This is an amazingly funny book.

    Lamb was delightful.

    Mai-Kero on
  • November FifthNovember Fifth Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Signs by M. Night Shyamalan

    November Fifth on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Mai-Kero wrote: »
    Timothy Leary Come Check Out This Theory wrote: »
    SkyGheNe wrote: »
    Lamb is another good one, by christopher moore - comedy.

    This is an amazingly funny book.

    Lamb was delightful.

    Try the Stupidest Angel... is has the Angel from Lamb in it... but I think it's significantly more funny.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Siska wrote: »
    Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Very funny, like all his books. God does not make an appearance it, though, mysterious ways an all that. It's about armageddon, free will and confused angels and demons.

    noir_blood on
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  • IcemopperIcemopper Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Guffrey wrote: »
    I'll have to let the wife know about Severe Mercy and look into that. And just general Christian books are fine too. I enjoy them, but there are so many, so its nice to know which ones come recommended. When I get a nice block of time Im going to be going through all of these suggestions. I have a feeling my tax return might be getting partly spent on books.

    Well if you're married already, I must say Severe Mercy is a must. Really incredible read. Trust me.

    Icemopper on
  • delphinusdelphinus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Rent wrote: »
    The Stand

    delphinus on
  • DjinnDjinn Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Jose Sarmago - The Gospel According to Jesus Christ

    Djinn on
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  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    delphinus wrote: »
    Rent wrote: »
    The Stand

    Hi5s
    Goddamn I love that book

    Rent on
  • AwkAwk Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I remember reading a book when i was very young, it had short stories. I remember a few: one was about Adam and Eve, another about Noah's Ark, another about a man who goes to heaven and we go through his indefinite time up there as he meets people like Adolf Hitler and has sex with many people he desires, he ends up asking to be put out of existance. The book describes the extermination of the unicorn because it was used sexually... The stories were of dark nature and touched things like incest, sex, violence, sexism, etc. Anyone know the title?

    Awk on
  • liquidloganliquidlogan Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Flannery O'Connor?

    Flannery O'Connor.

    Edit: Not a reply to the above but rather the OP.

    liquidlogan on
  • DuffelDuffel jacobkosh Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    delphinus wrote: »
    Rent wrote: »
    The Stand


    :^:

    Also, I would recommend Hawthorne. Not really "Christian" in a genre sense but very definitely influenced by Christianity. I particularly like his short stories.

    Duffel on
  • SithDrummerSithDrummer Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Guffrey wrote: »
    Back to CS Lewis, I've always wanted to pick up The Great Divorce. Any opinions on that?
    Considering its length (very, very short) and its interesting take on the nature of heaven and hell, I think most religious people ought to read it at least once to remind themselves that they have no idea at all what heaven or hell is actually like. I found it very enjoyable and thoughtful.

    SithDrummer on
  • FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    CelestialBadger wrote: »
    Kings? The biblical book of Kings?

    I would recommend anything by CS Lewis, even the kids stuff. Try "The Screwtape Letters" which is a series of letters between two devils discussing the best way to tempt Christians.

    Watch out for the "Left Behind" series of books. They are theologically dodgy and promotes some very strange doctrines. If you read them, don't read them uncritically.

    I'd avoid Left Behind completely. It's bullshit interwoven with some Bible re-tellings to get Christians to read them, but it's 100% predictable and pretty much 'fanwank' (ie all jews suddenly convert, etc)

    FyreWulff on
  • brandotheninjamasterbrandotheninjamaster Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Uh, guys? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Divine_Comedy

    How many of us completely forgot about that (myself included)?

    brandotheninjamaster on
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  • GrimmyTOAGrimmyTOA Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Try "Not Wanted on the Voyage" by Timothy Findley.

    Also, "Many Waters" by Madeline L'engle is a great story -- or at least it was when I was a kid. It's part of the series that includes A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, etc etc all of which have strong religious undertones.

    Also "The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie. Not his best book, but his most overtly spiritual. Slightly sacrilegious -- but not nearly as bad as people made it out to be.

    I also second "Lamb" (if you're comfortable laughing about Jesus), "Good Omens" (ditto), "The Divine Comedy" (if you're comfortable with poetry and can find a good translation) and "A Canticle for Leibowitz" (unreservedly).

    GrimmyTOA on
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