Why in the World Did I Write a Book About Demons & Possession?
Today (9/8) is the release of my fourth book, “Playing With Fire: A Modern Investigation into Demons, Exorcism, and Ghosts.” I know the title, alone, is enough to raise more than a few eyebrows — and I totally get it.
“Demons? Exorcism? GHOSTS?!” some internally react, pondering why in the world I would dive into such a seemingly strange and bizarre subject matter.
And that’s a great question — one I would love to briefly explain. Anyone who has followed any of my work knows that I truly and deeply enjoy exploring tough cultural topics through a faith and journalistic lens.
I’ve written on the end times, systemic bias in Hollywood, media and universities and terrorism, among a plethora of other subjects.
But when it came to “Playing With Fire,” I had a unique opportunity to speak into an issue that is often ignored, overlooked or deficiently and diabolically approached through a cinematic lens — an issue the Bible tells us is painfully real — and dangerous.
Yet, many of our churches and pastors are silent on it.
Many of us, as individual Christians, are totally mum.
We remain confused or we simply ignore it.
Many of us would rather bask in the feel-good elements of the gospel message, choosing instead to ignore the battle for good and evil that is bubbling under the surface. Even I sought to generally ignore the topic.
Yet Hollywood is sort of obsessed with it, as movies about demons, ghosts and possession are rampant, and ever-increasing. Clearly, there’s a thirst for understanding this topic, yet there seems to be a failure to adequately present it.
So, while I sat on my book contract for two months, pondering, praying and wondering whether this dark and difficult issue was one I truly wanted to explore, I found myself compelled to eventually dive in — to embark on a journey of attempting to answer some difficult questions:
Where does evil originate and what does the Bible say about it?
Are there really credible cases of possession and exorcism?
Are demons real and active today?
If they do, indeed, exist, what are they?
Can demons inhabit human beings?
If they exist, what can be done to stop them?
It was a phenomenal experience to dive into these curiosities, giving me a unique opportunity to focus in on elements of the Bible I have admittedly personally glazed over throughout my Christian journey.
So, to specifically answer that question of why I wrote “Playing With Fire,” I’d simply say that I felt God wanted me to.
We’re so obsessed with the material world — with the here and now — that we’re failing to see the influence that evil is having, not only on our own individual lives, but also on the world around us.
And as a dazed and confused humanity watches on, many Christians are ill-prepared to provide the antidote (Jesus), because we don’t fully understand the scope of the spiritual illnesses that abound.
Beyond that, I want to get people thinking and talking. I don’t tell people what to think in the book as much as I guide a discussion about the aforementioned questions, among other related subject matter. So, whether you’re an atheist or a Christian (or anything in between), this book will at the least challenge you to think deeper about the issues at hand.
I hope you’ll consider grabbing a copy of “Playing With Fire” and letting me know your take!