Some thoughts on John Piper and Game of Thrones

A friend of mine on Facebook linked to a blog post from John Piper in which he responds to some questions from his congregants about Game of Thrones, specifically about the graphic scenes of nudity within the show and what it means for Christians who are interested in watching the show.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/12-questions-to-ask-before-you-watch-game-of-thrones

This is an interesting dilemma for me that recently hit home. I started watching Game of Thrones a couple of months ago, picked it up again about a month ago, and ultimately decided that I would no longer watch it. I made it through seven episodes of the first season. It was tough, because I do think it is an interesting show, and the subject matter of a medieval like world scheming to take control of power is pretty much in my wheelhouse of what I would be interested in for a show. Plus, it is basically the most talked about show out right now and is very critically acclaimed. As mentioned in Piper’s blog post, Game of Thrones is the most popular show in the history of HBO.

What ultimately made me decide to stop watching the show was the graphic nature of the show. There are interesting characters, interesting storylines, great twists and, as mentioned, a story arc that would keep my attention. But it was just too graphic. And what bothers me about it is that I really don’t think it needs to be so graphic, nothing is really added to the show that couldn’t have just as easily been done with some subtlety and restraint. I personally think the show and the characters stand strong enough on their own, but I can’t help but think that part of the popularity comes strictly from the graphic nature of the show, but I do wonder if ultimately more people are lost that won’t watch for the same reason. I suspect there is plenty of market research done to answer that question, or perhaps the producers of the show are just that depraved.

Anyways, that brings me back to the blog post by Piper. He focuses very much on nudity, and the need to avoid it to keep a purer heart. I think this is important and surely I agree with him to focus on purity, but I am a little bothered by what he leaves out when reflecting on the show – which is the graphic nature of the violence. In Piper’s defense, the questions that he directly answered are more about nudity in the context of shows, but I still see this as a missed opportunity. Or, perhaps it is yet another example of an emphasis on the sexual and a downplaying of the violent.

In general, society is trending towards less crime, less violence, and being safer in general. The one exception is of course mass murder, especially with guns. And there is still a culture of violence that permeates our society. I am not comfortable with the link between consumption of certain media and corresponding mass violence and wouldn’t push that, but what I would think is that this is another opportunity for the church to lead the way. Some churches are definitely in the forefront of this movement, but others lag behind. As it pertains to Game of Thrones (and other media), I find it a little interesting that we in the church are a little more willing to shrug off people being beheaded and cut and half, but get the most offended because there is a naked person.

I do give credit to Piper for specifically signally out the sexual violence in the show, and it is quite graphic. But there is certainly a place for conversation of that topic, and turning our heads from it and ignoring it will do little to stop it. And stories are breaking of some of the most sexually repressive areas of church and education starting to have increases in cases of sexual violence. Though perhaps it is an example of not necessarily more cases (in fact I would bet the cases of sexual violence are on the decline), but more willingness of the victims to speak up and for people to advocate for them.

One quote from Piper stands out (and it was the quote that was initially posted on Facebook):

The world does not need more cool, hip, culturally savvy, irrelevant copies of itself. That is a hoax that has duped thousands of young Christians. They think they have to be hip, cool, savvy, culturally aware, watching everything in order not to be freakish. And that is undoing them morally and undoing their witness.

I don’t think it is quite this simple. I read this as pushback from Piper against the movement among younger (and probably the more liberal) Christians and their efforts to confront culture as it is and find their place in it. I don’t think Christians watch Game of Thrones because it would be freakish not to, I think they watch Game of Thrones because it is a good show, and they are willing to overlook the graphic aspects of it. I have found myself right on the edge of this and chose one direction, but I certainly don’t begrudge someone else for making the opposite choice. I don’t think that choice, in and of itself, does much if anything to impact their Christian walk. And I just don’t buy they are doing it to be hip, cool, savvy, culturally aware, (insert buzzword here).

Suppose we do grant what Piper says, and that young Christians are engaging in such controversial things as watching TV shows in pursuit of the reasons that he suggests. I have quite a different response to what the consequences will be. Piper wants to focus on the moral implications, and that engaging in these activities makes them less of a Christian. I don’t necessarily disagree. However, if the church is seeking to primarily be hip, cool, savvy, culturally aware so it can compete with TV shows, then it has already lost. The church can be these things (to a point), but it should not be the means to anything, and certainly not the ends. The hoax is probably not with the individual Christians, but with the church itself.

When the church pursues these goals, perhaps with the idea of attracting younger people, it will lose sight of its ultimate mission, the core of what will always make it attractive. The problem is not TV shows, movies, secular music. The problem is that church is not fulfilling the duties it is called to do. We can start by taking care of the widows and the orphans, and move on from there. The church is not for everyone, there are plenty of people who will receive their fulfillment (at least in their own minds) through the pursuit of the hip, the cool, the savvy, and the relevant, but the church cannot go there.