Discussing
Doctor Strange: Marvel Finally Makes Room for the Spiritual

Although it's far from orthodox, Doctor Strange at least allows faith to enter the materialist Marvel universe.

I was first introduced to Dr. Strange when I was hanging out with rock bands in the San Francisco Bay area in the 60's. They were fascinated by the series because of its psychedelic overtones. Several these groups and myself included were experimenting with psychoactive drugs (pot, acid, etc). But it wasn't just the psychedelic overtones that were interesting to a lot of folks then but the clear practice of occult magic that were part of Dr. Strange's world, which many at that time began to practice and experiment with. Yes, this may have been spiritual in nature but clearly it was demonic. Those that say there is "good" or "white magic" are deceived. According to scripture, sorcery and witchcraft, labeled evil, good, or white are all in the same bag and are clearly forbidden. To dabble in these realms is to soon become deceived. I personally experience this as did many of my hippie generation. What a movie like Dr. Strange does is draw a whole new generation into this realm. No doubt many now will want to read the comic books and then possibly become fascinated with the occult. I'm not without hope concerning this trend. Millions of us came out of the drug and occult hippie movement and found Christ. I personally came to Christ when I met Christians who moved in the power of the Holy Spirit and their lives and spiritual gifts clearly were more powerful that those of satan that I'd been experimenting with. So for a whole new generation of fans to become fascinated with the spiritual realm, even if it is false, there's the possibility that they may, now that they're open to this, encounter the power of God through the person of Jesus. This is my prayer. I also have a sense that with this fascination with the occult, demonization will become more common and clearly give Christians the opportunity to see others delivered from this dark kingdom in the name of Jesus as I was 48 years ago.

In Reply to R.D. (comment #29449)
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I'm genuinely curious, R.D., how do you define "occult?" Would the sort of magic we associate with the Santa Claus legend count? What about that of the Lord of the Rings books? I know that for many the line is easily drawn when it comes to Doctor Strange, but from the small sampling of comics I've read and certainly the movie, I don't see anything I would describe as satanic.

Thanks for a good review and thoughtful comments. I take your point that acknowledgement of an invisible, non-material world can be seen as a step forward for Marvel films, but surely what kind of world that is matters. I have many friends in that "spiritual but not religious" category, and I truly worry if they're any better off,at the end of the day, than their purely materialist peers. Perhaps they are "one step closer," but their (sometimes hopelessly) muddled spirituality makes me wonder.

I became interested in the world of Doctor Strange due t the fictional history of the character. An arrogant and entitled billionaire loses everything he has and then travels to Nepal, one of my favorite countries, and basically loses his pride in order to become more open-minded to spirituality and the realm(s) of the supernatural.

As a Christian, I have question if it's okay for me to dabble into comics that explore the "mystic arts" but I believe it comes down to how serious you take it. If you begin to lose the gap between reality and fiction then maybe it's best that you don't dive into comics that deal with such topics, but if you can just be entertained by the challenges and growth of the character(s) then it shouldn't be harmful.

I'm still looking forward to the film because of the visuals, actors, and locations (Nepal, Hong Kong, etc.) that I find to be fascinating. As long as I know that it's just a movie and that some of the ideas in it are purely for story structure then it's innocent and just two hours entertainment that gets me away from realty. After all, "change your reality" is one of the film'a slogans.

Hi Josh,

I appreciate you asking my opinion. So let me do my best to answer by first asking you some questions. First of all do you believe that there are evil spiritual forces in the unseen realm?
Secondly do you believe what the Bible teaches concerning them? The reason I'm asking is because is see so many Christian are questioning wether there is actually a devil and demons. This is not meant as challenge to you but a sincere question. Thirdly, do you believe that people in places like Haiti and other third world countries actually interact with demonic forces when they practice there spells, incantations and other magical arts? For instances one of our members mentioned Nepal in an earlier post. We've supported missionaries there for many years, my wife has been part of our medical teams that we've send there several times and a dear friend who was a missionary there in the 60's personally saw the demonic forces that are part of that culture going back into its very roots. So who is behind these forces, certainly nothing as benign as Santa Claus. The Apostle Paul pointed out to the Corinthian church that Satan masquerades as an angel of light. If you believe that these things are true, and I expect that you do then my question is why should we celebrate a movie or other artistic presentations that tend to glorify such activities? Dr. Strange and other types of fictional characters like him come across as using the good side of magic but I know both from the teaching of scripture and personal experience that both sides are clearly tools of the devil to draw people away from the truth and into a false spirituality.This is exactly what the portrayals of false spiritual forces that Dr. Strange and other types of entertainment present. They portray these forces as forces of light when in fact they are demonic forces masquerading as positive forces that can overcome the demonic. . Dr. Strange is mentored by a sorcerer supreme. I was mentor by an eastern guru when I lived in Haight Ashbury in the 60's. I encounter people clearly demonized as I was personally through my encounters in this realm.So when I say that they're satanic, I mean that Satan is behind them masquerading and his minions masquerading as forces for good fighting other evil forces. As far as LOTR and the Hobbit let me point out that one of the things that made the books so popular in America was the huge response of hippies reading and popularizing them. Hippies like myself that were experimenting with psychoactive drugs that made the imaginary world of Dr. Strange seem very real when in fact we were knocking on the door of that world and being sucked into its lie. I know J.R.R. Tolkien was a catholic believer and I've heard the whole spiel from Campbell to Lucas about the place of myth in our approach to life but there are dangers here. I've read both the Hobbit and LOTR and enjoyed them but I also realize that for a lot of people engrossed in this type of entertainment it can be a doorway into the demonic. Like I said in my previous post, as sad as this situation is I believe that its an opportunity for Christians, filled with God's Word and the Holy Spirit to show people who are interested in the mystical realm that there truly is one and that Jesus is more powerful than any imaginary sorcerer. The bible records that Pharaohs' magicians could not stand agains Moses, in fact they said that the power God display through Moses was the finger of God. The book of Daniel also records that Daniel and his companions were 10 times more wise than all the magicians of Babylon. I know I've written a long response to your question but I believe that our culture is becoming increasingly pagan and with it doors are opening through through the arts and media to disciple a whole generation in the counterfeit spiritual realm. That's one of the reasons I've written the first in a three part trilogy to show this. The first book is called Gem Of The Wanderer and can be found both on Amazon at this link:

https://www.amazon.com/Gem-Wanderer-R-D-MADDUX-ebook/dp/B01B29QU2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478285542&sr=8-1&keywords=gem+of+the+wanderer

or through my website, www.Gemofthewanderer.com

I also have a website dealing with the mystical at www.twilghttrek.com

I hope you'll take the time to look into some of my writings and Vlogs.

Sincerely,

R.D.

In Reply to R.D. (comment #29455)
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Thanks for sharing R.D. My general response to your questions - especially as they pertain to Doctor Strange - is that simply because some may appropriate a piece of culture (be it the Lord of the Rings or Doctor Strange) for dark purposes doesn't meant the work of culture itself is dark. And at least as far as the movie version is concerned, I noticed nothing of what you're referencing. If you happen to see it, let me know what you think.

Josh how does 1 Corinthians 13 make you think of Dr. Strange? Paul is talking about love nothing unclear about it unless I'm missing something. I believe Paul is saying in the end there will only be love that endures and everything without love will come to an end.

In Reply to The Elk (comment #29463)
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A number of things: the notion that we cannot fully understand the kingdom of God in this present age; that what we and the world at large take as guarantees ("knowledge") will pass away; the mirror imagery. None of this negates Paul's thoughts on love, even as it echoes much of what is happening - visually and thematically - in Doctor Strange.

In Reply to R.D. (comment #29455)
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R.D., I appreciate your experienced insights and comments. In fact, I find more solid discussion in your comment than in the original article.

A million thanks to you R. D for your detailed explanation and clear cut truths. Dr. Strange will indeed create a fascination about the occult in many especially the young. I was also introduced, as a teen, to the mystic arts. But quickly found out that what they teach is false and powerless in comparison to the power and authority of my Lord Jesus Christ. Clearly, the movie's basis goes against the teachings of the Bible. Thank you once again and I will definitely check your book(s) out when I get the time to.
Josh, I still do not see how 1cor13 relates to Dr. Strange and his occultic incantations.

In Reply to L.Iwobi (comment #29908)
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I'm sorry you had that experience as a teen, L.lwobi. How did it relate to Doctor Strange? As to your question, see my response to The Elk above.

Have you seen the Doctor Strange movie yet?

I believe that with a movie like Dr. Strange, there is a seduction taking place which portrays occultic arts as harmless. Nothing can be further from the truth. If you read in Isaiah God is very specific about His stand in regard to the occult.
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Isaiah 47:12-14 (ESV)
Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror.
You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you,
those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars,
who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you.
Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them;
they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame.
No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!
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God is talking about Astrology here, and you see His judgement in this. A lot people see this as harmless. But if God feels this way about astrology, then you know that He stands against conjuring of any kind and any dabbling in the dark arts. The question as a Christian on watching this, isn't whether you can handle it, but why would you see it to begin with? And no offense but your comment on 1 Corinthians 13, regarding not seeing clearly now, has absolutely nothing to do with what this movie represents. And to invoke scripture here I think you're trying too hard to make that "round peg, fit into the square hole"