Discussing
The Nun II and Eyes of Faith

In the horror spin-off sequel, belief becomes a matter of ‘assurance about what we do not see.’

I grew up in USSR during cold war. Though my ancestors for centuries were adherents of the Georgian Orthodox rite , our tradition was supressed at every turn in schools and in public. Whenever the issue of religion or fate would come up teachers ridiculed and mocked Christians, the Church, the concept of Greator itself. The state also employees cinematography to imprint into young minds scary and disgusting associations with religious attributes, churches, and clerics. Though my father arranged secretly for me to get baptized when I was 5 years old, it was much later in my youth when I reaffirmed my faith and started practicing Christianity. However, from age 8 to 14 perhaps I remember suffering feats of fear whenever passing by the church and seeing the cross. Only later I figured it was childhood memories of the Soviet film I glimpsed on TV. The story was about poor peasant girl coming to a town to work in a factory. She struggles to me make friends in factory and talks into a trap of secret Christian society. They lure her in and instruct her in faith and she feels welcome. At the same time girl goes to school for working youth and learned that Christ and Bible are evil propaganda to subdue people's minds. When she tries to leave the Christian society, the other members turn evil and nail her to a cross ( ridiculous illogical fantasy of Soviet film director). Though I was just 6 years old those scary images of nails penetrating hands and screaming girl, and evil people with candles and crosses. Those images imprinted in my subconscious made it me afraid of churches and worshiping people , and if not for God's providence and mercy later in my life , who knows if I would ever become Christian. So, my question is, when we dig for good messages in horror movies , maybe we missed the whole different detrimental effect they might have on young impressionable minds?

Hi Vakhtang,

Thank you for sharing so much of your story. I think this is a question of discernment, and it's the exact reason I'm not a 'pusher' when it comes to horror. I know a number of folks who cannot watch these sorts of films for exactly the reasons you describe. And certainly when it comes to kids, we should be very careful what we expose them to, and at what age.

In general, I am always going to encourage conversation over censorship, but I also understand folks who can't go there.