In 2023, 46 horror movies were released. 75 million tickets were sold, and the industry made $798 million in domestic revenue alone.[i] It’s been argued that horror movies remain a draw for many in the contemporary West because there is so little actual danger in most of our lives.
Atheist Steven Pinker in The Better Angels of Our Nature argues that we live in the most peaceful era of human existence: wars have decreased, human rights have expanded, and rates of starvation and lifespans have improved. Drawn to conflict, we now have access to global news coverage, which gives us the dopamine hit of feeling like we are in conflict. And, of course, we also supplement our need for danger with television, movies, and video games.[ii] Psychological research shows that those drawn to horror movies have a higher sensation-seeking trait, a higher openness to experience, and have lower empathy.[iii]
We are drawn to danger like a moth to a candle.
There is plenty to caution us from this impulse: the rising rates of anxiety in our scrolling world (see Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation). But my point here is different: I think some of us similarly treat sin as we treat violence. We are drawn to the dopamine hit of getting near sin, but not (hopefully) entering in. We want to test ourselves and prove our mettle, and so we intentionally step into temptation’s path. We want the rush of escape. Temptation is tempting.
Our Lord warns us against such dabbling.
“Lead us not into temptation,” Jesus prays (Matt. 6:13). And so should we (after all, Jesus said, “Pray then like this” (Matt. 6:9).
We don’t get bonus points for walking a more arduous road of temptation. Jesus knows us, loves us, and recognizes that the temptations that will come our way in God’s sovereign plan will be more than enough for us to handle (Paul promises that by the power of the Spirit within us, we can resist any temptation that comes our way (1 Cor. 10:13)).
I’ve counseled more than a few alcoholics whose goal is to be able to drink in moderation. Abstinence feels like a cop-out to them. I’ve pastored those struggling with pornography, who feel as though they are cheating if they use accountability software. I’ve counseled those who struggle with an attraction to someone who wants to have a non-romantic friendship with that individual and not distance themselves from them. Jesus’ wisdom to all of us is simple: stay away. And pray that God would keep the temptation away from you.
I grew up in a family that ate a bowl of ice cream for dessert every day. A day that didn’t end with a sweet and creamy treat wasn’t a day at all! That was fine while doing two-a-day swim practices in high school, but that will not fly for my middle-aged life today. One of the great mercies of my wife is her commitment to clean eating, which means that generally there is very little in our cupboard or fridge that can derail my nightly desire to tack on an additional 800 calories of silky sweetness to my daily caloric intake. I’m grateful. On any given night, I might have the willpower sometimes to resist a bowl of Tillamook coffee almond fudge, but over time, the spoon will come out more nights than it doesn’t. “Lord, lead me not into temptation.”
Let us take sin as seriously as Jesus did and be as honest about our willpower as he was. “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble,” Jesus gently warns us, speaking of anxiety (Matt. 6:34). Indeed, and sufficient for the day is its own temptation. Christ is with you, before, behind, and alongside. He is not asking you to prove yourself, to demonstrate your willpower, but to depend on him. He is sufficient, and the Spirit of God will lead you.
Don’t succumb to the temptation of temptation.
[i] Samantha Stewart, “Hollywood Loves Halloween,” Bloomberg, October 31, 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-10-31/hollywood-loves-halloween-inside-the-lucrative-business-of-horror-movies.
[ii] My post here is not primarily meant to be an argument against horror movies. There is an interesting pro-horror movie argument made by some for its place in helping us conquer our fears and come to grips with the reality of evil in this world. Christianity Today’s “Be Afraid” explores this argument: https://www.christianitytoday.com/podcasts/be-afraid/whats-your-favorite-scary-movie/.
[iii] Haiyang Yang and Kuangjie Zhang, “The Psychology Behind Why We Love (or Hate) Horror,” Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2021/10/the-psychology-behind-why-we-love-or-hate-horror#.