Many secular books advocate actions and lifestyles that we oppose as immoral. Some openly mock our beliefs, portray graphic sex and violence and spew foul language. While this reflex reaction is understandable, it's also unfortunate. For we're allowing the negative content of some secular novels to darken our opinion of all secular fiction. And by summarily dismissing the genre, we're losing ground in both our evangelistic efforts and our spiritual lives.
Many secular novels have tremendous sacred value.
As Christians work to erase traces of the secular in what they read, secular writers inject observations about religion into their work. Whether their remarks ask simple questions or raise serious spiritual issues, each comment is a knock on our door. But as we push their work away unread, we forfeit any opportunity to respond. We lock the door before we even peek out to see who's there. The spiritual life.