With Halloween only a couple of days ago, it seems appropriate to talk about the parallel of vampire lore to Christianity. While an odd topic, it certainly fits within the realm of this blog.
Let's start with vampires raising from the dead, just as Christ did. There is also a legend floating around that Judas was the first of the undead. Fitting, so it seems for the betrayer of Jesus.
Next, comes the blood. By Christ's blood we are redeemed, our sins washed away, making us acceptable to God. When we accept Jesus as our savior and Lord we become a new person or creature. A vampire takes its victims blood, drains them, sometimes enslaving them and becoming a person's master, and can, by sharing its own blood, turn the victim into a vampire as well. Thus the person becomes a creature of the night.
Then, there is the eternal life aspect. After death Christians move on to heaven to be with God and Jesus in a new body and live forever. If a victim becomes a vampire then they 'live' forever in the undead state, draining blood themselves.
And let's not forget the importance of a cross. Jesus died on it to redeem humanity. A vampire is terrified of it.
The biggest difference is that vampires can be killed by being beheaded, a stake driven through their heart, and in later years, silver bullets or anything made from it. Not to mention the creatures sleep in their coffins, never actually escaping their grave as Christ did.
And a vampire chooses its victim, while we chose to come to Christ, even though he already knows we will.
Not to mention the seductive mystique of the vampire. At least in modern day. It has not always been so throughout history.
Christ on the other hand is warm and loving, inviting all to come to him. Although in some countries, becoming a Christian is a potential death sentence and becoming a martyr.
A vampire often kills its victims or those it has enslaved. And, often they are cruel.
Yet, there has been a rise of different sympathetic vampires like Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows, Nicolas Knight in Forever Knight and let us not forget the current popular sparkling vamps.
The real difference is that Christ is life, and vampires are shrouded in death.
Yeah, I think Ted Dekker has played on this with his bats and 'bloodsuckers' themes.
ReplyDeleteZombies and vampires have a lot in common. They're both undead that want to feed on the living. I think the difference being that zombies are physical death, with all the rottenness, while vampires are spiritual death with all of its depravity.
Good post!
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