Love sucks

If you haven’t heard about the global phenomena that are the Twilight novels, movies and their associated superstars, you must have not left your sound-proof booth for some time.

Stephenie Meyer’s quartet of teen romance vampire books began attracting a rabid fan base several years ago (predominantly comprised of girl readers), a burgeoning following which exploded into an international juggernaut after the first Twilight film was released in late 2008.

Since then, the cult of main characters Bella Swan (a normal US high school student) and her immortal beloved Edward Cullen (a bloodsucker who doesn’t feed on humans), has taken over everything from social networks to gossip mags and obscure merchandise.

Most easily compared with the omnipresent Harry Potter movement, fellow fantasy powerhouse Twilight (the first novel is called Twilight, as is the entire series) has also eclipsed its modest intentions and become a pop-culture touchstone.

The second Twilight film, New Moon, is out November 19. The enormous increase in Twilight mania in the past 12 months means New Moon (co-starring Dakota Fanning and ace British actor Michael Sheen) should smash the considerable $380 million taken at the world’s box office by its less-hyped predecessor.

For a franchise which has sparked insatiable desire among fans, particularly for lead actors Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Kristen Stewart (Bella), the Twilight universe is a notable place of sexual control, abstinence and true love.

Meyer is a practising Mormon who claims her religious views were not intended to preach from the pages of Twilight. But interesting moral stances underpin Meyer’s remix of vampire mythology (purists loathe how Meyer’s vampires are so different).

Edward’s animalistic attraction to Bella and her hardcore infatuation with him easily symbolise the burning of lust. But his internal battle against sucking human blood causes him to rule out sexual intimacy, for consummation would mean losing control — and possibly killing Bella with his vampire strengths.

Sex and death have long been socially awkward bedfellows when Christians have discussed their faith with nonbelievers. God’s commands for pre-marital sex are firm, starkly at odds with people yearning for instant gratification.

However, suggesting Bella and Edward are models for Christians is a perilous leap, considering we’re talking about a bloodsucking immortal and his girlfriend, who abstain so she can keep breathing.

A Christian framework or lifestyle is not demonstrated in Twilight, leaving its act of sexual self-control to be more unusual than theologically defensible.

Twilight is an anomaly for its relatively chaste love story being devoured by a Western World drenched in sexual abandon and worship. But the Good Book can really explain why Edward and Bella’s self-control is the way to go.

Ben McEachen is the Senior Editor of Empire magazine and attends Christians in the Media Church Annandale.