Violence is the hideous reality of people willfully
harming people. Accidents may be dramatic but no matter their consequences,
they are spiritually irrelevant. Yes, negligence or recklessness are sins, but
of omission. Apathy is not intent.
Disease, disasters and wild animals are impersonal. They
kill but as dysfunctional forces of nature. Yes, a beast may stalk and kill
deliberately but the thoughts of a mindless brute are mindless indeed. The
feelings of a beast are primal impulses and nothing more.
Humans, gods, angels, fairies, aliens and sentient robots
are “people” in their fiction. They are entities aware of their own existence.
They have personal thoughts and feelings. Even if brainwashed or otherwise
compelled, their personality asserts itself. Should the spark of their
individuality be extinguished, they are presumed dead.
I write adventure fiction as fantasy, science fiction or
horror. The action may be a chase or acrobatic but is usually violence.
Characters kill each other. The masterminds, monsters and rogue warriors commit
murder. The henchmen follow dastardly orders. The heroes slaughter baddies.
Killing of itself is spiritually irrelevant. The physics
of death are mere cause and effect. It is the intent that is either good or evil. Masterminds sacrifice others
for an agenda. Monsters and rogue warriors are predators. Henchmen may or may
not be evil themselves but they serve villainy. Heroes thwart evil by
eliminating its agents. They avenge the innocent.
Celebrating violence is silly at best and vulgar at
worst. Shunning violence is idealistic at best and passive-aggressive at worst.
Honesty sees it for what it is, for better or worse. Even as fiction it can be
good or evil.
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