Created in His Image

[itisastarrynight]

God created Man in His Image. God created all things. God gave Man a living Soul.
Is it okay to write stories with humanoids in them? In my own story I have people inspired from types of fish, as this culture is underwater. I’ll call them mermaids for now (dies). Is that disrespectful? Is it distorting the image of God and what he wanted man to be?

A: God created Man in His Image, Human. God did not create mermaids in his image. yet God created all things. Only Man is made in his image and has a living soul.
B: These mermaid characters are based from people. Oppose to them just simply being a fish or being a bird. A family member of mine said how we dont relate to Chewbaccca like we do to Han Solo, because Chewbacca looks, and sounds, (sometimes acts kinda like) like an animal. Han Solo is a human. So is it a matter of character design? After all, these characters act, sound, and LOOK like a person as they have a humanish face and form. And it’s more than look. They’re people with souls.

All animals are also created by God just like he created humans. Man is inspired by God. Mermaids are inspired by man and fish (animal).

I noted that the Bible refers to People as Man (And not Human). Animals are the way they are physically, because they were tailored for survival and their relation to other creatures. Man, his physical form is tailored for survival (our lungs breathe the oxygen in the air), however differently.. Man can change his environment, a feature different to most animals. We can pick up a hammer and build a house. So maybe their form would be different if the earth was also different.

Is being Created in His Image more than physical form? I think so. Is physical form relative to how we are made in his Image? I think so. (Our faces are good for social interaction and expressiveness, animals don’t have that)
This post is very long now, but I would like to say I’m not expecting a cut clean answer. But maybe.. food for thought? Anyone have any different perspectives or convictions? Thanks.
PS if anyone has questions about my specific scenario that will help you understand the situation I’m in, feel free to ask. Also sorry if this topic has offended anyone.

I can't believe it's not butter!

[Elizabeth]

Hey~

I’m a little confused as to what you’re asking here. Are you asking about the Biblical soundness of including “humanoid” creatures in your story? Or are you debating the differences between animal and human?

If your question relates to the former, I’d like to ask what impact God has in the world you’ve created. Do your characters actively worship, pray, or discuss God in everyday life, as we often do? Or are they ignorant that such an entity might exist?

Using God as a present figure in your story puts your questions in play, but not using God in such a way creates a bit more flexibility.

Also, just to throw this in: my WIP (ironically) has mer-creatures in it too, but I don’t refer to God in my story; instead, it depends more on theme to drive that element forward. Because of that, I’m not concerned with having other creatures in my story–they’re just a part of the world I created.

Writer. Dreamer. Sometimes blogger. MBTI mess. Lover of Jesus and books.

[SeekJustice]

@itisastarrynight

I’ve wrestled with this question too. For example, I wrote a story once (think Redwall ) with talking otters who acted like people, believed in God and could be saved etc. I didn’t have a problem with that because in this world they were people, with souls and free will. They weren’t animals anymore. They just alagorically represented humans.

I also cowrote another story, which was set in “the real world” and featured both humans and lions. In this story the lions acted just like people and had the ability to be saved. Eventually, I felt that this was wrong as there was no distinction between human and lion and it was advocating that animals could be saved, when in fact God didn’t come to die for lions.

The difference between these two stories might seem subtle, but the way i look at is: if animals represent people allegorically (such as in narnia or Redwall, in narnia Aslan set the talking animals apart from the normal ones and gave them souls and free will, so they are essentially “human” now) then they should have souls and free will.

If they are not then I don’t think its right, but that’s up to you.

Mermaids, centaurs etc are a bit different. I think the key is though that they are always portrayed as sentinent human beings. But God didn’t create them, so they aren’t real, and so you have more freedom. If they exist in your fantasy world, then your God-figure (assuming you have one)  DID make them. Since they aren’t real I don’t think anyone is going to be led astray by believing that mermaids can be saved and are children of God.

I think its up to you and what your theology feels comfortable with and how you interpret the Bible. I don’t personally see anything wrong with it, as long as your god-figure has given them a soul and that they are more human than fish. Basically as long as they are humans that happen to have scales.

Does that make sense? I’d be happy to talk to you a bit more if I’ve managed to confuse you.

INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.

[itisastarrynight]

@seekjustice Thank you, that is helpful

I can't believe it's not butter!

[SeekJustice]

@itisastarrynight no worries!

(Also, I’m confused about your signature? What on earth does it mean?)

INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.

[itisastarrynight]

@seekjustice hahaha
It’s something my siblings and I say sometimes. It’s a non-dairy spread product thingy XD

I can't believe it's not butter!

[itisastarrynight]

@that_writer_girl_99 Sorry it was confusing ( I was confused when I wrote it.. maybe still am a little)
I was asking if anyone had any thoughts on the soundness of writing people that aren’t humans, and also while there are are humans present.
The extra text below the question just shows my thought process a little 🙂

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by itisastarrynight.

I can't believe it's not butter!

[Sam Kowal]

@itisastarrynight

I don’t think writing people, who aren’t necessarily human, is unsound at all, but that’s just my opinion. The way I see it, God has the imagination and the power to create anything that he likes, and he’s gifted us with a small and limited shadow of that power and imagination (now that I think of it, kind of an aspect of being made in his image.)

The important thing to remember is the soul, not the body as much. The material form of a mermaid might be different from a human’s, but if you portray a mermaid as having a soul similar to a human’s, then the mermaids can still connect to values and principles that humans connect to, like a fallen-ness and the need for a greater Being to guide them.

Humans are really just arrangements of atoms, and without God we’d be nothing more than basic matter. It’s Him who gives us spirit and our souls. Humans also differ quite a bit in form (like height, gender, race, etc.), but we’re all connected by being in God’s image. So if you took that further and said that mermaids had similar souls to humans, but differed quite a bit more in form, they could join that connection (in fiction, of course.)

So… not sure if that helps

*Giarstanornarak tries to melt chair*
Also, Daeus has 22 turtles in his signature.

[itisastarrynight]

@sam-kowal Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject! *continues to consider*

I can't believe it's not butter!

[Rochellaine]

@itisastarrynight I know in fantasy literature it is common to have creatures which are half human, half animal, but I think about where that mythology started.  The origin of those stories (and I believe most myths to be based in truth) was from old heathen mythology.  The idea that there is a half human, half animal seems to indicate that the creature is the offspring of a human and an animal, which the Bible clearly states is wrong (Leviticus 18:23), but which in the old Greek tales was common.

I know you are trying to create them as a whole different race, and that most people do not associate the origin of those tales in their heads anymore.  (My family does put up Christmas trees, even though they originated from a heathen custom as well).

I guess what I’m trying to say is while the Bible does have a precedent for both evil and righteous talking animals, (the serpent in the garden, and Baalam’s donkey), it doesn’t seem to have a righteous precedent for creatures who are half human and half animal.

Lastly, please don’t take this as an offence.  🙂 There is definitely a big market for fantasy these days, and it is a good genre for allegorical writing.  Whatever you decide should definitely be just what you think is right, not based on my own beliefs.

"Sylvester - Sylvester!"

[itisastarrynight]

@rochellaine Yes, that makes sense! I will keep these in mind, thanks so much!

I can't believe it's not butter!

[itisastarrynight]

@people who care, An update on where my story and I stand, regarding this issue, a conclusion i think.
During this time of uncertainty, I haven’t really worked on my WIP at all. Uninspired to touch it and really couldn’t come up with any new ideas. I thought that if I had to let go of mermaids, I would be dropping the story completely. And I began willing to do so. But I think God has come for me and helped me on what is best for my scenario. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE PERSPECTIVES SHARED AND DO NOT WISH TO ALTER ANYONE’S OPINIONS OR OFFEND ANYONE.
but decided that I have come to a conclusion and I know what I will do and may as well share it with you all as I have asked for your assistance in this decision.
1Corinthians 15:39 Leviticus 18:23 personally makes me think I should not create mermaids. I can’t feel okay with it. 

So what now? Toss the spaghetti? No.
During that time of doubt I even questioned if I should write at all. But I think there is more to this story I was given. I will write it. I honestly don’t know how. (I’m open to ideas) But anyway, the story will take place underwater as I originally intended (I have the breathing issue already worked out, though) And they will be humans. Maybe this isn’t a super fantastical realm as much as it is going to be a sci-fi underwater city. Maybe. Yes, I feel as though it is less cool, but hey, I’m going with it.
This message was very long, so thanks to people who read it! Thanks to those who prayed for me, if there was anyone who did.
😃😃😃😃😊😊😊😪😪😪

I can't believe it's not butter!

[SeekJustice]

@itisastarrynight

I know exactly where you’re coming from, and if you feel that it’s wrong and God is telling you not too, then you don’t have to apologise for that 😀

I hope your story goes well 😀

INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.

[Rochellaine]

@itisastarrynight I’m glad you were able to make a decision.  I just wanted to let you know I am impressed and humbled by the fact that you spent so much time in prayer and scripture study to determine whether what you were writing was right.  It reminds me that I do not do that nearly often enough, but usually write what I think of.  So thanks for the inspiration to examine my writing more closely.

By the way, your story still does sound interesting, and I would probably read it! 🙂

"Sylvester - Sylvester!"

[itisastarrynight]

@seekjustice @rochellaine Thank you for the encouragement!❤ ❤
I’m happy that it encouraged you! Also, I realize it may be even cooler now with the mermaids out. Less mainstream, right? I just have no idea how long this project will take me to finish seeing as I have no experience(and not to mention illustating it o:) , but the support feels amazing, thanks. 🙂 🙂 And I’m starting to speed up with fresh ideas now, as well.

I can't believe it's not butter!

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