interesting discussion...i had two major reactions: 1)economy and 2)gnosticism

economy
marx is attributed to saying that, “Capital is dead labor, which, vampire-like, lives only by sucking living labor, and lives the more, the more labor it sucks.”

so perhaps it’s a way to play out hopes and dreams during this economic situation...culture wants to believe that capitalism is indestructibile...wants to believe it will last...i dunno.

2)gnosticism
i was also reminded of what zizek said in lacanian ink 8, “a dead person loses the predicates of a living being, yet he or she remain the same person; an undead, on the contrary, retains all the predicates of a living being without being one - what we get with the vampire is “the ordinary manner of speaking and thinking purely and simply - without the individual.”

next month i’m preaching a series about gnosticism and how facebook/myspace online realities underwrite the gnostic ideal...i think i’ll work in the vampire idea as well: vampires have the “predicates of a living being...without being one...without the individual”

vampires and facebook offer “lives” without real life. of course those are over generalizations of vampires and gnosticism...but the basic premise is there, i think.

Hey Jacob! Good to hear from you, friend. You've raised some really great points. I'm intrigued by the capitalism issue. I'd have to think on that a bit more. I will say, however, that I am immediately drawn to what you've raised in the second thought on gnosticism and "predicates of living beings." Your additional tie-in with Facebook is really cool, very throughtful. God's given you a really great mind for this! I'd love to hear more as you put together a few more thoughts on this for your own teaching and preaching.

Man has had the desire, but not the qualifications, to live eternally. Vampires can do so though they must kill or enslave to do so. Think of Satan when you think of a vampire - he would prefer to destroy humankind and does have the majority in enslavement to his perversions and rebellious attitude.
Christianity as a whole has not addressed Satan nor his influence, some Christians do not even believe he exists, yet, believe in God, the resurrected Jesus and angels. Satan seems, like a vampire, to be able to have his way and enjoy it. However, just like a vampire, he will be reduced to nothing, upon the return of Jesus to Earth (Satan, as an eternal being cannot be destroyed by daylight, but his works can be - by the light of scripture and the Son of God.) Vampires are a fiction - Satan is not.

If the devil painted billboards, he would decorate them with many of the kinds of things we get from the vampire mythos. Vampires represent the "pretty" side of sin, hunger and lust while - by their nature - falling under none of the consequences that daunt us mere mortals. Namely, death.

In short, they're sexy.

People are drawn to the vampire narrative the same way that kids are drawn to Harry Potter, Peter Pan, Matilda,- stories of power to the powerless. People are always looking for ways to have greater control and power over their lives and the vampire story seems to have that. One might suggest that Christianity offers what they are seeking but apparently people don't feel that the Christian narrative is compelling enough. Vamps are sexy, eternal, strong, and generally way cooler. It is merely one literary archetype that has a universal pull. Who doesn't want more power or control over their life? It's just a facination, nothing evil or satanic, just liturature.

Here are some of my observations. Other than the sheer entertainment value of vampires the interest seems to reflect the fascination of our society with the dark and macabre (Already we have a fifth installment in the 'Saw' movies. Evil just cannot go away. It comes back again and again. Perhaps this is a reflection of how dualistic people think in this day and age.) In several of the more modern vampire films vampires are often portrayed as tormented souls who must go living in an un-dead state alienated from society while friends and loved ones die and leave them behind. Some movies portray vampires as metaphors for subcultures in our society who are alienated and seek acceptance. Some theorize that in the 'True Blood" miniseries on HBO the vampires may be a metaphor for homosexuals seeking to be understood and accepted.

I realize that this is rather simplistic, but the make-over that vampires have undergone in literature and film seems to point to people's desire for eternal life without any strings attached. You can't really say that vampires "live" forever, but they exist forever and can interact with the living and enjoy many of the benefits of life and relationships. They are strong and sexy and not such bad people when you get to know them. People reason, "Sure they have a dark, mysterious side, but who doesn't?" People hope the good they do outweighs the bad and enables them to enter a paradise where they can still enjoy the things they enjoyed when they were on earth.

I think it's significant to note that Angel refuted the idea that vampire coolness is about having eternal life with no strings attached. The twist for Angel is that he was cursed with the soul that he lost when he became a vampire, and now lives under the both the crushing guilt and shame of his vampirric evil (and, occasionally, his continued existence as well).

Angel is an interesting show. Its supernatural powers of good are not good but uncaring and impotent, and so it puts forth its main character as the contemporary alternative, really, to Christ. Angel, though terribly broken and flawed, is an immortal champion separate from but protective of the denizens of L.A. And, most importantly, no one owes Angel anything in return for his help, nor does he require anything of them. He isn't there to enjoy life with no strings attached, he's there so *you* can enjoy life with no strings attached. And yet, by the end of the series, everyone who works with him is destroyed in some way. A very interesting production.

Actually vampires are a wonderful illustration of what humanity might be like if they had partaken of the tree of life as well as the tree of knowledge. forever trapped in a body of sin, and required to devour each other to sate our cravings but never being able to break free of our sinfulness or immortality. Perhaps in today's society where sin is accepted and out there and people's lives are comfortable and sanitized enought that death is not a 'felt' reality, this reflects somewhat the state of today's western society.

Wow. This has stirred quite the conversation. Thanks to all who have commented so far. Thoughtful, intriguing stuff! Keep it coming!

I'm a fan of the Twilight series -- one of the things that drew me to it was its unusual twist on the typical vampire narrative. The hero of the book is a "vegetarian" vampire, in that he tries to drink only animal blood, not human. He spends most of the book struggling against his natural desire for the blood of the heroine, whom he loves. I think his internal battle makes for some excellent parallels with our battles against our sinful nature... and it certainly opens doors to talk with people who would otherwise not consider Christianity.

I love vampires. Perhaps obsessed. Anywho, vampires have a beautiful meaning to me, and reflect something humans WANT to have, to gain. What's that? Immortality. If you're going to Heaven and/or the afterlife you live forever, and that's what a vampire does--live forever. When you dig deep into it, Vampires symbolize our "want" for immortality. That's how I see it.

I'd like to thank you for this topic

Hmm, very cognitive post.
Is this theme good unough for the Digg?

Wow! Karl, I loved your post.

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