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    Fantastical Truth

    Escape bad books. Find the best Christian-made fantasy and sci-fi for God’s glory.

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    Copyright: Copyright © Lorehaven, 2020. All rights reserved.

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    Latest Episodes:
    339. After Sir Patrick Stewart’s Passing, How Can Christian Fans Best Honor Humanistic Heroes? Nov 10, 2026
    Show notes

    Some people like Donald Trump. Some people like anyone else but. Some like Coca Cola; for others, Pepsi is okay. Others debate DC vs. Marvel, originals vs. remakes, Star Trek versus Star Wars, or even for Trekkers, Kirk vs. Picard. Some love the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel, while others get caught by false promises of humanism. But today it seems everyone embraced Sir Patrick Stewart. How can we mourn the loss of flawed yet talented actors to that great monster of death, while honoring the virtues their famous characters honored?

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Kings of Dawn and Dusk by Mariposa Aristeo
    2. “Scales on the Heart” by John A. Pretorius
    3. Meridian Dawns by D. M. Dian

    Mission update

    • November book quest for Maxine Justice: Public Offender
    • Cover reveal crew recruiting for The Moon Will Not Give Light
    • Stephen’s refurbished author website at EStephenBurnett.com
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    1. Life lessons from the Federation’s finest

    • Many fans knew Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
    • Stewart acted in all episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
    • The 178-episode series aired 1987–1994 to revitalize the fandom.
    • Stewart infused the world with class, earnestness, and weight.
    • Fans love famous and obscure episodes for his sincere morality.
    • Christians observe, of course, that Star Trek is deeply humanistic.
    • “Classic humanism” is closer to biblical ethics than modern stuff.
    • Picard was not a Christ-figure, but more like a Christ-figure-figure.
    • Yes, the character shows an impossible ideal, yet reflects grace.
    • Men in particular declare how Picard modeled good masculinity.

    2. Tragedians, warriors, and Professor X

    • Sir Patrick Stewart was born 1940 in working-class Yorkshire, UK.
    • His life was shaped by tragedy, even his father hurting his mother.
    • Later he advocated for domestic violence and PTSD awareness.
    • That suffering is reflected in his early acting, especially in classics.
    • Stephen appreciates Stewart’s made-for-TV A Christmas Carol.
    • Stewart also played Gurney Halleck in David Lynch’s original Dune.
    • More famously, he was Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men films.
    • Stewart’s earnestness had elevated yet another “genre” franchise.
    • We may credit him for both Star Trek and the serious-side MCU.
    • Other roles: serious/silly voice acting, The Last Battle

    3. Finding the grace in Stewart’s failings

    • When any famous person dies, it’s good to focus on the positives.
    • Yet we must also speak, or at least know, the truth about them.
    • Stewart was married three times, to his first wife the longest.
    • He also confessed he put acting before family, with sad results.
    • The actor was not a Christian; he accepted secular humanism.
    • Divided families are a challenge to some high-achieving creatives.
    • Anyone lamenting Christian-made stories’ obscurity must see this.
    • Let’s be realistic about the toll such achievements take on family.
    • As with Picard, we can affirm Stewart’s decency and earnestness.
    • God gives this kind of “common grace” to great yet sinful men.

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • How did you grieve the death of Stewart or any other actor?

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    Homeschooled kids can face some challenges in the non-homeschool world. Some of us struggle with common public-school practices. Like instantly knowing what grade you’re in. Or how to untwist a rotating combination lock. Yet for Winslet Nubek, she has the added challenge of winning the magical Tournament of Scarabs—while she confronts surprise flashbacks to the past. Fresh from her own vehicle challenge, author Lyndsey Lewellen (somewhat carefully) leaps into the studio to explore her latest YA fantasy novel Karabos.


    338. Why Do Big Audiences Want to Feel Small Next to Godzilla? Nov 03, 2026
    Show notes

    Less than ten years after the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, another radioactive monster stomped across the shores of that struggling nation. Yet a strange thing happened after that original 1954 film from Toho and writer/director Ishirō Honda. Godzilla screeched his way into the hearts of film fans across the world, transforming between reboots and sequels from terrifying black-and-white doom to goofy-eyed rubber-suited hero. How on Earth did this monstrous king get so big?

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Kings of Dawn and Dusk by Mariposa Aristeo
    2. “Scales on the Heart” by John A. Pretorius
    3. Meridian Dawns by D. M. Dian

    Mission update

    • November book quest for Maxine Justice: Public Offender
    • Stephen’s refurbished author website at EStephenBurnett.com
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    Quotes and notes

    • Godzilla: King of the Monsters Is Not Safe, But He’s Good, E. Stephen Burnett at Christ and Pop Culture (2019)
    • Godzilla Minus One Pits a Human Hero Journey vs. Godzilla x Kong’s Smashing Spectacle, Parker J. Cole at Lorehaven (2024)
    • Chariots, Horses, and Aircraft Carriers are No Match For ‘Godzilla’, Austin Gunderson at the original Speculative Faith blog (2014)

    "Godzilla" (1954)

    Correction

    • Stephen mentions the wrong release year for the American film Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which released in 2019.

    1. Godzilla! The original harbinger of death!

    • Stephen recently saw Honda’s original Godzilla for the first time.
    • This was the sub version, no Raymond Burr, only Japanese.
    • At first the film is very plot-driven, then focused on a human cast.
    • By then you’re very invested in these poor people’s survival.
    • He only laughed once at tiny plane missiles. The rest aged well!
    • Shin Godzilla (2016) and Godzilla Minus One (2023) stay dark.
    • True fans of Godzilla may also mention other films that follow this.
    • A few others make Godzilla more of an antihero, yet still scary.
    • Of these, Stephen likes Godzilla (2014) and especially its sequel.
    • Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) is the best American version.

    Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

    2. Godzilla! A fun hero who slays dragons!

    • Toho’s monster got away from its original horror-movie origins.
    • By the time of the sequels, Godzilla got goofier and more positive.
    • So is Godzilla a dark horror-monster or silly hero? Answer: yes.
    • Stephen prefers the villainous or antiheroic/heroic sincere version.
    • Yet the silly version is also canon, embracing the monster fights.
    • This version forms many memes, with silly moves and derpy faces.
    • Goofzilla fulfills another fan wish: a monster to kill bad monsters.
    • The recent American films with King Kong follow in this tradition.
    • Stephen saw both but can barely remember any of their highlights.
    • Anyhow, Godzilla is barely in those, placing Kong at center stage.

    Godzilla Minus One (2023)3. Godzilla Minus Zero, plus a billion fans!

    • Takashi Yamazaki’s film Godzilla Minus One won for good reason.
    • This 2023 reboot moves the monster closer to his historical origin.
    • No more Goofzilla, wrestling matches, or rubber suits for kids.
    • Yamazaki takes this monster seriously and values human drama.
    • Godzilla Minus Zero promises more of the same, and even bigger.
    • Classic fans can expect the return of more fantastical elements.
    • Stephen wants to see Godzilla smash Tokyo and maybe New York.
    • But also, what about the new family formed by Kōichi and Noriko?
    • Minus One celebrates recovery from trauma to fight for new life.
    • This theme seems more crucial and transcendent, even biblical.

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • Who would win in a fight—sincere Godzilla, Goofzilla, or another kaiju?

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    Some people like Donald Trump. Some people like anyone else but. Some like Coca Cola; for others, Pepsi is okay. Others debate DC vs. Marvel, originals vs. remakes, Star Trek versus Star Wars, or even for Trekkers, Kirk vs. Picard. Some love the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel, while others get caught by false promises of humanism. But today it seems everyone embraced Sir Patrick Stewart. How can we mourn the loss of flawed yet talented actors to that great monster of death, while honoring the virtues their famous characters honored?


    337. Are Passionate Fans Really Waging a Scary Culture War? Oct 27, 2026
    Show notes

    In the last month, we have seen fans who share their strong feelings about, say, horror fiction, movie trailers, or big studio companies. In response these fans often hear scoffing from high-school bullies who hate “nerds.” But there’s a new and not-very-clever tactic in play. It’s the accusation that passionate fans are just turning into monsters who may be worse than Satan—fighters in a scary culture war. Why do some critics say this? What do they mean? And how is this a great big old manipulative lie that can easily be defeated with good sense?

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Karabos by Lyndsey Lewellen
    2. The Seekers Series by J. A. Webb
    3. King Justice: The Legend Begins by Evelyn M. Exley

    Mission update

    • New at Lorehaven: review of Starfall Quest by Emily Golus
    • New book quest on Monday, Nov. 2: Maxine Justice: Public Offender
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    1. Critics and cowards vs. just ‘culture war’

    • That term “culture war” came from a 1991 book, Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America by sociologist James Davison Hunter.
    • Yes, this often relates to politics, but first to pre-political ideas.
    • Here and later, the phrase means clashes over deep moral beliefs.
    • “Culture war” isn’t actually a real war. It’s about people arguing.
    • So when critics fault this “war,” they effectively reject debate.
    • They may have a desire for people to “be nice” or “just get along.”
    • Without healthy debate, people will find worse methods of conflict.
    • And for Christians, simple cultural engagement is often slandered.
    • Many conflicts are necessary, from real wars to “culture wars.”
    • In the Bible and today, it’s okay to fight for noble causes and life.
    • Some critics of “war” are weary and need special consideration.
    • But others are cowards who just want to skip all debates and win.

    2. Mistaken ‘culture warriors’ vs. Halloween

    • War critics (or cowards) often point to examples of bad warriors.
    • They imply or state outright a comparison between them and fans.
    • Example: What about Christians who acted bad about, say, trick-or-treating? Your defense of a story looks just like them, I decided.
    • Assume this point is right about zealous anti-Halloween believers.
    • In fact, some Christians have fallen into unbiblical “Satanic panic.”
    • But this tactic assumes, without proof, an allegorical connection.
    • In any conflict, physical or verbal, motive and methods do matter.
    • That’s why adults try to see who hit first and what is self-defense.
    • Many randos try to assume moral authority to judge your motives.
    • And yet many Christians rightly have concerns about Halloween.
    • They have rights to ignore trick-or-treating, or else engage this.
    • Either way, we must only engage based on the best intel we have.

    3. Fans are right to defend stories they love.

    • Apply all this to two recent issues: horror tales and a Netflix movie.
    • For horror, Christians debate whether to read/watch. Who’s sinful?
    • Answer: Neither side, really. At least they’re all debating the topic!
    • In fact, the actual monster would be scoffers who sneer at either.
    • They refuse to participate in debate. They want to skip it and win.
    • Similarly, consider “true Narnians” versus Netflix-curious fans.
    • In this debate over a new movie, which of them is committing sin?
    • Answer: Neither one. It’s okay to defend what you naturally like.
    • The actual sinners? Those who weaponize political tricks vs. fans.
    • Example: activists who ruined BioWare just to “own the chuds.”
    • They do not love stories or debate. They want to win by default.
    • So they rarely talk of “sin,” only imply shame. This is manipulation.

    Fans have rights to engage or not

    1. Every fan may hold strong beliefs and insist on following them.
    2. Every fan is also a consumer with rights to like/dislike products.
    3. Fans may accept or decline new stories based on their marketing.
    4. Fans hold all rights to refuse stories based on dislike of creators.
    5. Fans hold all rights to like or dislike based on any personal reason.
    6. Fans hold all rights to insist on adaptation faithfulness.
    7. Fans hold all rights to demand new versions respect the creator.
    8. Fans hold rights to answer fools according to their folly.
    9. Fans are responsible to do any hard debating with courtesy.
    10. Fans are responsible to tell the truth about story creators.

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • Has anyone tried to shame you just for liking or disliking a story?

    Luke observed about the Devil (episode 336):

    I wonder if the Bible has relatively little to say about Satan’s “backstory” because pure evil is by its nature just so boring. The devil doubtless thinks his narcissistic rebellion and slander very important, but God in His wisdom as an author left all of that out.

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    Boom. Boom. BOOOOOOOOOM!

    (slight gurgling rumbles in the far distance …)

    “HHHHRRRRRRRROOOOAAAAIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”


    336. Who Is the Worst Real Monster of All Time and Why is He Satan? Oct 20, 2026
    Show notes

    “The Prince of Darkness grim / We tremble not for him.” Martin Luther wrote those words, and yet many people don’t follow them. When they aren’t denying the Devil exists, they’re scared of him. And outside of a biblical worldview, they are right to feel fear. So who is Satan? Why does he haunt the margins of Scripture, often lurking in allusions and cameos rather than starring as a featured villain? And how can faithful Christians battle this unholy foe, especially during spooky season?[1. Photo by Ananthu Selvam on Unsplash.]

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Karabos by Lyndsey Lewellen
    2. The Seekers Series by J. A. Webb
    3. King Justice: The Legend Begins by Evelyn M. Exley

    Mission update

    • New at Lorehaven: Stop Calling Narnia’s Aslan An ‘Allegory’
    • November book quest into Maxine Justice: Public Offender
    • Starting in January, we focus on The Magician’s Nephew book
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    1. Satan gets obscure origins and cameos.

    “How you are fallen from heaven,
    O Day Star, son of Dawn!

    How you are cut down to the ground,
    you who laid the nations low!

    You said in your heart,
    ‘I will ascend to heaven;
    above the stars of God
    I will set my throne on high;
    I will sit on the mount of assembly
    in the far reaches of the north;

    ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
    I will make myself like the Most High.’

    (Isaiah 14:12–14, ESV)

    • First appearance: the serpent of Genesis 3 (never called Satan).
    • Then he and evil spirits lurk in the Old Testament, rarely named.
    • Job portrays Satan on a leash, trying to deconstruct a good man.
    • His first named evil? Inciting a bad census. Really. (1 Chron. 21:1)
    • Theologians see Satanic shades in the taunt of Isaiah 14:12-21.
    • Some translations (like KJV) say Lucifer; the ESV says “Day Star.”
    • Even this is speculation. Verse 4: this is about the king of Babylon.
    • Even here, God’s emphasis is on mockery of this fallen foe (v. 15).
    • 3:1–2: last mention, God guarding a high priest from Satan.
    • Only in the New Testament do we encounter extra demon work.

    2. Jesus has already defeated the Devil.

    The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

    (Luke 10:17–20, ESV)

    • 4 and Luke 4: our first prolonged scene with Satan himself.
    • We see Christ’s spiritual-warfare method: quoting God’s word.
    • No secret cleansing rituals or rebukes. Just applied theology.
    • Luke 10: the Lord appoints His followers to real spiritual warfare.
    • Seventy-two missionaries are thrilled that they can boss demons.
    • Jesus almost dismisses this. Oh? That’s great, but I saw Satan fall.
    • One way or another, to Him, Satan’s defeat is a past-tense reality.
    • He specifically urges His people to rejoice more in their salvation.
    • This is our reminder to keep focusing on biblical priorities.

    3. And yet the Devil remains dangerous.

    And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

    (Revelation 20:7–10, ESV)

    • As a Christian, we rejoice in salvation and protection from demons.
    • Yet it’s good and healthy that nonbelievers remain scared of Satan.
    • He’s a horrid entity. A roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). A dragon (Rev. 12).
    • Satan wanted Peter (Luke 22:21) after taking Judas (Luke 22:3).
    • Later he tempted professing Christians (Acts 5) who lied to God.
    • Satan gets name-checked in another judgment scenario (1 Cor. 5).
    • He disguises himself as an angel of light to deceive (2 Cor. 11:14).
    • He can send a “messenger” that God uses for good (2 Cor. 12:7).
    • And the Devil uses false teaching to hinder the gospel (1 Tim. 5:15).
    • Satan uses little-A antichrists to work greater evils (1 John 2, 4).
    • Of course, many Christians believe in a final Antichrist (Rev. 13).
    • By the end, Satan is cast into Hell—twice. (Rev. 20:1–3, 7–10).

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • How do you see Satan working evil in the world?

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    In the last month, we have seen fans who share their strong feelings about, say, certain movie trailers, directors, or corporations. Among these are the usual scoffing fans often hear from high-school bullies who hate “nerds.” But there’s a new and not-very-clever tactic in play. It’s the accusation that passionate fans are just turning into monsters who may be worse than Satan—fighters in a scary culture war. Why do some critics say this? What do they mean? And how is this a great big old manipulative lie that can easily be defeated with good sense?


    335. Is the Real Monster Always the Secret Plot-Twist You’d Least Expect? Oct 13, 2026
    Show notes

    Some people tell us, “Monsters lurk everywhere. But they never, ever look like monsters.” Or do they? They also suggest, “Usually the most obvious ‘villain’ is in fact the innocent victim who’s been traumatized by another more terrible monster you never would have suspected.” Or is that really true? Many narrative-makers seem to think so, from pundits to true-crime podcasters to major fantastical franchises. We’ll explore how fans may get sick of the constant misdirection that’s now become predictable in fiction—and has even corrupted real justice as many defenses of evildoers deflect their blame into the shadows.[1. Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash.]

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Karabos by Lyndsey Lewellen
    2. The Seekers Series by J. A. Webb
    3. King Justice: The Legend Begins by Evelyn M. Exley

    Mission update

    • New review at Lorehaven: review of The Fish in Jonah’s Puddle
    • New article: I Found These Fifteen Christian Fantasy Novels Whose Heroes Escape Slavery for Freedom by Caylah Coffeen
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    1. Traditional villains can still get plot twists

    • Fairy tales, superhero stories, and Westerns show clear bad guys.
    • Detective stories, suspense, and other genres hide them until later.
    • Who’s right? They both are, either traditional or plot-twist villains.
    • Stephen’s favorite? Clever stories that manage to do both at once.
    • Traditional villains can surprise us. Twist villains still affirm justice.

    2. Subversive surprises erode reader trust

    • That’s different from subversive stories that fail at the plot twist.
    • Famously, Frozen intros a secret villain with very little clear setup.
    • Other stories can get so “clever” their twists often defy plain logic.
    • Worse, such monsters defy plain morality and affirm subversion.
    • Real nuance is twisted into “there is no good or evil, only power.”

    3. Beware the disorder of real deathworks

    Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

    —Isaiah 5:20 (KJV)

    • This isn’t just about bad stories. God almighty hates this disorder.
    • Now it’s wreaking havoc in real court cases and their onlookers.
    • People feel compelled to seek “surprise monsters” and raw power.
    • Based on their feelings, they reject boundaries of fiction/reality.
    • Plot twist: all along, such disorders turn real people into monsters.

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • Do you prefer villains to be traditional or surprising?

    Victor DiGiovanni wrote solid critiques to ep. 332:

    There is no amount of changes Gerwig or anyone can make to Narnia to where it even remotely approaches blasphemy or directly insulting Jesus. Narnia is a series about talking animals, and rats who wield swords, and boys who turn into dragons and children who travel to magical worlds through wardrobes and magical paintings and where a white witch cast a magical land into a hundred years of winter. …

    Thank you, and also Stephen, for your thoughtful responses to my comments. While I am typing my comments in responses to yours, on this article, it’s more about the discussion as a whole that I’m responding to.

    • The entire conversation is well worth reading, even at great length.
    • Stephen offers praise and summary responses, seeking wisdom.
    • To sum up: Narnia isn’t Scripture, but worth defending as fans.
    • Some may go overboard, but true Narnians don’t answer for that.
    • In this case some “outrage” is surely warranted; if not now, when?
    • Our goal isn’t to impress “the world” but to glorify our own Author.

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    “The Prince of Darkness grim / We tremble not for him.” Martin Luther wrote those words, and yet many people don’t follow them. When they aren’t denying the Devil exists, they’re scared of him. And outside of a biblical worldview, they are right to feel fear. So who is Satan? Why does he haunt the margins of Scripture, often lurking in allusions and cameos rather than starring as a featured villain? And how can faithful Christians battle this unholy foe, especially during spooky season?


    334. Are Demons Really Lurking Behind Every Bush? Oct 06, 2026
    Show notes

    Somehow the demons returned. Serious philosophers and flippant folks alike are saying “that’s demonic” about evil ideas or even “she’s a demon” about wicked people. For many Christians, this development may come as a surprise. That’s because many of us heard little about demons growing up, while some of us heard only demons blamed for other religions, the “wrong” cartoon shows, or even mental illness. As we reenter Monster Month, how can we wrangle these reactions?[1. Photo by Eleni Petrounakou on Unsplash.]

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Karabos by Lyndsey Lewellen
    2. GoFundMe: Help Author Lyndsey Lewellen Recover from Horrific Accident
    3. The Seekers Series by J. A. Webb
    4. King Justice: The Legend Begins by Evelyn M. Exley

    Mission update

    • New at Lorehaven: book quest for The Monster in the Hollows
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    Quotes and notes

    There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. one is to disbelieve in their existence. the other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. they themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.

    —C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters introduction

    1. ‘Yes, so we must train in spiritual warfare’

    • Stephen grew up hearing this and occasionally being taught this.
    • He doesn’t blame Frank Peretti or other fun/responsible fictions.
    • 1999 World Magazine article: Peretti was alarmed by some fans.
    • That’s why he only wrote two Darkness novels, and then stopped.
    • Other authors return to themes of biblical-ish demons/angel plots.
    • Lately we often see these adapted for quasi-biblical YA fantasies.
    • Some nonfiction authors teach on “spiritual warfare” techniques.
    • Some of it comes from biblical texts that describe, not prescribe.
    • Others come from popular lore or collected personal experiences.
    • Stephen recalls one author teaching how to pray over hotel rooms.

    2. ‘No, and it’s ridiculous to act like they are’

    • In response to “Satanic panic” and echoes, some overcorrected.
    • Despite affirming that devils exist, they show no interest in them.
    • Stephen has heard sermons skip over the Bible’s few demon parts.
    • This leaves many people in the audience most curious about this.
    • This may subtly train Christians to act as functioning materialists.
    • We explain every evil in terms of human choice or mental illness.
    • Worse still, when some evils defy this, folks shut down and evade.
    • Examples: serial killers (such as women), terrorists, false teachers.
    • We have little to offer when pagans start saying “that’s demonic.”
    • As a result, they may retrace harmful ideas like “Satanic panic.”

    3. It depends, so always look to our Victor.

    • Scripture itself assumes, yet barely explains, demon existence.
    • We can speculate based on Gen. 3, Isaiah 14, Ephesians 6, etc.
    • Much less does Scripture do more than hint about demonic power.
    • Exceptions: Paul ties idol-worship to demons in 1 Cor. 10:20–21.
    • This leads to debate over possession/oppression and exorcisms.
    • And this gives rise to urban legends about “demonic” objects.
    • Scripture seems clear that demons only respond to human will.
    • Stephen’s imagery: they’re like germs attracted to infect wounds.
    • Which means demons don’t “take over” unwilling human beings.
    • Crucial truth: demons are disarmed by Christ’s victory (Col. 2:15).

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • Do you feel you’ve even seen demonic activity?

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    “Monsters lurk everywhere. But they never, ever look like monsters.” Or do they? “Usually the most obvious villain is in fact the innocent victim who’s been traumatized by another more terrible monster you never would have suspected.” Or is that really true? Many narrative-makers seem to think so, from pundits to true-crime podcasters to major fantastical franchises. We’ll explore how fans may get sick of the constant misdirection that’s now predictable in fiction—and even denied justice to many evildoers who deflect blame into the shadows.


    333. How Do Scoffers Subvert C. S. Lewis and Slander His Fans? Sep 29, 2026
    Show notes

    Narnia fans had a rough week. After the confirmation that Netflix’s version of “Narnia” will have a female-voiced “Aslan” for a 1950s-set movie with a “rock and roll” vibe, the internet lit up. Fans were upset. Pundits piled on. Non-Christian critics on YouTube cussed at Greta Gerwig. And in response, apparent defenders of the corporate creator began repeating old myths about The Chronicles of Narnia and C. S. Lewis while scoffing at his fans for being so overexcited about a movie. How can we best address these subversions and slanders?

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Return of the Guardian King by Karen Hancock
    2. The Guardian of Ailos by Michael B. Foss
    3. Etania’s Worth by M. H. Elrich

    Mission update

    • New at Lorehaven: book quest for The Monster in the Hollows
    • Also, don’t miss our new review of A. M. Daylin’s fantasy Eventide
    • Last week’s breaking news and popular audio-livestream on X
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    Concession stand

    • You may be curious about the movie or skeptical of upset fans.
    • If so, don’t be distracted by extreme examples in the discourse.
    • But we oppose pushback about “outrage culture” or “culture war.”
    • We believe this is a verbal battle worth engaging for Christ’s glory.
    • After all, real Christian cultural engagement isn’t meant to be easy!
    • At the same time, not everyone will choose to engage identically.
    • God has given His body many different gifts and resulting roles.
    • Pro tip: don’t fault someone for engaging/not engaging as you do.
    • For each of our examples, we’ve seen real parallels from people.
    • However, we find it easier to talk in Narnian terms as comparisons.

    Quotes and notes

    • “Our Interview with Greta Gerwig,” Crash.fr, Jan. 2028
    • Today It’s Official: Meryl Streep Voices Aslan in Netflix’s ‘Rock Inspired’ Perversion of Narnia, E. Stephen Burnett at Lorehaven
    • Alleged ‘Rock and Roll’ Soundtrack Incites Suspicion of Netflix’s Narnia Movie, Sierra Simopolous at Lorehaven

    Podcast episodes

    • What Are the Best Books by C. S. Lewis?
    • Why Does ‘Church Back Home Syndrome’ Distort Christian Imagination?
    • How Did C. S. Lewis Fight for Living and Learning in Wartime?
    • Did Christians Expect Cultural Engagement to Be Easy?
    • Seventy-Five Years Ago, How Did C. S. Lewis’s Fairy-Stories Change Fantasy Forever?
    • Why Do We Fight Like Narnians for the Stories We Love?

    1. Answering good-faith challenges

    • Edmund Pevensie—tempted by evil, yet saved by Aslan’s sacrifice
    • Trumpkin—skeptical of talking lions, but overcome by Aslan’s love
    • Eustace Scrubb—practical and skeptical, yet changed by Aslan
    • Jill Pole—hurt by bullies, yet called to new challenges by Aslan
    • Aravis Tarkheena—raised as a harsh survivor, chastised by Aslan
    • Digory Kirke—grieving, impulsive, sinful, yet captivated by Aslan
    • Puzzle the Donkey—used for great deception, yet loved by Aslan

    2. Fending off random scoffers and slanders

    • Ghouls, Boggles, Ogres, People of the Toadstools—generic mobs
    • Nikabrik—will do anything, even evil, to get rid of villains he hates
    • Governor Gumpas—hyperfixated bureaucrat, ignores basic virtue
    • Harfang Giants—act hospitable while planning to make man-pies
    • Lasaraleen—frivolous and flippant, eager to affirm cultural elites
    • Uncle Andrew—materialist magician wanting to exploit other lands
    • Dwarfs—disaffected and deceived, literally shoot at both sides

    3. Challenging defenders of deathworks

    • Jadis, the White Witch—simply hates Aslan and all his good magic
    • King Miraz—foreign conqueror who despises the good old stories
    • Deathwater Island—offers the illusion of riches that actually kills
    • The Lady of the Green Kirtle—uses enchantment to subvert reality
    • Rabadash—unstable, entitled elite who rashly slanders good kings
    • Jadis yet again—otherworld sorceress who sacrifices all for power
    • Shift—wickedly subverts earnest faith with the ultimate deathwork

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • Who do you feel is the worst villain in The Chronicles of Narnia?

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    Now we move into spooky season, with appropriate topics planned. Lord willing, this month you can expect more from us about scary stories and how parents can find the best Christian-made middle grade fiction. Meanwhile, what about UFOs? That news has gone suddenly quiet of late! Plus: Satan and/or demons, and maybe even a little Godzilla as the big king of all monsters stomps back into cinemas.


    332. Why Do We Fight Like Narnians for the Stories We Love? Sep 25, 2026
    Show notes

    At first we tried to be optimistic about Netflix’s new Narnia-inspired movie.

    Even when that rumor first dropped in April 2025 that claimed Meryl Streep was “in talks” to voice Aslan.

    Then last week brought us this grave news that Netflix and/or director Greta Gerwig did indeed cast Streep, a female actress, to voice the male King of Narnia, Aslan.

    They included high-res art of a glammed-up lion with obvious chimera creature textures and colors inspired by 1970s music celebrities.

    They boasted about the new movie’s “rock and roll” influence. They showed preview images featuring Jadis in a glittery short-skirt go-go outfit squalling into the streets of 1950s London.

    And now Narnia fans are all in uproar over these perversions of The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis.

    With courteous words or else hard knocks as the warrior’s only language, how then can we join the fight like true Narnians?

    Join this special edition episode with an abridged version of our Sept. 21, 2026 audio-livestream on X (fka Twitter).

    Once a King or Queen in Narnia, always a King or Queen …

    Bethel McGrew

    Queen Bethel the Valiant

    Bethel McGrew is a freelance writer based in Michigan. Her work has appeared in First Things, the Wall Street Journal, the Lamp, and more. Follow her on Substack at Further Up.

    Zackary Russell

    King Zackary the Just

    Zackary Russell is a Fightin’ Texas Aggie and proud member of Generation X-Wing. After conquering the Oregon Trail, he traveled to Hyrule and the Island of Myst. His heart for the nations led him into a ministry for international students, where he works as a videographer. He writes science fiction, and is the producer and co-host of the Fantastical Truth podcast. He lives in Texas with his wife and four children. His digital home base is zackaryrussell.com.

    Megan Basham

    Queen Megan the Gentle

    Megan Basham is a reporter for The Daily Wire and a frequent contributor to Morning Wire. In her previous role as an entertainment editor and podcast co-host for World Magazine, she interviewed numerous A-list celebrities. She has also written for The Wall Street Journal, National Review, and Townhall. Her book, Beside Every Successful Man, was published by Random House.

    E. Stephen Burnett, 2025

    King Stephen the Magnificent

    E. Stephen Burnett creates sci-fi for Christ’s glory. He began with Above the Circle of Earth (2025, Enclave Publishing), which stars a team of struggling yet heroic space missionaries versus the secular regimes of our 22nd century. Two more novels (2027–2028) will launch to form the Mission to the Stars series. Meanwhile, Stephen serves readers by engaging more fantastical stories, publishing the digital mission Lorehaven.com and its weekly Fantastical Truth podcast. He coauthored The Pop Culture Parent and creates other resources for fans and families, serving with his wife, Lacy, in their central Texas church.

    About the Lorehaven mission

    In a world of bad books, Lorehaven.com helps fans and families engage fantastical stories for Christ’s glory. Biblical Christian creators founded Lorehaven in 2018. Start with our library to find the best fantasy, sci-fi, and supernatural books for readers of all ages. Go deeper with articles and weekly podcasts. Subscribe free to get resources by email and join the Lorehaven Guild!


    331. How Does ‘The Pendragon Cycle’ Fight for Freedom and Build the Future? | with Jeremy Boreing Sep 22, 2026
    Show notes

    The Pendragon Cycle streaming series began with a slower start for its January release on Daily Wire Plus. Well, this month, everything changed. Based on the first two volumes in Stephen R. Lawhead’s series, The Pendragon Cycle worked its new wizardry to reach the top three shows on Prime Video. Let’s go behind the scenes of the Cycle, touching on controversies but staying pre-political and pre-medieval as we explore how Christian creators fight to build the future. Today we’re joined by The Pendragon Cycle series creator Jeremy Boreing.

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Return of the Guardian King by Karen Hancock
    2. The Guardian of Ailos by Michael B. Foss
    3. Etania’s Worth by M. H. Elrich

    Mission update

    (We didn’t mention these in the show; they broke soon afterward.)

    • ‘The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin’ Honors the Foundational Myths of Western Civilization, A. D. Sheehan, Sept. 21, 2026
    • Today It’s Official: Meryl Streep Voices Aslan in Netflix’s ‘Rock Inspired’ Perversion of Narnia, E. Stephen Burnett, Sept. 17
    • Review of A.M. Daylin’s fantasy Eventide, Stephany Araujo
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

    Jeremy Boreing (2026)Backstory: Jeremy Boreing

    Jeremy Boreing is a writer, filmmaker, producer, and co-founder of The Daily Wire. He is the host of The Jeremy Boreing Show and the series creator of The Pendragon Cycle. That streaming adaptation of Stephen R. Lawhead’s fantasy epic retells the origins of Merlin and King Arthur. It premiered Jan. 2026 on Daily Wire Plus. Then in July 2026, Pendragon debuted on Prime Video UK and hit the number 1 fantasy series. By the following month, August 2026, Pendragon debuted on Prime Video in the United States and reached the number 2 most-viewed show on that platform.

    Boreing’s past work in political media includes co-founding the conservative news and commentary website TruthRevolt, serving as executive director of Friends of Abe network, and co-founding Declaration Entertainment with Bill Whittle. He’s also the co-founder and former CEO of The Daily Wire commentary network.

    • The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin on Prime Video (U.S.)
    • The Jeremy Boreing Show on Spotify
    • The Jeremy Boreing Show on YouTube
    Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing announced Nov. 17, 2022 that the cultural conservative streamer would debut the Arthurian saga in 2023.

    Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing announced Nov. 17, 2022 that the cultural conservative streamer would adapt the Arthurian saga.

    Quotes and notes

    Last night [Nov. 13, 2022], cultural conservative fans learned media company The Daily Wire could adapt Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged into a streaming series.

    But for Christian fantastical fiction fans, the buried lede is actually this:

    [Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy] Boreing also announced a slate of major projects in development, including: . . .

    An exclusive option to develop and produce feature film and television series adaptations for all six books in Stephen R. Lawhead’s “THE PENDRAGON CYCLE”

    Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing announced Nov. 17 that the cultural conservative streamer will debut the Arthurian saga …

    Boreing elaborated in a Nov. 17 livestream:

    “While Atlas has shaped the worldview of millions of people around the globe, there’s a series of books that I read as a teenager that, more than any other, helped shape my worldview. It’s based on perhaps the most impactful myth in the Western tradition—the legend of King Arthur. And it’s called The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen R. Lawhead. And today, I’m beyond thrilled to announce that the DailyWire+ has secured the rights to this unbelievable work.

    “This is an incredible story about the fall of the Roman occupation in Great Britain, and the rise of Christianity in the blood-soaked pagan islands—British Isles. It’s the most ambitious thing we’ve ever set about to do. And it’s going to be incredible.”

    Daily Wire Announces Streaming Series Based on Stephen R. Lawhead’s Pendragon Cycle, Lorehaven, Nov. 18

    • “I Created the #1 Fantasy Show in America. It Nearly Broke Me.”, Jeremy Boreing on YouTube, Sept. 4, 2026
    Taliesin (2025 edition) by Stephen R. Lawhead

    Read our review of The Pendragon Cycle book 1, Taliesin. Or for fans and families, get our complete book quest guide (coming soon).

    1. Pre-political: faith meets imagination

    • Origin in Lubbock, plus redemption in the gospel of Jesus Christ
    • Community theater, the “bent key,” discovering the power of story
    • “Pre-political” stories compared with “mid-political” punditry
    • Christians are called to either field; some wish to serve in both
    • All have political beliefs, yet The Pendragon Cycle is pre-political

    2. Pre-medieval: legend meets history

    • How reading Lawhead’s historical fantasy shaped Boreing’s reality
    • From the making of the show to the breaking(?) of Jeremy Boreing
    • Fantastic stories from behind-the-scenes: actors, sets, epic music
    • Exploring the deeper challenges of Christian creative filmmaking
    • In a world of deconstruction, we can build better, with excellence

    3. Pre-constructing: Christians meet world

    • The ultimate purpose of Christian-made creativity and storytelling
    • Jeremy’s own meaning of “fight for freedom and build the future”
    • Pendragon’s results on Daily Wire Plus versus Prime Video now
    • Whether this means Pendragon could get a future second season
    • Now that Pendragon has reached at/near no. 1, how we can pray

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • Would you prefer serving the Lord as a wizard, king, or bard?

    Nick in the Guild replied to our Sept. 11 episode:

    On the way home, I remember playing a particular Metallica track, in my old car with no air conditioning. I don’t remember which one, I just remember I specifically wanted that defiant, “you will not destroy us” vibe.

    Not terribly long after, that CD, and the car CD player, were stolen, while the car was still parked outside my house. It was considered a “good neighborhood,” but had already begun its transition into something more characteristic of the area. You could say that much of that decade was spent worrying about the wrong problems.

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    We close with the words of Britain’s great mythical bard, Taliesin ap Elphin (written by Stephen R. Lawhead):

    I have seen a land where kings extend their hands in justice rather than reach for the sword; where mercy, kindness, and compassion flow like deep water, and where men revere virtue, revere truth, revere beauty above comfort, pleasure or selfish gain.

    A land where peace reigns in the hearts of men. Where faith blazes like a beacon from every hill and love like a fire from every hearth; where the True God is worshiped and His ways acclaimed by all.

    I have seen this land. I have seen it and my heart yearns for it.


    330. Which False Religions Want to Take Over the World? | with Kerry Nietz Sep 15, 2026
    Show notes

    Last week we remembered the Sept. 11 attacks. But some people, shall we say, did not know how to grieve well. That’s for many reasons. One of them is strange yet simple—they can’t fathom that real people could really do something like this. But it’s true that many groups of real bad guys really want to take over the world. So today, author Kerry Nietz, student of futuristic caliphates, returns to the studio to ask which false religions seem the most bent on global domination.

    Episode sponsors

    1. Enclave Publishing: Return of the Guardian King by Karen Hancock
    2. The Guardian of Ailos by Michael B. Foss
    3. Etania’s Worth by M. H. Elrich

    Mission update

    • Lorehaven Mission Survey: help shape this podcast and more!
    • Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild
    • We’re still reading through The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

    Kerry Nietz (2018)

    Backstory: Kerry Nietz

    Kerry Nietz is an award-winning science fiction author. He has over a half dozen speculative novels in print, along with a novella, a couple short stories, and a non-fiction book, FoxTales.

    Kerry’s novel A Star Curiously Singing won the Readers Favorite Gold Medal Award for Christian Science Fiction and is notable for its dystopian, cyberpunk vibe in a world under sharia law. It is often mentioned on “Best of” lists.

    Among his writings, Kerry’s most talked about is the genre-bending Amish Vampires in Space. AViS was mentioned on the Tonight Show and in the Washington Post, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Newsweek called it “a welcome departure from the typical Amish fare.” Today his latest release is Start Early, You Might Get Published Before You Die, an honest and humorous look at the long, unpredictable path from aspiring storyteller to published novelist.

    1. If militant Islam took over the world …

    • This one’s been much in the news, so we’ll discuss this one first.
    • Kerry and Stephen have both written about Islam in their novels.
    • Kerry’s novels imagine a future literally ruled by the caliphate.
    • That’s a future many Muslims anticipate, total submission to Allah.
    • Yes, many believe (with Qu’ran support) that it’s won by the sword.
    • Yet this story is more about the people affected by these beliefs.
    • Stephen’s novel includes “peaceful Muslims” and militant ones.
    • In fact, long before Sept. 11 he was researching Islamic religion.
    • Great fiction shows realistic people, peaceful, militant, in between.
    • We can reject false religion and long for everyone to know Jesus.

    2. If fake Christianity took over the world …

    • Some folks ignore other world-dominators and focus only on this.
    • In some cases, they’ve truly suffered in the Church Back Home.
    • Yet in other cases, they only think they have, or fall into rumors.
    • But it’s still worth noting some professing Christians do want this.
    • And not in the normal, biblical way of “Jesus returns to do this.”
    • Some specifically call for religious monarchy, a “Christian prince.”
    • There really is a “patriarchy” or bad sorts of religious nationalists.
    • Shrewd readers will spy references in Above the Circle of Earth.
    • Such top-down “spiritual” notions are refuted by clear Scripture.
    • Jesus takes over the world in His own way, starting with hearts.

    3. If a secular state took over the world …

    • This is more of a catch-all, because this foe can take many forms.
    • Secular-Luciferianism, like in many Christian end-times scenarios.
    • Materialist magicians, like the N.I.C.E. of That Hideous Strength.
    • Humanistic technocracy, like CAUSE in Above the Circle of Earth.
    • Sociopolitical movements like Godless socialism or Communism.
    • These also include fascism, secular nationalism, and evil hybrids.
    • Dictator cults, like the Kim dynasty that dominates North Korea.
    • Sexualism, or the religious worship of disordered self-expression.
    • New! Therapism, which denies our sinful nature for “brokenness.”
    • Many of these are adept at hijacking Christian-sounding words.

    Com station

    Top question for listeners

    • If you were evil, how would you take over the world?

    John Fort heard our ep. 326 chat with Bryan Davis:

    I’ve met Bryan Davis many times in real life as an exhibitor at homeschool conventions. He is the real deal—a humble, honest, and good man. He has been very encouraging and helpful to me as an upcoming author of fantasy and sci-fi myself. So happy you featured him on your podcast.

    Next on Fantastical Truth

    The Pendragon Cycle streaming series began with a slower start for its January release on Daily Wire Plus. Well, this month, everything changed. Based on the first two volumes in Stephen R. Lawhead’s series, The Pendragon Cycle worked its new wizardry to reach the top 5 shows on Prime Video. Let’s go behind the scenes of the Cycle, touching on controversies but staying pre-political and pre-medieval as we explore how Christian creators fight to build the future.


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