A Moral Situation From Salem's Lot by Stephen king

[Starwynd]

The Novel and two miniseries made based on the Novel is about a town that becomes overridden by vampires. In one scene, the lead vampire confronts a priest and challenges the priest to a test of faith by challenging him to put the down the cross. The priest says he doesn’t need the cross and puts it down and loses his faith and is turned into a vampire.

So, would that be a sin of pride? Saying he doesn’t need God to help him to confront the supernatural?

 

[Cari]

I’ve never read the book, but from the description, I’d say it was rather less about pride and more about superstition and attachment to the senses. As long as the object was in his hand, he was fine. But, like doubting Thomas, without the physical, he didn’t believe. It’s like the fine line between the proper use of sacramentals and their improper, superstitious, use. It isn’t the blessed salt in and of itself that protects, but rather the grace of God that He Himself chose to flow through that particular vessel. Perhaps this priest, in the final moments, placed faith in the object, rather than the author of the grace that flowed through the object.

Of course, this is assuming that King “played fair” in his treatment of the undead and they WOULD have fled in the face of faith in Jesus. If this was a “see? You Christians are all foolish” sort of commentary, then nothing the priest could have done would have turned out well for him.

Or maybe King is a closet Catholic, who was trying to teach the faithful a subtle lesson about the improper use of sacramentals?

 

[sebestt]

IMO, it is another swipe at religion by Stephen King. He is very anti-religion and he goes above and beyond in his last movie “The Mist”. Based upon reviews I read, he portrayed the religious individuals as ignorant looneys.

IMO, I am guessing his intent was to show that the depth of faith of the priest was not very deep or of no value and someone evil could easily overcome someone religious. I used to be a fan of Stephen King but will now not financially support anything that has his name attached to it.

 

[Starwynd]

I don’t think so, because he showed that blessed objects have a lot of power over them, from someone who does have the faith.

 

[sebestt]

I actually found the scene on youtube and the priest held onto the cross (not a crucifix) and the vampire grabbed it out of his hand and threw it to the ground…this was from the original salem’s lot in the 70s

 

[Cari]

I don’t think so, because he showed that blessed objects have a lot of power over them, from someone who does have the faith.

Then I’m sticking with the “subtle lesson in the correct use of sacramentals” theory. Even if King didn’t realize that’s what he was doing, perhaps he was an instrument of the Holy Spirit, who desired to show us that blessed and holy objects are useful, but it is God who gives them power, not the thing itself.

Of course, I’m a big fan of both sacramentals and the hope that the Holy Spirit uses pop culture to try and reach us.

 

[Bataar]

Fr. Callahan is not turned into a vampire. He becomes major supporting character in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series after the events of Salem’s Lot take place.