As a little bonus article for this week’s Almost Christian series, I wanted to share some thoughts that came out of a conversation I recently had with one of my parishioners. We were discussing video games, entertainment, and the growing frustration that so many people have with the constant negativity surrounding us. Eventually, our conversation turned toward escapism and whether it’s actually healthy to step away from the real world for a little while. With Halloween coming up this weekend, I thought it would be a fruitful opportunity to explore the subject from an Orthodox Christian perspective.
Every October, Christians begin having the same arguments about Halloween. Is it acceptable to dress up in costumes? Should Christians watch horror movies? Are haunted houses spiritually dangerous? Is playing a video game about demons somehow inviting evil into our homes? These conversations have become almost as predictable as Halloween itself. While there are certainly legitimate spiritual concerns worth discussing, there’s a much bigger question that often gets overlooked in these conversations.
Is there something wrong with wanting to escape reality for a little while?
We live in a world that can be absolutely exhausting. Every time we turn on the television, open social media, or read the news, we’re confronted with another tragedy, political controversy, economic concern, or reminder that something somewhere is going terribly wrong. We have more access to information than any generation before us, but that also means we’re constantly exposed to problems we have very little ability to solve. Even our entertainment has increasingly become another place where we’re expected to confront the same arguments and controversies that dominate everyday life.
Sometimes, we just want to turn everything off, sit down with a good book, watch a movie, attend a sporting event, or spend a few hours exploring a fictional world. We want to enjoy something without feeling obligated to solve the world’s problems or participate in another argument about them. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. In fact, there’s a good argument to be made that a little escapism is something we genuinely need, provided we understand its proper place in our lives.
Is Escapism Healthy for Christians?
From an Orthodox Christian perspective, escapism can be a healthy and beneficial part of life when practiced with moderation and discernment. Enjoying movies, books, video games, sports, music, and other forms of entertainment isn’t inherently sinful. These activities can provide opportunities for rest, creativity, friendship, and enjoyment, helping us return to our daily responsibilities with renewed energy and a clearer mind. The problem arises when entertainment becomes a substitute for living our lives rather than a temporary break from their demands.
And this is actually one of the reasons we have the Almost Christian series on our parish website. Not every conversation we have needs to be a theological debate, and not every subject we discuss needs to have an obvious religious connection. Christians live in the same world as everyone else. We watch movies, follow sports teams, play video games, listen to music, and enjoy hobbies that have absolutely nothing to do with church. Rather than pretending those interests don’t exist, I enjoy exploring them and occasionally considering what they might teach us about ourselves and our faith.
Sometimes those connections are meaningful and worth discussing. Other times, something is simply enjoyable, and that’s perfectly fine too. Christianity isn’t supposed to consume our identity in such a way that we stop being ordinary human beings with interests, personalities, and things we enjoy. Our faith should shape how we live, but that doesn’t mean every conversation needs to end with a theological lesson.
God Gave Us an Imagination
One of the things we often forget about being created in the image of God is that human beings are naturally creative. We tell stories, compose music, paint pictures, and invent fictional worlds populated by characters who have never existed. We imagine things that are impossible, and sometimes those imaginary things help us understand something very real about ourselves and the world around us. Our capacity for imagination is part of the remarkable collection of abilities God has given humanity.
Think about the stories that have stayed with you throughout your life. Perhaps it was a book you read as a child, a movie you watched with your family, or a video game that introduced you to characters you still remember decades later. Those experiences may have had absolutely nothing to do with religion, yet they still brought you happiness, encouraged your imagination, or helped you appreciate something about the world. Sometimes a fictional story even helps us understand courage, sacrifice, friendship, or forgiveness in ways that ordinary conversation cannot.
There’s nothing inherently sinful about any of that. The Orthodox Church teaches that creation is fundamentally good because it comes from God. Sin doesn’t make everything in creation evil. Rather, sin distorts how we use the good things God has given us. Our imagination is no different. We can certainly use it for sinful purposes, but that doesn’t mean imagination itself is something we should fear or suppress.
Consider how much of human culture depends upon our ability to imagine things that don’t exist. Literature, theater, painting, music, and countless other artistic expressions require us to think beyond the immediate world in front of us. Even the great works of Christian art and architecture demonstrate humanity’s ability to take the materials of creation and produce something beautiful. Of course, Orthodox iconography serves a very different purpose from fictional entertainment, but both remind us that human creativity is not inherently opposed to the spiritual life.
A fictional story about dragons, monsters, magic, or imaginary worlds isn’t automatically an endorsement of everything that happens within that story. Christians are perfectly capable of recognizing the difference between fiction and reality. We understand that a character casting a spell in a fantasy novel isn’t the same thing as someone actually attempting to practice sorcery. We understand that a fictional monster isn’t necessarily a statement about the spiritual world. These distinctions should be obvious, yet they’re frequently lost when Christians begin discussing entertainment.
We should certainly exercise discernment about the stories we consume, but discernment requires understanding what something actually is rather than simply reacting to its appearance. Otherwise, we risk treating imagination itself as something suspicious, and that’s neither reasonable nor consistent with the Christian understanding of God’s creation.
Rest Is Not a Spiritual Failure
As many of you probably know, I’m absolutely terrible at resting. I’ve always struggled with the feeling that if I’m not doing something productive, I’m somehow wasting my time. Even when I finally sit down to relax, there’s usually a running list in the back of my mind of everything else I could be doing. And being a priest certainly doesn’t make that any easier, because there’s always another phone call to return, an email to answer, or something at the church that needs attention. However, I’ve also come to recognize that this isn’t necessarily a good thing. Just because there’s always something that needs to be done doesn’t mean I need to be doing something every waking moment of the day.
And I know I’m not alone in this. Many of us have convinced ourselves that resting is somehow the same thing as being lazy. As Christians, we can even turn this into a spiritual problem by believing that if we’re not praying, reading Scripture, serving others, or doing something productive, we’re wasting time that could have been spent doing something better. Of course, those are all important parts of our lives, but that doesn’t mean every moment needs to be filled with activity. Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to enjoy something without feeling guilty about everything else we could be doing.
God didn’t create us to function like machines, and our bodies and minds have limits whether we want to acknowledge them or not. We need sleep, friendship, laughter, time with our families, and opportunities to enjoy the ordinary pleasures of life. Sometimes that means sitting down with a book, watching a game, or spending an evening doing absolutely nothing productive. And that’s okay. Rest isn’t a failure to take our Christian lives seriously. It’s part of recognizing that we’re human beings, and ignoring our need for it doesn’t somehow make us holier.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is:
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
Scripture doesn’t condemn laughter or enjoyment. It recognizes that both sorrow and joy have their proper place in human life. The Orthodox Church understands this balance particularly well. Our spiritual lives include fasting, repentance, prayer, and self-denial, but they also include feasting, celebration, fellowship, and thanksgiving. We fast, but we also feast. We mourn our sins, but we also rejoice in Christ’s Resurrection. We recognize the brokenness of the world without forgetting that God created it to be good.
Even the Church’s liturgical calendar teaches us that life has different seasons. There are periods of preparation and repentance, followed by periods of celebration and thanksgiving. The Great Fast leads us toward Pascha, where the Church celebrates Christ’s victory over death with extraordinary joy. The point isn’t that Christians should alternate between being miserable and being happy. Rather, the Church teaches us that repentance and joy belong together within a properly ordered spiritual life.
Unfortunately, some people begin confusing spiritual seriousness with the belief that they’re supposed to be miserable all the time. They approach Christianity as though holiness requires eliminating every ordinary pleasure, and they become suspicious of anything that makes them happy. But holiness isn’t measured by how little enjoyment we allow ourselves. There’s nothing particularly virtuous about refusing to enjoy the good things God has placed in our lives, especially when those things can help us appreciate His generosity.
Sometimes We Need to Escape
There’s a reason people turn to books, movies, music, sports, and video games when life becomes overwhelming. For a little while, those things allow us to step away from whatever is troubling us and focus our attention on something else. Someone who spends all day dealing with difficult customers might come home and play a video game. A parent exhausted from caring for children might sit down with a favorite television show. Someone struggling with anxiety might find comfort in reading a familiar story. A sports fan might spend a few hours watching their favorite team compete, enjoying the excitement of the game without having to think about everything else happening in the world.
None of these people are necessarily running away from their responsibilities. They’re simply taking a break, and there’s an important difference between the two.
Sports are actually a wonderful example of this. I’ve been a sports fan for most of my life, and there’s something enjoyable about following a team through the ups and downs of a season. You celebrate the victories, complain about the losses (and the refs…who require special prayers every game…), and occasionally wonder why you continue putting yourself through the disappointment (the joys of being a Vikings fan…). Anyone who has followed a struggling sports franchise knows exactly what I’m talking about.
But there’s also something valuable about the experience itself. Sports bring people together. They give families and friends something to enjoy, discuss, and occasionally argue about. They create memories, traditions, and shared experiences that can last for generations. And sometimes, after a particularly difficult week, watching a hockey game or football game is exactly the kind of break someone needs.
Of course, sports can become unhealthy when someone allows the success or failure of a team to control their emotions or interfere with their responsibilities. But that doesn’t mean being a passionate sports fan is inherently wrong. There’s nothing sinful about enjoying competition, appreciating athletic ability, or getting excited when your favorite team wins a championship.
The same principle applies to countless other interests. Some people enjoy fishing, woodworking, gardening, collecting things, or working on cars. Others enjoy music, photography, cooking, or traveling. These activities may not have an obvious religious purpose, but they can still enrich our lives and provide opportunities for enjoyment, creativity, and fellowship.
Sometimes stepping away from the problems of the world allows us to return to those problems with a clearer mind. We cannot spend every waking moment thinking about everything that’s wrong with society, worrying about the future, or carrying the weight of every tragedy we encounter. We’re human beings, and we have limits. Constantly surrounding ourselves with negativity doesn’t make us more compassionate, more informed, or more spiritually mature. Sometimes it simply leaves us exhausted, frustrated, and increasingly hopeless about the world around us.
This is particularly important in an age when the news and social media never seem to stop. A hundred years ago, most people were primarily concerned with what was happening in their families, communities, and immediate surroundings. Today, we’re exposed to tragedies and controversies from every corner of the world almost instantaneously. We can spend hours reading about suffering, injustice, violence, and political conflict without ever leaving our homes. While being informed about the world can be valuable, there’s a point where constantly consuming that information becomes emotionally exhausting rather than helpful.
We should care about the suffering of others, but we also need to recognize that we cannot personally solve every problem we encounter. There are responsibilities God has actually entrusted to us, and those deserve our attention. Constantly worrying about things beyond our control can leave us so overwhelmed that we struggle to fulfill the responsibilities directly in front of us.
The spiritual tradition of the Orthodox Church has long recognized the dangers of despondency. The Fathers understood that discouragement and despair can distort how we see ourselves, our circumstances, and even God. Of course, despondency is a complicated subject, and we shouldn’t assume that every experience of sadness or exhaustion is purely spiritual. Sometimes people are dealing with genuine emotional or psychological struggles that require additional care. Nevertheless, the broader lesson remains important: allowing ourselves to become consumed by hopelessness is not what Christ desires for us.
Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is step away from whatever is feeding that hopelessness and redirect our attention toward something good. That might mean spending time outdoors, visiting friends, enjoying a hobby, watching a sporting event, or simply sitting down with a movie that makes us laugh. These activities don’t replace prayer, repentance, or participation in the life of the Church, but they can help us regain the emotional balance needed to approach those things with a clearer mind.
Even Christ withdrew from the crowds to spend time in solitude and prayer. Our recreational activities aren’t the same thing as Christ withdrawing to pray, but His example reminds us that constant activity and engagement with the world aren’t necessary or even desirable. There are times when we need to step away from everything happening around us, and sometimes that means doing something as ordinary as watching a movie, attending a sporting event, or playing a game.
Not Everything Needs to Have a Deeper Meaning
One of the things that came up during my conversation with my parishioner was the growing frustration people have with entertainment becoming another battleground for political and social arguments. Whether we’re talking about movies, television, sports, or video games, it sometimes feels as though everything is expected to communicate a particular message about contemporary society.
Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with stories exploring serious subjects. Some of the greatest works of fiction have addressed war, injustice, morality, religion, and the struggles of human existence. Good storytelling can challenge our assumptions and encourage us to consider perspectives we might otherwise overlook. Christians certainly shouldn’t be afraid of encountering difficult ideas simply because they appear in a fictional story.
But there’s also something to be said for entertainment that exists primarily to entertain. Not every movie needs to make a political statement, and not every video game needs to become a commentary on contemporary social issues. Sometimes people want a good story, interesting characters, and a few hours of entertainment without feeling as though someone is trying to lecture them. That’s a perfectly reasonable desire, particularly when so much of everyday life already involves navigating arguments and controversies.
Sports provide another example. Sometimes people just want to watch a game. They want to enjoy the competition, cheer for their team, and spend a few hours thinking about something other than the latest political controversy. That doesn’t mean athletes or fans aren’t allowed to have opinions about important issues, but it does mean there’s something understandable about wanting sports to remain an opportunity for recreation rather than another source of division.
And frankly, sometimes we just want to have fun. There’s nothing wrong with playing a game because the gameplay is enjoyable, watching a movie because the action is entertaining, listening to music because we enjoy the sound, or following a sports team because we love the game. Not everything we enjoy needs to provide some profound lesson about the human condition.
This is also something I try to communicate through the Almost Christian series. I enjoy movies, music, video games, and sports, and those interests don’t somehow disappear because I’m an Orthodox priest. Sometimes I notice interesting connections between those things and our faith, and I enjoy writing about them. Other times, I simply enjoy them for what they are. There’s no contradiction between taking our faith seriously and having ordinary interests outside the Church.
Sometimes a video game can simply be a video game, a hockey game can simply be a hockey game, and a movie can simply be a movie. And that’s perfectly fine.
When Escapism Becomes a Problem
Of course, none of this means every form of escapism is healthy. Like anything else, entertainment can become something we misuse, and the Orthodox Church has always emphasized the importance of self-control and moderation. There’s a difference between spending a few hours playing a video game because you enjoy it and spending every waking moment playing video games because you don’t want to deal with your marriage, your children, your work, or your responsibilities.
Likewise, there’s a difference between enjoying a fictional world and becoming so consumed by that world that you begin neglecting the real one. The same can be said of sports. There’s nothing wrong with being disappointed when your team loses, but if that disappointment ruins your entire week or causes you to mistreat the people around you, something has gone wrong.
Something doesn’t have to be inherently sinful to become spiritually harmful when we allow it to control us. Even good things can become destructive when they begin occupying a place in our lives that they were never meant to occupy. This applies to food, alcohol, money, entertainment, sports, and practically everything else we encounter in life.
St. Paul reminds us:
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1 Corinthians 6:12)
Although St. Paul is addressing a broader question about Christian freedom and the misuse of the body, his warning about allowing ourselves to become mastered by something is worth remembering. We should never allow our hobbies, pleasures, or possessions to exercise control over our lives. When something begins interfering with our responsibilities, relationships, or spiritual growth, we need to reconsider the place we’ve given it.
The question isn’t simply whether we enjoy something, but whether that enjoyment is helping us live a balanced life or preventing us from living the life God has given us. If your hobbies leave you rested, happier, and better prepared to fulfill your responsibilities, there’s a good chance they’re serving a healthy purpose. If they’re causing you to neglect your family, abandon prayer, avoid your responsibilities, or withdraw entirely from the people around you, then something needs to change.
That’s not particularly complicated. It’s simply a matter of keeping things in their proper place. The Christian life isn’t about eliminating every pleasure or form of recreation. It’s about learning to use the good things of creation properly, without allowing them to become more important than God or the people He’s placed in our lives.
What Does This Have to Do With Halloween?
Quite a bit, actually. Every year, Halloween becomes an opportunity for Christians to argue about whether certain forms of entertainment are spiritually acceptable. And certainly, there are things Christians should avoid. The Orthodox Church has always rejected occult practices, attempts to communicate with the dead, divination, and anything that involves deliberately seeking spiritual power apart from God. Those things aren’t harmless simply because someone describes them as entertainment.
But there’s an enormous difference between actually participating in occult practices and watching a fictional movie about ghosts. Dressing up as a vampire doesn’t mean someone believes vampires exist. Playing a video game featuring demons doesn’t mean someone is worshiping demons. Watching a horror movie doesn’t automatically mean someone is inviting evil into their life. We need to be capable of making reasonable distinctions rather than treating every fictional depiction of something frightening or supernatural as though it were an actual spiritual practice.
That doesn’t mean every movie, game, or activity is appropriate for every Christian. Some entertainment genuinely can encourage sinful thoughts, unhealthy fascination, or spiritual confusion, and we should exercise discernment about what we allow into our lives. But discernment isn’t the same thing as assuming everything unfamiliar or frightening is spiritually dangerous. Nor should we turn our personal preferences into universal rules for everyone else.
There’s also a difference between recognizing that something isn’t sinful and insisting that everyone should participate in it. Some people simply don’t enjoy horror movies, haunted houses, or Halloween celebrations, and that’s perfectly fine. Others may have personal experiences or spiritual struggles that make certain activities unwise for them. Christians should respect those differences without automatically assuming that their own preferences represent the universal teaching of the Church.
If you don’t enjoy horror movies, don’t watch them. If a particular game troubles your conscience, don’t play it. But there’s no reason to assume that everyone who enjoys those things is somehow compromising their Christian faith. We should be far more concerned with whether something is actually leading us into sin than whether it happens to feature a monster, a ghost, or some other fictional creature.
Christianity Isn’t Opposed to Joy
One of the unfortunate consequences of approaching everything through fear is that we can begin to lose sight of the goodness of ordinary life. We become so concerned with avoiding anything potentially dangerous that we forget how to enjoy the things that are genuinely good. And that’s a problem, because the Christian life isn’t supposed to be an endless exercise in anxiety.
Yes, we’re called to repentance. Yes, we’re called to prayer. Yes, we’re called to take our spiritual lives seriously. But we’re also called to give thanks to God for the blessings He’s given us, and that includes the ordinary pleasures of being alive. A good meal, a conversation with friends, an evening spent laughing with family, a book that captures our imagination, or a sporting event that brings people together can all be perfectly reasonable ways to enjoy the life we’ve been given.
One of the most beautiful aspects of Orthodox Christianity is that it doesn’t teach us to despise the material world. We believe that God became man, taking on our human nature and entering the very creation He brought into existence. The Incarnation reminds us that the physical world isn’t something inherently evil from which we must escape. It’s God’s creation, and although it has been wounded by sin, it remains something He loves and intends to redeem.
This is an important distinction because Christianity isn’t about escaping the material world in order to reach some purely spiritual existence. Our hope is in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. We believe that Christ came to redeem creation, not simply abandon it. That means our ordinary human experiences, including the enjoyment of good things, aren’t automatically opposed to our spiritual lives.
None of those ordinary pleasures needs to become a theological exercise to have value. Sometimes it’s enough that something brings us a little happiness. We don’t need to search for some deeper spiritual meaning in every hobby or recreational activity, nor do we need to feel guilty because we’ve spent an evening enjoying ourselves instead of doing something that appears more productive.
Of course, our enjoyment should never come at the expense of our spiritual lives or our responsibilities to others. But the solution isn’t to eliminate enjoyment altogether. It’s to recognize that recreation, like everything else, has its proper place in a healthy Christian life.
Escaping the World Without Abandoning It
Ultimately, healthy escapism isn’t about rejecting reality. It’s about recognizing that we don’t have to carry the weight of reality every moment of every day. There’s a time to confront difficult problems, and there’s a time to put those problems aside. There’s a time for serious reflection, and there’s a time for laughter. There’s a time to engage with the world, and there’s a time to turn off the news, put down the phone, and enjoy something completely unrelated to whatever everyone is arguing about.
We should also remember that constantly worrying about the world doesn’t necessarily mean we’re doing anything to make it better. Sometimes we become so consumed with events happening thousands of miles away that we neglect the people sitting right in front of us. We spend hours arguing with strangers online while ignoring opportunities to show kindness, patience, and love to our families and neighbors. In those moments, stepping away from the noise may actually help us become more attentive to the responsibilities God has entrusted to us.
The important thing is that we eventually return to the world God has placed us in, because that’s where our Christian lives are actually lived. Not in the imaginary worlds we visit, but in our homes, our churches, our workplaces, and our relationships with the people around us. A little escapism can help us return to those places with renewed patience, energy, and appreciation, and that’s a good thing.
So this Halloween, if you want to watch a scary movie, play a horror game, dress up with your kids, or spend an evening enjoying a fictional world, go ahead. If you’d rather watch football, enjoy a hockey game (aka watch a real sport), read a book, or spend time working on a hobby, that’s perfectly fine too. You don’t need to feel guilty simply because you’re enjoying yourself. To borrow a line from Rdr. Ron’s sermon on the Dormition, “We fast and we also feast.” That’s an important balance we sometimes forget in our spiritual lives. Christianity certainly calls us to repentance, self-denial, and discipline, but it also teaches us to recognize and enjoy the good things God has given us. There’s a time for seriousness and a time for celebration, a time for work and a time for rest. Learning to embrace both is part of living a healthy Christian life.
Just remember that the purpose of escaping reality for a little while isn’t to abandon the life God has given you. It’s to return to that life ready to live it.
And sometimes, a little escapism is exactly what we need.
Frequently Asked Questions About Escapism and Orthodox Christianity
Is escapism a sin in Orthodox Christianity?
No, escapism is not inherently sinful in Orthodox Christianity. Enjoying books, movies, video games, sports, or other forms of entertainment can provide healthy opportunities for rest and recreation. Escapism becomes spiritually harmful when it leads someone to neglect prayer, family, work, or other responsibilities, or when the entertainment itself encourages sinful behavior.
Is it wrong for Christians to play video games?
Playing video games is not inherently wrong for Orthodox Christians. Video games are a form of entertainment, and their moral value depends on their content and how they affect the person playing them. Christians should exercise moderation, avoid games that encourage sinful behavior, and ensure that gaming does not interfere with their spiritual lives or responsibilities.
Can Orthodox Christians enjoy sports?
Yes. Orthodox Christians can enjoy watching and participating in sports. Athletic competition, teamwork, and recreational activities can provide opportunities for exercise, friendship, and enjoyment. Being a sports fan is not inherently sinful, although Christians should avoid allowing their attachment to a team or competition to interfere with their responsibilities, relationships, or spiritual lives.
Can Orthodox Christians watch horror movies?
Orthodox Christians are not universally prohibited from watching horror movies. Fictional depictions of ghosts, monsters, or supernatural events are not automatically equivalent to participating in occult practices. However, Christians should exercise personal discernment and avoid entertainment that encourages unhealthy fascination with evil, disturbs their spiritual peace, or leads them toward sin.
Is Halloween against Orthodox Christianity?
The Orthodox Church rejects occult practices, divination, and attempts to communicate with spirits, but participating in harmless Halloween activities is not necessarily the same thing. Dressing in costumes, enjoying seasonal decorations, or watching fictional horror movies does not automatically constitute participation in occult practices. Orthodox Christians should distinguish between ordinary cultural activities and practices that genuinely conflict with the Christian faith.
Does the Orthodox Church teach that Christians should avoid worldly entertainment?
The Orthodox Church does not teach that all worldly entertainment is sinful. Christianity calls believers to exercise discernment, moderation, and self-control rather than reject every form of recreation. Movies, books, music, sports, games, and hobbies can be enjoyed responsibly as long as they do not encourage sin or become more important than one’s relationship with God and responsibilities to others.
What is the difference between healthy escapism and unhealthy escapism?
Healthy escapism provides temporary rest, enjoyment, and relief from everyday stress while allowing someone to return to their responsibilities refreshed. Unhealthy escapism occurs when entertainment becomes a way of consistently avoiding problems, neglecting relationships, or withdrawing from ordinary life. The difference is whether recreation supports a balanced life or begins to interfere with it.
Can entertainment help Christians struggling with stress or despondency?
Recreational activities can sometimes help Christians manage everyday stress by providing opportunities for relaxation, enjoyment, and social connection. However, entertainment is not a substitute for prayer, participation in the life of the Church, pastoral guidance, or professional mental health care when needed. Someone experiencing persistent hopelessness or depression should seek appropriate support rather than relying exclusively on distraction.
