Social media often showcases our quirks in a lighthearted way. With the use of memes, reels, and catchy audio, we enjoy poking fun at ourselves.
A specific trend gaining traction lately highlights our peculiar fascination with true crime—be it through documentaries, books, or podcasts. Just scroll through Instagram reels or TikToks, and you’ll find countless clips of everyday folks glued to Ted Bundy series, munching on popcorn.
Initially, that seems kind of intriguing. But if you dig a little deeper, it stirs up a more unsettling question: why are we drawn to these gruesome tales? What about the violence and horror captivates us?
This topic is explored by Andrew Klavan, a writer and host at The Daily Wire, in his latest book titled “The Kingdom of Cain: Find God in the Literature of Darkness.”
“Relatable” in a recent episode with Klavan, Ally Beth Stucky delved into this probing question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agwrcpj4mlw
You might expect that they would arrive at a definitive answer, but it’s quite the opposite. Scrutinizing our attraction to true crime yields a surprisingly hopeful insight: we are captivated by the clash of darkness against moral values.
In a time when reading—particularly classic literature—is becoming less common, true crime appears to fill the void that darker literary works once occupied.
Consider biblical narratives like Cain’s treachery or even Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” These classic tales involving murder and betrayal probe the moral complexities, as noted by Klavan. Our instinctive horror in response to innocent lives lost challenges the notion of moral relativism.
Ultimately, “It’s something people engage with regarding crime,” he shared with Ally. Because there’s a sense of “human holiness” that is often reaffirmed by recognizing murder as unequivocally evil.
But can true crime really substitute for classic dark literature?
Klavan argues it falls short.
“I think people would benefit more from reading Dostoevsky, rather than only immersing themselves in real crime stories,” he reflected. That’s because contemplating the heart and soul of an artist often leads us to see God’s work within the broader context of beauty.
Ally adds another insightful perspective. Unlike literature that encourages exploration of human experiences, true crime sometimes gives rise to “fear and delusions.”
“There’s a balance between recognizing evil and remembering that it’s an objective truth, and then living in the light of goodness,” she points out. She urges readers to focus on what is true, noble, lovely, and admirable.
While acknowledging the value of this approach, Klavan notes that Philippians 4:8 isn’t about a simplistic mindset of, “You can just fly!” like Peter Pan’s tune suggests: “Think about what makes you happiest / It’s like having wings.”
“You must keep in mind that Peter Pan never grows up. If your faith doesn’t mature, it won’t hold up well against real-world experiences of evil and suffering,” he explains. “We believe in a God who was crucified… that’s a tragic truth, but the most profound insights God offers us are found within that crucifixion.”
“Philippians prompts us to reflect and cling to what is true, and the truth is that all the beauty we encounter, all that we perceive as God, emerges amid this dark world,” he adds.
The greatest Christian art—from Michelangelo to Shakespeare, and Mozart to Bach—addresses themes of sorrow and suffering that Christianity aims to navigate.
However, even those without faith unknowingly engage in this exploration. “Many writers who lack belief still invoke God when expressing truth, resulting in impactful works that reflect this,” Klavan notes. “Art has a way of transforming evil and darkness into a source of light. That’s truly beautiful.”
For more on this discussion, check out the episode above.
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From a conservative Christian viewpoint, explore in-depth discussions on culture, news, and theology with Ally.
