This past weekend was the
Necronomicon science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention. If you've been following my blog for a while, you know I go to this every year. It was my first con as an attendee, and my first con as a guest author. It's been great fun every year...and I'd have to say that this year was the best yet!
The people who run the Necro work so hard, all year long to prepare, and it shows. They are awesome people, as are the attendees and other guests. There were some amazing costumes this year, too! And I took lots of pictures that I will post in another blog post. (If you are friends with me on Facebook, however, go look up the album I have there.)
And while I could spend this entire blog going on and on about how much fun I had participating in panels and selling books and meeting people and people-watching and dancing and cheering...that's not going to be the focus of the post. Not because I want to be negative--believe me, I don't! I never, ever want to give the slightest negative impression of this con because it is near and dear to my heart! But there was this one panel....
You see, as an author I get to participate in writing panels, as in being on the panel of guests. Here is the schedule I had this year:
DAY | TIME | ROOM | EVENT NAME |
Friday | 2:00 PM | SALON A | Writing Basics–Creating Anti-Heroes, Rogues, and Villains |
Friday | 5:00 PM | SALON G | Social Media and the Author |
Friday | 8:00 PM | SALON C | How to Keep Writing in the Face of Adversity |
Saturday | 4:00 PM | SALON B | Religion in Science Fiction and Fantasy
|
The first three were massively fun. Even the social media one, which I was nervous about because I feel for the most part that I'm stumbling around in the dark when it comes to social media. The general consensus, though, from the panelists was that we all feel that way, and everyone was just so supportive of each other.
But the last panel, the one I was both really looking forward to and also a little nervous about because I wasn't sure what direction it would take, nearly broke me down.
Let me take this moment to point something out: There has been much talk in the news lately about "harassment" at cons like these. But they focus mostly on women wearing revealing costumes. Or women, and I suppose some men, of larger sizes wearing costumes some would deem appropriate only for skinny-minnies. And there is a lot of effort to show acceptance to LGBT guests. All of which is wonderful.
Notice, though, that there is nothing in there about guests of religious faith.
I blogged about this a few years ago regarding this same con. In my first post, I mentioned some rather uncomfortable moments that stemmed from an attendee's t-shirt that mocked Jesus' resurrection, and that year's guest of honor slamming Christians who write sci-fi.
The following year (two years ago), though, my experience was nearly a 180-degree change, as I met several guests who were open about their Christian faith. Last year there was one small instance where an attendee made a joke at the expense of Christians - to me - and I simply gave her a look that included a smile, but that made it clear I didn't find it funny.
I've let this all slide. I've never said anything to anyone at the con about it all. I figure you're going to meet people who differ from you, and sometimes people say things without thinking, and we ought to just forgive and move on.
However, when you are sitting in front of an entire room of people as a guest on a panel about religion in science fiction and fantasy, and you are the ONLY one on that panel that is NOT an atheist***, and the other panelists are speaking rather frankly about how they consider all religion to be myth and fiction...
And then when an attendee speaks up and shares his "clever" remark for "dealing with creationists"--a remark that includes calling our God "stupid"...
I nearly walked out.
But I couldn't. For one, it would simply be unprofessional. Also, it would just fuel the fire.
Fortunately, that attendee asked why authors aren't "addressing" the issue of the stupid-god worshiping creationists in fiction, and I explained to him that writing fiction with a message and agenda like that, whether it be Christian in nature or atheist in nature, is considered "preaching at the reader" and ignores story and should not be a part of fiction.
He said no more during that panel.
I thank God that He was there with me through that hour. That I had the words to answer that attendee. And that I found through looks and comments an attendee that obviously shared my faith and with whom I spent some great quality time talking after the panel. I'm not sure my nerves would have survived if not for her, to be honest.
Anyway, my point is not to bash anyone from the con. Or, as I said, to focus on negativity there. Because 99% of my experience this year was phenomenal.
I just needed to get this out there. I felt harassed for the first time at a con. Not directly--no one came up to my face and called me names--but the comments were said with such a strong assumption that sci-fi cons are just not a place for Christians.
Yes, the panelists were more diplomatic, although as I said, they made it clear that they find religious belief...naive. A few of them did step in and remind the audience that authors need to be careful when touching on religion because their readership may very well include someone of the very faith they are including in their fiction in a negative way. I did appreciate that. But the hurt is still there. The sting still felt.**
The other thing felt was the irony of the situation, being that those of non-religious belief are free to fill their books with religious reference, yet those of us with religious belief are expected to keep it under wraps.
And speaking of irony--there was another instance, although no one in the room (other than me) was aware of it. There were six panelists including me. I was the only Christian. Those that are not tend to point at science as the "proof" that there is no God, or at least the measuring stick on which they lean in that assumption--and yes there were comments in that area. Yet, I was also the only one on the panel with a background, much less a college degree, in science.
Still, as I said, the other 99% of the con weekend was pure awesomeness and ended with many hugs and "see you next year"s. Maybe I'll even see you there!
**I hold no one--no one--that ran/worked the con or participated as a guest responsible for this feeling. Just so you know. My utmost respect for the con crew in every way.
***I am adding this clarification based on some comments I've gotten--the panel did talk about religion as mainly myth, and I did take that as the rest of the panelists being atheists. Only two of them outright said they are atheists. The other three never said specifically, and may have some kind of spiritual beliefs, but my impression was that their spiritual tendencies were...deity-free.