Should Christians Watch Horror Movies? Allie Beth Stuckey Sparks Heated Debate Over Faith and Fear

Guest Commentary

Audio By Carbonatix

By Adam Staten, Crosswalk.com

A debate about whether or not Christians should watch horror movies and read scary books and podcasts has gone viral online, with many chiming in with a wide array of thoughts and opinions.

The discussion started after Christian conservative social commentator Allie Beth Stuckey addressed the subject on her show, “Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey.” Stuckey made it clear that she believes that Christians should not be horror fans. She even pointed to the Bible to support her opinion.

“I just don’t think it is at all an option for Christians to not only participate in Halloween in all of its darkness and scariness, but I also just don’t think that Christians should be a fan of horror in general,” she said. “Like, I don’t think you should be reading books that make you scared. I don’t think that you should be listening to true crime podcast that make you scared. I don’t think you should be listening or watching movies that make you scared.”

She even pointed to the Bible as evidence for why Christians shouldn’t be horror fans.

“How many, how many times do we read throughout Scripture from Jesus and in the Old Testament, ‘Do not fear '? Do not fear,” she said. “And yet, we purposely consume content that is meant to make us scared.”

Stuckey’s comments prompted a heated debate, with many varied positions and takes.

One person, in wholehearted agreement with Stuckey’s opinion, called the horror genre “demonic,” adding that it “never invites the spirit.”

Another person who also believes Christians should veer away from horror chimed in that “this shouldn’t even be a debate.”

However, many defended horror films and Christians watching them. Some even stated that many classic horror films and books have many overt Christian elements in them.

“I’d actually argue that horror is the most Christian genre of film.” Matt Walsh, a conservative political commentator with the Daily Wire, wrote on X/Twitter. “Obviously that’s not true of the torture porn stuff – films in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre tradition – but supernatural horror is often subtly Christian and sometimes explicitly Christian.”

“Traditional Horror is a deeply Christian genre,” another person posted. “I mean, “Dracula” might be the most overtly Christian novel we have.”

“By this same logic, we shouldn’t ride roller-coasters, try new food, try out for the church choir, or share our faith with other people,” someone else responded. “In fact, Romans 8:15 talks about us not being salves to fear, a mindset that would lead to us avoiding things that would inspire anxiety.”