"The Conjuring 2" (2016)

It is appropriate that the sequel to 2013’s popular horror, “The Conjuring” came out in 2016, the year of fake news. Because not only does this film continue to amp-up the horror tactic of claiming to be inspired by a true story, it doubles down on them by having it message be an appeal to blind faith.

Both films claim to be from the case studies of “demonologists” Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warrens were charlatans preying on the faith of poorly informed Christians in the atmosphere of the seventies and eighties after films like “The Exorcist” both redefined what many Christians thought about demons and created an obsession out of possession. It is appropriate that “The Conjuring 2” centers on the Enfield Poltergeist Story, both because—in actuality—the Warrens were hardly involved in the case, and because it was a scam created by kids who were obsessed with “The Exorcist.”

The film plods along recreating the alleged events of the actual case, and then elaborates and expands on the events with total creative license. As with the first film, this is cleverly done and entertainingly creepy, at least to begin with. Both films run out of steam after the half-way point. However, on a message level, where the actual case was exposed as a fake by news crews and observers, this film postulates that the faking was all an elaborate part of the demonic trick. What was needed to overcome the evil was a blind faith in the story despite all evidence to the contrary.

It is sad to see films like this purport to be faithful depictions of the Christian worldview. On the one hand, it belittles true beliefs and teachings of Scripture. On the other hand, it reinforces a version of Christianity that is more animistic and superstitious paganism than orthodox faith. Sadly, many “Christians” are more the former than the latter.

And, today we live in a world where both Christians and non-believers rely on their opinions (calling them beliefs) than truths. More than any Hollywood version of evil incarnate, this choose-your-own-reality worldview is a threat to life and truth today.