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Who wants to write Lutheran dystopian novels?! I do! It’s been a while since I shared an idea for a novel. Still, once again I don’t have time to write it and just maybe you do, now or someday. 🙂 So here’s my shared Lutheran dystopian idea for a novel.
Let’s make it YA for the sake of argument. A teen wrestles with grief and is unsatisfied by the therapy she receives from her ultra-technological, “liberated” counselor in her city of clean skyscrapers and extreme modernity. She seeks answers and options in the outer rings.
Each ring could be determined by belief system. For the sake of religious-rights in the land, one doesn’t speak in terms of religion, spirituality, faith, or belief. The closest ring to the mainland/mainstream could be organic living. Outside that there could be boycotts of certain stores. After that, boycotting certain products. Boundaries could be bold or blurred: neighborhoods or settlements.
What I think would be powerful is to not state why things are boycotted until the end. I’d put the “good guys” somewhere between the Amish and the rest. I think the line drawn in the sand could be an effort to boycott things associated with abortion, including whatever that could include in the future: curricula, medicines, lines of thought, etc. A newly emerging settlement could oppose anything developed by those who promote abortion, though, as a hat tip to COVID-19, maybe they prepare themselves to suffer through pandemics after the government decides vaccines must all use fetal stem cells.*
I don’t know what the answers could be or even all the questions raised, but it’s a book I’d happy read. It could give good food for thought, not because abortion needs to be the single line we draw—it isn’t and maybe that could be a point of the book—but a book like this could explore inter-connectedness & community, effects from how we treat one another, death, and priorities, and more. Right?
It’s my idea and I’m giving it away. 🙂 If you’re so inspired, you could add ideas in the comments. Maybe it’s my personality or these darker, dystopian times, but I think there could be a lot of Lutheran dystopian ideas floating around and being written!
Happy reading & writing! Wishing you the Body & the Blood as soon as possible!
*No, I’m not saying all vaccines should be abandoned. No, I’m not saying we should always portray the government as the bad guys, although that’s pretty common in dystopian literature. No, I’m not saying anything more than I’ve said. Forgive me if I’ve written passing thoughts too freely. Please don’t quote me if you try to overthrow any governments. Books contain simplifications, exaggerations, etc.
