Nothing on film scares me quite like Zombies. Frankenstein, Dracula, werewolves and even stories about demons rarely tickle the hair on the back of my neck like those depicting the “walking dead”. My most chilling nightmares consist of those slow, shambling masses of decayed flesh, groping with vacant, hollow eyes, desperate for the warmth and vitality I possess, which they so evidently lack; perhaps this is why the “Dead” trilogy by George A. Romero (”Night of the Living.”, “Dawn of.”, and “Day of.”) still affects me, as few horror films can.

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.”
- Ephesians 2:5

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.” - Colossians 2:13

I surmise this is why the images strike such a deep, subconscious chord not just in me, but all of us; blind, groping in vain for sustenance that doesn’t satisfy, wallowing in our corruption, rotting in our own filth, and capable of causing nothing but suffering and death… it’s a description of a life without Jesus. Previous to an encounter with Christ we are all zombies, shuffling in step with our dim, cursed brethren, destructive to those around us.
 
Before I was a Christian and could even comprehend what was sending chills up my spine, these cinematic images served as a chilling reflection of my own fallen condition; now, they still provide a frightening glimpse of what I was, and what many people are. A member of our church and writer for our sister site, Cinemagogue, wrote a comprehensive review of Romero’s undead films with an eye toward the spiritual side. Click HERE for this week’s brain-food and chew on a meaty examination of these movies and our corollary spiritual condition.