Comparing Saffire’s belief to the Christian belief

Saffire has come to believe in a Being greater than herself. A Being that is greater than the greatest person on earth. A Being that is so great that it is beyond anyone’s imagination. And strange thing is, this Being isn’t so much an "it" as it is a "He". He is called the Divine in Saffire’s world. The Divine is, just as God is, the Creator, the Almighty, Perfect and All Righteous, the Sovereign Ruler over everything ever created. But what is it that Saffire believes is that because the Divine is perfect and righteous, anything done not in accordance with Him has to be the opposite of righteous, which is evil.

Soon after their creation humans have come to do things (and like to do things) opposite from Him. These evils are done sometimes unintentionally but completely out of selfishness. With no regard for the Divine, humans have grown distant and wanting to make themselves creator and ruler. Yet, humans are imperfect and created and therefore cannot change their place in life. They have not seen the care and love the Divine have put into their being. This has lead the Divine to be saddened and angered altogether, for He is not only their Creator but also their Father. Saffire and others believe that the Divine is complete also in His love for His creation, but He cannot force the creation to return that love (in which case, by force it would not be true love). So He provides a way to show them all His complete love for them AND a way to cover their evils so that He is not being unrighteous by skipping their punishment. He would Himself come to the earth in a human body.

He would walk and talk among them and show them hands-on what He is all about and how much He loves them. No one knows when this is supposed to happen but many who believe in the Divine believe He will one day do this. But sadly when He does do this, He will have to allow Himself to be killed in his human body. This will be a sacrifice by bloodshed to cover the evils of the entire world, whomever will simply believe that it is the Divine who had befallen this fate as their replacement. He then would forgive them of being selfish and forgetting their place as a creation. These He would know truly loved Him, not from force but because of His own true love for them. He would allow these to live forever with Him in His Kingdom. Because He would not stay dead but come back and rule physically on the earth and out in the galaxy too.

The Comparison?
Jesus is God incarnate (in a human body). Jesus came to be a sacrifice for our sins, the evils we do that keep us distant from God (God is not the one being distant but we are). God loves us so much that He wanted to come and be with us physically, walk and talk among us, and show us who He is. Jesus said if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father. By Jesus bloodshed we are set free from guilt and shame before the Awesome and Holy God. Jesus is our replacement to fulfill the consequences of sin so that we who believe in Him, that He is God and His death has saved, us will not have to fear death. We will be forgiven and restored to a right place with God. He will allow us to live forever with Him in Eternity because Jesus didn’t stay dead but 3 days later was raised to life by our Father in Heaven. Jesus is alive right now and we will also be raised up.

The main difference in the story from the reality of Christianity is that in Beautiful Sun the Divine has only just in the first book come to the earth. And of course in Christianity it has been 2000 years plus since Christ, our God, has come to the earth. Not that He is slack in coming back, since it has been less time since He’s come than it was before He came and believers were awaiting His arrival. In the Beautiful Sun story, the Divine, Zion, has not yet died or shown himself to be the Divine yet. Although the time is current day, it is a fiction/fantasy and it is only at the beginning of the series that we find that the Divine has come to the earth. The series is to display how God came in a body, the things He did while on earth, and how this affected certain young adults, the resurrection and what happens in this fantasy world once God sets up His kingdom.

New Idea for Free Books

Ladies and gents,

Thanks for sticking in there with me. I know I haven't been around for a few months but I believe I am finally back now. I have a few new entries to add, I really need to update you all on book 2 and the beautiful art that's coming along with it! I really do want to make both books graphic novels but I have to start slowly. It's difficult starting out but I still believe that God has a purpose for these stories. That's why one of my priorities right now is to find a way to distribute these books for free! You heard me - FREE. Now this might just be to start out but right now I really just want to get Beautiful Sun: Boy Craze into the hands of kids, youth, and young adults.

This is a huge cause! This story may help change some kids lives, give them hope and most importantly help them to see Christ. But how do I get these books in large quanities? Lulu.com is the organization currently creating the book format but even I, the author, must purchase each book (at prices I don't really like). So I considered having people donate money for distributing the books - perhaps even sending a certain percentage of the donation to a Christian organization? Do you have any ideas for me? Would you donate if I had an easy online way for you to do so?

Suggestions are really needed, please reply or email me.

Random Update

I thought I would post a short and sweet update about the book since it's been over a month! Sorry guys and girls for leaving you hanging! Beautiful Sun's second book is in the making. A (probably) under-estimation would be a release of Christmas '08. Boy Craze sells have dropped a bit probably due to the author not advertising! Yes, I'm a bit frustrated at this but we are moving out of state and looking for jobs in Ohio without being there takes a bit of creativism of its own. However, I know that my supporters will keep up with me until we're settled. I believe things should be rolling again no later than the beginning of July, God-willing. :)
Thanks everyone, especially to jaems-kun for all the help.

In the meantime here is a lovely review by Ashley R. (this will be later placed in a Review section of the site):

"Beautiful Sun" is Beautiful
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up the first book of the Beautiful Sun YA series, "Boy Craze". Yet, the moment, I began to read the story I could identify with the struggles faced by Saffire. Her story made me think about my own experiences. Like her, I was tormented mercilessly while in middle and high school. I would often come home sobbing, but since the school itself seemed to not take my harassment seriously, I was left to fend for myself, just like Saffire. The teasing itself was done realistically. How many girls are judged by their social rank or appearances in school? If you aren't in a group, you are left on your own and those that see you as weak will try to break you. But when they see you could serve some purpose for them, than you become someone with a face.

I liked how Saffire's teasing wasn't watered down - something that wound made the entire book a turn off. Kids can be crueler than adults give them credit for. So many parents will deny that their child is being mean, so they get away with it and leaving others with painful memories. As an orphan who chooses to be an individual, rather than a clone, I found her character realistic and refreshing. I've read too many Christian stories where the characters don't seem to be real. They rarely face adversity, and they don't seem to have a conflict that helps them grow mentally and spiritually. Saffire is a girl with dreams, and the desire for acceptance, something we all have. Yet, she refuses to compromise her faith. This is such a good message, especially for those who are struggling with trying to fit in, and not comprising their faith.

The only thing I would like to see more of is description of the setting, such as the location and such. I love the story, but I also want to know more about the setting. What kinds of plants does Saffire see? Does she live in a place that had lots or trees, or is it more known for its summer heat? I would defiantly recommend "Beautiful Sun: Boy Craze" by Rose Barnett, and will get the second book when it's out. It has a heroine that is realistic, so I will be eagerly looking forward to more books in the series. You can find out more about this series by visiting http://beausunnews.blogspot.com or buying it at www.lulu.com/4God