Christians and Secular Literature
Both secular and Christian literature benefit society in disparate ways. Christian literature encourages discernment in what people read; that is -- encouraging Christians to read faith-based literature can help them explore their faith and look at different theories related to Christianity. At the same time, secular literature can be educational as well because it can challenge individuals to find a Christian message within the scope of the secular world. Not only can secular literature do the aforementioned, but, of course, secular literature has beauty to be appreciated and it can encourage individuals to help explore different perspectives and worldviews. In this sense, both secular and Christian literature can benefit society.
An important way in which secular literature can benefit individuals in society is by helping individuals relate to specific material with acumen. As human beings, we are constantly growing and stretching ourselves as individuals. Life is a constant process of growth and secular material can help an individual's self mature. The same goes for Christian literature. Non-secular literature can also benefit society by introducing individuals to faith-based ideas and can help individuals find their own truth within the scope of the world.
It is not impossible to discover different worldviews within a Christian context, but it can be argued that non-secular literature and contexts are inherently more able to do this because there is not an ulterior motive in the literature. That is to say that non-secular literature doesn't have to have the motive of teaching or sending a very specific message. In this way, secular literature can benefit society by encouraging openness to differences between people and cultures. Non-secular literature is also beneficial in that it can challenge individuals in different ways than Christian literature because it doesn't have to adhere to certain spiritual guidelines. Non-secular literature can encourage individuals to find their own beliefs within a certain text.
