Is it OK for Christians to watch the wildly popular serial killer/murder documentaries?
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Streaming platforms are flooded with wildly popular documentaries about serial killers and violent crimes, drawing millions of viewers. For some, these shows are thrilling or educational; for others, they glamorize horror and reduce real victims’ suffering to entertainment. The trend raises difficult questions about how we consume media that sensationalizes evil.
I’ve never been a huge fan of murder documentaries, but from Netflix’s top 10 lists to YouTube binge sessions, I can acknowledge both sides of the coin: Some watch to understand the psychology of evil, find justice, or explore the truth behind clickbait headlines. Others, however, worry that this constant exposure might just dull our empathy and genuine concern for others overall. Instead of mourning the tragedies, we’ve turned them into entertainment.
As Christians, this dilemma should cause us to pause and ask one question: Not, “is this allowed or okay?” but “is this helpful?” (1 Corinthians 10:23). When real suffering is packaged as entertainment, how can we discern what is edifying, resist desensitization to evil, and remember that every victim is a person made in God’s image? And how do we navigate this curiosity with caution in a culture that blurs the lines between education and entertainment?
The Allure and the Warning
On the surface, true crime, serial killer, and murder documentaries draw us in because they’re psychologically fascinating. We want to know why humans do what they do, and what happens as a result. We struggle to understand what draws us to the darkness within us and all around us. We’re also drawn to justice when good people are wronged.
According to Philippians 4:8, Scripture guides us in our thinking and consumption of media. While there’s no way to avoid the evil of this world inherently, we’re told to watch and be mindful of what we think: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (NIV). As Christians, we’re also told in Romans 12:9 to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. But what does this look like in a world filled with so much injustice and hate?
Our creator wired us for story and justice. I do not believe it’s wrong to seek to understand the evil in this world. We long to understand human brokenness and see truth prevail. But there’s a necessary caution with this longing. When curiosity turns into mass consumption, or empathy turns into binge-eating entertainment, we’ve lost the point. Something sacred and deeper has been lost.