Maybe They’re Right

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Have you heard that there is a live-action Disney movie coming out this month?  If you haven’t, I’m not sure what rock you’ve been living under.  Despite all the advertising and publicity that has been pushed out for the upcoming release of Beauty and the Beast, the biggest publicity (good or bad) has come from a comment made by the movie’s director Bill Condon.  In an interview with a magazine, Condon described a certain relationship in the movie as “a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.”

Social media has been going crazy.  Protests from Christians all over the country have been comparable to the protests made against Target when they started letting men in the women’s restrooms.  Many Christians have voiced their displeasure and taken the stance to not see the movie, while some have even called for a boycott of the movie (and Disney altogether).  However, once the protests from Christians started, the liberal voices came out in defense of the movie.

I’ve read multiple articles and blogs about the comments made by the movie’s director, articles written from both points of view.  As you can imagine, many of the articles defending the movie were actually more of an attack on Christians.  Petty name calling and mud slinging is prevalent.  I did read one article that seemed to stick with me.  The writer simply called Christians a bunch of hypocrites.  After reading the entire article, I had one thought that I couldn’t get out of my head: Maybe they’re right.

Hold up.  Before you grab the torches and pitchforks and start chanting “Kill the Beast”, let me explain.  First off, when I first heard the comments made by the movie’s director, I was heartbroken.  I immediately called my wife.  You see, we had already planned this month’s daddy-daughter date night.  I was going to take both of my daughters (8 and 4 years old) on a date to see the movie.  I had already told the girls, we had watched several previews together, and everyone was looking forward to it.  Those plans were immediately cancelled.  There’s not a chance in this world I will allow any of my children to see this movie until I know exactly what is going on, and probably not even then.

Here’s why I thought “maybe they’re right”.  The writer of the article went on to explain why she thought this protest proved that Christians were hypocrites.  She pointed out many inconsistencies in what Christians are willing to take a stance on.  While many were quick to protest a homosexual scene in a movie, the same Christians wouldn’t think twice about watching a movie or TV show that featured an adulterous relationship, murder, cursing, vulgarities, inappropriate jokes, innuendo, fornication, immodesty, etc.

Let that sink in for a minute.  The writer of the article may be correct, not because we have overacted to homosexual references in a beloved children’s movie (I believe the protests are warranted and justified), but because we don’t feel the same outrage toward movies that contain other sins.  Is the sin of homosexuality any worse than the sin of lying?  Why are we so quick to call out and avoid some sins (as we should), but we don’t even think about others.  Have we allowed society to so sear our consciences that we are no longer ashamed?  Listen to the words of Paul:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. [Romans 1:28-32, emphasis added]

Did you catch that?  Not only is it sinful to practice these things, but it’s just as sinful to take pleasure in someone else committing the sin.  If we allow ourselves to be “entertained” by activities that Scripture plainly describes as sin, yet turn around and condemn something else for trying to entertain others with sin, isn’t that the definition of hypocritical?  Was the writer of that article correct?

Should Christians be outraged over the homosexual agenda that has been added to Beauty and the Beast?  Absolutely.  Are the protests justified?  Without a doubt.  It’s shameful what Disney has done.  However, don’t skip that movie and instead choose one that glorifies a different sin.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” [II Timothy 2:15]