Eye Candy, Girl Fights, and the Death of Motherhood

Pastor Doug Wilson describes movies as a catechism class for our age. They tell us what to believe and they define reality for us. They tell who our gods are and what the major sins of our age are. That is why it is good for Christians to evaluate what movies are saying.  Americans spent 10.8 billion dollars at the movie theater last year. That does not include Redbox, Netflix, Amazon, etc. What are we being taught as we enter these catechism classes? I came across one lesson this week as I read about the new movie Fast and Furious 6. 

I have never seen any of "Fast and Furious" (or The Fast and The Furious) movies. I was reading an article about what Hollywood can learn from one of the  most surprising film franchises in history.  The article lists six things that Hollywood can learn from this movie franchise, which has earned over 1.6 billion dollars worldwide. The fourth reason on the list is that it appeals to women. Here is what the article says:

Casting women as more than scantily clad helpmates and arm candy has further broadened "The Fast & The Furious" franchise's appeal.

Women represent 51 percent of the U.S. population and 52 percent of the moviegoing public, but according to a 2012 study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, only 11 percent of the protagonists in top grossing films are female.

Yes, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are the top-billed stars in the series, but what's refreshing about "Fast & Furious 6" is that Rodriguez and co-star Gina Carano have roles that are integral to the action. In fact, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Universal Pictures co-president of production, told TheWrap that the most recent "Fast" film is the highest testing among women.

He added that the on-screen throw down between Rodriguez and Carano is a key selling point of the film and "trumps" the fight between Diesel and Dwayne Johnson that was a heavily promoted part of "Fast Five.

Notice the first and last paragraph. Apparently the moviegoing public wants more than women in bikinis. Eye candy, by itself, is no longer acceptable. (If you watch the trailer you will see very quickly that it is still there.) Now we need women who beat each other up. Here is another article declaring that the girl fight in the movie is the most intense girl fight ever. And the director and the women involved are of course proud. It is "refreshing" that women are now central to the action. They don't have to sit on the sidelines anymore wearing next to nothing. Now they can get into the action and pulverize one another.

Iron Man 3 is also praised for its portrayal of woman. Again, I have not seen that movie either, though at some point I probably will. But this article in the magazine "Wired" says, 

Consider that the genius in Iron Man 3 who creates a powerful—indeed, perhaps too powerful—form of technology capable of changing the world isn’t Tony Stark; it’s Maya. And the hero who ultimately saves the day by taking out the bad guy in smash-em-up physical confrontation isn’t Tony Stark; it’s Pepper Potts. Sure, Tony Stark and the Mandarin are ostensibly the hero and the villain, but if you look at the things that people actually do rather than where the camera happens to focus, the female characters are the ones who truly begin to shine.

So in Iron Man 3 we have a female scientist who creates some form of powerful technology and we have the eye candy, Pepper Potts, who beats up the bad guy. 

The catechism question these movies are asking is: What can a woman be? The answer is: be a sex toy or be a man. Wear a bikini, wear a gun, wear a business suit, but most certainly do not wear an apron. You were made to be used by a man or to act like a man. Where are the mothers, I mean real mothers with children, in modern movies? Where are the faithful wives who love their husbands?  They are conspicuous by their absence. When is the last time you watched a major movie where motherhood is a virtue?  When was the last time you watched a movie with a husband and wife who love each other and love their children. I know there may be little movies that do have faithful mother characters. But let's not be naive. A vast majority of movies that come out today do not even have a mother in them. The women are either professionals or someone to be bedded or fighters. Hollywood has effectively killed motherhood as a vocation for women. 

Our wives and daughters need to be aware that their fundamental calling has been completely rejected by the media. Fathers, pastors, and husbands need to encourage the women in their care to be faithful to God in that calling and not buy the lie that motherhood is a waste. 

Take Up and Read

R.C. Sproul Jr. reminds us that God often answers our prayers and yet we cease to give thanks.

Along the same lines, David Murray reminds us that thankful people are happy people. He also gives some good practical advice on how to be more thankful.

Lately, Hollywood has promoted their movies more actively in China in a attempt to make more money. This became very clear with the release of Iron Man 3, which adjusted some scenes and dialogue for Chinese audiences and to get past Chinese censors. It had great success in China and will no doubt lead to Hollywood trying to access the billions of dollars in the populous country in the world. That is why it is important to read articles like this, which discuss China's one child policy.  China's government brutally murders millions of babies.  No amount of Hollywood gloss or Chinese money can change that.

(Disclaimer: Be careful with following article. There are some links in the sidebar that include scantily clad women.)Where does feminism end up? With mothers disowning their own daughters in the name of freedom. Here is an interesting article by the daughter of well-known feminist, Alice Walker, who wrote the novel The Color Purple.  She describes the effect her mother's feminism had on her and her eventual rejection of her mother's views.

Finally, if you haven't read Steven Wedgeworth's article on the necessity of a historical Adam, you should. It is longer and more theological dense than most blog posts (that's a compliment), but worth your time. He carefully explains how giving up Adam as a historical figure is giving up Jesus as the one who sets the world right.

Diagnostic Questions from Matthew 23

I just got finished preaching through Matthew 23. When I ended, I gave my flock some questions to ask to determine whether they were acting like Pharisees or not. Here are those questions:

Are you a different person in private than you are in public? 

Do you worry more about what others do to you than what you do to others? Do you worry more about people giving you respect than you respecting others? Do you worry more about people sinning against you than about your sins against them? 

Do you worry more about how you look or how you are? Is looking righteous more important to you than actually being righteous? Do you evaluate your righteousness by a public opinion poll of your friends? 

Do you brag about your righteous deeds or hope people notice your righteous deeds?

Do you praise godly men far away and distant, but ignore those God has put closest to you? 

Do you hammer the minor points, but ignore the major ones? Do you spend a lot of time on secondary matters of the faith, but little time on the primary matters of the faith? Are more worried about the finer points of modesty than you are about mercy? Do you have perfectly balanced budget, but refuse to submit to your husband? Do you bring home a good paycheck, but refuse to sacrifice for your wife when you get home? Do you get great grades in math, but do not obey your parents? Have you studied a lot of theology, but hold those less knowledgeable in contempt? 

Do you worry about your inner life, as much as your outer life? Do you ask yourself what is happening in your heart? Am I angry, bitter, filled with malice, covetous, etc? Or do you primarily worry about what is happening on the outside, what other people can see?

Postmodern Times

I just finished All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes by Ken Myers. It was an interesting, if dated, exploration of pop culture and its effects. I am now reading Postmodern Times by Gene Veith. Reading these books back to back has been helpful. Veith advances and builds upon some of Myers' ideas. This has been helpful for me because of how far downstream we are from Myers' original context. I just finished chapter 3 of Postmodern Times, which is on deconstructing truth. Here are some of Veith's descriptions of postmodernism. All italics and parenthesis are his. Brackets are mine

"Postmodernist ideology is more than simple relativism.  Whereas modern existentialism teaches that meaning is created by the individual, postmodern existentialism teaches that meaning is created by a social group and its language. According to this view, personal identity and the very contents of one's thoughts are all social constructions."

"Since there is no objective truth, history may be rewritten according to the needs of a particular group."

"Postmodernist theories begin with the assumption that language cannot render truths about the world in objective way. Language, by its very nature, shapes what we think.  Since language is a cultural creation, meaning is ultimately (again) a social construction."

"Language does not reveal meaning (which would imply that there is an objective, transcendent realm of truth); rather language constructs meaning."

"Knowledge is no longer seen as absolute truth; rather knowledge is seen in terms of rearranging information into new paradigms."

"Abstract ideas are not the only casualty [of postmodern thought]. When the objective realm is swallowed up by subjectivity, moral principles evaporate. Other people-even spouses and children-are valued only for what they can contribute to my pleasure."

These quotes are all from the negative first half of the chapter. Veith goes on to note how postmodern theory has some basis in truth. He says that postmodern theorists are suspicious of everything. They are always looking for the hidden power play. Christians agree. There is a hidden power play: sin.  He also notes that because we are sinners people do use words to oppress, manipulate, twist, lie, etc.But there is one big difference between Christians and postmodern theorists. We believe there is a final, transcendent word. They do not.

Take Up and Read

In our worship service we say "Amen" a lot. Kevin DeYoung explains what this doesn't mean, what it does mean, and why it matters.

Peter Leithart gives us some things to remember as we read Revelation. Points 2 and 3 are particularly important. So many Christians consider Revelation almost like a 3rd Testament completely separated from what is happening in the New Testament. They also forget that Revelation is a letter.

C.J. Bowen asks some good questions about praying for our children. The post is a shot in the arm for parents, like me, who trust too much in themselves.

R.C. Sproul Jr.  give some advice about preaching to the sins of the congregation. He warns preachers of being too vague or preaching against other church's sins. But he also warns against doing private discipleship from the pulpit.

In this longer article Carl Trueman takes aim at the Gospel centered movement, celebrity preachers, buzz words, seminaries, etc. The article is witty, harsh, and true. I appreciate many of the men who Trueman slaps down. But his points are valid. This movement is far removed from the local church centered movements of the past. I do not see how it can ultimately lead to healthier bodies.

Book Review: Writing Tools

Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. Clark gives the writer a toolbox of ideas that range from how to arrange sentences to foreshadowing to working with an editor. All the chapters are short with questions at the end to spur further thought. He arranges the material well so the reader can easily reference a portion of the book later. He demystifies the writing process, as well. The reader leaves believing that he can write well if he takes the time and uses the right tools. Writing tools is an excellent resource for anyone who aspires to write well.

View all my reviews

The Great Ones Never Get Into School

"The greater, then, that a man would make himself out to be, surely the more he shuts the door against himself, so that he can have no entrance to the school of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ." John Calvin Sermons on Ephesians

Digging Down Deep

“Indeed, if a text is regarded as the Word of God, it takes on depths of meaning and beauty and dimensions of such fullness as the human mind cannot fully grasp. The preacher who digs below the surface of a text to explore it depths will soon end up in the predicament of having more material than the sermon can contain…And how helpful is this depth-probing of a text. Nothing will do more to help one become a solid and enriched biblical theologian. Superficial preaching on biblical generalities is profoundly detrimental to the preacher.  The congregation gets little spiritual nourishment, and the preacher does not grow in an understanding of the Word.” James Daane in Preaching with Confidence

A New Pair of Pants Won't Fix a Broken Leg

             

  When the Lord rebukes Israel through the prophet Hosea, Israel recognizes that she is sick (Hosea 5:13). She can see that something is wrong. But instead of turning to the Lord who can heal they turn to Assyria. Israel flees to man and the strength of man to cure her disease. Yet the Lord says that Assyria cannot heal her and cannot make her whole again (Hosea 5:13).

                Israel was under political oppression. Their enemies were closing in. But their enemies were not the problem. Their sin was. Instead of getting to the root of the problem, their covenant disobedience, they focused on the symptoms of the problem. They thought the disease would be cured if they just had a bigger army. They thought the answer was in an alliance with other nations. The problem however, was their disobedient heart, not their lack of chariots. 

                The Lord says in Hosea 5:15 that he wants them to acknowledge their offense or their guilt.  The answer for Israel is not more chariots or horses. The answer is not getting in bed with Assyria. The answer is repentance. Here is what Israel refuses to do. They are willing to try to fix things. They are not willing to repent and confess that they are wrong.

                We are all this way. God in his mercy disciplines us. He gives us consequences for our sins. It might be a broken relationship, the loss of a job, a child that is in rebellion, a rebuke from a parent or friend, etc. But like Israel we are not interested in repentance. We are interested in alleviating the consequences of our sins. We want to remove the embarrassment of our sin, but not the sin itself. We believe that if we just put on a new pair of pants our broken leg will be fixed.   But in the end the leg will only get worse until we cure the real problem. We must learn to confess our sins and turn to God and not trust in the strength of man to deliver us. 

Are You Offended?

“The Jesus that offends no one is not the Jesus of the New Testament; and if the proclamation of him offends no one, it is not the Christ of the New Testament who is being proclaimed.” James Daane in Preaching with Confidence