Why Christians Can Calm Down about Beauty and the Beast

On March 1st my newsfeed exploded with angry moms. Our beloved Beauty and the Beast is GAY.

Well, not exactly. And perhaps that’s where we should start. Is this a “Gay” movie? Or is this just another worldly movie made by worldly people with worldly agendas? Believe me, I'm upset, too. But there is an important difference here worthy of a second look. 

Al Mohler, at the recent Shepherd’s Conference, summarized this distinction well. He said there’s a difference between culture being infused into a movie and a movie glorifying a particular sin. Gay characters will be the norm in movies from now on. That's the agenda. The question we should ask is: Does it glorify the sin, or does it discuss/portray an aspect of culture?

This is the culture God has appointed for us to raise our children in. We need to know how to live in it and interact with it. Our kids are watching us. Our response to this issue will shape how they live within this culture. As we respond to Beauty and the Beast there are two words that should not characterize us as Christian parents.

Naive

If we expect the world to act Christian we will always be let down. Many are crying out, “How could Disney do this!?” Maybe instead our question should be, “What took them so long?” Disney is not a Christian company. Disney is acting exactly the way it is supposed to act.

I think deep down we hope the evil in this world will spare our kids. But evil is no respecter of persons. When we see Disney peddling homosexuality as normal it’s like watching someone pass out candy-covered cyanide to children. We gasp in horror and say, “What’s this world coming to?” But we already have the answer. God tells us that “the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17) For the Christian there are no surprises - only evidences of God’s promises coming true. 

We should be angry at sin, but never shocked. Shock means we got too comfortable here. It means we made ourselves at home in the enemy camp and we were offended when the enemy tried to kill us in our sleep. It means we have forgotten that we are “aliens and strangers.” (1 Peter 2:11) 

Fearful

Have you heard about the gay character in Bambi? How about in The Lion King, Pinocchio, or The Jungle Book? These are just a few of the movies I have heard Christians crossing off their lists this week because of suspicious homosexual undertones.

We can train ourselves to see evil everywhere, but that is not the mark of a discerning Christian. It taints our joy and makes us fearful. This is still God’s world. He created music. He created color. As discerning Christians we want to teach our kids how to take the good and leave the bad.   

So What Do We Do?

Christians can take comfort in the fact that a gay Disney character doesn’t change anything. Thousands of years before Walt Disney was born King Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Sin has always been sin. Mankind’s basic need for a savior is still the same. The hope of the gospel is still the same. And as God’s people, our job is still the same as well. 

Yes, Hollywood has an agenda - but so do we. If Hollywood is trying to indoctrinate our kids then we must indoctrinate them first. You must speak of God’s word to your children “when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 11:19) 

We must raise alien children - children who are not surprised by or afraid of this culture, but know how to impact it for the gospel. We have the beautiful privilege of praying for our kids what Jesus prays for us: “I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)

This article originally appeared on gospelcenteredmom.com. Used with permission.

Sara Wallace graduated from The Master's College, where she met her husband, Dave. They live in Idaho with their four sons. Sara stays busy homeschooling and writing about the daily effect of grace on motherhood. She is the author of The Gospel-Centered Mom Bible study and writes at gospelcenteredmom.com. Follow her on Facebook for daily encouragement!

Image courtesy: gospelcenteredmom.com & Disney®.

Publication date: March 6, 2017