Monday, December 6, 2010

Prince of Egypt and the Abortion Issue


In the Prince of Egypt, Moses’ mother sent him down the river because Pharoah was killing Jewish baby boys. The killing  of these newborn babies was the closest thing to abortion that they had, or I am sure that modern day abortion techniques would have been used. God did not approve of many things Pharoah was doing to the Jewish people, and this was one of them. This movie shows that God did not look kindly upon the killing of babies, especially for the Pharoah’s greedy reason. I think that this helps a little on the abortion issue, because God does frown upon it for certain reasons, but we are still unsure exactly what all of the unacceptable reasons are, and if they are all unacceptable.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Robin Hood: Addressing corruption and socialism

Robin Hood is all about taking from the rich and giving to the poor. He does this to fight the corruption of the tax collectors in his town of Nottingham. This reminds me of the story of Zaccheus and how he was a tax corrupt tax collector that Jesus saved and spoke against his corruption. Robin Hood fights the tax collectors corruption, though in a more violent way than Jesus. Furthermore, Robin Hood is trying to redistribute resources to be more equal among everyone. In the Bible, God calls us to live in this way, to share with our neighbor, forgive debts, and to not be selfish. Robin Hood displays these principles, even when our society cannot actually function based on these Socialist principles, as our discussion of Capitalism told.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

The Little Mermaid and Love


I think the little mermaid gives a false sense of love, other than what God intends for us. The whole song “Kiss the Girl” in the movie is about how if Prince Eric just kissed Ariel, then they will fall in love. Scripture does not call for just physical relationship, but working together through good and BAD times. People are not compatible based just on the physical, but they need to spiritual and mental as well. We talked about love and marriage in class and discussed that it is more than a physical thing, it is also emotional, mental, and spiritual. It is compromise and hard work. Not this physical fairy tale thing this movie and many others make it out to be.

Wall-E and Tehnology

Wall-E is the perfect Disney movie to discuss in correlation with our discussion on technology and its harms. Wall-E is a piece of technology that got left behind on the earth because we destroyed it with our conveniences and technological advances.  The whole earth is a wasteland. Later in the movie Wall-E gets sent to space where all of the humans live now. Humans have relied and built a society in space to accommodate their new technological way of life. First off, all of the humans are obese and ride around in chairs instead of walking. They drink all of their food out of a straw and never talk to each other face to face, but instead use cell phones. This movie demonstrates the extreme of what our society is on the way of becoming.
I think that this movie brings up many moral issues. The Lord calls us to care for the earth and in this movie we have destroyed it. The Lord made active people and our bodies are temples for the Lord. The obesity due to sheer laziness is against the way the Lord calls us to use our bodies. Also, work is valued and replacing any kind of work with technology is not what God intended for us, he made us to work. Furthermore, in the movie they have not thought about how God would want us to use the technology we have discovered, instead they use it as they please.  This shows distrust in the Lord to provide and know what’s best for us. I think Wall-E advocates all of the moral issues that the Bible advocated in relation to environmental and technological issues. 

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Peter Pan and Parent/Child Relationships


Peter Pan brings up a good discussion on the correct relation of the family. In Peter Pan, they go off to Never Never Land where there are no parents and kids run wild. Wendy and her brothers accompany Peter Pan on his adventure to Never Never Land, especially since their parents went out for the night and their father had just gotten angry at them. They think that no parents will be so fun. When Wendy arrives, she becomes a mother type figure for the boys, which they have all been needing. In the end, Wendy and her brothers miss home and their parents very much. This shows that indeed God did create a certain structure for the family and it is not good for family breaks. Children are supposed to obey their parents and their parents are supposed to lead them in a good, Christian way. Children in Never Never Land needed parents and families to show them the difference between right and wrong, and obviously a void was missing in their lives, running wild without any authority was not best for them.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Jasmine and the role of women

Jasmine in the movie Aladdin is a strong woman. She strives for independence, though she is suppressed. She does not take kindly to being told that she is property and the men pay attention to her and change their approach based on her. She constantly pushed the limits that society and her father places on her, even if their reasons are "for her sake". I think similarly women should push the limits that society and not the Lord have placed on them. No man should put a woman down if she is following the Lord and his will in her life. I think she is by far one of the strongest women in the Disney movies.

Fox and the Hound teaches acceptance

Fox and the Hound is about, who would have guessed, a fox and a hound. They are owned by neighbors who hate each other and the owners hate the others' pet. However, despite all of their obstacle they become friends, because they do not care that the other is different and not really accepted in each's society. It changes for them once they get a little older. The fox is released and the hound grows up to be a good hunter. However, at the end of the story they cross paths again and save each other's lives. They realize again that their differences aren't so great.

I think that this movie relates to our discussion on homosexuality. We should accept everyone, and even when there are societal pressures to not and even though people sometimes fall into those pressures, in the end we should realize that we are not that different and want similar things. Jesus accepted everyone, despite their differences. He did not accept sexual immorality or immorality of any other kind. However, he did see past the differences that society places on people and accepted everyone. It is about acceptance and a place for God's creations, especially when they are not doing anything against his law.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Beauty and the Beast teaches Pacifism


The beginning of the movie starts out with retaliation to evil. A man is punished for his rudeness, and is turned into the Beast. However, Belle does not retaliate against evil or wrongs done against her. The Beast has taken her father captive, yet instead of rallying violence against him or trying to fight at all, Belle makes a self-sacrifice in the place of her father. This makes her a Jesus type figure, because not only does she sacrifice herself to save her father but also she does so in a non violent and pacifist way.  Belle also teaches the beast to be more of a pacifist and not so quick to anger and act violently. Even when Gaston comes after the Beast at the end of the movie, the beast does not react at first. When he does react with violence, he still realizes that killing is not the answer and lets Gaston go. Gaston on the other hand reacts to everything violently and is not a pacifist at all. He does not even let himself be taught or led to be a different way. Since Gaston is the bad guy, and Belle and the Beast at the end are the good guys, then this movie places value on pacifism. 

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Snow White, a Jesus type figure?


While watching Snow White I almost immediately relate Snow White with Jesus. The Queen asks the mirror who the fairest of them all is, and the mirror says Snow White, which means that the Queen is no who was the fairest no longer is. It reminds me a lot of King Herod finding out about the birth of Jesus and Jesus being the king of the Jews.  Herod was previously named the King of the Jews. Both the Queen and King Herod send people to kill the one they are jealous of.  Snow White is spared because of the kindness of the huntsman and the wise men decide to take a different way home, so as to not go back by King Herod to give him info on Jesus. Both Snow White and Jesus have a group of followers, the dwarfs and the apostles. However, the relationship between the followers and their leader is very different in the stories. Jesus was part God and human and his followers were not just friends but true followers of a new religion. However, there are similarities in their stories, like the resurrection. The Queen gives Snow White a poisoned apple and kills her, but the prince’s kiss woke brought her back to life. Similarly, Jesus was crucified and God brought him back to life. While there are parallelisms in the two basic stories, there are big differences too, since Jesus’ resurrection was meant to save humanity and Snow White’s story was not quite that deep.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Pocahontas, Prophets, and 1 Peter


1 Peter says “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” Pocahontas upholds these values very well. The moral of the story, we learn by the end of the movie, is to not rashly judge another based on stereotypes and assumptions. The tribe and the Europeans want to go to war with each other based on killing and wounding from each side; however, no one cared enough to get the full story or to talk things out. They were not living in harmony, being sympathetic, compassionate, or loving as brothers. In the end, they all realize their mistakes and embrace the values laid out in 1 Peter. It also calls for people to love each other deeply from the heart, not based on these stereotypes. John Smith and Pocahontas don’t pre judge, but get to know each other and begin to love the other. Through many trials and sacrifices they get the others to look at each other this way, too. Pocahontas and John Smith on this way are prophets of truth that try to bring the real message to their people, and the leaders of the Native Americans and Europeans are bringing false messages. This is similar to the Prophets in the Bible, Jeremiah and Ezekial, who bring God’s real message to the people, as opposed to the false ones being fed to the public. In both cases, when the false message is followed, then conflict arises; however, when the real message is followed people are enlightened. 

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Did the Stories of Joseph and Moses influence The Lion King?


The Lion King mixes two famous Bible stories together to make a very entertaining movie. It begins with a Joseph-esq story line. There are two brothers, Scar and Mufasa. Mufasa was the privileged brother that became King and Scar was very jealous of his brother. Similarly, Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and the fact that their father favored him. Joseph, like Mufasa, was a much better person than his brothers. Scar’s jealousy leads him to devise a plan to kill Mufasa, which is executed perfectly. Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery in order to get rid of him. Joseph goes on to make a great name for himself and live a good life, while Mufasa dies. Then, the movie takes a shift and feels much more like the Moses story. Scar convinces Simba that the only option for him is to run away, and Moses is forced to run away from Egypt, as well. Both find new places to live that seem to be good places. However, God has another plan for Moses. God wants Moses to go back to Egypt and bring his people out of oppression. Similarly, Simba encounters Nala, which leads him into a more supernatural encounter with the spirit of his father, much like Moses burning bush experience. This encounter convinces him to go back and rescue his pride. Scar and the Pharaoh both oppress the good and do not lead their kingdoms fairly.  Simba and Moses both succeed in their quest and go on to lead their pride/people.

*One interesting difference in the movie and the Bible is the significance of the stars. In The Lion King, the stars represent past kings that watch over the pride. However, the Bible clearly states that the stars are simply lesser lights. The idea of lesser lights went against the popular idea of the time that stars were gods watching the people below. So in this instance the Bible and The Lion King vary greatly. 

Friday, September 10, 2010

Pinocchio and Sin

In the beginning of the movie Gepetto  is a virtuous and faithful man, so he is blessed with his boy puppet coming to life and the chance at being a father to a real boy. This idea of good behavior being rewarded from a higher power is seen in the Bible, as well. God blesses those who obey and follow him. Pinocchio is given the opportunity to be truthful and good to become a real boy and fulfill Gepetto’s dream of having a son. This similarly represents the choice of free will that God gives us. Pinocchio does have a guide for his journey, a conscience named Jiminey cricket. God himself is a guide in our life, especially through Jesus’ model life on Earth. He also has given us commands and books like the Bible to help us see the correct path to follow.  Pinocchio doesn’t always listen to his conscience, which gets him in some very sticky situations. When Adam and Eve strayed from the path God intended for them, then their lives also got much harder. Not only did their lives get harder but their offspring’s’ lives, as well. Pinocchio’s disobedience leads his family right into the belly of a whale, which is quite a consequence to pay for another’s defiance. The idea of sin leading one down a path God didn’t intend for them and that is not best for them is the part of the movie where the boys go to the island. They are free to do whatever they want to in this fun land and they choose to drink, smoke, and destroy. The consequence of their decision? They turn into donkeys. Luckily, Pinocchio escapes with only donkey ears, but he sees the error of his ways before the consequences are fatal. After all of the trouble Pinocchio causes he redeems himself in the end by vowing to live a good life and his self sacrifice helps to rescue his family. In the end this vow and self sacrifice earn him the honor of becoming a real human boy. Once a person gives their life to Christ, then they also become “a real boy”, they are born again and saved, much like Pinocchio. It interesting to look at our faith as a journey from being a wooden, lifeless puppet of the world without God to becoming a real human full of live and joy with God, which is the way God intended things to be. 

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to take what I learn in my Biblical Heritage class and compare the Christian values we learn about to the Disney movies I grew up watching. It should be an interesting analysis of our culture and the Christian faith, which happens to be my faith as well.