Courageous

While in Michigan visiting a couple of friends, we watched the controversial movie, Courageous.  There probably aren't a whole lot of people who have even heard of this movie, but it is one of several movies produced by conservative Christians to advocate conservative Christian values.  To be fair, some of the values espouses by the movies aren't only Christian but are conservative in general.  Still, Courageous and the other films are controversial outside of the conservative Christian circles for so blatantly putting forth values that we supposedly shouldn't bother adhering to anymore.  Indeed, the whole purpose of Courageous seems to be encouraging strong male leadership in the household, particularly in guiding the faith and lifestyle of the household.

Having watched the movie, I can't say that I am as strongly against Courageous as some people are, nor can I say that I am very strongly for the values espoused by the movie.  What I do know, though, is that movies such as this shouldn't arouse as much controversy as it has.  Again, you may not have heard about the movie and thus don't know of any controversy, but believe me, in Christian circles Courageous and the other films have caused plenty of talk.  Now, I know that everyone, even many so-called atheists, take faith very seriously, and I know that I've been in a sort of seminary-bubble for the past three years, but the only controversy concerning movies that I've heard of in the past few years is about this film and how well or poorly the comic-book movies were made.  There's something terribly wrong with that picture.

Last week my new soon-to-be niece asked me what musical artists I listen to.  I answered with my list of Christian rock bands: Project 86, Flyleaf, Seventh Day Slumber, etc.; then I continued with bands that I think have good values: Green Day, Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, etc.  To the first list she responded with a blank face; to the second list she responded with, "yeah, they're ok."  Apparently what she wanted me to spout off was one of the many contemporary hip-hop artists that she listens to.  That's typical kid behavior, but seeing as she is only eleven years old I couldn't help thinking how important watching movies such as Courageous can be, even if we think the whole tone of the movie is wrong.

I struggle with this, of course, because I do not believe that playing violent video games or watching violent movies creates a violent person.  I started playing violent games and watching violent movies at an early age and I'm fine.  But I also had peaceful parents amidst the violence that I had immersed myself in.  At the end of the day, then, what I think should bother us is a lack of diversity in the things that our kids are playing, watching, and listening to.  The fact that my soon-to-be niece only loved artists who are less than decent is troubling because she listens to nothing else to offset the bad morals she imbibes.  Clearly a movie like Courageous could do some good.

On to another issue...  Frankly, I think it's hilarious that we as a culture are more okay with allowing our children to watch violence than we are with allowing them to watch sex.  Essentially what that does is teach our children to think of sex as totally taboo, making it harder for them to be honest with their parents regarding sex and shoving their sexual passions into the dark closet.  Of course, in the instances in which sex is a part of the movies we watch, the film either objectifies women or objectifies the act of sex as a means of viewer entertainment only.  If we allow our children to grow up thinking of sex as an objectified taboo that needs to always be a secret, should we really be surprised when clusters of brothels pop up in our cities and towns?  By the way we rate and watch our movies we are engendering the attitudes that lead to use of prostitutes and sex slaves.  Or, on the flip side, the way we listen to music and watch movies encourages our young women to expect certain behaviors, galvanize those behaviors, and then sit patiently as they become the victims of those behaviors now grown large and monstrous.

The bottom line is that, while Courageous may upset a lot of people, I recommend anyone concerned with sex slavery to watch the movie.  Even if we are not ourselves parents, even if we will never be parents, we are still parental figures, and we need to think a lot more seriously about what effect media and our own actions are having on our young persons.  If we want to put an end to slavery and sex slavery, then it starts with us and our families.

So: "Where are you men of courage?  You were made for so much more"  Let us have courage and fight against the prevailing forces in our culture so that our children will not allow slavery to continue.