Don’t Let ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Lead Your Daughter Astray:
A Concerned Mother’s Response
By Michelle S. Lazurek, Contributing Writer for MOVIEGUIDE®
Dear Daughter,
I’m writing you this letter because I love you. You are the apple of my eye and it is my responsibility to teach you what it means to be a woman. I am proud of how wonderful you have become. As you grow up, you will begin to date and engage in relationships with members of the opposite sex, but I feel I must warn you about how you should act in your future relationships with men. The movies you may watch do not portray women in a positive light. Hollywood does not view you the same way that God does. God wants to liberate you and allow you to be all you can be. He wants you to see yourself as special so you, as well as guys will cherish you as a special gift.
With it being the week that “Fifty Shades Freed” is released, the final movie in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy, I feel I should teach you what God has to say about women. If you don’t know already, the movie features the main character Ana Steele, who finds herself attracted to a sexy CEO named Christian Grey. She finds herself repulsed yet intrigued by him at the same time, but Christian wants her to participate in acts that degrade her and rob of her of her rights as a woman, as God’s child and as a human being.
Daughter, I want you to know that this is not the way God wants you to view yourself as a woman or as a human being. Here are some lessons I want to teach you about this movie:
Bondage keeps you locked up, it does not set you free: God created sex to be enjoyed. The euphoria enjoying your body creates is a glimpse into the intimacy God wants us to share with Him. Tying you up, and spanking does the opposite of what the book is trying to achieve: it suppresses you; it does not set you free.
Lust does not equal love: Ana knows Christian was not good for her, yet feels drawn to him anyway. Although they break up, she finds herself longing for him…distraught she has lost someone she loves. Engaging in a sexual relationship creates feeling of bonding between you and your mate, the feelings of which are easily confused for love when they are really lust.
Pornography is not healthy for any relationship: Approximately forty million men currently watch pornography on a regular basis. Men who need to watch porn become addicted to it in order to achieve arousal. Soon your relationship won’t satisfy. You were uniquely made to be loved and cherished; not used as a means for a man’s source of arousal.
Biblical submission is not the same as sexual submission: In a healthy marriage relationship, each partner submits to each other out of respect and love for each other, but there will be times when you have reached an impasse in the situation. God calls you to submit spiritually in those situations for the health of your relationship. This is so you can find a solution that unites you, not divides you. Allowing yourself to be whipped and beaten for the satisfaction of your partner is far from achieving unity. It takes away your right to establish and keep healthy boundaries regarding personal and physical space. It is never ok for a man to make you do anything you don’t want to do. If he does something against your will, it is not your fault: it’s his. This movie blurs the lines between what is healthy for women, and what is not.
Abuse begets abuse: Ana finds out that the reason Christian is obsessed with perversion is because his mother’s friend abused him when he was 15. He assumes this is how all healthy sexual relationships work. Because it happened to him, doesn’t mean its ok to do so to you. He believes these acts are abuse, and that’s exactly what they are. Punishing an adult by physical force is abuse. Abuse is abuse, and allowing someone else to do it to you mars your perception of what a healthy sexual relationship is.
Daughter, you are a beautiful woman. You are adored and loved by God. You are beautiful simply because you are you. You are not a piece of trash to be dominated, abused or degraded. One day a man will love you for you, not for what you can do for him, sexually or otherwise.
Other Fifty Shades Articles you might be interested in:
Four Ways to Respond to the FIFTY SHADES OF GREY Movie
Editor’s note: Michelle S. Lazurek is a pastor’s wife, bible teacher, mother, author and speaker. She gives discipleship tips on her weekly blog (www.discipleshiptoolbox.wordpress.com). She is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association and leads a community group for Incourage. She has written articles on discipleship for places such as Charisma Magazine, Soli Gloria Deo Sisterhood, and www.womensministry.net. Please visit her website at www.michellelazurek.com,
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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