Disney and Messages of Faith

Disney and Messages of Faith

On January 26^th, 2014 an interview with Houston Baptist University, Assistant Prof. Collin Garbarino aired on FoxNews. In this interview Prof. Garbarino stated that Disney’s Frozen may be the most Christian movie of 2013. I could not agree more!

Prof Garbarino stated that the message of Frozen was redemption and that Anna was a personification of Christ as she gave her life to save her sister. Elsa ran from Anna just as we fearful humans run from God. All of that is well and good. He has a very good point.

Prof. Garbarino seemed surprised that Disney’s adaption of Hans Christian Anderson’s Snow Queen would have any spiritual overtones. He must not have read any of Anderson’s work. Anderson’s tales were mostly faith based so any good adaption would have some message of faith in them.

Click here to see the FoxNews story:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3109148193001/does-disneys-hit-frozen-carry-a-christian-message/#sp=show-clips

As with any Bible verse or secular story you can come up with different ‘messages’ and things to take away. Instead of a story of redemption and Anna being an example of Christ I see Frozen as a call to stop living in fear. Both are valid lessons to come away with. So many of us are like Elsa and frozen by fear. That fear can lead to inaction, broken relationships and in the long run it can lead to us responding in ways we should not.

Click here for my full post about Frozen:

http://pixiesfaith.blogspot.com/2013/12/frozen-by-fear.html

What I really took offense too was Prof. Garbarino stating that Disney did not have any religious or faith based messages in their movies. If you are reading this blog you can see I have a totally different opinion! If your mind and heart are open God can use any tool to reach you with a message! Jesus was a consummate story teller! Think of all the parables the told by Him when teaching. His parables were culturally relevant, secular subject matter that communicated the point He wished to make to those He was speaking to.

I challenge Prof. Garbarino to open his mind and take another look at Disney movies. Pick almost any one and there is a message of faith, hope and redemption for us. Let me share some of what I’ve found.

Meet the Robinsons with its story of being adopted when there is no hope. Is that not an allegory for how God adopts us? Sleeping Beauty is no challenge to find a message of faith in! Stand up to the devil and he will flee! Truth and virtue are the weapons that the 3 good fairies give Prince Phillip. That sounds like putting on the armor of God to me! Ok that covers a “Classic Disney Princess” movie and a 7 year old movie.

How about a newer Pixar movie? Brave can be related to Ephesians 6:1-4. Every Christian parent I know hammers their children with Ephesians 6:1-3 (Kids obey and honor mom and dad or God is going to SMITE ya!) but they ignore verse 4. Most pastors don’t teach on verse 4 but I think it is key to showing our children that they need to obey and respect their elders so they can be blessed by God. Parents also have a responsibility to not do things just to anger or frustrate their child. Merida is a good girl that wants to be herself! She wants to be accepted for who she is with the interests she has. Eleanor wants her daughter to grow up to be queen, regal and proper. She does not understand how important freedom is to her daughter. Eleanor frustrates Merida with her rules until she rebels. Merida needed to follow rules but Eleanor needed to learn to look at if those rules really were necessary or right for her daughter.

In short I think the problem with “educators” and “church leadership” is they often refuse to see the lessons that are there in the secular world and relate it to God’s truth. I believe EVERY story has a lesson to take away. Some you just need to look a little harder to find. Hidden jewels are often the best and most valued.

Do I believe that Disney purposely puts Faith Based messages in their movies? NO!! I just believe God is great enough to speak to us through any medium that will get through our thick skulls!

Links to posts mentioned in this blog:

Meet the Robinsons:

http://pixiesfaith.blogspot.com/2013/12/meet-robinsons-adopted-into-gods-family.html

Sleeping Beauty:

http://pixiesfaith.blogspot.com/2014/01/sleeping-beauty-stand-up-to-dragon.html

Brave:

http://pixiesfaith.blogspot.com/2013/11/brave-childs-and-parents-responsibility.html

Pixie’s Faith is NOT associated with the Disney Company, Disney Studio or Disney Family in any way. This is my views of Disney movies and the lessons I have taken away from them. This is a fairly new blog and does not have many posts as of yet but is growing quickly.

Lilo & Stitch ~ You Are a New Creature

Lilo & Stitch ~ You Are a New Creature

Lilo is a lonely, hurting and misunderstood child. She acts out because people don’t know how to relate to her pain and the fact her “family” situation is different than the norm.

Stitch is an alien monster created to be evil. He is designed to seek out large cities where he will back up sewers, reverse street signs and steal everyone’s left shoe. When questioned at the beginning by officials of the Galactic Alliance he is sassy and rude.

Both bite, hit and try to find happiness in their own actions but are very unhappy. Truly Lilo and Stitch behave exactly alike.

In an attempt to help Lilo feel loved her elder sister and guardian, Nani decides to get a dog for her. Instead of a dog Lilo picks an alien creature, Stitch. Stitch plays along with Lilo pretending to be a dog as a way to hide from those seeking to catch him. If he is with Lilo they will not and cannot attack him.

As the story progresses Lilo works hard to teach Stitch how to be a “good citizen”. She shows him his badness level is high for a creature as small as he is. No matter what Stitch does Lilo loves and accepts him. She says he is the newest member of the O’hana (Hawaiian for Family). “O’hana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

Stitch keeps trying to escape but Jamba (his evil creator and person now trying to catch him) is always there making him stay with Lilo. Lilo encourages Stitch to create rather than destroy, care not attack.

Lilo reads the story of the ugly duckling to Stitch and Stitch starts to think about family. He has none because he was created by Jamba. He realizes he wants to change. He wants family and belonging. He feels lost.

In the end Stitch could leave and let Lilo be taken away by aliens. Instead Stitch risks his life and freedom to help her. His behavior is less than perfect but he is trying to be good. When he is finally caught and about to be taken away he simply and calmly asks if he can say good bye to his “family”. He says, “This is my family. It is little and broken. But, it is good.”

What changed Stitch from the evil creature with only destruction as his goal to a loving creature risking it all for his “O’hana”? Love.

What can change us from the selfish, naturally evil creatures we are born to be into a loving, caring person?

2 Corinthians 5:16-19

From now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.

God does not want us to view each other or ourselves as we use to. Don’t judge each other or ourselves! If we are “in Christ” (if we accept Him and will realize we are joint heirs with Christ, adopted children of God) we are a new person! The old habits and desires will go away! (No! It is not a magic bullet that solves addiction and bad behavior overnight.)

I believe that as we grow into the realization that we belong to the “family of God” we lose the desire for wrong and the desire to do good grows. We become new creators! Just like Stitch went from craving destruction to desiring to do good as he realized he had an O’hana that loved him and that he loved in return.

Also as we help others learn to do the right things we ourselves learn to do good. Lilo was not a nice, good little girl at first. But, by trying to teach Stitch she learned better behavior and grew. She also learned that her “O’hana”, Nani and David was there for her and accepted the love.

Remember that all it takes is asking to be accepted into God’s O’hana. He loves you no matter what you have done or are doing. His forgiveness is complete and His loving ways transforms us in ways we can never fully understand.

Monsters University ~ What is Your Gift?

Monsters University ~ What is Your Gift? 

In Monsters U Mike and Sulley are in collage, in fact they are going to Monsters University. This is where they meet and at first don’t like each other.

Mike wants to be a “Scarer” (a monster that scares kids for their screams to create the energy to run the Monster World). He does not want to be relegated to the background of “Can Design” or “Door Making”. He has dreamed all his life of going to school and being the best Scarer. He truly is not scary at all. He has the knowledge but lacks the ability.

Sulley is lazy and inattentive. He thinks that just because he is big, imposing and the son of one of the best scarrers he will be the best scarer ever. He thinks he does not need to study and that he knows all he needs to know to be the best scarer ever. He goes half way and does not work to improve himself. He has the ability but lacks knowledge and discipline.

Then there is the Oozma Kappa fraternity, a group of misfits that look like they can do nothing big or special. They have all been told they are incapable, unwanted and worthless. They lack knowledge because they have not been allowed to learn, no one would teach them. They lack courage to try because they have been pushed down. They lack ability because they have never tried. In truth they don’t lack ability they just don’t know what abilities they really have.

Mike refuses to give up his idea of being a scarer. Sulley refuses to study and learn there is more to doing what he is born to do. The brothers of Oozma Kappa just keep trying yet feel like they don’t fit.

In the end Mike learns he is not a scarer, he is a “Coach”. He has the knowledge to give training and direction but lacks the ability to do it himself. Sulley sees he has been a jerk and chooses to let Mike teach him. The brothers of Oozma Kappa get their chance to go to Scare School and see that even they can be more than they think they could.

I Corinthians 12:12-30

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body-whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not the hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. and God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire these greater gifts.

My husband was told he could not be a mime in High School. His drama teacher said he did not have the ability. He was told by his High School Guidance Counselor that because he is ADHD, even with an IQ in the genius range, “You will be good for nothing but picking up trash and pushing a broom.” He was near completing his education to be ordained as a minister when his father, an ordained minister told him he did not have the ability to teach or speak well. In short he was told he was not good at public speaking. He was very close to being ordained when this happened.

My husband took classes in mime at college and was told he could be one of the best with some focused work on some things. He chose to leave this for a “safer day job”. His day job is Respiratory Therapy. He is hands on patient care and part of the medical team saving lives. It takes knowledge and the ability to think things through to do his job. Janitorial work is important. Without custodians people would have a hard time doing their jobs. But that was not the job for my guy. As for being ordained, he feels ordained into the bedside ministry caring for the sick, elderly and neglected. He is there to give comfort as well as medical care. He is also an educator at the hospital he works at. He teaches patients how to care for themselves and mitigate the problems caused by their health problems. He educates fellow staff members on policies, procedures, safety and new computer programs. He is very good at public speaking and teaching.

We are not all Pastors, Missionaries, Sunday School Teachers or meant to be in leadership at a church. Some of us are there to help set up chairs, usher and just silently pray for others. Be happy where God has placed you with the abilities He has given you. Work at improving them, trusting those that have more knowledge and wisdom to guide you. Let God place you in the Body of Christ and choose where you are. Be happy where He places you and do the best you can.

Sleeping Beauty ~ Stand Up to the Dragon

Sleeping Beauty

Stand Up to the Dragon

I know many people that say Walt Disney was into the occult or wanted to push the occult into the minds of our children. I know more than a few people that will not let their children watch this fantastic movie because they feel it encourages satanic beliefs.

Maleficent is, without a doubt one of the most evil and demonic villains in the Disney collection of bad guys. She clearly calls on satan for power to destroy Prince Phillip. Yes, she is a witch, even if she is called an evil fairy.

What we must remember is Sleeping Beauty is a fairy tale and all fairy tales one main focus, to educate the listener, young or old. We must look at what is the lesson Sleeping Beauty is there to teach.

C. K. Chesterton said,

“Fairytales don’t teach children that dragons exist;

children already know that dragons exist.

Fairytales tell children that dragons can be killed.”

No, green skinned witch like spell casting fairies do not exist but evil and in fact satan do. People do call upon “all the powers of hell” thinking they will be empowered to defeat those they feel are in their way. No, I don’t believe they turn into giant, fire breathing dragons but they could be the bully you face at school or work.

Why should a good, loving parent that does not want their child into the occult let their child see Sleeping Beauty? Because this story teaches that dragons can be killed and in fact gives the perfect example of the Biblical weapons we Christians have to fight satan with!

Maleficent calls upon “All the powers of hell” and is transformed into a fire breathing dragon. The good fairies give Prince Phillip a shield of virtue and the sword of truth. This weapons sound much like the Armor of God:

Ephesians 6:14-17

Stand, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. Take up the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God . . .

The good fairies give Phillip the shield of virtue (Righteousness) to protect him from the attacks of Maleficent. At the final battle the fairies say an incantation or could it be a prayer over the sword.

“Now Sword of Truth fly swift and sure, that evil die and good endure!” ~ Flora

The “Sword of the Spirit” is the Word of God also called the Truth. I believe that the Word of God is how we fight the devil and win! Satan cannot stand up to the truth. Simply put, I’ve read the end of the Book (the Bible) and satan loses! We just need to remind him of that and that we are the children of God and He will protect us!

Ephesians 6:11-13

Put on the whole armor of God, so you may be able to stand against the tricks of the devil. Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness and the heavenly places. So take up the entire armor of God so you will be able to withstand the evil, having done everything to stand firm.

We need to know we can stand against the devil, even when it appears hopeless. When all seems hopeless God is there with us, our faith will protect us and the truth will defend us.

We can even take this to a more “practical” level. The shield of virtue/righteousness is our good behavior. If you have no ill intent in your heart. If you obey the rules. If you do your best to not hurt people you have a built in shield when others attack you. If you have proven yourself a “good” person when someone lies about you their lies are not believed. And they bounce off leaving no ill effect. When someone tries to discredit you truth is on your side if you have been virtuous. It is the best weapon you have. There is your Sword of Truth.

What dragons have you slain with the sword of truth in your life? How has your virtue protected you?

Tangled - I Have a Dream!

Tangled – I Have a Dream!

  

We all have hopes and dreams. In Disney’s movie Tangled, Rapunzel a young lady celebrating her 18^th birthday has one dream. She wants to see the floating lights that show up every year on her birthday. She knows without understanding or truly knowing why that they are for her.

As Christians we have dreams. We can have some selfish and childish ones at that. I want a new car! I “need” a bigger house. I can’t continue to live without a soul mate!! I’ve got to have a child to feel complete. Whatever the dream, even if they sound childish, to us they are important to us and to God.

God cares for our dreams. He wants to fulfil our dreams. Some Christians think God is like the Gene in Aladdin and grants your wishes in the way you ask for them at the moment you ask. Some even act as if God can only grant a limited number of wishes like the Gene. So not true! His good gifts come in His time and are unlimited! Unlike Gene He is not limited to the Gene Rule Book and He can raise the dead! (Yes, I know I’ve switched movies, momentarily. Please indulge me for a paragraph more.)

First off God is not a gene. He knows what is best for us even when we don’t. He just may withhold what is not right for us at that moment. That car you want? God may realize if you have it you will not be responsible. You may be tempted to drive too fast and recklessly. That house you want? God knows the future. Your job may change and you cannot afford it or maybe it is just too much house for you. God may have a relocation planned for you that the house would complicate! It could slow down or stop an even better bigger blessing! That spouse or child you feel you need to be complete? God wants you to be complete in Him first. Being a spouse or parent is not just a getting experience it is a giving challenge and takes a lot of growing and changing to be the best, are you ready for it? God is not withholding His blessings out of punishment or on a whim. God knows what is best and wants the best for each of us when we are ready for it.

There is another reason God does not give us what we think we deserve and need, we don’t step out in faith. Rapunzel had to leave the tower to have her Dream fulfilled. She had to trust a stranger who was known not to be trustworthy.

Here are some verses about Hope and I believe they are the same thing:

Psalms 31:24

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all of you that hope in Jehovah (God).

Don’t be afraid of going for what you hope for if you believe God wants you to have it.

Proverbs 13:12

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Dreams left un-chased will destroy your emotions and can affect your health. When you finally have a long term goal/dream completed it is restorative to the soul.

CHASE THOSE DREAMS!!

Proverbs 24:14

So you shall know wisdom in your soul: if you have found it, then there will be a reward, and your hope will not be cut off.

Use wisdom when chasing your dreams! We all want that fast shiny car but is it the best choice for us? We all want to be the boss and run the show at work but is it the position we are suited for and can excel in? No everybody needs to marry or should be a parent. God knows best, unlike Mother Gothel.

Matthew 14:24-32

The boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves; because the wind was strong. And late in the night Jesus came to them, walking upon the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were afraid, saying, “It is a ghost”: and they cried out in fear. But right away Jesus spoke to them and said, “Be happy, it is Me, do not be afraid.” Peter answered Jesus and said, “Lord if it is really you, ask me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come” and Peter got out of the boat and walked upon the water to Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind he was afraid; he began to sink, Peter cried out, “Lord save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, and took hold of Peter, and said to him, “You have so little faith, why did you doubt?

Lack of faith is the opposite of hope and dreams. Lack of faith destroys hopes and dreams. Look at Peter! Jesus was an amazing sight! There was a storm at sea! The little boat they were in was being rocked by the waves! They looked out at the rolling sea and saw JESUS walking on top of the water to them! Jesus was not struggling to get there, He was simply strolling along as if it was a walk on a garden path.

Peter had hope and a dream. Peter wanted to be with Jesus and walk with Him on the water. He believed he could do it if Jesus called him too. Jesus did and Peter stepped out in faith. He started strong! Then Peter allowed fear to distract him from Jesus and he looked at the winds just to sink into the waves. Jesus was good to reach out and save him from his own disbelief.

This is much like Rapunzel not trusting Flynn toward the end of the movie and believing he had tricked her. She had to find her faith again to walk away from Mother Gothel.

We all have hopes and dreams. We all need to see them fulfilled. Are your dreams Christ driven/centered? Is there a dream that Jesus has called you out too? Having that new car just may be what God wants for you! Pray and ask! You will know what God wants for you. Is that person you are dating and dreaming of marriage with the one God has planned for you? Pray for wisdom and guidance when going after every dream. Do you believe God has you set aside for the mission field or church leadership? Then step out! Leave your tower and trust God to guide you to your dream. You may be surprised on the journey to find your dream changes! We don’t always know the reality of our dream until we start the journey towards it.

Mary Poppins ~ A Call to Love

Mary Poppins ~ A Call to Love

Mary Poppinns is a movie about a magical nanny that shows up when needed and leaves when the family has learned the necessary lesson she is there to teach. For the Banks family the family needed to love one another and let that love spread out from them to the entire community. Mr. Banks was the one who needed to learn the most. He needed to learn to stop and listen to the call for attention and love from others. He needed to learn to listen to his children and their needs.

While at the D23 Expo I had the pleasure of listening to Richard Sherman, ½ of the Sherman Brothers team that wrote the music for Mary Poppins. What was amazing is hearing him talk about one particular song, Feed the Birds. He spoke lovingly of how he and his brother Bob had played a series of songs for Walt Disney and when finished Walt walked over to the window overlooking the studio lot and said, “Play that bird song again.” So they did. After hearing it again Walt softly spoke, “That is the entire point of the movie. Love, caring and helping others.”

From the first time Walt heard “Feed the Birds” it was his favorite song. When Walt was having a bad day, or later when he was ill and not feeling well he would call “The Boys” (Richard and Robert Sherman) into his office and ask them to play “the Bird Song” for him. Richard Sherman said it brought him peace and made him happy.

Here are the lyrics of Feed the Birds:

Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul’s

The little old bird woman comes.

In her own special way to the people she calls,

“Come, buy my bags full of crumbs.”

“Come feed the little birds, show them you care,

And you’ll be glad if you do –

Their young ones are hungry, their nests are so bare;

All it takes is tuppence from you.”

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.

“Feed the birds,” that’s what she cries,

While overhead, her birds fill the skies.

All around the cathedral, the saints and apostles

Look down as she sells her wares;

Although you can’t see it, you know they are smiling

Each time someone shows that he cares.

Though her words are simple and few,

Listen, listen, she’s calling to you –

“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag

(interlude)

Through her words are simple and few,

Listen, Listen, she’s calling to you –

“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.”

This song, this sequence, this character (the Bird Lady) is key to the entire story and the enduring success and warmth of this movie. It calls us to a higher purpose and reminds us to love. We as broken, damaged people yet we know we should love and we want to love. We just need the reminder. This song calls out to those hearing the Bird Lady to stop and take the time to care about something/someone outside of themselves. Even is a small way.

There is also a call to us “Birds” that are in need. The Birds gather when the Bird Lady is calling out for help. We should not reject offered help when we need it. It is a blessing for those giving as it is a blessing for us to receive.

In John 15:9-13 Jesus says,

Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you: stay in my love. If you follow my directions, you shall live in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and live in His love. I say these things to you that my joy will be in you, and that you will be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no man that this, that a man lays down his life for his friends.

Jesus is saying that love comes from God and to Him and then to us. It is His command – rule – order for us to love others. This is a rule that only brings us joy to comply with. If we follow these directions we will live in love and our lives will be complete.

So when you hear the call to care do so when you can. Feed the Birds, show you care. Is there a neighbor that needs their walk shoveled after the snow? Is there someone that needs a meal dropped off because they are busy taking care of a sick family member or suffering a loss? How about just a smile! Did you know a smile is worth more than a million dollars to someone lost and hurting?

How will you “Feed the Birds” today?