In the months since Frozen was released I have not heard one person
sound a cautionary note. Not one.
In fact, most people I know love it. Their kids love it.
So what I am about to say means I am either mad, or fast becoming the
odd one out. This may put me at serious odds with my best friends.
There are many great themes in this movie, of family values and even,
some argue, a Christian allegory of self-sacrificing love.
Despite not having watched the film, my 5 and 3 year old often belt out
the signature tune ‘Let it Go’ from the top of their lungs. It sounds like a
catchy tune.
It sounds, well, harmless.
Right?
Let’s take a look at some of the lyrics:
“It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me I'm free!
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry!
Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the storm rage on!
My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiralling in frozen fractals all around”Writer(s): Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Emanuel Kiriakou, Robert J. Lopez
Copyright: Wonderland Music Company Inc., Walt Disney Music Company
Gods of our Culture
In the words above, we see 3 gods of our culture espoused:
1) Autonomy above all
‘No right, no wrong, no rules for me I’m free’.
Our secular culture indoctrinates us and our kids to believe that my
autonomy is the most important and valuable thing I can seek.
Indeed, it is more important than my responsibilities if it means I
find satisfaction, to ‘be who I am’, free of people suppressing my inner power
and creativity.
This is the creed of our culture.
We see it all around us.
And we see it in this cute kid’s movie and theme tune that my 3 year
old sings.
The Bible on the other hand teaches us that responsibility is more
important. Our actions will always impact others, and rather than looking to
our own needs, we can teach our kids to put the needs of others first
(Philippians 2:4).
2) New Age ideas
‘I am one with the wind and sky’.
This is an increasingly popular belief; that humans are co-creators,
God-like, inherently good and one and the same with creation. The language of
the New Age is all over Frozen – ‘energy’, ‘oneness’, ‘harmony’, ‘potential’,
‘cleansing’ and ‘consciousness’.
By contrast, the Bible says we are created beings made in God’s image
made to glorify him and enjoy his creation rather than be mastered by it
(Genesis 1:26-27; 2:15; Isaiah 44:24).
3) You are powerful
‘My power flurries through the air’
The message ‘you are powerful’ screams at us through TV adverts. ‘Impossible
Is Nothing’, ‘Just Do It’, ‘We Do It Your Way’, ‘Because I’m Worth It’, ‘Power
For Your Control’ etc etc (extra points if you can remember which product these
match to*).
Of course, we need to teach our kids that yes, they are powerful. That they
can do damage unless they learn to be responsible with their words and
possessions.
But our culture takes this too far. We are telling our kids they can do
anything - the reality is we are finite human beings who need to depend on the
power of our creator and sustainer rather than elevate ourselves to the
position of God himself.
Big eyes, small waists
So in addition to the women with impossibly large eyes, small waists
and perfect make-up which distorts my daughters view of how she should look,
this film gives us a song that captures a world-view advocated by Frozen which
should concern Christians.
It’s not working
These cultural creeds are not harmless.
They are at the centre of the degradation of our culture, the
undermining of marriage and stable families, broken friendships, shattered
dreams.
Our kids need to know it’s not all cute and cuddly and happily ever
after, but that it’s a worldview leads away from Jesus to elevate themselves as
their own god.
And it’s not working.
I’m not an advocate of making
our kids into social misfits who don’t fit in.
What I am saying is that we
need discernment.
We need to have our eyes open to the propaganda all around us churned
out by our cultural leaders (i.e. the media, advertisers and filmmakers) who want
our kids to believe something.
So how can we do this? Here’s some ideas
1) Ask yourself questions
Such as:
What messages does
this film/song want me and my kids to believe?
What truth do I
see in the Bible that confronts these messages?
Am I keeping my
edge, believing that I am meant to live as if my hope is in God rather than in
all that our culture hopes for?
2) Ask your kids questions
Such as:
What do the words of the song
mean?
Should we indulge our
appetites and passions without regard for right and wrong as Elsa says?
What are the consequences of
Elsa’s decisions for herself? For others?
What does the God have to say about this?
To do this we need to watch these films (preferably before they watch
it and then with them).
We need to be ready to help explain what it is they are seeing, both
the good parts (undoubtedly there are some good messages in this film) as well
as the more worrying.
3) Point them to Christ
And we need to point them to Christ – the one who is all powerful, the
One who created us for relationship with Him, and the One who does set rules of
right and wrong for our benefit and happiness. Who calls us to give it all to
Him, rather than let it go.
Don’t be duped
Let’s face it, our culture’s message to ‘Let it Go’ just isn’t working.
So let’s not let our kids be duped into thinking it is - just because
their screen hero believes and sings it.
After all, our kids will only be duped if we are.
*Adidas, Nike, Burger King, L’Oreal, Alfa Romea
Image credit Elsa from Frozen © Walt Disney
http://impala99.tumblr.com/
Image credit Elsa from Frozen © Walt Disney
http://impala99.tumblr.com/
