I didn't read the book, nor will I watch the movie, though I did watch the movie trailer.... and I am not impressed with what I have heard about the book and movie, nor was I impressed with the movie trailer. The story is about a young college senior and a charismatic entrepreneur, Christian Grey. Mr. Grey likes to be in control of everything in his life, including his women. The brief movie trailer gives a glimpse of restraints, whips, blindfolds, and the young girl restrained and blindfolded on a bed.
There is a lot of discussion about men and pornography and the effects on men and their relationships. Most normal women have a problem - and rightly so - with the man in their life looking at pornography. There is even recognition outside of the church and Christian circles of the dangers and problems of pornography. Many women have been hurt by finding out her boyfriend or husband is viewing and is addicted to pornography. It does seem to be more a male problem than a female problem. Even one of the most well known women's pornography publications, Playgirl, is mostly viewed by gay men, not women. So pornography is more a male problem than a female problem.
Or is it?
Many have the misguided notion that pornography is limited to pictures and videos of naked people, alone or engaged in sexual acts, but it is not.
Walk into any bookstore or library and start looking at their romance novel section. You will find row after row of books with shirtless men on the cover, accompanied by a woman with her clothes falling off of her, or barely covered with a revealing item of clothing. If a book has a cover like that, there is a 99.99% chance that the book has graphic sex scenes..... although sadly, I have seen some Christian books that have covers that are edging that way. Here is a news flash: these books are pornographic. Oh yes they are. If the same book was acted out on a video, no one would disagree that it is pornography, and it is still pornography when the sex act is described in detail on paper. There are websites that are 100% pornography that have erotic stories..... and though the content is most likely more graphic overall than the sexy romance novels, the novels still have pornographic content in them.
Sadly, there are many Christian women who will be going to see 50 Shades of Grey. And though it is hypocritical of most of them and of some non-Christian women, the same women who have a problem with their husband or boyfriend viewing pornography, will go and view this pornographic piece of trash. A movie does not have to show sex organs or visible sexual penetration to be pornographic. And it is time we stopped giving women a free pass with their sex-filled romance novels.
I take major issue with Christian authors and publishers putting curse words in Christian fiction novels, and have blogged about it. I had one woman who would consistently disagree with me on the issue, and she was a Christian lady. She even went so far as to say she would have no problem with sex scenes in a Christian book. There was another Christian lady whose blog I used to follow for book reviews. In addition to reviewing and giving away Christian books, she also reviewed and did book giveaways for the sex-filled novels I have been talking about. It seemed incongruous to read a blog post about the morning worship service at her church, then go on to the next blog post that featured a novel with half naked people on the cover, and sex scenes inside the book.
In Philippians, we are told to think on things that are pure, honest, of good report. Most of what is on TV does not line up with that. Many romance novels and other novels do not line up with that. And 50 Shades of Grey definitely does not line up with that.
Christians have been accused of being too close-minded about sex. And in some ways we have been. I don't think we talk enough about sex in the right way, and too many Christians think it is a dirty word and a dirty act. In the boundaries of marriage, it is neither, but outside of the boundaries of marriage, sex is wrong... whether it be between 2 unmarried individuals, in a novel, or on a movie.
Purity is a hard thing to strive for in these days. Men do tend to be more visually stimulated than women are, which is one reason why women should dress more modestly, though men are not exempt. We don't need to be putting things in front of our eyes that are going to make the battle more difficult. Things like sex-filled romance novels, movies like 50 Shades of Grey.
We Christians should have higher standards. Our marriages are falling apart as fast and easy as marriages of the world, and that is sad and pathetic. I am not married, but even an unmarried guy knows that the things we watch and read can influence all areas of our lives, even a marriage. I don't know everything that destroys a marriage, but I would stake my life on the fact that sex-filled romance novels would be up there on the list, and possibly even romance novels that paint unrealistic pictures of love and marriage.
We all need to be more careful of what we put in front of our eyes. There are some things beyond our control, but we can work on the things we can control. That involves being more careful about what we read and watch. And avoiding movies and books like 50 Shades of Grey.
And might I add, if you're going to see a movie this week-end, go for one like The Song, or a host of other good love story movies. And if you are one who wants to go to the theater, then check out Old Fashioned, a movie that is being marketed as the opposite of 50 Shades of Grey.
But whatever you do, do your marriage and soul some good and don't go see 50 Shades of Grey. Love is patient and kind, and never grey.
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