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God’s Not Dead: Not So Good

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I finally got out to see the latest rage in Christendom. God’s Not Dead. 

I have to admit, I always get sucked into the Jesus hype. I was first in line to get tickets for the last Kirk Cameron movie. I’ve got every Sherwood Pictures movie in my library from Facing the Giants to Courageous (and even their not so famous early releases). I like it when Christianity goes big.

But there’s a destructive influence, even in these movies. There is a destructive influence in God’s Not Dead.

All the girls are all gorgeous. I mean gorgeous as in skinny, flat tummy, white teeth and to-die-for hair. They are stylish. They are well-groomed and accessorize.

Why is this destructive? Because it sends a message. Because in their quest to Jesus I don’t want my daughters getting the message THAT is what being a Christian has to looks like. Good Christians don’t have to be gorgeous. When 60% of elementary girls (6-12) are already worried about being fat, that is destructive.

I was one of those girls. Now at 38 years old and 7 kids later, a flat stomach isn’t even on my radar. Appearance isn’t want it’s about. Appearance means so little to Jesus that he actually planned to be average when he came to earth. Isaiah prophesied this about him 700 years before.

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. Is. 53:2

I know these movies have to compete in the Hollywood market. I know at the end of the day they gotta make money. But please, can someone out there make a Jesus movie with some real girls? Let’s see a size 12 get the leading role. Let’s see a girl with tummy pudge and blemishes on a bad hair day. THAT is what being a Christian girl looks like for most of us on a regular basis.

But the Lord said, “Don’t judge by appearance… The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

*Disclaimer: I LOVE ALL PEOPLE! Even stylish, would-be-model women. My point is most of the women I know are size 12+. The average American woman is a size 14. I am not dogging gorgeous people. I would just like to see Christian movies reflect the Christian population. We don’t have to be skinny to be a Christian woman. So please don’t read anything else into this post and stop sending me comments or messages that have nothing to do with what I said. 

For more on girls and body image check out: “Am I Chubby?”

Apr 10, 2014Serena
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Comments: 7
  1. Joan
    11 years ago

    Such insightful comments. This is exactly what I noticed when I saw “The Blind Side”. The mom was played by Sandra Bullock and dressed like a hooker, she took the lead in all the prayers and played up her “sex appeal” big time. Same thing in this movie with the girlfriend of the main character. It is not only in movies, it is a problem in our church culture that we idolize appearances and those who have been blessed in that way. In subtle ways favoritism is granted to those who appeal to the lust of the eyes. It takes spiritual eyes to see beyond the flesh and see the spirit.
    2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

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  2. Beth Winze
    11 years ago

    Have you ever thought that some of these models work to be skinny? I am not the stereotypical skinny a girl is entitled to be, but how come you are judging the actress’s in the movie. More power to them if they have been able to maintain a figure. That isn’t how your typical teenage girl feels. I’m not sure you entirely understand how we as teenage girls work. Your previous post titled “The Amerian Girl: From Princess to Promiscuos.” actually offended me. I would appreciate it if you would stop generalizing how teenage girls feel, because I know several of me and my friends are completely fine and don’t over analyze the choices of actresses in a Christian movie.

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    • Serena
      11 years ago

      Well, you annoy me, but I’m still letting you post. You don’t offend me. And you’re the one reading my stuff. I just write about what I see, share my thoughts and try to do it from a biblical perspective. I don’t think there is anything wrong with being skinny. I never came close to saying that. My mother weighs less than 100 lbs. I don’t. I have a daughter with curves and one who is skin and bones. My only point is, because body image is so huge for women, that I don’t want my daughters think good Christian equals skinny. I would like to see Christian movies reflect the greater population of Christian women. And seriously, I have been ministering to women longer than you have been alive so I’m not sure what makes you an ideal critic.

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      • Jonna Randleman
        11 years ago

        Why can’t the girl that commented feel differently? And way to respond maturely? Maybe you feel the way you do about these women because of baggage you happen to carry? If she doesn’t feel that way about herself when she sees the women in these “Christian” movies, praise be to God! Isn’t that a win? Isn’t that what we’re wanting for our young girls?

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        • Jamie
          11 years ago

          Yes. Really discouraged to see the biting response from an adult Christian woman who should have double the maturity of the teenage girl she is responding to =(

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  3. trish preston
    11 years ago

    You hit the nail on the head with this one. I would love to see more “real” Christians. It would be nice if we were all size 6, in a perfect world, but the honest truth is we are not. If you are that’s very nice, but I don’t want my daughter to think she is “fat” or “ugly” because she doesn’t fit what she sees on the screen. God’s version of beautiful does not line up with society’s, and I would rather be beautiful in His eyes.
    Also, having a few children changes your body and your perspective.

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  4. jane ann
    11 years ago

    Dont know if the right readers will see this but here goes. I am Serena’s mother. I am very skinny and always have been. I have strangers say to me “oh I wish I was as thin as you” or you must be very athletic. The answer is that I had to have half of my stomach removed and everyday of my life i suffer the results of this very necessary surgery. I also have been a nurse for 44 yrs and know that many teenagers and adults suffer from anorexia/bulemia. Too much emphasis is put on the “perfect”body image.

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Serena
11 years ago 7 Comments Christ-followers & Culture, Self-image, Teen Issues, Uncategorized, Womanhoodbody image, Christian movies805
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