USATODAY.com – The wonderful world of ‘Narnia’
It seems as though Disney has finally decided to reclaim their image as a family-oriented organization. For too long have they alienated Christians and conservatives with their support for homosexuals and questionable content from their Miramax label. However, they may just be trying to capitalize on the opportunity that these times present to make a movie of this nature. Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, along with Gibson’s Passion of the Christ has opened the way for a new genre of movies in pop culture. Is this is a good trend, where the entertainment industry adapts their content to appeal to Christians? Or will this further blur the lines between the secular and the sacred? Maybe the Church should not let the world hijack their Gospel, and yet maybe the Church can finally go back to the movie theatres.
Make no mistake…Disney isn’t turning over a new leaf. I think you’re right in saying that they are simply capitalizing on the recent success of movies that have been geared toward a Christian/family oriented audience. It’s all about money and they see an opportunity. Disney knows what a huge blunder they made by not taking on the Lord of the Rings project. They wouldn’t do it because they didn’t think that having three movies of that length could work. Now they’re willing to take on SEVEN with the Chronicals of Narnia. Don’t get me wrong…I’m as excited as the next geek about these movies, and I think the trend toward movies that may appeal to the Christian audience is a good thing. They provide a wonderful alternative to the majority of junk out there. I’m just not ready to say that Disney has turned over a new leaf.
I fully believe Disney is a wolf in sheeps clothing. My opinion is basically driven by their condoning the homosexual agenda. That is, a “Gay Pride” day at the park. Fruther backed up by health benefits to “domestic partners”. Now, I am not trying to appear as a Gay Basher. However, in light of the impact of Evangelical Christians on the last presidential election, perhaps this is one way Disney thinks that we, on the right, all have short memories and will buy into the cherade and will long forget their true liberal affiliations.
I think this post illustrates a greater problem than the moral floundering of the Disney Corporation. Like in so many other areas, Christians have been left reacting to a culture trends rather than setting the trends. Why is it that the only Christian films being produced recently (Narnia & Lord of the Rings) were written over fifty years ago? Could it be that Christians have been failing for quite some time to produce captivating and creative material? I believe that the real problem here is the failure of Christians to imaginatively recapture the arts and convince the rest of society that Christianity is true.
I’m not shocked by the direction Disney has taken over the past ten to twenty years. They are not a Christian company, so why should we expect them to hold to our Christian worldview? My hope is not to return to the good old days of “Snow White and the Seven (heterosexual) Dwarfs. My hope is in Christ and his Church to redeem and transform the world.