Hola readers!

SOOOO.....yeah.....nothing like a little controversy is there? I don't think any of us suspected we as Christians would be debating whether or not Disney's new live-action Beauty and the Beast would be appropriate for young viewers or if a Christian should see it, did we?
Or maybe you already have your mind made up and you're going...or are sad to say that you're not. Or maybe you're wondering what the heck I'm talking about and you want answers - in that case, the controversy is that Gaston's henchman is exploring his sexuality in some brief non graphic scenes from dancing with a man to "having the hots for Gaston" (their words - not mine). The director told Christians to get over it and the actor who plays the henchman (I can never get his name right), says he's excited to play Disney's first open gay character.

If it isn't graphic then why is it a big deal?

Are we as Christians supposed to shun everything that contradicts our belief?

Hey Kara, why is this controversy for you if you watch Sherlock? You do realize the characters say gay marriage isn't wrong, right?

Shouldn't we love everyone? Isn't not going a bit extreme?

All these questions have been circling all around my brain and confusing me more then not. And I think we're right in asking them - when something like this happens we redefine our faith and really look at what it means to be a Christian. Maybe this isn't contro for you - maybe this post seems silly and empty. A lot of people are telling us to get over it but I refuse to take this lightly.
I think that Disney has been headed this way for a long time but they continue to give us sugar with our medicine so to speak. Some of the movie principals are shallow yet because of the beautiful stories we tend to overlook them until something like this happens and then *gasp* we don't know what to do with ourselves.
But what do we do here? Aren't we setting a bad example if we boycott this?

This is hard. Very hard. Personally I've always connected really well with certain secular TV and movie characters and to see this is frustrating. I could easily shove it aside as "not as bad" as what some movies are - like people in Sherlock accuse John as gay and there's a lot of flippant comments - how is that any different then watching Beauty and the Beast?

First off, let's not go to one extreme: "I refuse to watch this," unless you have utter proof that this is what is going on in Beauty and the Beast. Not many people have seen the movie and those who have is few. There's all sorts of rumors going around from the fact that there's a gay kiss to just brief scenes that would mean nothing had we not heard the actors and director tell us Lefou is gay. Now maybe I am now sugar coating it but I have to say that personally I think it's extremely dumb to call a character "gay" when they never say they are or make a move to cement it. I've seen movies where I could point out "he looks gay" when no one has said anything and the movie never points it out to me either. It's simply his personality that "seems like it" but then I shove it aside because it's nothing inappropriate - just a bit on the weird side.

NOW, I also don't want people to tell me to "suck it up - it's how the world is now." Because I refuse to accept this as normal behavior. Like I said, I however do watch TV where sometimes there is gay comments - not improper but enough to know that someone thinks someone is gay and is making allegations. BUT for me, this is a different case. We're not talking about a TV-14 rated movie or show where adults and older teens are viewing. We're not talking about a whole new story that no one knows about. We're talking about a much loved movie that has been viewed by many eager little girls who could care less about Lefou - I mean I certainly didn't when I was ten! To me it was all about the love story in the castle and the cute walking furniture. Honestly it was about the fun songs and the action - I really couldn't stand Gaston or his little friend and I probably wouldn't have paid any attention to any gay moments. Again, this is all for the adults and giving us a little sugar with our medicine. I have to ask, "was this the Disney peoples' plan all along - to make a gay moment?" or was this the director's idea from the beginning. Not that I think Disney did any protesting but I do have to wonder... "do they plan on continuing to feed us this junk, little by little until young kids accept gay moments as normal and right?"
 
I still want to rent it when it comes on DVD and see what the hubbub over this gay stuff is, but do I want to support it at the box office? Do I want to put my vote in at the box office - encouraging more of this or does it matter? Will seeing it on DVD be any different?
I say this: I don't think it's about how much is in it - I know a lot of people told me they'd go if it wasn't very in-your-face and I admit at first I said the same thing. But here it is: While going to see the movie probably wouldn't even faze me, it might some other child. This may sound absurd and ridiculous but will this affect a child? This isn't some adult movie with winks at accepting something God says is wrong, but a child's film where little girls in pink tutus will be lined up anticipating seeing Belle and her handsome beast.
And yes, maybe I'm being overly dramatic, but like I stated somewhere in the beginning: We know nothing of the film unless we've seen a solid Christian review or have seen it for ourselves. This could be a ploy to get more views or it could very well be something disgusting in disguise.
And this is something not everyone will agree on - many will go and many will not. Maybe people are making too big a deal out of this and maybe this thing circling around is nothing more then the director trying to do something we will only see as stupidity or dismiss - much like for me in Robin Hood when I heard that the creators said they enjoyed making the Sheriff and Robin Hood attracted to each other and I was like, "What in the world are you even talking about?"
So readers, this is a chance to pray and pray hard - not just to pray about whether or not we should see this film but the next one and the one after. This is a chance to pray for the director who flippantly said Christians made too big a deal out of it. This is to pray for the gays and love them but not love what they're doing. This is a chance to speak our beliefs in love and with compassion - not hate or fear.
I don't think we should "fear" this movie coming out and what it will do to society - this isn't the first time Disney has done something I haven't agreed with. I don't think we should angrily thrust it aside. The world is watching us Christians as this comes to play - how will we respond?

I'd love to know what you think - let's discuss this!