Hurting Heart

I began this blog over three years ago as a type of online journal where family and friends could keep track of our family (especially the kiddos as they grow!). I love that I can write, post pictures and post videos all in one spot. I also love that one day my kids (and I) will be able to look back at the blog posts and see just how faithful our God has been throughout the years.

I don't normally use my blog as a place to rant and rave. Today is going to have to be different. I've pondered all day if I should really write about this or not. Do I want my kids to see this 5 or 10 years down the road? And then I thought, yes! Yes, I want my kids to see their mother standing up for what she believes and not being afraid to share it with the unseen world of blog-land. So, here it goes...

I was browsing through Facebook this morning when I noticed several 'friends' posting about a new movie.

Magic Mike

Have you heard of it? If you haven't, praise God - you're not missing anything. If you have, please stay away from any screen showing it!

I'm not usually one to post 'controversial' things on Facebook, but I could not stop myself this morning. After doing some research (since I'd never heard of the movie), I found this description of Magic Mike on imdb.com, "A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money." That in itself was reason enough for me not to waste my money on it. So then I scrolled down and saw: "Rated R for pervasive sexual content, brief graphic nudity, language and some drug use." And then I clicked on 'view content advisory.' I was appalled as I read a description of all of the sexual scenes in this movie. I'm pretty sure when I was little this would have been rated 'X'.


You may be thinking, big deal, Laura, movies like this come out all of the time. You're right. Here's what gets me. The women I saw posting about it on Facebook are self-proclaimed Christians! Lost people are just that, lost. I don't expect them to live any differently. But if you claim to be a follower of Christ, then you are held to a higher standard. Paul said it very well in Colossians 3.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God...Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. (v. 1-3, 5-6)

In April I helped lead a purity conference for the youth girls of our church. I was given the topic of 'pornography' to speak on. Naively, I thought, "what am I going to tell these girls about porn? It's a male problem. Women don't struggle with that." Was I in for a shocker when I began doing some research! I found some statistics on safefamilies.org that I'd like to share with you.

*28% of those admitting to sexual addiction are women (internet-filter-review.com)

*34% of female readers of Today's Christian Woman's online newsletter admitted to intentionally accessing Internet porn in a recent poll and 1 out of every 6 women, including Christians, struggles with an addiction to pornography.

1 in 6 women! Yeah, the statistics are much worse for men, but I certainly didn't realize so many women struggled with addictions to pornography. And books like "Fifty Shades of Grey" and movies like Magic Mike only make it worse.

Magic Mike (and others like it) are 'soft' porn (I hate the term, 'soft.' Porn is porn)! And they are so easily accessible. It absolutely makes me sick to my stomach to know that people all over this country (and globe) are wasting money on trash like this. It truly makes my heart hurt - especially for those who claim to follow Christ yet are feeding their sinful nature with images that will not quickly leave their minds. 

Also, if the tables were turned and this was a movie about a female stripper teaching a new female how to strip, women all over would be outraged! But since this one's "for women," it's okay somehow. I told Daniel tonight - no wonder our country is in such bad shape. We have no clue what it means to be a Christian nation. People wonder why God is allowing 'bad' things to happen to the U.S. I believe He has removed His blessing from us as a whole! Why should He bless us when we spit in His face and do our own thing? With 4th of July right around the corner, many people will be singing God Bless America. Not me. I'll be singing God Save America!