For Conscience's Sake
Some people ask why I don't watch the new "Beauty and the Beast." I just tell them - it wouldn't be right for me to watch it.
I was excited to see that movie in theaters ever since I found out that they were remaking it. I kept in touch with all the latest about that movie; I looked up the actors who would be playing characters; and I would watch videos about it. I was super excited.
Then one day, that all changed.
I saw it trending on Facebook, so (of course) I had to see what it was all about. And that's when my excited level went from 100 down to 0. It was the day that Disney announced that there was going to be an openly gay character in it.
Being a Bible-believing Christian, I believe that it's wrong to be gay.
So I decided that I wouldn't watch it. In my own little mind, I supposed that watching this movie would condone that behavior and in a way support being gay. It was all a very long - and confusing - reason (which is why I won't be explaining the entirety of it).
I then read an article about it, written by a Christian who had seen it, and this person had said that LeFou's gay behavior was a subplot to the film. I instantly thought, "Great! Even more reason for me not to see it." Then my sister saw it in theaters, and she said that it wasn't really that bad. That "it doesn't show anything." That "the scene at the end where LeFou ends up with a guy is just a cultural dance." She actually almost persuaded me to go and see it, but I still didn't feel totally okay with it.
Then I came across a passage of Scripture that blew my mind. I stared at my phone screen just looking at it with awe, as if God knew exactly what was on my mind recently and just gave me an answer to what I should do.
The passage was 1 Corinthians 10:23-31.
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (ESV)
Now it might be confusing, using food for this illustration. Whenever Paul wrote about food in the Bible, he used it as a way of explaining things in a simple way to portray that some of the most unimportant things are important to individuals. For one instance, he says (paraphrasing) that it's not really that important if some Christians are vegetarians while others are omnivores, as long as they are doing it for God. And there's another text that says that Christians who are different because of their beliefs about unimportant things shouldn't be judged, and that text can be used by Christians to defend themselves when it comes to the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, etc (but that's a whole new topic that I won't get into here). And this passage, I believe, can be used the same way.
Now, you might be thinking, "But homosexuality isn't an unimportant issue or opinion." And I'm not saying that it is.
I later told my sister who had nearly convinced me to see "Beauty and the Beast" that I couldn't because it would go against my conscience. She then told me that I might as well not watch movies that have pre-marital sex in them. And that's where it hit me.
But then I used the same passage to say, "But there's a difference. I don't watch movies that I know before-hand have sex scenes in them." So for months, I excused myself. I told the truth: I don't watch movies that I know have sex scenes in them. But I'm totally okay with watching movies that I already know have gay characters in them ("Sweet Home Alabama" namely) and have sex scenes in them ("Titanic" and pretty much every Nicholas Sparks movie) because I didn't know before I watched them that they had those in them.
It still doesn't make it okay.
I have said so many times that I wouldn't watch any more movies or TV shows that have sex scenes, LGBT characters, etc. in them as long as they didn't show footage or openness concerning those topics. Boy! have I failed!
And I won't say that again. I'm not even going to say that I'm going to stop watching those movies, because, let's all face it, that would be nearly impossible for me personally to do, because I love romance movies and Christian romance is just so boring.
But what I can do, is act on my beliefs. I don't support homosexuality or fornication in the least. So what can I do when it comes to movies and TV?
I really don't know, except to keep my conscience clear. Isn't that all that's really about? My sister and some of my godly friends have seen it without having a conscience issue, but I know I would. So that's really all I can do.
But I can say this, I do not want to twist the Bible to apply to my every belief, so I won't. I'm going to go with what the Bible says. Strictly speaking. Not even taking into consideration modern day beliefs concerning marriage, dress, church, and music. (Do not even get me started on these. I will blow a casket.) And if the Bible doesn't say anything specific about a question I have about one of these topics in particular, I'm just gonna keep going with what I'm doing, because my conscience is clear.
I was excited to see that movie in theaters ever since I found out that they were remaking it. I kept in touch with all the latest about that movie; I looked up the actors who would be playing characters; and I would watch videos about it. I was super excited.
Then one day, that all changed.
I saw it trending on Facebook, so (of course) I had to see what it was all about. And that's when my excited level went from 100 down to 0. It was the day that Disney announced that there was going to be an openly gay character in it.
Being a Bible-believing Christian, I believe that it's wrong to be gay.
So I decided that I wouldn't watch it. In my own little mind, I supposed that watching this movie would condone that behavior and in a way support being gay. It was all a very long - and confusing - reason (which is why I won't be explaining the entirety of it).
I then read an article about it, written by a Christian who had seen it, and this person had said that LeFou's gay behavior was a subplot to the film. I instantly thought, "Great! Even more reason for me not to see it." Then my sister saw it in theaters, and she said that it wasn't really that bad. That "it doesn't show anything." That "the scene at the end where LeFou ends up with a guy is just a cultural dance." She actually almost persuaded me to go and see it, but I still didn't feel totally okay with it.
Then I came across a passage of Scripture that blew my mind. I stared at my phone screen just looking at it with awe, as if God knew exactly what was on my mind recently and just gave me an answer to what I should do.
The passage was 1 Corinthians 10:23-31.
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (ESV)
Now it might be confusing, using food for this illustration. Whenever Paul wrote about food in the Bible, he used it as a way of explaining things in a simple way to portray that some of the most unimportant things are important to individuals. For one instance, he says (paraphrasing) that it's not really that important if some Christians are vegetarians while others are omnivores, as long as they are doing it for God. And there's another text that says that Christians who are different because of their beliefs about unimportant things shouldn't be judged, and that text can be used by Christians to defend themselves when it comes to the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, etc (but that's a whole new topic that I won't get into here). And this passage, I believe, can be used the same way.
Now, you might be thinking, "But homosexuality isn't an unimportant issue or opinion." And I'm not saying that it is.
I later told my sister who had nearly convinced me to see "Beauty and the Beast" that I couldn't because it would go against my conscience. She then told me that I might as well not watch movies that have pre-marital sex in them. And that's where it hit me.
But then I used the same passage to say, "But there's a difference. I don't watch movies that I know before-hand have sex scenes in them." So for months, I excused myself. I told the truth: I don't watch movies that I know have sex scenes in them. But I'm totally okay with watching movies that I already know have gay characters in them ("Sweet Home Alabama" namely) and have sex scenes in them ("Titanic" and pretty much every Nicholas Sparks movie) because I didn't know before I watched them that they had those in them.
It still doesn't make it okay.
I have said so many times that I wouldn't watch any more movies or TV shows that have sex scenes, LGBT characters, etc. in them as long as they didn't show footage or openness concerning those topics. Boy! have I failed!
And I won't say that again. I'm not even going to say that I'm going to stop watching those movies, because, let's all face it, that would be nearly impossible for me personally to do, because I love romance movies and Christian romance is just so boring.
But what I can do, is act on my beliefs. I don't support homosexuality or fornication in the least. So what can I do when it comes to movies and TV?
I really don't know, except to keep my conscience clear. Isn't that all that's really about? My sister and some of my godly friends have seen it without having a conscience issue, but I know I would. So that's really all I can do.
But I can say this, I do not want to twist the Bible to apply to my every belief, so I won't. I'm going to go with what the Bible says. Strictly speaking. Not even taking into consideration modern day beliefs concerning marriage, dress, church, and music. (Do not even get me started on these. I will blow a casket.) And if the Bible doesn't say anything specific about a question I have about one of these topics in particular, I'm just gonna keep going with what I'm doing, because my conscience is clear.
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