For decades, the Walt Disney Company, a multibillion-dollar business, has branded itself as a trustworthy and wholesome source of entertainment. While that may have been true at the inception of their company, they have since pursued a downward, moral spiral that takes after our increasingly valueless society. Their influence has increased to include their theme parks, toys, television shows, movies and apps, now reaching a new generation of Disney viewers.
Though it has reaped success in its appeal to children, Disney has dazzled adult audiences, as well. Many people grew up loving Disney, and their loyalty remains steadfast even as they enter adulthood. Unconsciously and blindly, parents allow their children to watch Disney+ without investigating any of Disney's content.
The majority of Disney's audience is young children and teenagers whose minds are still developing. Fully aware of this, Disney has promoted their agenda by targeting this specific age group. The wholesome messages of beloved classics like “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,”
“Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast '' and “Sleeping Beauty'' have gone off track from their original design. Unlike the classics, messages of new Disney films are used to further their goals and hidden policies. “Runaways,” a newly released Marvel series on Disney+, is about a group of teenagers whose parents are supervillains in disguise. After learning that their parents were sacrificing people’s lives in a cult-like manner, the teenagers band together to run away from their homes.
Along the way, these teens discover their own superpowers. They soon realize that they alone have the power to stop their parents before it's too late. This series portrays stereotypical characters, such as an angry, purple-haired, “social-justice warrior” who cares about nothing but a political agenda; the handsome, athletic kid; a gorgeous blonde who is religiously rejected and the kid with anxiety. The show romanticizes parties with alcohol and drugs, in which the characters partake.
Disney also includes several scenes that glamorize sex and make intimate relationships look insignificant and worthless. They show characters of the same sex in inappropriate situations and multiple scenes containing immoral activity. This show was rated TV-14. However, many viewers complained that the rating did not match the content of the show.
How do we, as Christians, combat these new “norms?” We can view content and preview the shows and movies prior to watching them. Instead of avoiding Disney+, use certain moments in the film as teachable moments. Pause the film and reflect on what you have viewed, then investigate what God's word says. We should do this with any movie and show that we allow ourselves to view. It’s important to stay in God’s word, so when something does not align with His truth, we can recognize it quickly.
As Romans 12:2 NIV says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
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