No right, no wrong, no rules for me

I love watching Disney cartoons, and so do the wife and kids.  In the contest for favourite movie, it's a close run between Toy Story and Toy Story 2!  But I've often said this to my kids about Disney and other similar cartoons - enjoy the movies, but take what they say with a pinch of salt.  This recently came to a head with the thoroughly entertaining "Frozen".  Check out the lyrics of the song "Let It Go":

Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always had to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well now they know

Let it go, let it go!
Can't hold it back any more
Let it go, let it go!
Turn away and slam the door.
I don't care what they're going to say
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway.

It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all
It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free!

Now, you're probably thinking, come on, it's the villain's song.  They're supposed to say subversive stuff.  No it isn't.  It's the heroine's song.  Look at the music video of Idina Menzel in the cartoon version or Demi Lovato in the "live" version.  It's a celebration.  The message - follow your heart.  You don't have to be the good girl.  Ignore anyone who dares to tell you otherwise.  There's no right, no wrong, no rules, and this freedom is wonderful.  Be proud of your rebellion.  In other words, do as thou wilt is the whole of the law.

How many times have you heard this in movies - follow your heart.  Be true to yourself.  Translation - do what you like.  Now, I absolutely agree that you should do what you love.  But that is not the same as doing what you like.  What do I mean?  "Like" refers to what you want to do. "Love" refers to what you should do. Why do I say that?  Because doing what we love requires us to first seriously question what we should love.  And very seldom should the answer to "what should I love" be "me" first.  In contrast, doing what I like, is a simple decision to do what makes me happy full stop.  Children do what they like.  Responsible adults do what they love.

Merely because we want something, or that we have leanings that way - say for example, like me, that you simply like potato chips, doesn't mean that I should "follow my heart".  Maybe some of us struggle with children who seem to enjoy being rude to their parents.  Doesn't matter that they like it.  Now, you may say that those examples are clear.  Eating too many potato chips is bad for your health and hurts you.  Being rude hurts others.

Say you like watching porn.  Or maybe you like swearing to yourself in the car when someone cuts into your lane.  Doesn't hurt anyone right?  Should we then adopt the rule, "I can do what I like as long as I hurt no one?"  Well, partly.  But there's a second part to the equation.  The Bible teaches us "Love your neighbour as yourself" not "Avoid hurting your neighbour and yourself".  So we don't merely do things because they don't hurt others.  We do things because they are good for us and for others.  I've heard many a time from people "I'm not hurting anyone by what I'm doing right?"  But living life merely avoiding hurt to ourselves and others is a pretty mediocre way of going about things!

I am thankful that a loving God teaches me what is good for me and those around me.  I am thankful that at least so far, I have been free to practise my beliefs.  I want my children to have this same freedom to practise what we believe is good, because I have seen with my own eyes how living right has abundantly blessed me and my family with abiding joyfulness, and I know that this same blessing is available for everyone who wishes to receive it.  

I accept that not everyone will agree with what I believe.  I am happy to lovingly and respectfully agree to disagree.  But increasingly, movies, TV shows and social pressure are teaching that we should accept everything.  There are no rules.  No right, no wrong.  No one should judge others.  Anyone who believes otherwise is irrational.  No one is allowed to hold an opinion that what someone else does is wrong. Judging others means we do not love them.  The one unbreakable moral rule is that there must not be any moral rules.  So the space in which my family and I can practise our faith is shrinking.  We cannot force our faith on others - it's silly and never works.  But equally, I must be free to defend my family and community against others' beliefs being forced on us, especially because I have seen that obedience is good for us all.  The blessing of God is worth fighting for.  May I and my children, and my children's children be brave enough to care for it and never fall away!

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done... they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy...  they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practise them.  Romans 1:28, 30-32

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