Redeeming Love

Back when I was at The George Washington University working on my Masters in Forensic Science I was exposed to terribly gruesome crime scenes during an evidences course.   I learned that what I saw with my eyes had a way of continuing to inhabit and infect my memory.  I saw things I did not want to remember and quickly learned the great advantage in guarding my eyes. (I’m reminded of the song often quoted by my dear friend Brett Andrews, Be careful Little Eyes What You See.). When the professor, a medical examiner, flashed scenes on the screen before us I simply closed my eyes and turned my head away.  His oral description of the point to be made was sufficient to teach me all I needed to know – but without the haunting recollection. Since that time I have been exposed to many sexually explicit scenes in movies and on TV that have troubled me in the same sort of way.  Some I was able to turn away from and others I watched but later regretted it.  I discovered that even when “tastefully” portrayed they still bothered me and crept into my memory in unwelcome ways.  But, praise God, He has been faithful in helping me cleanse them from my memory.  My goal has been to honor God by honoring that which He has created as sacred and to keep my relationship with my dear wife pure and untainted and free from thoughts of an intimate nature of anyone else.  I recognize that this may sound prudish and old-fashioned but it has worked remarkably well for me.Anyway, that is a rather long introduction to a video by one of my favorite Christian commentators and apologists, Alisa Childers.  In the video link here she expresses her views on  the new “Christian” movie Redeeming Love.  I fully agree with her analysis of the entire plot line as being different from the Biblical account of Hosea and her rationale for choosing to not see it herself and for cautioning others to avoid it.  Click HERE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKHWuUtrcaY

And here are additional links on the topic which I believe are worth checking out if you’re interested.  They are:

Click HERE (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/redeeming-love/)
This is a The Gospel Coalition article by Cap Stewart, ‘Redeeming Love’ Irredeemably Exploits Actors and Viewers. 
and there is also:
Click HERE (https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/should-christian-women-watch-redeeming-love/)
This is an article by Phylicia Masonheimer which appears on her website as: Should Christian Women Watch Redeeming Love?  Ms. Masonheimer provides a lengthy analysis of all the factors to be considered in deciding to either watch the movie or to recommend it to someone else.  She then asks seven questions to help in the consideration.  These are:

QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE WATCHING OR RECOMMENDING REDEEMING LOVE

Number one, am I or the person I’m recommending this to strong believers in Christ with a consistent stable walk with Jesus? Two, do I or the person I’m recommending this to understand the Book of Hosea and its true meaning? Number three, do I or the person I’m recommending this to struggle with porn, fantasy, erotica, or relational discontentment? Number four, have I acknowledged that recommending this material could create a stumbling block in the life of my sister in Christ? Number five, “Do I recognize that consuming this material and books like it can change how women view their marriages, singleness, contentment, spiritual walk, and even God Himself? Number six, would I be okay with my husband or boyfriend watching the sexual scenes in this book or movie privately apart from the story? Number seven, does this produce mutual upbuilding for my sister or brother or whoever I’m recommending it to? For me, these are great questions I need to ask myself before watching Redeeming Love or anything else of this nature.  And, again, for me, the questions apply not only to media of any nature with sexual content but also for movies depicting graphic gore, violence, and cruelty.  The one exception I can think of is The Passion of Christ.  That was a painful and disturbing movie to watch but it did draw me closer to the Risen Savior and made me more aware of the extreme cost He paid for my redemption.