Magic Mike

Channing Tatum as a stripper. Most women ooo-ed and ahhhh-ed enough when they dreamed of waking up to find him as their husband, but now he's a stripper. Not to mention Matthew McConaughey and some other man who is playing a 19 yr old stripper.... So what's the big deal right? It's just a movie...no biggie. Wrong. big deal. Ladies, imagine your boyfriend, fiance, husband, father or uncle saying they're going to go watch a movie about a bunch of female strippers. Ummm we would have a COW about that!!! So why the double standard. Plenty of other faults can be found in the movie.

First, Christ tells us to think on things that are True, Noble, Right, Pure, Lovely, Admirable, Excellent and Praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8) I have not seen the movie personally, but I've read a few reviews and for some reason I don't think you have to see the movie to understand what the plot is about. It seems fairly safe to say there is nothing in this movie that would merit our thoughts and attention. One review said the movie has over 150 f-words. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:9 to not let any unwholesome communication proceed from our mouths. The New Living Translation uses the words foul or abusive language. Now I'm not trying to start a discussion on cussing and what's right and wrong, let's not get off topic. I think, however, it is safe to say Magic Mike is full of foul and abusive language that is not right, pure or lovely with it's 150+ cuss words and several uses of the most Holy God's Name along with other language. Also, can you honestly tell me, ladies who went to watch this, that you went with pure intentions of NOT looking at these men and lusting? It seems like that would be quite difficult. So, that begs the question of WHY you subjected yourself to the blatant temptation to lust over a MARRIED man (when perhaps you are married yourself....) Does Scripture not say that if you look at a [man] with lust in your heart you have already committed adultery with [him] in your heart?

Second, if the genders were reversed, and it was men going to see a movie about women, women would roll their eyes in disgust, call them perverts, and talk about how movies like that just cheapen women and give men an unrealistic expectation about women. Well...again let's quit with the double standard because the same is true about Magic Mike. This movie cheapens what true masculinity is meant to be. It also provides an entirely false expectation for women about men. It views them strictly in a sexual light. It isn't fair, and it's wrong.

I'm sure most of you have heard of the phrase, "garbage in, garbage out." The idea that what you let your mind soak up will be reflected in how you live and speak. If you are allowing yourself to be exposed to movies with strippers, foul language and objectionable content then your life will reflect that. You cannot expose yourself to sinful things and be filled with the Spirit at the same time. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot live both lives. You are either filling yourself with the Word and thirsting after the things of Christ, or you're filling yourself with the things of the world. Check yourself and see. If lust has become a problem, are you watching movies like Magic Mike, or are you memorizing Scripture and hiding it in your heart to not sin?

Magic Mike is not the only problem movie. The argument that I am making applies to all movies, music, tv shows and anything else you can think of. If it doesn't glorify God, why are we fooling with it? Maybe you think I'm being too radical, but when Jesus called us to follow Him, He meant for us to actually FOLLOW Him. To do what He did, and He only did that which was pleasing to His Father. So...movies like The Hangover...or all the Harold and Kumar movies....or what about the new Adam Sandler movie that deals with incest, foul language and premarital sex?

God calls us to a completely different standard than the world. Daniel lived in Babylon, a city where sex, image, status mattered most, and He remained steadfast in what God required of Him, and God blessed that immensely. So are we, His people, willing to do the same? Please don't think I'm trying to be high and mighty...I am by no means exempt from what I'm saying. While I haven't seen Magic Mike, I know I've seen and listened to plenty of things that aren't glorifying to God. I'm speaking to myself as much or even more than I am anyone else. Like Paul said, I am chief of sinners.