The Lorax

So I just watched The Lorax with my two year old for the first time... It has caused me to vow to never let him watch a movie again! 

I'll give more details in a moment. Movies have always been a difficult thing for me. I love movies and it was kinda of a family thing we did together growing up. I loved it. As I got older and started understanding the Latter-day Saint Standards on movies I wanted to follow them but it was hard. It wanted to be the one the would walk out of a movie or turn it off if it was inappropriate or contrary the spirit, but I was usually too afraid. I was too afraid to offend someone. Or I dismissed it as just that one time, or I won't watch it again. Recognizing my weakness about two years ago I decided that I needed to draw a clearer line for myself so I will be less likely to be put into a situation that I know I will have a hard time getting out of. It's like the age old scenario of if you know there's gonna be drinking at a party you just don't go, simple as that. So my decision was that I only watch PG and G movies. Lots of people have said things like, "well these days even those movies aren't clean sometimes." Yes that is true but it helps me avoid a lot of "traps." I know my weakness and I've chosen my strategy, to flee!! 

My husband is pretty critical of movies so since about the time I made that decision I have thought back and taken a critical look into movies and it is pretty astonishing at all the messages that are usually hidden under daises and chocolates. (I just came up with that myself)  But tonight I just had an awakening as I watched immediate results. So here's my story:

We were watching the Lorax for the first time like I mentioned, and well I'm not gonna go into what I think Dr. Suess would say or do if he saw what was done to his story... Any ways It came to the part where the last truffala tree was cut down. The lighting was dark, the music was dramatic and sad and the emotions of the all the characters were clear. They were overwhelmingly depressed (that's not quite the right words). Jarom who is two, he's very smart, but I'm sure only understood a portion of what was going on started to cry. I don't recall all his words except for in a quivering voice as he clings to me, "mom I'm not happy." 

I felt sick. I quickly explained to him what had happened and why everyone was sad. It was the consequence of not keepnig promises and other such things and then quickly told him that Heavenly father and Jesus Christ can fix it if we repent and told him to watch. He started to cheer up as I talked him through what was happening as he "repented" by providing another seed and saying sorry and fixing what he did wrong. He go so excited and happy.

 Media has so much power! It can control our emotions without us even understanding what is going on. Yes I have heard the idea of things like that being good teaching moments and learning opportunities but I think there are much better ways. What about examples of making good positive happy choices and seeing the outcome minus all the other stuff. Satan wants us to feel unhappy, not Christ. Christ brings light. 

I don't need the messages of the world, especially the ones that have to be hidden under daisies and chocolates.