A Wrinkle in Time was released in theaters February 26th, but it has not been receiving the kind of attention that was likely expected or hoped for. This movie is an adaptation from a book of the same name first published in 1962 by Madeleine L’Engle. While the book was written with a lot of Christian undertones, the film directed by Ava DuVernay does not carry the same Christian message. This has ignited much talk about the appropriateness of this magically fueled film for young Christian filmgoers. God has warned us to not be deceived. This is a good example of that.
Another topic that has caused a bit of talk is that Disney has partnered with Christian Resources to create a Bible study to go with the film that includes video lesson film clips, a three part study, and an advertising poster. Many are questioning the intention of Disney with this study due to the fact that Disney intentionally erased the Christian themes and scripture from the film in the first place. What kind of “Bible study” is this?
It’s as if Disney is trying to pacify the Christian world after deliberately taking scripture out of the movie. Jennifer Lee, the screenwriter for this film, admits that she intentionally omitted the more Christian content because she believes that society has “progressed” since the writing of the book. She also stated that the elements L’Engle wrote about with regards to faith and scripture really don’t need attention anymore. Movieguide explains this further in their recent article found here. This concept is a little frightening to say the least! To believe we as a society don’t need the teachings of Jesus any longer, because we have progressed is completely ridiculous! The fact that Disney is now supporting gay and lesbian characters and recent talk of Elsa having a girlfriend in Frozen 2, goes to show that this is the last Bible study we would want in our children’s hands. Oprah has also repeatedly stated that she believes there are many ways to Heaven and God. The fact that she’s a main character in this film raised a red flag immediately.
Somehow the release of this Bible study feels less like actual concern for keeping consistent with the original theme of the story and more like a marketing scheme to get Christian families and youth groups to buy tickets. The biggest issue with the study is that the motivation behind it is a manipulation. Disney, a company that continually removes all evidence of God in most films, is co-releasing a Bible study, not to draw people to the Lord, but to draw people to theaters! The purpose for reading scripture and spending time with the Lord should be motivated by a desire to know Him, NOT to sell movie tickets.
The Story
The movie follows the story of Meg Murray, a kind but troubled and insecure teenage girl, whose father mysteriously disappeared 4 years ago. She is transported by three magic women through time and space with her brother, Charles Wallace, and friend, Calvin, to rescue her father from an evil force called “The IT,” that has imprisoned him on another planet. Our heroine, Meg, must work to overcome her insecurities and anxieties to save the universe and rescue her father. “The IT” is a great dark force but the Murray family has the power of “love” that is stronger than the darkest force of evil.
The Issues
- The book quoted many scriptures from the Bible, however, the scriptures have been replaced by more inclusive and less specifically Christian quotations in the film.
- The movie added many western mysticism sayings and quotations. This leaves the audience with a more new age feeling.
- There are also many mystical elements throughout the film and once again leave the audience with a new age aftertaste.
- We also find characters that read minds, shape-shift, and use magical instruments.
The mystically spiritual side of this movie is disconcerting, still, the theme of light overcoming darkness is good. Young adults learning to believe in themselves and their significance in the world is an important lesson. Although, this lesson can be learned without seeing a movie with these spiritual connotations leading people astray. God warns us to steer clear of any mysticism and new age beliefs.
Should I See This Movie?
This is an important question and, sadly, one that is not asked often enough. Bottom line: there ARE some pushes towards new age spirituality!
The truth is parents should pray and use discernment with any movie, music or television show they allow their children to be entertained by. Compare the content in media with what God says is ok to ingest. It’s critical to teach our children the process of discerning different forms of media. We can’t just tell our kids they’re not allowed to watch something. It’s important to explain the “why” of the situation and also equip them to use their own discernment going forward. If children are shown this process, they will be more likely to default to it when mom and dad are not around. Which is what our goal should be as parents in the first place. Train our children up in the way they should go so that they will not depart from it!
If you’re wanting to do a pop culture purge in your home and replace any games that do not line up with your family values, text the words MEDIAGUIDE (no spaces) to the number 44222 and you will be emailed a sweet Parent Media Guide loaded with positive entertainment options for your kids!
Nikki Newbold was the contributing writer for this article. Nikki is a worship leader, speaker and writer. She and her husband have two kids and live in Tennessee.
It has Oprah Winfrey in it… no thanks, no go.
It is so comical to watch when people who have zero belief in the Bible try to put a Biblical spin on things! It makes them look like complete fools. They are as easily spotted as an albino skunk.
I won’t be wasting my money. But I will get the original book and read it. Disney is a great deceiver and has been after our children for a long time. I began boycotting years ago and will continue too!
It’s another movie about witchcraft and spirit guides which is forbidden in scripture. Oprah Winfrey is a false prophet, she says her program on television is a ministry. She has a spirit guide herself. In the movie they explicitly use the words 3 ‘astral travelers’ which see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astral_projection The point is leading the kiddies to spirit guides, just like in Yoga at school and Harry Potter. Including Mediation which is NOT Christian
I will not patronize any movie that depicts so called Christian undertones when they take the One True God out of the equation. This is what our culture is coming to in the capturing of young minds and deceived Christians imaginations into believing these kind of stories or movies are benign. Jesus said these days would come, and they are here and now, again. There’s nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9. Spiritual discernment is what we must have for these days.
There’s certainly nothing new under the sun, including the Bible. Do you realize most of the stories from the Old Testament are actually from Sumeria about 11,000 years ago, that includes creation and the flood story. And what about the story of the virgin who gave birth to Mithra, the sun god’s son, in a manger on the fourth day after the winter solstice, December 25th, also from the Summerian tablets. Don’t get me wrong, the Bible’s a great book that teaches people how to live moral lives and has some great science in it, obviously from an advanced culture. It also has some pretty amazing prophecies that were definitely written by very enlightened men, yes even inspired by God you could say. I suppose even some of the history is correct. But it’s, a, BOOK . Yes just a book, put together by men, very instructive, and there’s actually even information in the bible that isn’t apparent to you unless you are looking for it, hidden there, of course, by the old Kabbalah masters.
I do believe in God and I believe He had a son, born of a virgin of His essence, so yes also God, for this is the story told to us in the stars. But I believe this story is much older than we have been led to believe and probably doesn’t follow the same story that we have written in our versions of these stories.
Much love and peace, God bless.
Oh how deceived you are! This ” just a book” as you put it is Alive!!! In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD is God!! This WORD is Jesus himself!! Don’t mix mysticism with truth… you end up confused. The prophets who wrote this living Word were God inspired! God has protected it throughout the ages. Jesus is coming! And Soon!
Jesus is God in the flesh. He is 100% God and 100% man. If you don’t believe the Word of God then you are yet in your sins, for in it is proclaimed the ‘Good News’ which is the gospel that Paul Preached. “MOREOVER brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believe in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. David said, “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth. for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy Name.” Psalm 138:2
First of all, “Nothing new under the Sun” is a phrase from the Bible itself. Secondly, the flood stories of the Sumerians as being the source for the Biblical narrative have been debunked countless times. The Biblical narrative is the only flood story that makes sense with reality. The dimensions of the Ark, roughly in the ratio of 1:6 for Width:Length and 1:10 for Height:Length are precisely what is used in modern cargo ships. No other flood accounts give dimensions of a seaworthy vessel.
Third – December 25th was never given as the date of Christ’s birth in the Bible. It is much more likely to have been in Sept/Oct. Christmas was not even celebrated by early Christians – the main event to celebrate was Easter and for good reason. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of Christ but you can’t cite the Sumerian story as being a precursor to the biblical narrative when the biblical narrative states no such thing! Yours is just a Straw-man argument.
You claim the Bible is just a book. The Bible itself claims that it is much more. 2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is GOD-BREATHED and is useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking and training in righteousness. Paul thereby stated that all of the Bible up to that point (He had access to the entire Old Testament) was inspired by God and infallible. And what about 2 Peter 1:21? “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”. The Bible itself refutes your argument that it is only a book put together by mere men. But just for the sake of argument, suppose it is “just a book” – then why would you say it has any value for moral teaching at all? Morality itself is defined by the Bible – if it’s not then morality is defined by human beings. You can’t claim that a book of Morality is good for moral teachings but some parts of it are not true… Who would determine that!? It just brings morality back to relativism which is self-defeating and has no value.
So you’ve seen it in the stars as well? Very cool. As a Christian, astronomy, not astrology, is fascinating to me. Just one thing I’d like to say, the authors of the bible were in no way shape or form even close to Kabbalah masters. That is, for example, the Hassidic Jew’s method of interpretation that involves “New Age” (though nothing is new) mysticism and it’s like saying astronomy and astrology are the same thing which would kill the integrity of the bible. Also, the bible has nothing to do with December 25, as you pretty much mentioned. That is Catholicism which is a religious syncretism between the preexisting belief in Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ) and the mystery religion Mithraism. I’d say you’re on the right track though I would just say the bible is absolutely True, Factual, and Historical. God bless you.