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Now,
this is what I call "intelligent design."
When
you can combine the forces of Disney, the McDonald's
Happy Meal and Gov. Jeb Bush in one tidy package
-- all of them working together to cram thinly
veiled Christian theology down the gullets of
Florida's schoolchildren -- you've got yourself
a hell of a plan. More local news
This
December, just in time for Christmas, the movie
version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
will be in theaters everywhere, much to the delight
of Christian evangelicals, who see the children's
tale as it was intended -- a way to subtly introduce
the Christ story to young people.
The
C.S. Lewis allegory will also be in Florida classrooms
everywhere, in book form, thanks to Gov. Bush,
as part of Just Read, Florida!
Yes,
of all the books the state might encourage children
to read, Bush just so happened to pick the book
that coincides with the Disney movie, which just
so happens to be co-produced by Walden Media,
which just so happens to be owned by a Colorado
billionaire, who through his family and foundation
has donated nearly $100,000 to the Republican
party. But that's just the icing on the cake.
This
is about the biggest Christian media event since
The Passion of the Christ.
'Opportunity
for communicating the gospel'
I
have read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
as a bedtime story to my son. It's a charming
story, and it can be read simply as a fable.
But
Lewis, who wrote it and dozens of other books
about his Christian faith, meant the story to
be so much more. And that's why religious proselytizers
are already celebrating the upcoming release of
the film.
Evangelical
churches are organizing group trips to theaters
and generating discussion materials to be used
by scout leaders and schoolteachers. The Mission
America Coalition, an evangelical organization
whose quest is to preach that Jesus is "the savior
of the world," has called the movie a national
evangelism opportunity.
The
group quotes Lewis' words about the story: "I
said, 'Let us suppose that there were a land like
Narnia and that the Son of God, as He became a
man in our world, became a lion there, and then
imagine what would happen.'"
(Hint:
The Jesus-lion allows himself to be tortured and
killed to spare the life of a selfish little boy.)
The
Mission America Coalition says: "As we begin to
realize the potential impact of a blockbuster
movie based on this premise, one that would have
vast popular appeal in our culture as an epic
struggle of good versus evil, but yet retain the
'deeper magic' of bedrock Christian themes such
as sacrifice, resurrection and redemption, we
quickly came to view the film -- as we have viewed
the books -- as a huge opportunity for communicating
the gospel message."
Marketing
from Disney to McDonald's
Which
is fine for them. That's their keyhole on the
world.
And
Disney, usually on the bad side of these culture
warriors for being tolerant to homosexuals, will
be happy to take their money. And McDonald's,
which is making action figures based on the story's
characters, will be happy to piggyback on the
gravy train with its fat-saturated food for the
enlightened.
And
the movie will spill into marketing opportunities
for breakfast cereals, video games, dental hygiene
products and a long line of other marketing tie-ins.
But
what's the state of Florida doing in this cabal
of Christian commerce?
Oh
yeah, that's right. We're opening up the public
schools to some backdoor catechism lessons in
the guise of getting kids to read.
Maybe,
if Floridians agree to a "Choose Jesus" license
plate, they'll leave our children alone.
Topplebush.com
Posted: October 20,
2005
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