The Underlying Message in “Fifty Shades of Grey”

Fifty Shades of Grey has been making a lot of noise. I think it’s speedily taking the spotlight away from the popular Disney movie, Frozen. The new book-gone-film is the number one talked about movie on the social networking website, Tumblr. Talk shows and magazines are interviewing members of the cast almost every day. There is even a Fifty Shades of Grey workout routine! It’s everywhere. Although this erotic film did not make its way to theaters until Valentine’s Day, it still was, and is, the topic of many hot discussions—especially since the book had already revealed all the juicy details.

True, Fifty Shades of Grey isn’t a family movie. On the other hand, it does present interesting food-for-thought. True, it raises questions about eroticism and pleasure. It also contains intense physical contact and a plethora of sex scenes—seven to be exact. But even more important is the underlying message the movie portrays. Women are represented as pawns in a game of sex. In addition, the sexual interactions God intended for marriage are demoralized and belittled. These aspects of the book/movie don’t spark much buzz or get much discussion time.

Women are smart. We were created to be alongside men helping and supporting them, not “under” them just for pleasure. The Bible advises us to be submissive, but not mindlessly controlled. Mama Grey, the character who played the mother of co-star Christian, told her son in the movie, “Just remember that a woman’s greatest sexual organ is her brain.” God invented sex; it’s a pleasurable activity. Still, most of us overlook the fact that He created it to be explored in the union of marriage. Our Heavenly Father never intended for coitus to be a frivolous indulgence. Yet, the media constantly highlights sex out of context. “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Hebrews 13:4)

It’s no secret, sex sells. Film and media reporter Brent Lang said, “Fifty Shades of Grey sizzled at the weekend box office, setting new records for the highest-grossing Presidents’ Day holiday opener of all time and ranking among the biggest R-rated debuts in history.”

While we occasionally feed our curiosity, keep in mind, we don’t have to buy everything they’re selling. Let’s always seek to promote the sacredness of our bodies and the sanctity of marriage.

“ … but you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:13)

What are your views on Fifty Shades of Grey?