“50 Shades of Grey” in Black & White

by: Matt Evans

This past week Russell Wilson, QB for the Seattle Seahawks and committed Christian, was criticized for seeing the movie, 50 Shades of Grey. Wilson tweeted a reply that he was still “faithful”--presumably this means to his Christian beliefs and ethics. So can Christians remain “faithful” and watch a movie like Grey, which was rated ‘R’ by the MPAA for "strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity, and language”? More specifically, the book/movie includes domination and sadomasochism.

What is an appropriate response to Grey and should a Christ-follower even watch it?

Like anything, a Christ-follower must ask if watching a movie like Grey could dull their passion for Jesus or at least be a distraction from their walk with Him? When what we see is a distortion of God’s design (as Grey distorts God’s design for sex), we must exercise great caution and discernment. So here are two reasons why Grey might negatively affect our affections for and walk with Christ:

What we see can affect what we prize. Job said that he made a covenant with his eyes not to look “lustfully” at a lady (Job 31:1). This indicates the power and potential that come from what we see. Watching scenes of nudity and sexual activity are not neutral engagements for our eyes. When you watch certain type of scenes in a movie, what thoughts enter your mind? Are you moved toward purity or lust? We are warned that ways of the world can affect us through the “lust of our eyes” and therefore, diminish our love for the Father (I John 2:15-16). There are things we see in this life that can blind us to God; conversely, becoming a Christ-follower is described as having “our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, MSG). Therefore, Christians are frequently commanded to set our eyes on the prize Who is Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2). Does watching a movie like Grey take our eyes off the prize or make the prize less appealing to us? That possibility certainly exists, and we must remember that the prize--Jesus--is worth joyfully giving up everything we have (Matthew 13:43-44).

What we see can affect our personal relationships. The lead actor of Grey commented that he did not want his daughter to watch the movie when she got older. The lead actress’ mother said she would not see the movie. These statements demonstrate that what we see in a fictional relationship can impact the non-fiction relationships we have. What we see can create fantasies, unrealistic expectations, and a spirit of discontentment that diminish intimacy and honor in our relationships. So for example, if a husband asked his wife not to see the movie, the wife should honor that request (and vice versa) out of respect for her husband and to honor him. As Christians we are called to honor people “above ourselves” (Romans 12:10).

In conclusion, I suppose someone could watch Grey with complete objectivity, recognizing the sinful distortions of sex and offering a biblically-informed critique of the film’s depiction. However, the Bible says to guard one’s heart more than anything else since “it is the source of life” (Proverbs 4:23). So should we play with the fire and risk being burned? Should we get close to the edge of the cliff and risk slipping? As for me, I know the depths of my own sinfulness and how easily my heart can be deceived and distracted away from the prize Who is Jesus Who paid the price for me to enjoy Him forever.

So for me, whether or not to watch 50 Shades is not a gray issue; it’s black and white.