Line on the Sand

“I’ve seen that movie and it portrays a woman committing adultery. I don’t think it’s something you should be saying nice things about. Or at least clarify your position.”

A friend called me out on the “nice” things that I said about the book Bridges of Madison County. He’s right! Adultery is a sin and it hurts a lot of people. And the choices that the characters, Francesca and Robert, made in that span of a week that they were together is not something I endorse.

But I was describing the book for the work of art that it is, the prose within its pages, and the emotions it evoked. How many movies and written pieces have I enjoyed consuming even though they depicted people with questionable morals? The Great Gatsby. Anna Karenina. How To Kill A Mockingbird. Gone With the Wind. Do I subscribe to the same acts? No. Am I blind to the possible impact it may have on society? No.

Art often draws inspiration from reality. Even science fiction or fantasy has the real world as its spring board. Does it intend to offend the senses? Does it set out to challenge norms and conventions? Does it try to stir up controversy? Yes, yes, and yes. But just because I don’t condone the violence and the adult themes of some of the works I have seen, read, or watched, I can’t help but admire them in certain ways. Such as the brilliant storytelling in a book about witches and wizards, the actors’ commendable performance in a movie about a divorced couple, the lyrical beauty of a song about a jilted lover, or the anatomical precision of the sculpture of a naked David. 

It is true that if we consume garbage, it could stink up our brains. If we consume poison, it could kill us. In the same way that we should be conscious about what we eat, we need to be mindful about what we feast on with our senses. However, as adults capable of critical thinking, we have moral filters in place, I assume. Whether we believe in God or not, most of us have a set of morals that we either got from our parents, the school, or by living a life of trial and error. We all have a line on the sand that we don’t want to cross and are able to weed out things from literature, film, or music that would make us cross that line. Discernment plays a crucial role. 

So friend, don’t worry, I have filters too. It is well with my soul. 😉

To cross or not to cross?