No wonder they did it naked!

Scouring the internet, as I am wont to do, I came across a most interesting story on one movie star giving another movie star advice on the art of movie-nudity. Not that it matters, but specifically it was Kate Winslet (of Titanic fame) giving the advice to Evan Rachel Wood (of I have no clue who she is fame). It seems Ms. Wood is/was required to do a full-frontal nude scene in some HBO thing that she's a part of called Mildred Pierce.

She was nervous. She perhaps didn't want to do it, I don't really know. But - Kate came to the rescue - to comfort and encourage Ms. Wood to expose herself to the entire world on television. What were her words of wisdom, you ask? What could possibly shore up a person's uncertainty at the thought of being totally nude and captured for all time through TV and Internet media? Well - let me share a direct quote from the article:

"You've got to do it. Trust me, it's so brave. Put a merkin on and you'll be fine."

Seriously... it's SO brave? Talk about enlightening. I had no idea.

I know history records that some groups, like the Ancient Celts and the Hyksos, used to fight battles in the nude and the Ancient Greeks participated in sporting events sans pants... but never had I realized that all these women taking nude pictures of themselves and flashing it all on the big/little screen was bravery. This is life-altering information here folks!

I'm a married man. I have children. One of them is a daughter. I now know that I have been a terrible father to her these past 5, almost 6 years. While I was busy teaching her to honor herself, to realize how precious she was in the eyes of God and of her Daddy... I was really supposed to be teaching her that exploitation and a disregard for anything private were the real traits to be admired. How awful can I possibly be?

I shouldn't tell my little girl that she needs to be respected as a person. I shouldn't tell her that a man needs to love HER and ask nothing FROM her physically. I shouldn't even teach her that she is completely beautiful and not just physically beautiful. Nope... those are old school and foolish.

Instead, bravery won't come from holding herself in a high regard, it'll come from her getting naked in front of people and then letting EVERYONE on the planet see that nakedness. Don't fight for the right to be loved completely and honored as a Woman - just get naked! Don't expect a man to forsake all else and cherish you as a gift from the Almighty - just get naked! Be BRAVE!

We could be talking about the solution to World Peace here people!

I hope my sarcasm is clear here. I hope I've been able to make this a humorous little aside that forces you to consider the larger issue. Because - let me be clear here - this is NOT brave. The only way you might convince me to consider showing yourself like this for a POINTLESS TV program is to mention the fact that she had to overcome her embarrassment. Maybe, maybe that could be viewed, in some loose way, as bravery. But that "bravery" would be so watered down, so diluted in the stupidity of the situation, that it would be akin to more like "gullible stupidity" than it would bravery.

The truth is this - Bravery walked out the door a long time ago. Bravery asked us to stand up for what was right and just and, after being ignored for so long, decided to retire and live a life of seclusion - only coming out for brief moments to remind the world that there is another way; a better way.

Ladies - this isn't brave. Ladies, living with him before marriage isn't brave. Ladies, giving yourself to him outside of a marital commitment isn't brave. It's just a sign that you weren't taught how precious you really are. It's a sign that you aren't being loved the way you deserve to be loved. It's a sign that too many people failed to tell you these things. On their behalf, I apologize. I'm sorry that we didn't let you know - didn't share with you the absolute gift that you were made to be - didn't share with you how you are supposed to be cherished and protected.

Stepping on toes? Yes. Telling the truth? Yes.

You ask how I know? You suggest that I'm a narrow-minded fool who wants to ignore "woman's rights" and chain women back to the stove - never letting them leave the home?  Oh please....

We've been force-fed that mess for so long we think it's a valid way of looking at things. I'm not selling some idea that's a veiled attempt to make you less of a person - what I'm trying to show you is that you're living life SO MUCH LESS than what you were made to be. You are a treasure and you live like trash. And you let these "friends" and these "respected people" teach you to think that this exploitation isn't exploitation - it's Women's Rights!

Whatever.

How about we settle the argument that this isn't about respect or bravery? How about I provide my summation:

When's the last time you saw someone tell a DUDE that getting naked on screen was brave?

I rest my case.


"Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature that then the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." Romans 1:24-25