FINDING TRUE LOVE IN THE MEDIA

Here at Texas A & M, we had a Theology of the Body presentation filled with film and TV clips, all illustrating negatively or positively "God's Five F's of True Love."

The body/sex speaks a language and it says:

"THE OTHER"--male person to female person, female person to male person (not treating each other as things) FUNDAMENTAL

"YES"--FREE

"YOU ONLY"--exclusive, total gift, mutual exchange (marriage) FULL

"FOREVER"--commitment FAITHFUL

"YES"--open to new life FRUITFUL

When these elements are not present, the language of the body/sex can be spoken as a lie.

6 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY MOVIES:

--Juno

--Benjamin Button

--Painted Veil (good portrayal of nunnies, too!) relationship in trouble, mostly woman's fault

--Not Easily Broken relationship in trouble, mostly woman's fault

--Fireproof (the best TOB movie ever!) relationship in trouble, mostly man's fault

--Wall-E ("E--V--A!!!")

We showed clips from lots of other movies also.

The reaction was fascinating. When asked what romance movies the guys liked, they said: "The Empire Strikes Back." Me: "That's not a love story." Dude: "To us it is." Another dude offered: "Braveheart"? Then a bunch of dudes: "We don't like romances." Yet another dude: "A Walk to Remember." One dude: "Yeah, we like it cuz the girl DIES at the end." Ha ha. (Can someone please tell me why this movie is so popular with guys and girls alike? It just looks like a weepy, dime-a-dozen chick flick to me, but it has consistently hit a nerve.)

When the girls shouted out that they love "The Notebook," the guys boo-ed it down. Me: "Why don't you like it?" "It was all about him having sex with her." Hmmmmm. (These were fairly devout guys.)

"Life is Beautiful" wrapped up the clips. ("Buon Giorno, Princepessa!") "Is every woman a princess"? "YES!!!" squealed the girls. "Is every man a prince?" Nothing. Girl: "Well, some of them are...." Me: "Hey, is God our King?" "YES!" "Are we children of God?" "YES!" "Then what does that make us????" Girls (reluctantly): "Princesses and princes." Me: "We're royalty. Let's act like it."