Theology in Princess and the Frog

Thematically, the movie is full of redemptive love, sacrificing one's dreams or even life for one's friends, good vs. evil, and the realization that maybe there is something better for you than the plan you always had for your life.



But there's one scene towards the end of the movie that is a perfect lead-in to present the Gospel. Of course, Disney doesn't take that step, but who would expect them to? I mean, even when Walt was alive, I don't think they ever tried to be a "Christian company," and can you imagine the backlash (from the right as well as the left) if Disney gave the impression to be trying to evangelize to kids in this day and age? I don't want to think about that one.



Anyway, it is the scene when Tiana breaks the Shadow Man's amulet.  I know the character's name is actually Dr. Something-or-other-that-starts-with-an-f-and-sounds-French-or-at-least-Creole, but I just call him the Shadow Man. Anyway, she breaks the amulet and he is like "No! Noooo!!! How am I ever gonna pay back my debt?!" and he starts freaking out.

Then his "friends" start singing "Are you ready?!" and he says "No! I'm not ready at all!"  He tries to make excuses and to bargain for more time, but still they drag him to "the other side," which -- given his past actions, his dread of this "other side," and the power and motivation of his "friends" -- seems a lot like Hell to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wHNdmGqaA4



The moral?

The Shadow Man was selfish and cold-hearted; he would do anything to get what he wanted, which was power.  We all have elements of this evil withing us; Shadow Man is just an embodiment thereof.

It was through his prideful quest for power that Shadow Man found himself owing a debt he could not pay. And so it is with us.  When we go our own way and try to claw our way to the top, we find ourselves owing a debt which we cannot pay.  And we call that debt "sin," for that is what it is when we put our desires above those of God and our "well-being" (I use quotation marks because it really is not in our best interests to act selfishly, but we tend to think it is.  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? -Mark 8:36NTL) above that of our neighbor.



The Shadow Man was indebted to his "friends" (on the other side), which I think best correspond to minions of Satan (which reminds me of the TV show Supernatural when Sam and Dean make deals with demons).  I mean, the incentive for his "friends" to help him was to get at the wayward souls (Shadow Man's words, but they seem to fit) of New Orleans.  Plus, they were the source of his power for dark voodoo.

Anyway, most of us aren't really indebted to Satan or his lackeys, but the Devil works very much like the White Witch in C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Although Edmund's sin had not been against her--on the contrary, it had been to her benefit--it was she who demanded that justice and judgment be carried out. Our debt may not  be to Satan, but it is he who cries out for the exacting of payment.

Again I reiterate: WE CANNOT PAY THIS DEBT.  No matter how many good deeds we do, we cannot square our account.  No matter how much we try to appease Satan, he still calls out for our judgment. We cannot trade any number of souls for our own. (I tried to find a video from Pirates of the Caribbean of Jack trying to trade others' souls for his own, but YouTube doesn't have it. I blame Disney.)

The time will come for each of us when we are on death's doorstep (or standing before Christ's throne, if He should happen to return in our lifetime), when the question will come to us: "Are you ready?"

Are you ready for the account of your life to be examined?

Are you ready for judgment to be pronounced upon you?

Are you ready to meet your Maker?



And if we still have that sin debt on our account, then the answer will be "No! I'm not ready at all!" And we will be scared and freaking out, scrounging for excuses or promises to do better. But, ready or not, we will be judged, and we will be found guilty, and we will not be able to pay the fine (that is, our debt) and we will be dragged kicking and screaming into the Lake of Fire.

But, thanks be to God, that debt does not have to stay on our books, for it has already been paid.  For each and every one of us.  By the very One to Whom it was ultimately owed.  If we will only accept His gift and live in real gratitude to Christ, then we have nothing of which to be afraid. And not only do we have no need to fear death or anything else that anyone might throw at us, but we can escape the rat race and live a life of satisfaction rather than trying to one-up our fellow man or keep up with the Jones or build castles in the sand ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DumlIIHSrsQ )

And when that question, "Are you ready?" does come, we can answer "Yes! Bring it on!" and instead of being drug off to Hell, we can walk, perhaps run, into the arms of our Holy Heavenly Father, our Savior. (To find out more, visit http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawsflash.htm, or better yet, just ask)