MovieChat Forums > Soul Surfer (2011) Discussion > A lot of teen skin for a Christian movie...

A lot of teen skin for a Christian movie!

posted 12 years ago by cwg2779
69 replies | jump to latest

I thought this was a pretty good movie and very inspirational and it might be debatable whether it falls into the Christian category because of the big name actors. The Christian theme is used more heavily than a lot of mainstream films which I think is good because I'm a Christian myself. Most Christian films have poor production value and the most popular actors are B list at best.

What kind of bothered me was that it seemed there was much use of sex appeal with the female characters being half naked half the time and that one scene with the girl posing in the bikini with the surfboard taking photos. You can call me old fashioned but it just seemed like the movie was sending mixed messages. I know little about Hawaii but if I'm a father of a teen girl in the future, she's not gonna be swimming around in a bikini and she's gonna learn modesty early on.

[–] yoda-88 12 years ago

I agree. I expect nothing less than full Burqas in a good religious movie. Depicting female Hawaiian surfers in such an immodest way was nothing short of disgraceful.

[–] cwg2779 12 years ago

Thanks for not getting my point!

[–] solex10 12 years ago

Your 'point' is just a ton of prudish stick-up-the-ass Christian fundie morality, and as such means nothing to an intelligent person with a brain.

[–] cwg2779 12 years ago

Right. Its real intelligent slamming someone else's thoughts on something without any understanding.

[–] gcarras 11 years ago

I agree. I reoported a handful and finally on this next point you don't need to be offended by my first comment and I am sure that your point on trashing your opinion (again) was not reffering to me.

[–] solex10 7 years ago

No, it's true, and I'm tired of you Christian fundies and all of your bullcaca, including your need to have separate movies from the rest of us.

[–] kaze (349) 5 years ago

You are tired of the truth? Well that's too bad because were going to stand up for it.

[–] Jinx (3040) 5 years ago

The truth isn’t subjective. Christianity is.

[–] kaze (349) 5 years ago

Christianity is truth.

[–] Jinx (3040) 5 years ago

If you could prove that, you'd be wealthy!

[–] kaze (349) 5 years ago

i don't have to prove anything to anyone. Its a blessing that i can live it and know truth from lies.

[–] Jinx (3040) 5 years ago

Yeah. To Hell with everyone else right?

[–] kaze (349) 5 years ago

People have to admit their wrong or else they will remain spiritually blind. There is nothing any person can do until that point. If you ever reach that point remember this : Forgive and love all people, love God with all your heart. Good luck !

[–] Jinx (3040) 5 years ago

Is English not your first language?

[–] kaze (349) 5 years ago

Also, never hold anger, that's where the forgiveness comes in, people who are in a fallen state are not themselves they are influenced by the spirit that controls them. All people who do wrong would do better if they could.

[–] DavidN87 12 years ago

Unless you're a young boy or a paedophile, I don't see what problem you'd have with young girls in bikinis.

=====
Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it. (Proverbs 3:27 GNT)

[–] cwg2779 12 years ago

If I was either of those I don't think I'd have a problem with it.

[–] solex10 12 years ago

That's not what being a pedophile is all about, moron. A pedophile usually wants to see a child naked, and/or have sex with them-I don't think that seeing a young girl wearing a bikini in a movie or TV show would necessarily qualify one as being a pedophile, although to fundie nutjobs like you, it seems to. And, this being Hawaii, what did you expect a girl to be wearing when she goes swimming-a 1910-era swimming suit?

[–] jmarkoff2 12 years ago

I wonder what the OP would think of a French beach, or even my hometown Texas beach, where half of the elder sisters, mothers, and grandmothers dress like this http://www.bikiniscience.com/locations/FL86_SS/FL8710_S/FL8710.html on outings with the children. At Barton Springs, I'll often see a topless thonged Pamela Anderson lookalike strutting down the walk with toddlers in tow, and this is what I think of whenever I see such: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Grizzlymumcubs-c01. jpg.

[–] solex10 12 years ago

Love your response-although I think that the OP would have his brain explode if ever he went on a beach and saw the ladies look like that-'Christian morality' and all of that sexual hang-up jazz.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] MsGAPeach 12 years ago

Geeze I'm a christian and I wear a string bikini. I have a few in fact. I can't stand tan lines. Let me tell you, a one piece shows alot more outline of a girl's body than a 2 piece does. Take a look at a wet racerback swimsuit, you can see the nipples clearly and the privates outlined quite clearly, front & back and it's gross. 2 pieces have more lining in them and cover quite nicely if you buy it in the correct size (and stay away from white unless you're not planing on getting it wet). The girls in the movie were properly covered. God didn't make us ashamed of our bodies, people did.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] gcarras 11 years ago

Straight Dave, you're being rude to CWG. I';m even sorry that I responded as I did and as a favor to CWG I'mr eporting you.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] nefertari86 12 years ago

She's a surfer who lives in Hawaii! Trust me, beach communities are a different world. Her brothers and father ran around shirtless plenty of times. Her mother at times dressed rather revealingly, when in most other places people would agree that even as swimwear a bikini and tiny pair of shorts is inappropriate for a woman who is near 50.

Most of bikinis the girls wore, especially Bethany, weren't that extreme. At one point Bethany even mentioned that the one bikini Alana picked out was overly revealing, and impractical for surfing.
I don't see why you think the characters or your daughter should be ashamed of their bodies. What someone wears, particularly if she has a reason for wearing it like being a surfer who spends 'more time wet than dry', isn't as important as her actions. For example her flirtatious friendship with Keokie was totally G rated, eventhough she mentioned being interested in guys to her mother.

[–] cwg2779 12 years ago

Thanks for not trashing my opinion like everyone else but the one spot you misread me is when you mentioned shame. I don't think girls should have shame about their bodies at all. Its about modesty especially if your a Christian. I don't know if you are or not, nefertari, but modesty is an important value that I think is being compromised more and more in the Christian community. Certain Bible verses highlight the necessity to be modest as Christians. Our bodies are meant for visual and physical pleasure only for our spouses.

Lust is a root cause of sexual sin and it doesn't help when we flaunt our bodies for the display of others. This film was real good about using the Christian theme though it just seemed like there was inappropriate use of sex appeal also. If you're not a Christian I don't expect you to understand as many Christians also don't seem to understand when I bring this stuff up.

[–] yoda-88 12 years ago

The concept of sin is ludicrous and is pure fiction - never is this absurd and juvenile idea more damaging and idiotic than when it is applied to sexuality. The Christian (and Muslim) treatment of bodies and sexuality is backwards and harmful, and I don't wonder why 9% of all Catholic priests are pedophiles and sexual illiterates when this rot is being fed to them from the moment they step into the seminary.

Sexuality is natural, our bodies are natural, your ridiculous notions of morality are not.

[–] gcarras 11 years ago

"Thanks for not trashing my opinion like everyone else"
You can respond to me the same way as
cgw2779, I have not trashed your opinion either, I'm like you but everybody else is correct that it's not meant to be scandalous. Your opinion is correct,too.Don't generally attack me, if you were.And cwg, NOT everybody else is trying to trash your opinion, I understand as a rather Chtistian type myself that it's hard to reconcile sswim bikins on the beach and being a Christian, but trust me, the posters [i.e., the ones NOT trashing your opinion, like that one "maybe everybody should dress in a full covered suit a la the 1920s" LOL] opposing your comment are just saying that it's Hawaii [and maybe some of 'em are even FROM or IN there, or Tahiti.].My apologies if my earlier post was one that you were worried about, as critical.. Cwg2779, thanks for expressing your opinion, and I hope you were overstating your case about people trashing opinions....

[–] wvsarafan 10 years ago

What an unbelievable idiot you must be.

[–] Chaseterrier 12 years ago

This is not a Christian movie, it is a biography movie. Just becuase Bethany Hamilton is a Christian does not make it a Christian movie.

[–] toysmusiccenter 12 years ago

"I know little about Hawaii but if I'm a father of a teen girl in the future, she's not gonna be swimming around in a bikini and she's gonna learn modesty early on. "

I survived the teen years of two daughters, now adults. Good luck with telling them how to dress. That always works out well.

I watched this film twice. I saw nothing of a prurient nature or even anything resembling "sex appeal". I saw a lot of athletes dressed appropriately for their sport. Perhaps your reaction says more about you than about the film, which is not, by the way, a "Christian movie" - rather, a movie about a Christian family.

[–] Caliane 12 years ago

I survived the teen years of two daughters, now adults. Good luck with telling them how to dress. That always works out well.

^^^^^^

[–] Albert_Ingalls 12 years ago

i'm guessing the op probably hurt his elbow after watching this movie and feels ashamed about it.

[–] Smartboy (76) 5 years ago

Hurt his elbow? I do not get your point.