Addison, our 2-year-old, is currently obsessed with The Little Mermaid so naturally, I have seen it approximately 547 times in the past few months. Refresher: the mermaid Ariel forfeits her ability to speak or sing to the sea witch Ursula in order to become a human and have a chance at love with human Prince Eric. Honestly, it’s not too surprising that a 16-year-old would agree to this, especially because it directly defies her father’s rules. Ursula took advantage of this opportunity and manipulated her.
There’s a video that has been circulating regarding a man named John MacArthur, who is pretty well known in the evangelical Christian circles for his Bible studies and commentaries. In this video, MacArthur was hosting some sort of conference and had other (white, male) guests on stage with him. (Full disclosure: I have not watched the video as I chose not to give it the views) During conversation, someone mentioned Beth Moore, another well-known Christian teacher, leader, and author. The very mention of Moore’s name brought sarcastic, mocking laughs from the presenters and crowd along with a comment from MacArthur that Moore should just “go home.”
Here’s where this comes together.
The world – and unfortunately also the Church – is full of Ursulas and John MacArthurs. There are those threatened by female voices so they attempt to silence them through manipulation or belittling or intimidation or ridicule.
One of the biggest critiques of TLM is that Ariel “gives up her voice to get a man.” Certainly, looking at the transaction between Ariel and Ursula through a metaphorical lens is problematic and dangerous when it means equating her loss of physical voice to loss of her thoughts, opinions, and ideas. Nothing is worth giving up our thoughts, opinions, and ideas – no person, job, or situation. These are things we need to make clear with our kids as they engage in media.
But I think there’s also something encouraging to recognize from this storyline if we continue that metaphor throughout the rest of the movie.
If you recall, it was Ariel’s voice that Prince Eric fell in love with when she rescued him from the shipwreck. Sure, she was beginning to gain his love and affection without it, but he still wasn’t sold that she was the one he was looking for because she didn’t have the voice he was seeking. Following the metaphor, he missed her thoughts, her opinions, her ideas. Without those, she wasn’t who he searched for. He was drawn to Ariel for her voice.
Despite the lies from Ursulas and John MacArthurs, the world needs female voices.
In the Board room.
In the courthouse.
In the Church.
In the pulpit.
In the classroom.
In the hospitals.
In the home.
In politics.
Women: don’t “go home.” Use your voice.
Life With the Harrisons 