What does an MA (Material Adult) rated Netflix movie have to do with children? Well, a whole lot. According to Netflix, its new film titled Cuties is simply “emotional.” That’s right, a movie featuring kids being sensual is described as “emotional,” just under its description as “Drama.” But there is nothing “cute” about the movie Cuties. Here’s a picture of their promotional poster featuring 4 eleven-year-old girls being sensual (you be the judge):
The poster drew the ire of parents and media outlets. The description of Cuties on Netflix reads: “Eleven-year-old Amy starts to rebel against her conservative family’s tradition when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance crew.” This spirited-free dance crew is a group of three other feisty eleven-year old girls. The movie features this so-called dance group, but it is riddled with sexual innuendos by children!!
The movie prompted a social media backlash against Netflix. #CancelNetflix began to trend on Twitter last week. The Parents Television Council came out with a statement against it: “After reviewing the Netflix film #Cuties, we stand by our earlier criticism that the TV-MA-rated film sexualizes children.” Political figures such as Matt Schaefer, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, and others called for the immediate removal of the movie from Netflix.
Soon after the backlash, Netflix issued a half-hearted apology, saying: “We’re deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties. It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which won an award at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description.” But, what in the world does the fact that the movie received an award at Sundance have to do with anything? Yes, folks, I am purely venting at this point. Just because a movie won a Sundance award, it does not mean it needs to be promoted. Especially if it contains explicit sexual content involving children.
Furthermore, a Netflix spokesperson issued a statement saying, “Cuties’ is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children.” Really? Is that not what this movie just accomplished? Netflix is, to use a colloquial expression, “talking from both sides of its mouth.” This movie is a disgusting depiction of the most vulnerable amongst us. Child sex trafficking, pedophilia, child sexual abuse, and child pornography are a most disgusting reality around the world, this movie simply provides fodder for such evils.
Simply watch this short scene featured in a YouTube video and decide whether or not Cuties should not be altogether terminated: https://youtu.be/mcVxiRsol9A
The hyper-sexualization of children is disgusting. But we must not be surprised with Netflix. All one has to do is watch any of its major series to find blatant sexuality, even soft porn. Netflix series have been a long time promoter of the homosexual and gay agenda, as well as promiscuity. Netflix, like any other platform, must be used wisely. Though I do not believe calls for boycotts may be altogether effective, we must safeguard the content we allow to enter our minds. Such thing may be condoned by the world. But Christ followers must not condone it! We must stand in opposition.
Paul urges (pleads), for the saints to remain pure and seek the Lord’s will above all things: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Netflix’s grave mistake is only a reminder that the world is morally decaying at fast pace. But we must not conform to it!
The world’s sensuality is wicked and sinful. The Bible calls sensuality, “the works of the flesh.” In other words, the evil inherent to all human beings. Paul writes in Galatians 5:19–21, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Such desires are contrary to godliness.
Parents and leaders of today have a strenuous task. Raising children in the midst of a secular culture that incentivizes and praises sex and sensuality is a tall order. Sex has become an idol in our culture. Sensuality can be defined as “the enjoyment, expression, or pursuit of physical, especially sexual, pleasure”, or “the condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses.” Netflix is promoting the sensuality of children. Though they have changed Cutie‘s poster, the movie can still be found on its platform.
Children should not be portrayed or marketed as sexually desirable. Sexual intimacy and intercourse is reserved for within the context of marriage. Sex was designed to be the intimate physical interaction between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:3–6; Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Ephesians 5:22–33; 1 Corinthians 7:2). Any subversion of this reality is wrong. Therefore, sexual pleasure is appropriate only for marriage. The problem is that our over-sexualized culture has turned the table on us. In today’s world, anything goes. Even the sexualization of minors on a major Media platform like Netflix.
Do not be fooled, we are living in perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1–5). We must stand for righteousness. We must stand for holiness. We must stand for the vulnerable. We must stand for sexual purity by the way we live and raise our children. We must teach our younger generation by word and deed what it means to live a life that is not dominated by lust, sensuality, and sexual immorality. We must stand for what is right! (1 Corinthians 6:18; Colossians 3:5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Timothy 4:12).
The words of Paul are true and we must heed them, “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.” Let us not be like the Gentiles! (those who profess no faith in Christ). And let us uphold our children with great respect and honor!
Love is a command, not just a feeling. Somehow, in the romantic world of music and theater we have made love to be what it is not. We have so mixed it with beauty and charm and sensuality and contact that we have robbed it of its higher call of cherishing and nurturing – Ravi Zacharias
Written by Daniel Messina
Read one of my latest articles: https://thepreachersdevoblog.com/thoughts-from-jacob-blakes-incident/
