Daily Devotional for Sunday May 25, 2008

It's Time to Get Rid of Mickey Mouse

(Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; Galatians 3:28)

I'm not sure if there was ever a Devotional that made me as sad to write as this one, but it is time to get out the rat poison and get rid of Mickey Mouse. I was a child in the '60s and grew up with Mickey, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Every Sunday night on TV I watched Walt Disney's Wide World of Entertainment. The great movies I grew up watching were the Disney classics. To this day, I vividly remember in 1974 going on what would be my first of many trips to Disneyworld in the Orlando area. It is one of those magical places that is exciting if you are 5 or 50! That is why it is so difficult for me to tell you today that it is time to get rid of Mickey Mouse!

The Disney empire, founded by Walt Disney, sadly went corporate many years ago. While they have tried to maintain and promote that "family friendly" image that made Disney such a treasured name, they have not been able to hide the fact that over the years they have traded in that image and the good name of Disney for profits. In addition to Walt Disney Pictures, they also own Touchstone Pictures, Miramax Films, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, and others. It is under these other names that they produce and profit off of motion pictures promoting sex, violence, torture, and whatever depravity you can name. No matter how they try to hide it, these are Disney owned properties.

Of course, Disney also owns ABC Television. Despite that fact, they have not been shy in producing garbage like Desperate Housewives and other programming to capitalize on the moral decay of our society. ABC also owns The View which used to employ Rosie O'Donnell. Wonder how long Walt would have put up with her anti-Christian, anti-government, pro homosexual views on life? My guess is she would have been yanked off the set in the middle of the program the first time she launched into one of her outrageous tirades that have become her trademark. Disney also owns cable television, radio, and publishing properties that continuously put out content that is anything but "family friendly."

Of course, the centerpiece of the Disney corporate empire are the theme parks. In addition to Disneyland in the Los Angeles area and Disneyworld in the Orlando area, you also have Disney theme parks in Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong. Over the years, I have taken the folks at Disney to task for their support of "Gay Days" at their parks. While they initially tried to distance themselves from these gatherings of people who have chosen to commit the sin of homosexuality, they now openly and without shame help to promote and support these special days when they welcome with open arms men and women who have chosen to engage in this unnatural and deviant form of sexual relations.

The final straw came for me a few months ago when Disney announced they will now welcome same-sex couples to get married at their Disney theme parks. It has long been a special package Disney has offered to people wanting to get married at the Disney parks. Thousands and thousands of weddings have taken place at Disney parks over the years. Until a few weeks ago, they had a policy that only allowed marriages with a legal marriage license. In an Associated Press article by Gary Gentile, Disney Parks and Resorts spokesman Donn Walker said this change is in line with Disney's long-standing policy of welcoming every guest to the inclusive environments at the company's theme parks. "We want everyone who comes to celebrate a special occasion at Disney to feel welcome and respected," Walker told the AP.

Now I am certain many people reading this are thinking, with all the problems in my life, in the world, who cares if gay people get married at Disney? Fair question. Here is why we not only should care, but MUST care! In the wake of the Imus fiasco last year, one thing stood out to me crystal clear that I shared with you when I dealt with that whole issue. We as Christians have NO VOICE! NONE! NOBODY CARES WHAT WE THINK OR SAY! Part of the reason is that we have chosen to take ourselves out of the public arena and retreat to the safety of the Christian trough years ago. The few who did stay to try and bring Truth to the world were marginalized, stereotyped, mocked, and ignored. The other part of that reason is that we are so fractured, we don't speak with one voice but many, thus there is no clear and concise message.

The fact is we have the numbers, we have the ability to not only be heard but institute change. We have the ability to make a difference on the key social issues of our day. But there are only a few who are willing to stand up and be heard without compromising the Truth of God's Word. Sadly, none of these people have the ability to bring Christians across all of the barriers we have erected to divide ourselves from each other making it is easy to dismiss those few as "nutcases," "whackos," and "extremists." So it has been easier for most to simply retreat to the safety and profitability of the Christian trough, focus on those who are friendly to them and their message, those who will financially support them, and not care about even trying to bring the Body together or reach out to the lost and hurting. To them, those goals are a waste of time, energy and not worth the "investment."

I love you and care about you so much. I am NOT telling you to quit watching ABC, or going to watch movies put out by Disney movie studios, or to stop taking your kids to Disney theme parks. That is a principled choice YOU need to make. I am telling you that the Mickey Mouse of 2008 is NOT the Mickey Mouse created by Walt Disney. The current Mickey Mouse has sold his soul to satan for money. While he still wants to be seen as the friend of the family, the fact is he has no conscience and will do whatever it takes to add a few cents to the bottom line of the Disney balance sheets. While we used to think of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, it won't be long before we see Mickey Mouse with Mark Mouse!!!

Sadly, because so many men and women of God have also sold out for the bottom line, there is no real voice to lead the Christian community. Due to the fact everyone relies on people to give them money, they are more interested in focusing their time and effort on those who will support them than working to reach across the man-made walls we have built that divide us. They don't preach a pure message of Truth and hope since they have to focus each message on how to raise money. Thus, we are divided into our little fiefdoms, with no real voice, even though the numbers are there to make an incredible impact on this nation and world if we could come together as one.

Now maybe you can better understand my heart and vision. That is why I am feverishly working on expanding the outreach of Liveprayer and eventually have it all supported by corporate dollars so that I have no concerns other than to bring God's Truth and the hope and love of Jesus Christ to the lost and hurting and being a non-threatening conduit for all Believers to have their voice heard. I should be able to sit down with the folks at Disney and let them know that if they allow same sex marriages to occur at their parks, they can forget any support from the Christian community. Let them make a business decision. We should be able to wield that type of influence in all areas of our culture as well as politically. We have the numbers, we simply don't have the voice and unity.

I will be praying for you. Praying that you will seek the Lord whether your family needs to continue to support Disney with your dollars. I will also ask you to be praying as God continues to open the right doors to bring the right people into the life of this ministry as we seek to establish Liveprayer as a place all Believers can look to to bring the Truth of God's Word into the marketplace and take a stand for righteousness in the marketplace. *If charlatans like Jackson and Sharpton can invoke their will on society, if a group of people who choose to engage in sex God calls a sin and an abomination can invoke their will on society, it is time that the people of God who stand on His Truth and righteousness to invoke GOD'S WILL on society!!!

Mickey Mouse has sold his soul, he is not the Mickey Mouse Walt Disney created those many years ago. It is time for him to go!!!