PLOT SNYOPSIS:
‘Happily N’Ever After’ is a movie that addresses good and evil from a fairy tale point of view by showing what happens to fairy tale endings if evil rules. The majority of the movie focuses on the dangers of evil and what prevalent evil can do in a society when no one takes a stand to fight it. The main focus of the movie is on Cinderella (voice of Sarah Michelle Gellar) who fights against her stepmother Freida (voice of Sigourney Weaver) who wants to rule the world. The movie shows distinctly that the bad characters we never expected to win actually win for awhile in this movie.

CONTENT REVIEW:
‘Happily N’Ever After’ is an animated movie produced by the same company that produced Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9-11. It was shocking to see liberal view of theology being emphasized in this movie without holding on to conservative view of theology. This movie has bad morals even though good prevails in the end. It is a movie that addresses ’things don’t always have to be like they used to be even if what used to be was good’. Issues such as jealousy, envy, selfish-ambition, greed, sloth, and gluttony are emphasized more than selflessness. It is a movie that needs to be watched with an open mind and a good movie for discussion even if it is an animated movie.

SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS - SPOILER ALERTS:

SPOILER ALERT I:
Cinderella was so eager to find the prince who she believed would rescue her and the kingdom from the clutches of her evil stepmother that she refuses the help of Rick (voice of Freddy Prinze Jr.), a dishwasher in the prince’s palace! To Ella, Rick is just a dishwasher. Her sights are set on the prince but due to unforeseen circumstances, Ella and Rick almost kiss each other but she still looks for the prince. Now she starts dreaming about who she should be with. In her heart she knows the prince is who she should be with but her mind tells her to go after Rick. Now, Ella is told that she will live ‘happily ever after’ after marrying the prince. To this revelation, rather than being happy for what would be a fairy tale ending, Cinderella is sad because she believes there should be more to life than marrying the prince and living happily ever after.

This is where the concept of divorce is figuratively and subtly introduced. Ella knows that she should be married to the prince and live happily ever after but after being introduced to Rick, she wants more. Living with the prince happily ever after is not something she is committed too.

"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith." (Malachi 2:16, NIV)

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.''For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Mark 10:6-9, NIV)

While watching the movie, I felt the producers were making the point that things do not always have to be the way they were even if it was good because there can always be something better and change is ok. This is where liberal theology and liberalism focuses on.

It focuses on change to the detriment of society such as ‘if you are not happy with someone, it is ok to leave them if you want more even if you are supposed to be with them’, and ‘commitment is not as important as what gives you more pleasure’. These concepts are wrong to introduce to children at an young age. Children need to know the importance of commitment and love through the thick and thin.

There is no reason the producers had to change the way the Cinderella story ends but they have. All I could think of was thanks for introducing liberal theology and liberalism which sees divorce to be ok too. Ella should have lived happily ever after with the prince and not the dishwasher.

In the same way as the producers changed the original Cinderella story to introduce a modern version where change is ok and the prince does not have to be the hero, liberal theologians have done the same thing with the Bible, the Word of God where God does not have to be the Ultimate Author.

Liberal theologians believe change is ok when it comes to Scripture and things do not always have to be believed like they used to, but Scripture is not dependent on what you or I believe. Scripture is not what we make it to be because Scripture is what God made it to be and it always stands the test of time. Time does not change the principles of God’s Word nor His promises.

Yet, in our society now even in some churches, Scripture is seen in two different ways such as ‘Bible becomes the Word of God’ and ‘Bible contains the Word of God’ than believing in the infallibility and inherent authority of Scripture such as believing ‘Bible is the Word of God’

When people believe Bible becomes the Word of God, they adhere to the philosophy that the Bible is not the Word of God always but it has the potential to become the Word of God in certain situations that suit them. This is a dangerous philosophy that can destroy churches slowly.

Worse than believing that the ‘Bible becomes the Word of God’ is believing that the ‘Bible contains the Word of God’. On the surface this philosophy looks like there is nothing wrong with it because people believe Bible contains the Word of God but the problem is people only believe the Bible contains the Word of God with passages they agree with and are happy with. If a passage is troubling or does not fit in their mold of theology or what they choose to preach, then that part of the passage does not contain the Word of God but just man’s writing. This philosophy of pick and choose does not give the Bible the absolute authority it deserves because different people see different passages as Scriptural and others as not. Believing Bible contains the Word of God has no authority in it.

This is what the producers did with Happily N’Ever After, where they picked and chose how to change the original story for their own satisfaction. Cinderella should have remained how it always used to end.

Speaking of marriage, it was believed that when it comes to marriage Adam and Eve were united together because this is how God wanted it and how future generations should be united in marriage, between man and woman. Now, it is ok according to certain liberal theologians for Adam and Steve to be united together even though this is an abomination in the Word of God and God does not approve. They think it is ok because they believe Bible contains the Word of God but not everything in the Word is from God! Hogwash!

Bible is the Word of God and this is what many Evangelical churches believe in. Believing in the Bible to be the Word of God is believing Scripture of the Old Testament and New Testament is inspired, inherent, and infallible from beginning to end because God is the Author on it. Genesis to Revelation has the same stamp of Ultimate Authorship and Authority.

”But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17, NIV)

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. (Deuteronomy 30:11-16, NIV)

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8, NIV)

“Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.” (Psalm 119:89-91, NIV)

“I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:101-105, NIV)

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” (John 5:38-40, NIV)

Questions to Ponder:
1. Why do you think the producers changed the ending to the Cinderella story and what does it tell about our society?

2. Why do you think there are three different ways three different groups look at the Bible and what group do you believe is in line with what God’s Word says and why?

3. How do you know if you go to church that you are actually going to a church that emphasizes that the Bible is the inherent, infallible, and inspired Word of God?

4. Why do you think society likes to change marriage between a man-woman to a man-man or women-women and whose authority are they following when they do that?

5. What issues in the movie do you believe you struggle with and what is the best way to handle those struggles?

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