"Orphan"--the Movie

Many of you have heard about the movie Orphan, which is currently playing in theaters across the nation. Due to the hype surrounding this film, I've decided to take a short interlude from my China trip "reminiscings" to address the issues involved in Orphan and share with you practical ways that we, as Christians, can counteract the negative messages it gives. If you're unfamiliar with the film's premise, you can find a thoughtful review here (note that the full article costs $5 if you are not already a subscriber of World magazine). In short, basic form, this movie follows the story of an adoptive family who provide a home to an orphan girl only to find out later that she is severely disturbed, a pyschotic, and a murderer. From my readings of Orphan reviews, it seems that the movie goes on to tell in gory, horrific detail just how terrible this child is and how much damage and harm she brings to her adoptive family.

Obviously, this movie contains material which could potentially be very damaging to the cause of the 143 million orphans worldwide. While we recognize that many orphans do come with emotional and physical baggage as a result of their experiences, this movie grossly inflates the "negative" side of adoption and ignores the great blessings that surround orphan ministry and adoption. Those of us who have personally found immense reward in ministry to and adoption of orphans, and indeed God Himself, who has shown through His word the special value he places on orphans and adoption, have a different story to tell. So, I encourage you to join me and a multitude of others today in protesting the evils of this movie and defending the cause of the fatherless by speaking up and sharing the truth with people. Blog about it, put it up on Facebook, sign the "Orphans Deserve Better" petition, organize a boycott of the film, and talk to your friends. Don't let the orphans of the world suffer as a result of this movie's message. Stand up and tell people what really happens when God gets a grip of your heart and calls you to care for orphans or bring them into your homes, and the eternally life-changing rewards that He can bring your way if you step out to sacrifice your love and your home, follow in His footsteps, and Show Hope to orphans.

Learn what you can do today by visiting the following sites:
http://tomdavis.typepad.com/tom_daviss_blog/2009/07/defend-the-cause-of-the-orphan.html
http://orphansdeservebetter.org/index.html (an off-shoot of the Christian Alliance for Orphans)

Let's give people the REAL story!

2nd photo at top courtesy of Christian Alliance for Orphans: http://orphansdeservebetter.org/video.html