By Heath Rogers
The Lifetime Television Network recently aired their feature movie, “The Truth About Jane.” Jane is a teenage girl, and Lifetime wouldn’t be making a movie about her unless she had a problem. Care to guess what her problem is? Is she anorexic or bulimic? Does she have cancer? Are her parents divorcing? Is she being abused? No, the truth about Jane is that she is a 15-year-old lesbian.
The synopsis of the movie on Lifetime’s web site reads, “Ellen Muth, Stockard Channing, James Naughton and RuPaul star in the drama ‘The Truth About Jane.’ Fifteen-year-old Jane lives the quintessential suburban life with her parents and younger brother. Although popular, Jane has always felt somewhat different than her peers. However, after meeting Taylor, a transfer student at school, Jane’s life changes irrevocably. Jane and Taylor become close friends very quickly, and Jane feels a connection to Taylor that she’s never felt with her other friends. One night, Taylor kisses Jane, and it becomes clear to Jane that she’s found what has been lacking in her life. As her relationship with Taylor deepens, Jane realizes that she has to face her family and come to terms with her true self, which changes her life forever.”
Sound like quality television? It does to some folks. The network has been championed by some for taking on the subject of teenage lesbianism. I didn’t watch the movie. I find the subject matter neither entertaining nor appealing. Movies like this are not meant to entertain, they are meant to indoctrinate. And who is this movie focusing on — our teenagers!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t trust my television to give me the “truth” about anything. My TV is constantly telling me that the earth is billions of years old and that the life on it is the result of ages of evolution. My TV is not a stickler for historical accuracy either. Remember last year’s movie about Noah’s Ark?
God’s word is the truth (John 17:17). The things it has to say about homosexuality and lesbianism are easy to understand. Without even seeing this movie, I can open my Bible and tell you “The Truth About Jane.”
1. Jane Has Made A Choice. She wasn’t born a lesbian. She didn’t inherit a defective gene from her parents. Why isn’t her little brother a homosexual (oops, I may have given away the sequel)? She has chosen to be a lesbian. Homosexuality is a sin (1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:9-11), and any sinful behavior is a choice.
In Romans chapter one, Paul described the sinful behavior of the Gentiles who chose to leave God. Included in this chapter is both male and female homosexuality: “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due” (vv. 26-27). Paul is making the point that all of this is the result of man’s choice to leave God. Jane is different because she chooses to be.
2. Jane Is Struggling With This For A Reason. Homosexuals who still have a conscience are going to struggle with their behavior because it is unnatural. A woman has a natural sexual use for a man, but not for another woman. Isn’t it interesting that we don’t have a problem with homosexuality in nature? Dog, cats, and horses don’t have to be told not to mate with members of the same sex — people do! Any plumber or electrician will tell you that you can’t put two male or two female parts together. Jane is struggling with this because she is going after strange flesh (Jude 7). She is doing something that even her own body tells her is not right to do.
The movie also deals with Jane’s struggles with her mother and classmates. Elsewhere on the web site, we are told, “15-year-old Jane has always felt different. When she realizes why, her mother cannot handle it and fellow students turn on her.” Poor Jane is getting picked on for a reason — her lesbianism is deviant behavior. According to the dictionary, deviancy is that which turns aside from what is considered normal in a group or for a society. Her mother knows it isn’t normal, her fellow students know it isn’t normal, and as long as she engages in it she will be treated as if she isn’t normal. Of course the purpose of movies like this is to get you and me to feel sorry for Jane and to consider her lifestyle normal. Until we do, homosexuals will have these kinds of struggles. We are the bad guys.
3. Jane Will Go To Hell. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Despite the clarity of this passage, some so-called Christians still believe homosexuality is acceptable. In recent years, denominations have struggled with the decision to ordain known and practicing homosexuals. God has decided that homosexuality is a sin. It is no worse or no better than any other sin — but a sin none the less. And as long as Jane chooses to engage in sinful behavior, she will go to Hell when she dies.
4. Jane Needs To Repent. The synopsis tells us that “Jane’s life changes irrevocably.” This means that she can’t be changed back; that what she experiences changes her forever. I disagree. There is a way out of homosexuality. There is a way out of any sin — repentance. Now it probably won’t be easy for Jane. The shackles of sin are not always easy to break. It isn’t always easy for the drunk to give up the bottle, the gambler to give up the Lottery tickets, the gossip to give up his tale-bearing, or the fornicator to battle his lustful thoughts. But it has to be done. And it can be.
After telling the Corinthians that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God, he told them, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). Some of these people were homosexuals. They changed. Any homosexual coming to Jesus in faith, repentance and baptism can be forgiven, washed clean in the blood of Christ.
Some of you might think I’m being too hard on Jane. While I have compassion for those caught up in homosexuality, I have absolutely no tolerance for the homosexual agenda. There is a difference. We are taught to hate the sin but to love the sinner. I have a love for these people’s souls, but I hate what their sin has done to our country. Since they came out of the closet, the moral fiber of this nation has deteriorated. The entertainment media is sympathetic to their cause and has taken up their fight. Because of that we can expect a good dose of homosexuality on TV every night. Show me one prime time program in the last ten years that hasn’t had a homosexual character in at least one episode. The teachings of the Bible and the moral standards of God-fearing people are constantly ridiculed on these types of shows.
Their agenda is to get us to accept homosexuality as being normal. However, realizing that it is too late to change many of our minds, they are specifically targeting our children with movies like this. We need to be ready and willing to stand up for what is right “lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11).
23 S. Margaret St., Joliet Illinois 60435 heathrogers@mind