I don’t typically try to review films so I won’t really attempt to do so now. But I would like to write some of the film Juno, now that I’ve seen it, in order to point out two opposing reactions to the film I found interesting. I had heard some things here and there of potential socio political interpretations of the film because the story centers on the teenage girl Juno’s unplanned pregnancy. She immediately plans on having an abortion but cannot bring herself to do it, deciding to have the baby and give it up for private adoption instead.

Though I don’t think the filmmakers were concerned at all with making a political statement, it seems like it could be taken as a very positive message for those who are interested in showing people the healthy alternatives to abortion. And the film, for all its humor and lightheartedness, truly is a positive and touching story about the wonders of love and life. But it seems some people just are not happy unless the sexual behavior leading to such a story is completely condemned and shown as disastrous on screen, lest people be encouraged to go out and do it – if they are not already that is.

I heard this attitude expressed by a guest host on the Glenn Back radio program. He mentioned that he enjoyed the film but was very concerned about the “message it was sending” to teenagers: that they can go out and have sex, get pregnant and everything could still turn out ok – oh the horrors! This sounds like the kind of fearful reaction that would have come out of the church I grew up in. And it is such a silly reaction – besides the silly notion that the film somehow makes being a pregnant teen look cool – because it assumes that such entertainment itself is a major cause of what people do and not mainly a reflection of what people are already and have always been doing. And I point this out to show it was actually from a Christian source, if you will, that I found a much more sensible reaction to the film.

Theologian Ben Witherington wrote a rather positive review of the film on his blog. This is how he summed up the film’s message and his reaction,

…[Juno] will certainly win some hearts, without condoning promiscuous behavior. I would hope that if what happened to Juno happened to one of my children or grandchildren, I would have enough wisdom and guts to respond as well as Juno’s parents are depicted as doing. This is not in the end a film about the need for more tolerance of immoral behavior. It is a film about what love should do, after such behavior occurs.

It is not quite how I would have worded it, but I share the quote because it shows that he seems to have a very keen understanding on this matter. The attitude expressed by the Glenn Beck host is one of being much more concerned with trying to prevent what is seen as “bad” behavior and blame cultural influences for causing it than actually considering how the results of the behavior, that so often does occur, could be best responded to. In contrast, Dr. Witherington understands this is not a story about either condemning or praising Juno’s behavior, but a story that reflects a somewhat common problematic occurrence in contemporary life and shows how even it can turn out alright if it is met with the love and helpfulness that is seen in the responsibility Juno takes and the care and acceptance that her parents give as well as the incredible joy of the adoptive mother who will finally be able to have a child of her own.

Isn’t that the best approach to such matters (because odds are these things will often happen), preparing ourselves to meet others with love and understanding where they are at or might very likely end up instead of being wrapped up in asking how might we restrict and prevent people from this or that behavior? Shouldn’t Christians, of all people, understand this best because of the doctrine of grace that has been given to cover the innate sinfulness of man? In other words, according to that, what Dr. Witherington calls “immoral behavior” is in everyone’s very nature. But instead of coming to terms with this nature of humanity, all too often in my experience growing up, many who considered themselves Christians embraced an extremely sheltering approach in the hopes of preventing certain dubious behavior from ever happening in the first place.

Whether or not such an approach ever works is irrelevant, because I think many would agree that it all too often does not work at all. I would even argue it can negatively repress, causing its own problems while also often failing in its prevention goals. But perhaps worst of all, that approach can focus so much on what is wrong and warning everyone of dire consequences that it fails to say anything about how to act and respond, how to love and lift up when these things happen and how to still see the good and the beauty of life and the creation thereof even when it is not within ideal circumstances. This is what Juno seems to capture so well; that life goes on, and while it is messy and complex, it can be quite beautiful and full of hope and love even when the circumstances are unexpected and undesired. And since we all often make mistakes and do things against our better judgment in one way or another – i.e. we all need love and understanding – I think this is the sort of story most everyone should want, if not need, to see and hear.