Tauriel - Part 2

So, I have had a couple interesting discussions with a few of you today about yesterday's blog and I thank you for them.  Most of you know of my love for all things Tolkien, but I want to state clearly that God's Word is the absolute and final authority in EVERYTHING, including my thoughts on female fictional characters.

As I discussed the first "Tauriel" post I realized another reason why I have felt an inner antagonism toward this pretty and potent heroine. I began to understand that my love for Tolkien's Middle Earth felt tainted by Tauriel's role and what she represents. See, one of the things I love about The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is how well the overarching themes and characters are NOT antagonistic to my christian worldview. (I'm saving the numerous examples of this for potential future posts.) To me, Tauriel's purpose in the story detracts from the role of women in the christian worldview. Rather than embody the roles for women found in Scripture and the distinctions between the roles of men and women in Scripture, to me she represents the feminist attitude that has permeated our culture.

How often in entertainment are the female characters the better "shots", the more intelligent and intuitive investigators, spies and heroes over their male counterparts? If they are not better then they are at least equal. I am not saying that women shouldn't shoot more accurately than a man or that women shouldn't investigate crimes, engage in espionage or do heroic things when the need arises. Rather, I think I am reacting to the way some women glory in their abilities at the expense of the men around them. I am also considering timeless Scripture passages that inform my thinking on the primary roles and goals for women.

I think that we, as Christian women, must be on guard against the thinking which permeates cultural messages to us that we must be the best at things which God has designed for the men. In Scripture, war and combat are one of the arenas in which men are the ones normally called upon to fight and endure. The women were left at home to manage the household while her husband was gone, care for the kids and care for others.  As a woman, I am thankful for this truth!  I think we need to be careful to not seek to usurp the biblical roles of men and women. While I desire to be proficient, I don't desire to be a better shot, or a better swordsman, or better in hand-to-hand combat than men and I certainly don't want to be better in order to rub it in their faces. How is that edifying to my brothers or glorifying to God?

The Bible has given us many examples of good ways and not-so-good ways that men and women have functioned in their gender roles. It is beyond the scope of what I can write at this time to try to exhaustively defend these things. The following passage continues to be on my heart and mind though today...

"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled." Titus 2:1-6 ESV

In conclusion, my concerns about Tauriel and her indirect influence over my thinking and the thinking of my daughter and others, amount to little "red flags".  I have been reminded again to be careful to filter all the blatant and subjective messages I am hearing through the Word of God.  I have been reminded again to be careful to conform my thinking to the Word of God, especially because I am sure that most in our culture would think I am "nuts" (maybe you do too).  I still can't wait to see the next Hobbit movie and I still possess a slight glimmer of hope that Tauriel will survive the coming battles.  I have much stronger feelings of hope and thankfulness though as I reflect on the gospel and how Christ "gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age". Galatians 1:4 ESV  Because of Christ I know the truth and am free from the compulsion to fight like a man.