Footloose and Fearful: 7 Truths for Our Frightened Hearts

I finally watched the original 1984 Footloose movie a couple of nights ago with my husband.

In my defense, I was only three when the movie first came out and it’s not exactly appropriate for toddlers. By the time I was a teenager, we were in a cultic subgroup of Christianity that made the town of Bomont seem liberal by comparison. And then for whatever reason Footloose never made it on my list of pop-culture-to-catch-up-on.

I was definitely missing out. There are reasons it’s a classic!

Besides the cassette tapes, leg warmers, and core memories brought back by the church ladies’ 80s glasses and haircuts, I found myself noticing the fear. It’s a familiar fear–one that strongly influenced my own story and helps to create the current backdrop of our evangelical culture: above all else, we must protect the children.

We’ve created all kinds of rules and expected behaviors out of fear and a desire to protect. (Purity culture, anyone?) But can we actually change someone’s heart by controlling their behavior? Does enclosing someone with a moral fence truly keep them safe? History says no. My own experience says it doesn’t work. Footloose agrees.

In case you need a reminder, the town of Bomont has outlawed dancing among other things. The pastor argues against rock music in his sermons. People are burning library books and firing teachers as they try to protect the young people from evil. But the pastor’s own daughter is living recklessly, taking risks, and sneaking out. Behind the adults’ control and the teens’ rebellion are the same things: grief and fear.

Christian leaders have been warning about the moral decay of our society for decades. From rock music and hippies, to abortion and the LGBQI community, there are always issues to preach about and against, as well as things to be afraid of and rules to make. But I’m here to tell you that the world hasn’t really changed. It’s been this way since we left Eden.

“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.”

Genesis 6:11

Just ten generations had past from the time Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden to Noah building the ark. And in that short time the earth became completely corrupt.

Things quickly deteriorated just as quickly in the land of Israel once the people entered the Promised Land. They went from following a living pillar of cloud and fire, and watching God work miracles on their behalf, to the utter chaos of Judges chapters 17-21.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Judges 17:6

In my cult we idolized the 1800s for some reason. They were the “good-old-days of morality and chivalry. I was convinced that I’d been born in the wrong century. We conveniently dismissed slavery, patriarchy, rampant sexual disease, poverty and filth, early death, etc. Somehow these sins/consequences were more acceptable than the frightening sins of our modern age. It’s really ridiculous.

I’m going to end this with seven truths to combat the raging fear around us and possibly within us.

1. Our earth has always been broken; it isn’t something new.
2. Rules will never change hearts. They can’t.
3. This world is temporary, and it’s not our final home.
4. It’s not up to us to fix the brokenness–we can’t!
5. Jesus has already overcome the world!
6. He is strong enough to fix it and He will when He comes to reign as King.
7. Until then, we have the Holy Spirit with us to help and comfort us.

Friends, we do not need to live in fear. I’m not saying we will never feel fear, but we do not need to live out of that fear. Fear makes us do strange things. Fear opens us to believing lies and being controlled.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

1 John 4:18

Truth sets us free. Solid theology–the things we believe about God, ourselves, our world, etc–brings us freedom and peace. It’s not up to us to create an earthly utopia where we feel constant safety and happiness. We don’t need to simply protect our children; we need to prepare them. If we are followers of Jesus, then we are part of a new Kingdom, an alternate reality. This world is not our home, we are just passing through. Living well, loving strong, and trusting in a King we cannot see. We might be a little crazy, but that’s okay. 🙂