The Happiest Place on Earth?

Disneyland.

What once was a slightly pricey vacation spot for families with young children has now become only financially accessible to the wealthy elite. A two-day ticket is $255 for Adults [over 10 yrs old!], and $240 for Kids. Almost $1000 for a family of four. Add in hotel, food and airfare or [GASP] gas prices to drive there, and it’s a small fortune.

Now factor in the deliberate mind-control and sexualization of our young kids in movies like “Going Red” and the new “Buzz Lightyear”. These include depictions of sexual fantasy (Going Red) and a gay couple kissing (Buzz). So if we participate by frequenting Disney parks or paying for their movies, we are funding this attack on our precious kids.

Disneyland is called The Happiest Place on Earth. It is synonymous with the joys of childhood. Yet it reminds me of another ‘happy’ place…right out of a Disney movie.

In Pinocchio, children are lured away from the loving guidance of parents into a fantasy life at Pleasure Island, where all they do is play and eat unhealthy food, especially candy. It is an addictive experience that makes them crave more. Their minds are transformed to believe that what is bad for them is actually good. Then once the mass hypnosis takes hold, their bodies change to reflect what they have become: Donkeys. Foolish jackasses, if you will.

In the real-life parallel, children are lured into the fun fantasy world Disney offers. It is filled with cartoon characters who belittle adults and cross the line of taboos. It’s a world where even parents have been duped. And why not? They all grew up on the Disney run by Walt, himself. A simpler time and a simpler Disney company. Because of his childhood, Walt’s dream was to create a place filled with wonder where kids could be kids. Simple. Sweet. There are a few hit pieces that imply something dark and devious about Walt. For the most part, those are unconvincing. Walt and his dream were loved.

Then Walt passed. For a while, and with his brother Roy still on the Board to help keep Walt’s vision alive, things appeared unaffected by Walt’s death. But shortly after Roy stepped down, the slippery slope began. As some have said, Walt would be turning over in his grave.

Back to today’s problem. This is not the Disney of a more innocent era. What we have experienced is a frog-in-the-kettle phenomenon. The water slowly started to heat up years ago, and now is boiling over. It’s become a pot filled with ingredients designed to steal innocent children from their right to innocence. Indoctrination. Grooming. Turning children into donkeys and uninformed parents into jackasses. Hee-haw.

So what now?

We need to re-think The Happiest Place on Earth. It should be our own homes. The haven of home should be happy and safe so that our kids wouldn’t dare to seek a Pleasure Island to replace it.

Does boycotting Disney make sense? Does it effect their bottom line? Not really. But not spending your hard-earned money at a business that destroys the innocence of five year olds is a way to be at peace in your own soul.

As Christians, we are called not to be unequally yoked to those who are not friends of God. Not in business. Not in marriage. Not in our finances. We are meant to discern how we invest what God entrusts to us. In this case it is not just the money, but the hearts, minds and souls of our precious children.