Tonight one of my favorite Christmas specials comes on, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." There has be a lot of complaining and suggestions to boycott it because it "advocates bullying." As a victim of bullying, myself, I think that these people are missing the main point of the story.
Yes, Rudolph and Hermie are bullied for being different, even by Santa, but that isn't the point of the story. The point is learning to value each individual for their unique gifts. It is a journey for the misfits to find their own worth AND for the bullies to realize they were wrong. By the end of the film everyone who had bullied the misfits realize their error, are truly repentant, apologize, and recognize the value of each individual's gift.
That is what I dreamed of as a child. I didn't dream that the bullies would be punished, but that they would see how great I was and accept me for who I am. Rudolph gave me hope that if everyone at the North Pole could realize their mistakes, maybe my tormentors would, too.
Now a word about the well meaning parents and advocates that want to protect their children from stories like this one. They are doing exactly what the King did on the Island of Misfit toys. They are separating and isolating their children to "protect them from the cruelty of the world." Their hearts may be in the right place, but that isn't what a child needs. Yes, the misfit toys were protected from being made fun of, but they never were able to fulfill their potential as toys. They were never loved, played with, and accepted for who they were.
In the end, Santa who had inadvertently bullied and misunderstood the value of each unique individual repents. He finds the beauty in each toy, elf, and reindeer, and even a Bumble. Then, he helps them find the place where they can grow and thrive.
I believe that this is a wonderful story about acceptance, repentance, and forgiveness. It is a story of hope for those who feel different and put down. It is a story of the little guy winning. In that it is a valuable parable.
It is said those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. I also think that those who are protected and sheltered from the meanness in the world 1. won't know how to deal with it. and 2. are at risk of bullying others because they haven't been shown examples of how wrong and hurtful words and actions can be.
I plan to continue to watch Rudolph, and as I showed it to my children, I will show it to my grandchildren, as a parable about how we are each beautiful and unique children of God.
Have a blessed Christmas.
You are totally right! That movie is about being treated badly, yet being true to who you are. It is about how many may be against you, but as long as you have a few standing beside you, you can stand strong against anything. It is proving other people wrong in the end.
ReplyDeleteAt work, my area is called Misfit Island. My area is filled with all different holiday decorations with Rudolph and Clarice as sentries, because they remind me no matter how bad things can get, no one is really all alone. And yes, I love that movie!