Lone Oak Students

This Wednesday night (April 3) the High School Youth (Resonate) are headed to Cinemark Theaters to watch the new movie “Unplanned.”

Resonate High School Students
Meet at Los Amigos by the mall @ 5:00pm for dinner
Carpool to the movies after dinner
Movie starts @ 6:55pm

“Unplanned” is the story of Abby Johnson. She was one of the youngest Planned Parenthood directors in the US. After she is asked to assist in an abortion at thirteen weeks gestation she instead resigns, becoming a pro-life activist.  

Check out the trailer below.

One thing the creators of Unplanned, who also created other Christian hits such as
God’s Not Dead” and “I Can Only Imagine” didn’t expect was that the movie would receive a rated  “R” rating. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) informed the filmmakers last month that they would give the movie an “R” for “some disturbing/bloody images,” unless it removed its scenes depicting abortion. The creators say they will not alter the film’s pro-life message to get a PG-13 rating.

This week, Abby Johnson released an open letter addressed to parents making clear the film contained no profanity, nudity, or sex, assuring them that the film’s tone runs the full range between laughter and tears, and detailing the specific scenes so they can decide for themselves whether to let their children see them.

A copy of the letter can be found at the bottom of this post. 

Johnson believes the rating isn’t going to slow the movie down.

“We are pushing the boundaries of what has never been before on such a wide scale by showing America exactly what abortion is — and abortion is disturbing. It’s violent,” Johnson said.

“In my opinion, one of the most impactful films of our time is ‘The Passion of the Christ.’ It was rated R. So I feel like ‘Unplanned’ is in good company. An R rating from the MPAA isn’t going to slow this movie down. I believe people are ready for the truth.”

As we have said numerous times before, the abortion issue is too important to remain silent about and growing too rapidly to not support pro-life movements like this movie. This is why the High School youth will be watching and supporting the movie “Unplanned.”

Yes it is rated “R,” which should give pause when deciding whether or not to watch this movie. (Below is a link to trusted movie review) But as a parent and youth pastor, I feel that the message and story that this movie tells is too important to let a hypocritical movie rating determine if you will let your kids watch it. 

Movie Review – https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/unplanned-2019

The sad irony in all of this is that in at least 13 U.S. states, a teen under 17 can get an abortion without their parents’ permission. They can’t watch this movie without their parents’ permission but they can get an abortion. 

When faced with such an absurd contradiction in culture there is only one answer – Jesus!

Abby Johnson’s full letter to parents

Dear Parents,

I wanted to take a few minutes before my movie, Unplanned, comes out in theaters to talk to you. Mom-to-mom. Parent-to-parent. As you know, the movie received an R rating from the MPAA, and I imagine that may make you nervous about allowing your children to see it. Setting aside that, it feels a little weird to have a movie made about my life, and even weirder to be told that my life is “rated R.” I want to tell you, as a mother, what you can expect from the film: The movie does not have profanity. The Lord’s Name is not taken in vain or disrespected. There is no nudity, no immodesty, and certainly no sex or “suggestive” moments. None. 

So why the R rating? For two scenes. Two scenes that the movie team was determined to re-create accurately, at my insistence, because they are important for people to see. The first is a CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) recreation of what I saw on the ultrasound screen when I assisted in the abortion procedure that convinced me of the humanity of the unborn. You will see what I saw: a baby on an ultrasound screen in black and white 2D. You will see the abortion instrument, which looks like a big straw in real life and like a dark line on the ultrasound, introduced onto the screen. You will see the baby struggle against it. You will see the baby first slowly, then quickly disappear into the instrument as it does what it is designed to do. It is important for you to know that this was a CGI recreation and NOT footage from a real abortion. But it sure looks like what I saw. I think this scene is so important for teenagers and older children to see because it tells the truth about what our culture keeps trying to insist is a “right” and a “freedom.” No one will be able to see this scene and then say they “don’t know” the truth about abortion.

The second scene that was cited as a reason for the R rating is a scene that re-creates my awful experience with the abortion pill. Ashley, the actress who plays me, did a fantastic job capturing both my physical pain and my fear. I won’t lie to you; that scene shows some blood. In real life I hemorrhaged so badly I thought I was going to die. The movie captures that without being gratuitous or gory. I think the producers walked that line well.

The rest of the film is not as intense as those two scenes. It will make you laugh, make you cringe, gasp, cry, and cheer- all the things a good movie should. The difference with Unplanned is that it has the potential to change and save lives in the process.

So, should you take your kids to see this movie? I can’t decide for you, but I will tell you that my twelve-year-old daughter will see it. I can tell you my friends who have pre-screened the film plan on bringing their 10, 11, and 12-year olds along with their teenagers to see it, and I hope you will do the same. Our children are of the generation who is being lost to abortion. This is personal for them, too. They are likely to hear and see more graphic content in most school health classes! I guess what I’m trying to say is, this movie is authentic. Yes, it’s a movie about abortion, but even more so, it’s a movie about the truth of forgiveness, repentance, and redemption, because that is what the story of my life is really about.

See you at the movies.

Sincerely,

Abby Johnson