Posted in theology

Goodbye Disney, & Encouragement from Allie Beth Stuckey

By Elizabeth Prata

I have my own memories of Disney. As a youngster I remember Tinkerbell opening Sunday evening’s TV show Wonderful World of Disney and being entranced by the pixie dust. Bambi and Snow White made an impression on me as I saw them in the theater for the first time in the 1960s.

Wonderful World of Disney: the TV show opening I remember, it’s from 1961-1969.

I wanted to go to Disney and see all those marvels I had seen on the TV show. This desire came true a decade later as my father owned a condo in Palm Beach and we went to Florida Disney in the 1970s. I remember when EPCOT opened in 1982. We went right away, and my father was amazed at all the technology. He was thrilled to death that the monorail went through the Contemporary Hotel and barely ever stopped talking about it. I’ll never forget his thrilled laughing as the Monorail whisked us through for the first time. He loved that the Contemporary was slanted and was tickled at the idea that the elevators were called inclinators.

In the 1980s Disney movies for adults charmed me, like Never Cry Wolf, The Journey of Natty Gann, and others. I won’t forget in 2003 my own nephew waiting impatiently at the gates at our family trip at Disney to open and his little arms pumping up in joy when it was time to go in. My history with Disney goes back 50 years.

All good things must come to an end. Or rather, all good things not of Christ eventually deepen in sin. And it has with Disney. For many people, Disney has crossed a line from which many conservatives and Christians won’t go along. We can’t follow you to where you want to go, Disney, so we say goodbye.

Allie Beth Stuckey is a Christian conservative who is host of the podcast, “Relatable,” author of “You’re Not Enough (& That’s Okay),” and an opinion writer for WORLD. She is articulate, brilliant, and insightful. The other day on Instagram she posted the following comment about the news that Disney is actively seeking to introduce perverted characters into their material- movies, TV shows, etc. It’s her own goodbye to the corporation that many of us used to love and now shake our heads at ruefully.

I thought Allie Beth’s comment was spot-on, but ultimately encouraging, so I re-post her comment below:


BY ALLIE BETH STUCKEY

“It makes me sad, but there’s no way we would bring our kids to Disney at this point. I know many of you are huge fans of Disney. The memories you made there growing up + the memories you’ve made there with your own children are meaningful to you — and for good reason. While my family has never been Disney-obsessed, I loved Disney World & the movies as a child. There’s not much simplicity and wonder in the world today, and Disney was once the go-to place to find them.”

“But God’s Kingdom is bigger & better than the Magic Kingdom, and we have to do our best to make decisions with this in mind. My responsibility as a parent is to do everything I can to steward my kids’ hearts and minds well. I can’t in good conscience hand them over to the influence of a corporation so openly trying to disciple them in an anti-God worldview. That would be a dereliction of my duty.”

“There are other forms of fun on Earth! It’s sad to give this up, but it’s not a tragedy. While everyone has to use wisdom, prayer & Biblical thinking to make their own decisions, and while I don’t think boycotting every single company that doesn’t agree with us is feasible, I think Christians should consider carefully supporting a company that’s unabashedly after the minds & souls of our children, publicly standing opposed to all that God says is good and right and true. These are troubling times, but they’re also God-ordained. We can handle them. Generations of Christians before us (and around the world today) are facing FAR WORSE than skipping out on theme parks. Let’s move forward in faith, truth, and courage.”

End of Allie Beth Stuckey comment.


May we all look up to heaven, remembering how loving and perfect Jesus is. We look forward to how His kingdom isn’t magical nor is populated with fictional characters, but real people whom we will see one day. We will meet David, and Paul, and Rahab, and Ruth and Lydia and Dorcas. Our departed believing family and friends. We will dwell where there will be no sin or perversion. What a relief that will be.

Meanwhile we have our own kingdom on earth. Our fellow saints and our weekly worship and our daily reminder from God’s word that we are citizens of a better country than any “magic kingdom.”

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-21).

Posted in theology

A Tour of My Library

By Elizabeth Prata

I posted a picture the other day of a new-to-me chair I’d gotten on super sale at my favorite vintage store. People had asked to see the whole library, so here you go!

I had opportunity for the first time in my life to have an entire room dedicated to my library of carefully accumulated books. I had opportunity to even design my room the way I wanted it, since the apartment was new and empty. It is a 2-bedroom place but I only need one bedroom, so I decided to use the room as my much desired library. Finally! I can have a reading room/library and I loved the idea.

Continue reading “A Tour of My Library”
Posted in theology

Why you should not consume bad Christian books/movies

By Elizabeth Prata

But it makes me feel good…
But it has Jesus in it…
But what would be the harm if I read it…

EPrata photo

In order to seek His face, and to stay on His path, before consuming any book, media, or website, Christians should always ask these questions in daily life,

–“Will this help me glorify Jesus?”
–“Will this help me understand Jesus better?”
–“Will this help me speak of Jesus lovingly and accurately?”

Continue reading “Why you should not consume bad Christian books/movies”
Posted in theology

Prata Potpourri: Singleness, contentment, evangelism, adoption, castles, & more!

By Elizabeth Prata

A few more days of work then it’s spring break from school! Rather than whooping it up down on South Beach as I yearned to do in my younger days, now all I want to do is take a nap. Which is what I’ll likely do some of the days during my week off!

Naples Beach, a photo I took long ago. I still remember the pinkening sky, the cooling sand, the stillness of the Gulf, the departure of the gulls.
Continue reading “Prata Potpourri: Singleness, contentment, evangelism, adoption, castles, & more!”
Posted in theology

Hygiene laws of the wilderness years

By Elizabeth Prata

Sometimes in an elementary school, in the kindergarten bathroom, older students find that when they went to sit down, a little tyke perhaps missed the toilet, and a little brown pile on the floor greeted the next occupant. The mess was cleaned up swiftly with modern cleaners and disinfectants, but it got me thinking. What did the wandering Israelites do in the wilderness? Did you ever wonder about ancient bathroom practices?

Continue reading “Hygiene laws of the wilderness years”
Posted in theology

Did you know where the term muckraker came from? You might be surprised

By Elizabeth Prata

I am a former journalist. I was an investigative reporter and also a features writer for both weeklies and daily newspapers for ten years. I got out of journalism and went back to education in 2010, but the profession of journalistic integrity still speaks strongly to my heart. It is the Fourth Estate and foundational to a strong democracy.

Continue reading “Did you know where the term muckraker came from? You might be surprised”
Posted in theology

Grace Community Church response to recent journalism muckraking

By Elizabeth Prata

In reference to the issue of Julie Roys fomenting the current scandal against John MacArthur and Grace Community Church, the GCC elders have written a template reply which is sent out to emailed questioners. Fred Butler (an employee of GCC) confirmed it is from the church. Further, he said that if anyone emails with questions they will receive the same reply. Numerous people have already received this response.

I liked GCC’s response. Not surprising, it is well-written, biblical, and to the point.

I trust the public witness of the elders at GCC and of John MacArthur. Anyone who has spent 52 years week in and week out rightly dividing the truth is someone to trust. This is not my church anyway, and not my personal business. Let profane tongues run to their own pit, while true believers speak of holy and edifying things.

Posted in theology

Amazement at how the world is going

By Elizabeth Prata

Christians I know are experiencing complex emotions these days. They are alternately angry, fearful, and mournful of the things coming upon the world. See, we know what is ahead for this last chapter of human experience. Though we have always known the fate of the lost and unsaved, sinking in their sin, but because the prophesies are nearing fulfillment at this time, we are starting to see it. And there is a difference between knowing and seeing. Romans 1 is being played out before our eyes.

We see the sin piling up, we see sinners sinking, drowning in their anger and pain. Being separated from God, they are crying out to their idols, voices wafting onto the wind, unheard.

We read of corruption and hate and shooting and evil and lying and false religions and it goes on and on. All we can do is stand on the lakeshore and tell the sinking, perishing ones the truth, that there is a helicopter above their head with a lifeline. Grab it! Grab it! we shout. Many won’t. It is excruciating to see so many refuse to listen. They will not look up at their redemption, and one by one, they strangle in their heavy sins and perish. We cry. Why?

What we are feeling these days is mourning. We are watching the death throes of our world, we are watching the perishing of many souls, we are watching the hardening of heart by God in real time. We sink to our knees in grief.

But God.

But God made a way for sinners to be redeemed,
But God gave us the Holy Spirit so that we have ability to pursue righteousness,
But God gave us opportunity to know Him, enjoy Him and give Him glory,
But God sent His Son to die on the cross, be buried, resurrected and ascended to the right hand of the Father,
But God adopted us into His family!

We Christians above all people in the world have so many blessings. We possess the knowledge of and even the indwelling of the Most High God. We are comforted by His promises.

But God in addition to His holiness, also has the aspect of Justice.

We tend to forget that John the Baptist the forerunner to Jesus came speaking not of love and joy and comfort and encouragement, “He first preached preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;” (Luke 3:3). He spoke of wrath and the coming of Jesus. (Luke 3:716). The Gospel of Jesus Christ has two parts, and the second part is almost upon us: His Second Coming. He could come at any time. Or, death could come for you, any moment.

Are you ready to face the Holy God who created you? To defend your sins, to be tried and found guilty, and be thrown into the Lake of Fire in the end?

Of are you ready to face the Holy God who created you and fling yourself at the feet of Jesus begging for forgiveness? Who will then pursue holiness with the indwelling Spirit propelling you along until death, and then be ready to be ushered into heavenly glory? Are you ready to persevere, continue to do good in the face of darkness and hate? For there is LIGHT at the end.

I continually try to remind us all, me included, to have an eternal perspective. To keep looking up. Not to despair. To not grow weary in the doing good.

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

Posted in theology

Golden calf

By Elizabeth Prata

After making their covenant, Moses taught the people what God wanted. This included instructions on worshipping God. God was very specific about it. So the Israelites worshipped God His way, which included making an altar with nothing man-made on it- no objects, no idols, nothing even that a man made tool had touched or fashioned. Only stones. Then God called Moses back up to the mountain so He could give him the law in physical form (the tablets containing the Ten Commandments). Moses was gone 40 days and 40 nights.

Being stiff-necked and impatient, the Israelites worried about Moses and they decided he was not coming back. Abandoning the worship of God His way,

“when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

“So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” Exodus 20:22-25, Exodus 32-34

They worshipped a golden calf. An idol.

Paul wrote to Timothy that there will be Godlessness in the last days. We are in the last days. They are the time between the Ascension of Jesus and His return. Paul wrote: “Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.”  1 Corinthians 10:7.

Are you ready? Turn your eyes upon Jesus and Him only. Serve Him and walk in His ways. Forego the golden idols of this world. There are so many! For Westerners, they might not be actual cast idols, as they are in the East, but we have idols that fill football fields, we set up monuments to worshiping work, we’ve got idols of entertainers and musicians. Instead, plan on eternal rewards. The temporary rewards and idols of this world are just that, all too temporary.

EPrata photo