“Anne with an E” Parental Heads Up

I grew up watching Anne of Green Gables. I remembered it being filled with laughter and truth and the rises and falls of growing up. I remember identifying with Anne because I too was red-headed and freckle faced and spirited on the inside, although a little to introverted to express it as a child on the outside. I remember the excitement I felt when Gilbert and Anne finally admitted their love for one another. I will never forget the scene when Anne asks if Marilla has ever been in the “depths of despair” and Marilla responds, “No, to despair is to turn your back on God.” This is the Anne of Green Gables I grew up watching.

When Netflix announced it’s version of the 1908 novel, Anne of Green Gables, by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, I was excited to watch it with my girls. The first season did not disappoint. My girls and I binge watched the entire season in less than a week and loved it. So when we saw the next season was available we couldn’t wait for the opportunity to binge watch it together. Yesterday we did just that.

Season 2 began right where Season 1 left off. I won’t spoil it for you with details in case you plan to watch. However, I do want to let you know that when you get to Season 2 Episode 7 the Anne of Green Gables you grew up watching disappears and Anne with an E becomes something entirely different. Here in Episode 7 at a party at Aunt Josephine’s house in Charlottetown, Anne with an E, becomes an agenda. Some of the lines of Anne’s character in one scene in Episode 8 after her experience at Aunt Josephines party are,

Remember when I wanted to be a bride but not a wife. I think I need to reimagine the whole marriage wedding thing. Well it isn’t just about one brief shining moment in white or saying I do. And I’m not going to give myself over to someone and be a pretty-ish piece of property without a voice or ambition. We will be equals and partners, not just husband and wife. And neither one should have to abandon their hearts desire. I’ve come up with a new name for both parties together because I believe that they should be named the same. Life-mate. Instead of a marriage I shall call it a love bond and any two people can have one.

Episodes 7 through 10 are so intricately woven together with this agenda focus in the threads of racial bigotry, gender inequality, and the self-sacrifice of brother and sister Marilla and Matthew who remained unmarried together in their childhood home in order to keep the farm alive, that even I found myself almost wanting to cheer on Aunt Josephine and applaud Anne’s reasoning.

“the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Do your children know the truth of Scripture? Are you feeding your children true food and true drink on a daily basis? Please do not think that an hour or two or three on Sunday and another on Wednesday and even a week of summer church camp added to that will be enough truth to sustain your child for the days ahead. Do not be deceived.

Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13)

Please Christian parents, if you have not started the conversation with your children about homosexuality and how to deal with it in both truth and love, then start now. The world has most definitely started the conversation with them and will be glad to let them know how they think they should feel about it… and will use other children to do so. What I found the saddest in Episodes 7-10 is how this series used a young boy with great artistic ability and sincere genuineness to set him up to be the “gay kid.” As though to say that if these qualities and traits are yours as a boy (or girl as seen at Aunt Josephine’s party) then that difference means you are inclined to be gay. Very sad. Very, very, sad to place that label on the sensitive eye and creative artistic ability.

Might I recommend, Gay Girl Good God by Jackie Hill Perry.

I believe reading this book could possibility help us with the conversation on how to deal with this topic with both truth and love. I have not read it yet, but I do know Jackie’s story and I believe from what I know of her, this would be a good book to gain some insight into the world of homosexuality. We can’t ignore it and just say, “Hey, it’s wrong. Homosexuals go to hell.” Because, well, so do, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, swindlers (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), and the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, immoral persons, sorcerers and all liars (Revelation 21:8). 

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). We all need Jesus to be saved from hell. It doesn’t matter what your temptation or sin inclination might be… apart from Christ we will die and perish.

We also cannot make any one believe. If Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, standing right in front of people could not convince  some, then let us not be shocked over disbelief. Yet, also let us not be guilty of condemning someone to hell over a moment of time that we have had with them either. We do not know where they are on their journey or where they have been or what they have been through. We never know the work that the Spirit of God is doing in someone’s heart. As long as they have breath there is hope, SO BE KIND.

All this to say, Parents here is your heads up. The Netflix series, Anne with an E, is not the Anne of Green Gables that you grew up watching. So be prepared, but not shocked. This is the world that our kids and grandkids are growing up in and are being called by God to be an ambassador to (Acts 17:26, 2 Corinthians 5:20, Ephesians 6:20). Therefore, let us get them ready to stand firm and serve Jesus, their Lord and Savior, and the world’s.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16