Guest Post: The train wreck that is TRAINWRECK

Okay, let's have a real chat about this movie that critics say is "taking over the summer". The movie with a very fitting title, "Trainwreck". The movie is about Amy, a woman whose parents divorced when she was young. Ever since her parents' separation, she has the idea in her mind that "monogamy isn't realistic". She, in her adult life, has had casual sex with many partners and hasn't really tried to be in a committed relationship. She meets this doctor and she finds herself falling for him. However, she has a difficult time deciding if a loving relationship is worth leaving her a life of casual sex.

After watching the trailer and some previews for the movie, I felt really grossed out. One of the more, for lack of a better word, memorable moments of the videos was the day after Amy had sex with the doctor. She is sitting with her friend, and when he calls her for some reason, Amy and her friend are weirded out. Because, apparently, when you have sex with someone, it's totally not okay for him, or her, to call you the next day and ask to see you again. Weird. That's so weird. Amy's friend even tells her that she should call the police.

Another moment that stands out is when Amy is talking to someone else about her new love interest, and she says that she's not really sure about him. Not because of his interests, or personality, but because the sex isn't the best she's ever had. Because that's what really matters in a relationship.

Watching the previews for Trainwreck has actually made me feel really sad about our society, and how comfortable we are with a warped view of sex and intimacy. It's not just sex, but sex with whomever, whenever, and for whatever reason, commitment not required. Ladies, I think that society tells us that we can do whatever we want with our bodies, because it's empowering to feel sexy and have all these sexual partners and be experienced. There is this need and pressure to erase the double standard that sexually active men are studs and so great, but sexually active women are sluts, or trashy. While there is undeniably a double standard regarding the sexual habits of men and women,  this isn't the way to eliminate it. Both men and women need to exercise modesty and chastity. That's the best way to create equality between men and women.

Personally, I don't like the message that this movie is putting out there. There is this message that you can just sleep with whomever you want without there being any negative consequences. This frivolity harms more people than you may think. First, let's talk about your responsibility to yourself. You don't need to have sex with a bunch of other people to be wanted. There's already a really awesome guy who wants you: Jesus (and you can't go wrong with Him). Make that relationship work, and I guarantee that you won't feel the need to fill that void with anything the world has to offer, including multiple sexual partners. The second responsibility you have is to your future spouse. There will come a time when you'll have to have the talk. The talk about your experience. Do you really want to say, "Oh, I've slept with fifteen different men, and it never meant a thing"? Would you want to hear the man you hope to marry say that to you? Ladies and gents, as a communal people, we have a responsibility to care for and love one another. Use by means of "no-strings-attached" sex is neither caring nor loving, and though it may seem like a victim-less act, there is more to the world than just ourselves.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that movies like this, movies like Magic Mike and Fifty Shades of Grey have really distorted sex. Sex is supposed to be a union that happens between two people who love each other so much that they literally want to give up their sense of self and become one with the other. These "romance" movies have tainted that. Chastity is not simply abstaining from sex, rather it is an appropriate expression of the sexual desires that are natural for humanity. Chastity is ultimately an expression of true, real love. These movies have destroyed that, and we have to take it back.

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Alexis Watson is a sophomore at Mount Saint Mary's University. She has a blogs at Beautifully Biracial where she talks about not only fashion and makeup, but life and what her childhood was like growing up as a biracial girl. She is very excited to be sharing one of her posts of Cloudy with a Chance of Catholic and hopes you like what she has to say! Thank you!

Guest Post - - - No, I'm Not Jewish: Why I Have a Star of David Tattoo Anyway

image via Tori Long

I am often asked if I have a Star of David tattoo because I'm Jewish, and the obvious answer (to readers, I hope) is that I am not Jewish, I am Catholic. So, why  the tattoo? Well, my sweet friend Katie asked me to write something up about my Star of David tattoo for her blog, and I've offered an explanation for my tattoo here.

"Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope." Psalm 119:49

Psalm 119 names for itself no author, but it has almost universally been taken to be a Psalm of David. And appropriately so; it is written according to his style, and the vividness and brutal honesty of verse 49 render a sharpness typical of David's writing. David was no stranger to desperation, but he was also no stranger to the help and love of God. David is among the most well-known rulers in human history, and he was a mighty king indeed. But, with the exception of his many lapses in judgment and his stumbling into sin, David would hardly consider his success his own. He knew where the power behind his reign truly was, and he in turn knew where praise and thanksgiving were due.

David was a man of simple beginnings, a shepherd boy whose own father was shocked that he would be chosen by God for great things. Perhaps the most popular story which animates for us David's simplicity is the story of David and Goliath. We all know this one: David, a young boy, masterfully fought Goliath, a huge man, with a sling and some stones before dealing him a final blow with the man's own sword, which David used to cut off his head. David's simplicity is always matched with God's sovereignty (in this case, over the Philistines and therefore over the fate of His people Israel).

This is the David I think of when I look at my Star of David tattoo. Not necessarily the David who cut off a man's head with the man's own sword, but the David who unexpectedly stood as a man of victory against his enemies with God's help, against all odds; the David whose greatest enemy was ultimately himself.

See, like David, I'm a sinner. A miserable, wretched, awful sinner. God has given me so much, and sometimes, like David in the story of Bathsheba, I see something else I want, I take it, and deal out some collateral damage along the way to clean up the mess I've made.

Thankfully, David's God is my God. This God of great mercies who makes promises and keeps them even when we fail to keep our covenant with Him calls me His own, His daughter, His beloved. This Savior of mine who is so mighty in word and deed is the very promise God kept to David in the flesh; the promise to bring a great ruler from David's line. And this heir to David's throne is the king and keeper of my heart, who loves me and keeps His promises to me even when I fail.

And how can I be surprised when He does? He is the fulfillment of the promise to His servant David, whom He loved tirelessly through good times and bad times and worse times.

A few people have asked me why I didn't get a cross tattoo if I wanted a tattoo to remind me that "God is faithful to me even when I'm not faithful to Him," and the simplest answer I can give is "because I want to remember the promise that was fulfilled in the cross."

David is my favorite person in the Old Testament, without a doubt. I trust sincerely that he prays for me and pleads on my behalf.

And I know, from his example -- which was not always an extraordinary example, but is special to me precisely because it was often an example of wretchedness and failure -- that God is a God who keeps His promises, no matter what.

And I need a permanent reminder.

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Tori Long is a proud Catholic and feminist whose hobbies include reading, cuddling kitty cats, and smashing the patriarchy right in its face. She is a pro-life activist, theology student, and is otherwise known as the Pink-Haired Papist. Her own blog can be found at: pinkhairedpapist.blogspot.com 

The Prostitute Who Never Was.

Today was the feast day of one of my favorite saints, St. Mary Magdalene. Not a whole lot is known for sure about Mary, but a lot is assumed. She is often times thought to be the woman who Christ saved from being stoned, a prostitute, or the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her hair and tears. There are only a few things that are known for certain: Jesus drove SEVEN (!!!) demons out of her, she stood at the foot of the cross during His passion, and she was the first person Christ

revealed Himself to after His resurrection. Although this isn't a lot to go off of, this speaks volumes about the type of person Mary was and the love and relationship between her and her Savior.

Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out. (Luke 8:2)

Demonic possession is no joke. You read stories about it today, and the Church still teaches that the demonic is never to be toyed with. Poor Mary. Can you imagine being plagued by such evil? For me, I imagine she must have felt what I often feel like when I'm in a depressive state. Empty, yet controlled by something that is not myself. Scared, broken. People probably thought she was crazy, and parents probably pointed her out to their children and told them to stay away. Her humanity was taken from her. But then, a man, an ordinary looking man reaches out to her, and he heals her, restores her humanity.

He set her free.

Whatever is on your heart, whatever you think you will never shake, give it to Jesus. He masters demons and sends them back to hell, as shown in the Gospel of Luke through the example of Mary Magdalene (the boss).

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25)

After being freed by Christ, Mary recognized His power and became a dedicated disciple. When all His friends ran and denied knowing Him, she stayed. She watched as the man who saved her life was
brutally killed before her eyes. She showed her faithfulness and gratitude for the great things He had done for her by waiting with Him.

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him... Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. (Matthew 16:1,9) 

Even when all seemed lost, Mary continued to show her faithfulness to her Lord by tending to his body. And Christ showed His love and respect for her by appearing to her, and asking her to spread the news to the rest of the disciples. And she did.

Mary was so in love with Christ that death couldn't take that love away. And when hope and love returned... she ran to spread the amazing news.

Mary's story is one of healing and redemption, one which can fit into our own lives. No matter what ails us, or what false god we turn to, Christ wants us, just the way we are. He wants to hurt with us, and rejoice with us. To bring healing after hurt, and light in the darkness.

Only one question remains: will you let Him into your heart so He can transform you? 

Guest Post: Magic Mike Review

Katie’s post about Magic Mike caused me to recollect when I too saw the movie back in senior year of high school with a few friends. Up until this point, a majority of the movies my friends and I saw together were horror films, which are not always my favorite. Needless to say, I was happy to get a break from demons and enjoy abs instead. However, Magic Mike (as Katie pointed out) is not only spiritually compromising, but is just plain bad as a piece of cinema. I apologize in advance if my arguments are not the most convincing as I have not seen the movie since this one viewing, but here we go.

I don’t doubt that director Steven Soderbergh had a vision for the film. That goal might have been to highlight the struggles all humans face, regardless of occupation and encourage the audience not to judge a book by its cover. I would have respected this vision as it makes an attempt to rise above the film it was expected to be: a campy, so-bad-it’s-good stripper extravaganza. However, when one looks at the advertising campaign leading up to the movie, it seems like the studio chose the camp vision in order to lure women into buying tickets (it worked). A majority of the scenes used in TV spots were those of the dance routines, with taglines that stated, “Grab your girls, grab some cash, and grab a six pack.” My favorite one is, “Tell your boyfriend you’re going to book club.” This advertising spread the idea that this film is just pure half-naked entertainment. However, the film tried to combat these expectations by trying to slyly pepper in some dramatic subplots. The titular Mike only strips out of necessity; his real passion is to open a custom furniture building business. The wayward youngster of the group, Adam, gets swept up in the stripper lifestyle and, consequently, dealing/using drugs. These dramatic backstories are so forced, they’re eye roll-inducing.

Dramatic comedies are not something new; they are not impossible to make. Where Magic Mike suffers is in the disconnect between the comical and the dramatic. It’s as if 2 different movies were filmed and were then glued together. The problem is, the glue never dried. The comedy of Matt Bomer’s character’s “Ken-doll-comes-to-life” stripper routine juxtaposed with Adam selling ecstasy to clients feels incredibly disorienting. This movie wanted the best of both worlds, but much like Hannah Montana discovered, it proved to be a challenge.

Listen, if the movie wanted to be a challenging portrait of the stripper lifestyle and its politics, fine. Just PLEASE be up front about your movies Hollywood! Don’t advertise one thing and then deliver another. Second, if your source material comes with certain connotations, decide how you want to approach it. You cannot always please everyone. Even Hannah Montana had to eventually retire the wig.

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Rosalyn is a soon-to-be 21 year old senior at Mount St. Mary's University. She enjoys comparing herself to Jo March and Elizabeth Bennett because like them, Rosalyn is the 2nd oldest in a daughter-only brood. Her biggest goals are to do something she loves after graduation and to one day return to Prague.

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Sometimes I Fall Down.

I've been quite honest about my struggle with pornography and masturbation, but I've never been quite honest about my struggle. I've always alluded to the problem, but never really elaborated.

Don't worry, I'm not going to go into the graphic details. But I'm going to say something that I really don't want to admit.

Guys, this struggle is really hard, and sometimes I think there's no hope for me to stop. Just when I think I'm on the right track, I fall. Or I fall, and fall, and fall, and fall and wonder if there's such thing as "the right track".

It sucks. Lately I've been doing better, or at least trying to be nicer and more forgiving to myself.

I've gone a week without sinning, but recently gave into temptation once again. As soon as it launched, I downloaded the Victory app, which helps you keep track of your struggle as you fight the battle. Friends, it's amazing. It allows you to do three daily check-ins, and examines triggers. There's also a little book written by Matt Fradd and Jason Evert you can get. I've been trying to keep track daily,

My sister has been amazing. I recently came clean about my struggles, and she has been so supportive in helping me fight temptation. We talked about my triggers, and she's actually been taking my phone at night so I don't have it in bed. It's rough not having an alarm, but I'm planning on getting this one tomorrow. Going old school. I'm hoping that this habit will be something I'll be able to continue with one of my suitemates once I get back to school.

Before going to sleep, I try to do some reading. I made it a goal of mine to read the entirety of the Catechism, so I've been reading a few paragraphs of it each night. In addition, I'm reading Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and Meet Your Mother by Mark Miravalle (my sister's favorite professor).

Finally, when I get in bed, I begin to pray the rosary. Sometimes I fall asleep while praying, but on the nights I pray this incredible prayer, I rarely sin, if ever.

If you're struggling, I recommend reading Matt Fradd's incredible book, Delivered as well as downloading the Victory app (link above).

Please pray for me, and know of my prayers for you. Friends, we were made for so much more than this. But, know that our struggles only make us stronger, and that we are fighting the good fight.

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you  be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. - Colossians 1:11-12

Keep going.

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