Throughout most of our childhoods, our tiny curious minds observe what is around us and analyze it without even really noticing what we are doing at the moment. Throughout my life, I have picked up on many symbols of Christianity through Disney stories and their meanings and have really grown to appreciate the similarities and symbolisms within. Have you ever noticed Christian values in your favorite childhood books and movies? Well, the Walt Disney company sure seems to do it! Here are a few parallels within Disney movies with similarities to Christianity and The Gospel.
Peter Pan
"Think of all the joy you'll find when you leave the world behind and bid your cares goodbye!"
-"You Can Fly!" from Peter Pan
This quote has everything to do with staying away from sin and worldliness.
Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
You find such joy whenever you abandon all your worldly sin and embrace yourself to your Savior and His ways.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
It is extremely difficult to do this because we are constantly surrounded by the devil and his temptations within the world constantly. However, once you breakthrough, you find true joy living with a full focus on the Lord. The line of the song where it states to “bid your cares goodbye,” is a great example of handing your worries, anxieties, and stress over to God. Here are just a few scriptures about laying your burdens to the Lord.
Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Matthew 11:28-30 says,“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jiminy Cricket as The Holy Spirit
Jimmy Cricket from Pinnochio reminds me constantly of the Holy Spirit. Jiminy is Pinnochio’s “conscience,” however, I have always found in my interpretation that whenever people refer to their conscience, they are referring to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit stays with you throughout your life and throughout the atmospheres you put yourself into on a daily basis.Whenever you are in a place that is breaking your relationship with God, your Holy Spirit speaks up and makes you uncomfortable in that situation. Your Holy Spirit is your ultimate accountability partner and Jiminy is a representation of this for Pinnochio. Whenever Pinnochio starts getting himself into trouble, (which distances you from Jesus and cripples your relationship with him) Jiminy holds him accountable for what he is doing and keeps him in line. Jimmy is Pinnochio’s “right-hand man” who always has the best in mind for him and knows the greater good like our omniscient God does. His ultimate goal is friendship and companionship with Pinocchio and he wants the best for him constantly, just like the Lord does with us. Jiminy Cricket says to "always let your conscience be your guide." Jimmy never gives up on Pinnochio and is always there for him, no matter how much trouble Pinnochio gets into.
Romans 8:5-6 says, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Simba in The Lion King as The Prodigal Son
In The Lion King, Simba is a privileged lion cub who is very carefree and “just can’t wait to be king.” For example, in part of the song “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” Simba sings, “No one saying do this, no one saying be there, no one saying stop that, no one saying see here. Free to run around all day, free to do it all my way!” Simba runs away from Pride Rock at a young age and starts living the “Hakuna Matata” lifestyle with no worries and does what he wishes in this phase. Simba is similar to The Prodigal Son because he lives a lavish lifestyle with no appreciation and then runs off to continue his irresponsible behaviors.
Luke 15:13-14 says, "Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need."
After a call to return home, Simba decides to confront his problems at Pride Rock and finally become King despite his father, Mufasa, no longer being alive to embrace him for his return, like the theological parable in Luke 15.
Fairy Godmother as a Guardian Angel
In Cinderella’s story, she is an enslaved step-daughter who is treated unfairly by her stepmother and two evil stepsisters after her father dies. In preparation for a royal ball, Cinderella finishes all her chores in order to attend that evening. After beating the odds by finishing all her chores and getting ready, her evil step-sisters become angry and rip apart her dress that she made just earlier that day with her help of her animal friends. After the stepfamily leaves for the ball, Cinderella goes into the garden to cry alone with herself when suddenly her Fairy Godmother appears to her rescue.
Psalm 91:11 says, "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."
She provides her with a carriage, coachmen, and a beautiful new dress and glass slippers to attend the ball. This is extremely similar to Peter being set free by an angel of the Lord in Acts 12.
“The night before Herod was going to bring him out to the people, Peter was sleeping between two guards. He was tied with two chains, and there were guards on duty at the prison gate. Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter by the shoulder, woke him up, and said, ‘Hurry! Get up!’ At once the chains fell off of Peter’s hands. Then the angel said, ‘Tighten your belt and put on your sandals.’ Peter did so, and the angel said, ‘Put your cloak around you and come with me.’” -Acts 12:6-8
The angel of the Lord even helps Peter dress as does the Fairy Godmother with Cinderella. Before Cinderella leaves, her Fairy Godmother even says, “Bless you, my child.”
Rapunzel Bringing Flynn Rider to Life as Jesus Did for Lazarus
Towards the end of the movie Tangled, Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, and Mother Gothel have an altercation in the tower resulting in Mother Gothel’s death and also the death of Flynn Rider, who Rapunzel loves dearly. Rapunzel has magical golden hair with healing powers whenever she sings, “Flower gleam and glow…” However, just before Flynn dies, he chops off her magical hair. Rapunzel loves Flynn so much that she uses her tear, unknown to her to have healing powers at the time, for the healing and resurrection of Flynn. This is similar to the death of Lazarus and Jesus bringing him back to life in John 11.
In John 11, Jesus learns that his dear friend and follower, Lazarus, is sick. Lazarus has been dead for four days before Jesus goes to visit Bethany (where Lazarus lived). Whenever He arrived, He told Lazarus’s sister, Martha,
“Your brother will rise to life … I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” -John 11:23-26
Jesus then goes to the tomb of Lazarus and tells the people to take the stone away.
“After he had said this, he called out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out! He came out, his hands and feet wrapped in grave cloths, and with a cloth around his face. ‘Untie him,’ Jesus told him, ‘and let him go.’” -John 11:43-44
Elsa and Anna as Christ and Sinner
In the movie Frozen, Elsa and Anna represent Christ and the Sinner. In this case, Anna represents Christ and Elsa represents the Sinner. Elsa and Anna have an extremely affectionate and close sister-sister relationship. However, Elsa begins to develop powers which make her stray away from Anna and constantly shut her out of her life. She becomes distant and isolate and then actually runs away from their kingdom of Arendelle to build her own castle to live in seclusion from all of her relationships. Anna loves her sister so much that throughout the movie she never stops pursuing her. She constantly asks Elsa to come out and play in their childhood years and even whenever Elsa runs away when they are grown, Anna goes out into the dangerous wilderness to find her sister and save her. Christ does this with us each and every day. One example of Christ's pursuit of us is the Parable of the Lost Sheep.
Jesus told them this parable:“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shouldersand goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. -Luke 15:3-7
He is always pursuing a relationship with his children no matter how “badly” we have “messed up” or abandoned him. Some great pieces of scripture about the Lord pursuing His relationship with us are...
"We love because he first loved us." -1 John 4:19.
"You did not choose me, but I chose you." -John 15:16
"How precious are your thoughts about me, - O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" -Psalm 139:17-18
At the end of the movie, Anna sacrifices herself for Elsa out of an act of true love, even though Elsa has strayed from her all her life. How similar is this to Jesus sacrificing himself because He loves us and wanted to save us? This sacrificial act also saves Elsa in the movie. Then, Anna is resurrected to live out life with her now-saved sister in the Kingdom of Arendelle with the "gates open". Could this be referencing the Kingdom and Gates of Heaven? You decide.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. -1 John 4:10
