Roxy surfer girl on beaches

When Quick silver decided to start a women clothing and apparel line in 1990, it was a gutsy move. The surf market has always been a fickle one. And female surfers, despite their achievements in and out of the water, had not drummed up nearly as much the notoriety nor the community that male surfers had long enjoyed.

The new millennium has brought an exciting and eclectic evolution of Roxy, with a full line of snowboard introduced in 2003, produced in partnership with industry innovator Mervin Manufacturing; Luna Bay, a Roxy Girl Series, seven young adult fiction novels also released in 2003; a new toddlers’ line in stores Spring of 2005; a soon-to-be-debuted fragrance line; and the imminent arrival of Roxy Ski, a line of skis and boots produced in partnership with Rossignol Dynastar brand.

Strong retail presence is key to a strong brand, and Roxy retail stores were the perfect opportunity to showcase the Roxy clothing and Roxy life styles. The first freestanding Roxy store was opened in Hawaii in 1997, and another store followed in 2000 in Southern California’s South Coast Plaza. The Roxy retail chain now features stores all over the world, offering a taste of the Roxy clothing and Roxy surf life style to girls everywhere. Roxy is now a $400 million clothing and lifestyle brand, offering clothing and products for every aspect of the active girl’s life. From handbags to henleys, wetsuits to tide watches, the key ingredient of Roxy products is that inimitable Roxy spirit. Daring, confident, naturally beautiful, fun, alive: Roxy.

Soul Surfer Bikinis in Hawaii beach

Though much of the acting was mediocre, the entire rescue scene was very well done and was, in my opinion, the best part of the movies. I had to remind myself that Bethany was going to live.Again, two Scripture verses are mentioned in the movie. The first verse was quoted by the youth pastor before the attack, and the second verse is mentioned by Bethany’s father. While Bethany lay recovering in the hospital after the accident, she asks her father when she can surf again. He encourages her with Philippian. However, it worth mentioning that he quotes a Bible version that uses “Him” instead of “Christ.” He smiles at Bethany and says, “You can do all things through Him who gives you strength.” During her first attempt to compete after the accident, Bethany wipes out and has to be pulled to shore. She tells her father, “I can’t do this anymore.” She seems to be quitting surfing for good, as she give her surf boards away to some little girl who ask for her autograph. Her father is upset by her decision; however, her mother seems relieved, wanting Bethany to realize that there is more to life than surfing.Bethany winds up going on another mission trip with her youth groups. As she sees the terrible suffering of tsunami victims in Southeast Asia, she appear to begin to see beyond herself. One woman tearfully describes to Bethany what her village has been through and how she’s lost everything. Bethany gets choked up and walks away from the scene. Her youth pastor tells her, “Don’t be sorry for compassion – it can move you to do amazing things.”

It seems Bethany is beginning to understand that “surfing is not the most important thing in the world.” But, when she gets home, she decides to surf again; presumably, after reading letters from those who have been inspired by her example, she wants to inspire the handicapped, or those who have been through difficult trials. However, in the movie, the message seems to be if she can do it, so can they, rather than directing them to the Source of her strength, a relationship with Her Savior. At this point, if the movie was intended to show Bethany Christian faith, it would have been easy to make clear. Perhaps quoting another Bible verse would have been appropriate: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong”. While one could certainly get caught up in the emotional drama of this powerful story, we need to try to evaluate the “film” for what it is, which is simply a Hollywood movie “based on a true story.” Soul Surfer was certainly “inspiring,” in the same way other “tragedy to triumph” stories are inspiring (see Ice Castles); but, it was not the Christian faith-builder it’s been promoted to be.

While Soul Surfer pointed to family, kindness, and determination, it did not point to Jesus. There was no Gospel or redemptive message in the movies. For the record, I don’t think a movie has to be produced by Christian, or be about Christians, to glorify God. At the same time, I think it can be produced by Christians, even be about Christians, and still fail to glorify God. A secular movie review I read didn’t seem to even realize there wassupposed to be a “Christian message,” and acknowledged what so many Christian are failing to see, that Soul Surfer has the typical “athlete-overcomes-obstacle story line.” If the secular crowd doesn’t even notice or acknowledge a Christian message, then how exactly is Jesus getting the glory? Regardless of Bethany Hamilton’s true life and testimony, the movie depicts a determined young girl, with a supportive family and friends, who refuses to give up her dream of surfing. I saw only brief nods to Christianity, even during deeply emotional scenes. Except for Bethany’s faint cry for help from Jesus as she is losing blood and being raced to the hospital, no one ever prays or speak of Christ. The only other prayer that takes place in the movie is when the Hamilton family says grace before a meal. At the end of the movie, when asked by a reporter if she wished now that she had never gone surfing that day, I’m not sure what I expected Bethany to say. But with all the hype about the movie being a powerful Christian testimony, I guess I expected something distinctly…well, Christian. What Bethany said could have been said by a girl of any religion, “I can embrace more people with one arm than I ever could with two.” It seems, too often, Hollywood uses Christians for free marketing. If they can produce a movie that shows enough flesh to sell in the secular market, all they have to do convince the Christians that it has a godly message and we’ll find a way to excuse the immodesty

First, they will need a good moving story (we Christians like to cry…thinking like a movie promoter here). If they can find a story where someone does an amazing good deed, or an athlete (we love our sports too) becomes a hero by overcoming some huge obstacle especially if it’s true they have hit the jackpot. Now all they have to do is throw us a few bones to make it “Christian” enough for us to tell our friends and buy the tickets.In the case of Soul Surfer, all they needed were two verses, a female youth pastor, a worship song, and the flash of a Bible. Throw in a deeply moving (true) story about a sweet Christian girl who pulls herself up by her bootstraps (or bikini straps) and we’re hooked. I don’t believe that Scripture has to be used in a film in order for God to be glorified. I also don’t think a movie has to present the Gospel, talk about Jesus, or be about a Christian family. However, Christian groups seem to use the fact that Hollywood threw us a few bones in Soul Surfer as a reason for calling it a Christian film and using it as a ministry tool.

Guest Post: Soul Surfer, Beaches,Bikinis and Bibles

Soul Surfer, the popular new movie produced by secular group tri star Pictures, is all the rage now a dayes. Heavily marketed to Christians, the film tells the dramatic story of 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton (played by 17-year-old AnnaSophia Rob), a Christian teen surfer in Hawaii who lost her arm in 2003 after a shark attacks. Soul Surfer demonstrates Bethany’s courageous journey back into his daily life, particularly surfing the waves she desperately love. While the film makes it clear that Bethany is a Christian, the story seems to focus most heavily on her strong will, and conclusion and passion for surfing. As an example, arriving late for a seaside church service, Bethany throws a cover-up over her wet bikini, and takes a seat. As family and friends finish singing “Blessed Be Your Name,” Bethany continues to gaze out over the ocean, seeming to long for the wave. One of the first questions she asks her father after the accident is, -When can I surf again?

In a day when the dysfunctional family is portrayed in movie and television as “the norm,” the Hamilton’s close-knit, loving family is refreshing. However, Bethany displays character issues that, for the most part, seem to go unaddressed by her parents. After breaking her commitment to go on a mission trip, so that she can train for a surfing competition, Bethany complains to her mother that her youth pastor is trying to make her feel guilty for not going. Her mother’s expression shows some disapproval; however, rather than discuss with Bethany the problem with broken promises, she tells the young teen, “It’s your call.” All children sin, so, we should expect to see sin dealt with in the story of any “real” family. But I have to wonder if the movie accurately portrayed Bethany real interaction with her parents. Bethany and her best friend, Alana, dressed only in skimpy bikinis, sneak out one night while the family is sleeping to attends a beach party where there is lots of partying, older boys, music, bikinis, moonlight, and midnight firework.

Bethany’s mom asks her daughter why she didn’t just ask. Dad, seeming to side with Bethany, walks by and casually says, “Because she knew you’d say no.” Bethany questions her mother, “Would you have let me go?” Mom falters, “No…I don’t know.” The lack of fatherly protection from Bethany’s Christian dad, as portrayed in this scene, is disappointing, giving the impression that “cool” parents are hands-off in their approach toward their teenage children.
Even though Bethany is only 13 years old, we see no repercussions from this incident; instead, everyone heads out the door with a cheerful kiss and good byeee. There is no discussion of danger, no talk of deception, no rebuke, and no consequence.The immodesty throughout the film is significant, as nearly the entire movie takes place on the beach where most of the women wear skimpy swimwear and the men go shirtles. The surfing scenes are particularly problematic as bikini-clad surfers are filmed curving around the waves from various compromising angles.Though there are no “sex scenes,” the nearly constant display of beautiful, tan, near-naked young Hollywood actresses still make sex an issue. If a man would find it difficult not to lust sitting at a crowded beach watching beautiful women in bikinis walk by, then he will probably have a hard time with this movie.

It is important to recognize that we live in a sex-saturated culture. Many men, Christian men, struggle daily with internet pornography. For instance, Promise Keepers conducted a survey after one of their stadium events, and one of the most troubling discoveries was that over 50% of the men in attendance admitted to being involved with pornography within one week after attending the event. Many men and boys (and some women), even those without pornography issues, may find this movie a stumbling block. In one scene, Bethany best friend, Alana Blanchard (played by 20-year-old Lorraine Nicholson), poses in a string bikini for a photo shoot, something Bethany was scheduled to be involved in too, before the accident. Alana strikes various sultry poses, as the male photographers snaps pictures of her with her surf board, telling her how beautiful she is. A group of admiring teen boys stands in the sidelines watching, offering cat calls, which Alana seems to welcome. Afterward, she changes her bikini on the beach behind a couples of towels held up by friends, while the young men look on.

After the accident, Bethany has to learn to do everything with only one arm. One brief scene shows her from behind, with a close-up of her bare back, struggling to tie her bikini. While this surely shows one of the many new struggles in her life, was it really necessary to portray her challenges in this way? Does anyone wonder if this might be problematic for just about any boy or man watching?At youth group, Bethany’s youth pastor tries to encourage the kids by quoting Jeremiah 29:11 (one of only two Scripture verses mentioned in the movie). She uses the NIV version, which says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Bethany seems to grasps this message. Bethany’s life appears to be going just the way she wants: Sunshine, surfing, and good times with friends and family. “Can you believe we get to do this every day?” Then tragedy strikes. As a mother, my heart sunk the terrible moment Bethany was attacked by the shark. I felt the panic when Bethany’s mother dropped the phone on the ground and raced to get to the hospital. I experienced her father’s pain when he heard the news that it was in fact his daughter who had been attacked by a shark. I suffered the crushing fear as the emergency room doors shut on Bethany’s mother and family as doctors scrambled to save Bethany’s life.