Pamela's Prayer

I got this movie for my 15th birthday and at first I liked it. While I agree that this movie is teaching young girls and young audiences to stay pure until marriage I disagree with the fact that the father wanted his daughter to marry a man who had never kissed a girl, because what if at one point a man who had once been with and kissed a lot of women later came to faith in Jesus Christ and decided to date/marry a Christian girl? What if it was God's will that a man who had a lot of women in his life who later became a Christian should date a Christian girl and marry her? And there's nothing wrong with kissing before marriage. As long as you don't go overboard you're fine.

Well, it does display good Christian values, and strict ones by today's standards. It's very reminiscent of "Leave it to Beaver", only on a Christian scale. Believers from Independent Fundamentalist Baptist churches and those of like faith and practice will *love* this movie for the message that it delivers, even if the acting and storyline aren't very well done.

On the other hand, I think most people will think it is extremely corny, especially the more "church hardened" youth. (But frankly I was surprised at the relatively positive response given by the youth of a camp for kids that I viewed it with this weekend. These were unchurched kids, many of whom live in tough situations and with tough backgrounds, so maybe *I* am the more hardened one!) One value that was central to the film was the idea that one doesn't kiss until the pastor says, "You may now kiss your bride." To me, most people will find that idealistic at best and Pharisaic extra-Biblicalism at worst.

The bottom line: It's a somewhat cheesy movie with legalistic leanings. But some folks will love that!

The reviewers are right... The message of this movie are not only wrong but deleterious to our young teenagers concerning their faith.

There is an age old rule, no one became pregnant by refusing to take the first kiss.

Although the idea of no kissing is valuable it is NOT biblical. In fact, the Bible talks about Isaac the son of Abraham kissing his wife the moment he saw her! He did not wait to talk to her father, he saw her in the field and kissed her on the spot. (Talk about intimate). We have a dying world out their and Christians are wasting their time making movies about something that isn't even biblical.

The message of this movie on a broad scale is the stay pure and obey your parents. Of course that is a great and wonderful message. But the idea that the Father of the house must make all your choices for you and pick your husband as well is crippling. The daughter should have had a sound view of doctrine on her own and come to her own conclusion. Is obedience important? Yes yes yes, but this insanely radical movie will do nothing to teach that lesson... it will stroke the legalist's ideals while incensing the rest of the world and perhaps severely damaging the chance of soul winning.

As a teenage girl I read my bible and came up with my own conclusions. I learned that purity was important, not because I wanted to please my future husband or my father but because I as an individual and a woman was too valuable to allow myself to be used for others pleasure. Why can't we make movies that empower Christian females not teach them subservience? Esther didn't sit on her bed waiting for her husbands instructions, she grew some gumption and saved a nation. Thats what we need in the Christian film industry and that is what will win souls.

It's been about a decade since I've seen this movie but I would never recommend it for anyone. I to found the acting and costumes awful, the dad creepy beyond belief and the entire basis of the movie which seemed to suggest that kissing automatically means loss of purity. Maybe not now but watch out! I felt that the message they were trying to get out was being handled very simplistically and even thoughtlessly. The entire thing seemed like a study in manipulation not careful decision making. Also I have to say that when I was given this movie it was done with much the same air that it was made in. My decision concerning this topic was made long before I even new what virginity was. I made it for myself after being empowered to do so by the same person that much later gave me the movie. If only they had realized that a few well placed words kept simple and empowering, said by someone who obviously was looking back with regret and trying to inspire me to reach for more had a far lasting affect that some creepy cheesy movie. When a woman knows who she is and that she has power to choose that makes all the difference in the world. A real father protects his daughter by inspiring her to dream and to value herself and others not by scaring or manipulating her.

I don't doubt that this film appeals to a Christian audience, but even for a Christian film, it's idealistic and naive.

However, it makes for great riff-fodder. This film has taught us a number of things:

1) A guy only needs to say "Prove you love me" to get a Christian chick in the sack 2) Dating is the gateway to all evil...until you graduate. 3) Why have your own social activities, when you can benefit from the social network of your father's workplace? 4) You can't forget to pray with your father before you have sex on your wedding night...you just can't. 5) Always ask for the promotion BEFORE you ask if you can drive your boss's daughter to a remote area out of nowhere, right after she's hit the big 1-8