Guardians of the Galaxy and Chastity? [Spoilers]

When considering a pure chaste movie to watch Guardians of the Galaxy is most likely not your first pick. However, I found there to be quite a good message about chastity hidden among these galaxies.

The movie starts off with Peter Quill aka Star Lord as an adult soon after showing him as a child being abducted by aliens right after his mother's death. After a very entertaining introduction escapade, we find Star Lord escaping in his ship with a young pink girl. The joke is he doesn't remember her name, although she is wearing an old comfy pj looking tee-shirt indicating she slept on the ship the night before.

Throughout the movie there are several other mentions of other women whom Star Lord has had one night stands with. So we get a very clear picture that he uses woman and either forgets them or is never satisfied and thus is always seeking but never finding a woman he actually loves.

Having lost his mother at a very young age, never known his father, and been raised by aliens criminals, it is not really surprising that he does not have the best moral character.

Gamora, the leading lady shows up early on in the movie. Beautiful, likes to fight, has green skin, what's not to love? Of course Star Lord has a weak spot for her just like he has for every single women he has ever met in his adult life as far as we can tell.

It doesn't take long before Peter attempts to kiss her. Her response is, "I know who you are, Peter Quill, and I am not some starry-eyed waif here to succumb to your... your pelvic sorcery!" I love this response because it's funny, but more importantly because Gamora stands up for her dignity as a woman. Yes, it was only a kiss, but she has only known him a few days at most, which is far too soon to be kissing. Also, she obviously knows about his playboy reputation and she doesn't want to be a part of it.

This response undoubtedly comes as a surprise to Peter because the movie implies women just give into him all the time. Turning him down did not quench his desire for her, in fact it did something much better; shortly after this scene comes Peter's life changing moment, when he decides to risk saving Gamora's life at the potential cost of his own. His lust for her is transformed into real love. Real love is characterized by desiring what is best for the other with no regard for one's self.

These two moments, Gamora's rejection of Peter's lust and Peter showing real love is a very condensed over dramatic version of what occurs in real life. It is the women who knows her own worth, and dignity and who stands for chastity who is capable of wining a man's heart. Men are happy to "fool around" with the "easy" girl, but he would not likely ever considering marring her because he doesn't truly love her. If she doesn't respect herself how can he respect her?

You may wondering if men don't love these "easy" women, then why do they often initiate these one night stands in the first place? Well, just like Peter Quill, many men have been deceived into believing that is just what men do. It's expected and in some circles it "makes you man." This is evident even by this movie. After Gamora see's Peter's ship for the first time she insults it saying how filthy it is. Peter's response is, "She has no idea. If I had a black light, this place would look like a Jackson Pollock painting." The theater I was in erupted into loud cheers, primarily if not exclusively from the men, in response to this joke. Which indicates that many of the men present agreed that Peter's promiscuous behavior was acceptable and every praise worthy.

So what exactly does Guardians of the Galaxy teach us about Chastity?

Women: Respect yourself, you are a princess by adoption. (God's princess, the movie didn't say that explicitly but it's true.) Your sexuality is a gift only to be given to one worthy of you, who proves his love to you by vowing his life to you in marriage.

Men: Using women to attempt to gain pride or pleasure will not satisfy you and not gain you the real respect you desire. Rather it is self sacrifice that with allow your true potential to shine forth. You have a great calling (from God) in the battle of against sin and darkness, you can help lead the way by practicing real love.

All should take note: When Gamora rejected Peter's affections, she only had to tell him no once and he respected her dignity the rest of the movie. Ladies if you have to tell your man no over and over, he may not be a man worth catching. Men if you can strive to live by chastity and not make your ladies ever have to tell you no, you will be man truly desired by woman and man who is free to live out his true calling to greatness.