Music & Culture
Justin Bieber’s Song and Video “As Long As You Love Me” Send Harmful Messages to Young Girls
Written by T.M. Gaouette | August 9, 2012
Justin Bieber just launched the music video for his song “As Long As You Love Me.” Have you seen it yet?
The theme of this song and video are cliché. Girl falls in love with rebellious young boy, boy talks girl into going behind her parents’ backs to see him. Girl eventually runs away from home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=R4em3LKQCAQ#!
Although it portrays a common tale for young romance, I feel this song and its video send a lot of bad messages.
First, the lyrics include the words, “We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke, as long as you love me.” This gives the false message that couples can survive on love alone.
Unfortunately, many young girls believe this to be true, and some have gone so far as to run away from home with the boy they’ve fallen deeply in love with. But no matter how romantic the notion, it’s entirely unrealistic. Being homeless and hungry on the streets is a struggle that takes romance out of most any relationship. It’s also a very dangerous situation to be in.
And let’s be honest. From the video, it’s apparent that love has been confused with lust. If this boy truly loved this girl, he’d have her stay safe in her home where she’s sheltered and fed while he makes something of himself. He’d want the best for her. And, if he was a decent boy, he’d get her father’s blessing to court her.
Second, the story makes the protective father into the mean guy. Granted, he looks like a mobster–probably because the actor has played a mobster in the past–but the message that it’s okay to go against your father so you can see your boyfriend is terrible. One of the commandments states that we must honor our father and our mother. This man is protecting his child, not abusing her, and he wants the best for her. But this story takes the protective father and turns him into the bad guy, complete with him beating the boyfriend to a pulp.
Third, the video is filled with sexual encounters. Bieber writes “You r so sexy” on her neck, as if that’s what makes her so special, and then they roll around half naked. As Christians, we’re taught:
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is outside the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:18-19)
The relationship goes against Christ’s teachings in every way.
When a young girl falls in love for the first time, she’s often consumed with many emotions. Love and joy is mixed with fear of the unknown. But when her first love is not approved of by a parent, then sadness, depression, anger and fear of losing that boy come into play. This video encourages a girl to rebel against her father’s wishes and to follow her man. And where is this man leading her? To homelessness, hunger and poverty?
Bieber has a huge young fan base, and I’m pretty sure that since he began his career with more of a Christian twist, he attracted young Christian fans. But now, like many young stars, he’s turning away from Christ’s teachings and following the ways of the world. My fear is that his many fans will listen to the messages in the song and look at the video, and they will be encouraged to behave in the same way.
This may just be a song and a video, and it may be all fantasy for Bieber, but I’m pretty sure there are millions of girls around the world dealing with this exact scenario. And they may look at this video and listen to these words, and be encouraged to follow suit.
I don’t think a girl choosing her boyfriend over God and her parents is the right message to send in a music video. I think it’s harmful and I wish Bieber would reconsider promoting negative and irresponsible messages in his songs and videos.
PI ladies, do you think Bieber’s song and video send the wrong message to young girls? Can you relate to the story line?
More in Music & Culture
Image: YouTube Video
Posted by hodudswife on September 25, 2012 at 13:11
vid does send out the wrong message but god gave him the gift and talent of music and he is using it i am no bieber lover but but the stuff he sings about does not mean he fell away from god
Posted by iris.chandler45 on September 22, 2012 at 09:21
It’s called artistic hyperbole. He doesn’t actually mean that he wants to be homeless or that he wants girls to run away from home with him, it just means that he feels love so strong that he’s saying that when bad things happen he can come back to it and be okay. You’re taking this video wayyy too literally.
Posted by JoyJoyGirl on September 21, 2012 at 06:46
I wonder what he would’ve thought (as his younger self) seeing what he’s doing now. Or what his mother is thinking… Whose giving him advice????
Posted by JoyJoyGirl on September 21, 2012 at 06:28
What happened to that sweet 14 year old??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!??!?!?!?!?!
Posted by JoyJoyGirl on September 21, 2012 at 06:26
What happened to that sweet 14 year old?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?
Posted by Partertwig711 on September 5, 2012 at 13:17
i don’t like how he’s always talking about this kind of stuff, especially in Boyfriend, ya know? and especially because he HAS a girlfriend! he shouldn’t even need to sing these songs
Posted by vickysamone on August 26, 2012 at 14:44
well the song isnt bad in my opinion.but the father is kinda wrong himself.hes got the notion that every teenage boy IS bad. it seems like to me tht he doesnt even know the boy, hes just assuming this about him and thats not good. 🙁
Posted by ShaeNikole on August 25, 2012 at 14:10
True… 🙁
Posted by ella.mckenzie.17 on August 18, 2012 at 20:55
Songs like these that promote unpure relationships, etc. are exactly what I stand against! I am offended not only as a Christian but as a girl. Really, Justin? Really?
Posted by live life to the fullest on August 18, 2012 at 09:02
What you are saying is so true! Thank you for sharing… I tell many of my friends this but they still don’t agree. It is so sad that the cool thing today is so very wrong and displeasing to God. God doesn’t want us to have any touching like that until marriage. It says, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman”
Thank you agian!
Posted by MARESA101 on August 17, 2012 at 19:12
wait justin bieber was christian/ I also believe he does send a wrong message
Posted by 247girlyattire on August 16, 2012 at 08:52
I looked it up online, and Justin Bieber only helped write this song so not all the lyrics are his. Hopefully he is not losing his Christan image and the bad stuff written in the song was written by the other two song writers. That wouldn’t be good, but it would be better than Justin Bieber himself writing them. I am not a Bieber fan, but I am not a hater. One thing we don’t realize is that we think this generation has gotten bad, but really, the world has been bad since Eve took that bite of the apple. But we need to stop this now, or when will it stop? 1,000 years from now? We need to change–and not just celebrities, normal people too. We think celebrities are bad because we can’t compare them to others, we think just because they are famous that makes them different. We ALL need to change.
Posted by PurpleRo5e on September 5, 2012 at 19:25
so what if he did not write the lyrics he still sang them and he was in the video. He had the choice “to be or not to be” in the video and sing that song. And even if it might have ended his career as a singer or something, so what? Is it worth your career to sing songs and videos like that?
Posted by live life to the fullest on August 18, 2012 at 09:04
Well he is very much supporting the lyrics by singing them and making them famous. If you are making wrong things seem good then I would question whether he is a true christian and truly wants to please God.
Posted by flitteringamongthem on August 16, 2012 at 07:03
Anyone realize that if he says he’s a Christian, or raised in it, he would know that it’s wrong? Satan is grabbing ahold of his life, and to me, he is an example of a way to “warp” Christianity with the world.
Posted by Bri27 on August 16, 2012 at 04:52
It may be just “a video” but he still sending the wrong message out
Posted by Pinky1237 on August 15, 2012 at 14:35
Justin Bieber is not who he use to be. It’s sooooo sad to see a person with so much potential wasting it. We should all pray that him and Selena Gomez both return to God!
Posted by JoyJoyGirl on September 21, 2012 at 06:36
I’m praying with you!
Posted by lupita on August 14, 2012 at 15:51
this is so true oh my goodness that is so true! It’s sad how media it’s making all teen’s including me think that love is by having this type of relationship… I just hope that God may guide this generation…
Posted by Wings of Love on August 14, 2012 at 15:14
Couldn’t agree more. I didn’t even really think about it like that. Thank you!
Posted by superchick15 on August 14, 2012 at 14:57
okay. so, i think it’s just the way that we take it. the way i took it is that, it doesn’t matter what’s going on, we’ll be fine as long as we love and have each other. don’t you guys hear at weddings ‘for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse’? sorry. but seriously. so the music VIDEO is pretty bad. the music isn’t. and REALLY? when he asks her ‘do you really want to do this’, i’m pretty sure it implies that it was HER idea to run away in the first place…
anyways, idk, this is just my opinion. don’t argue about it, it’s kinda stupid. state your opinion, don’t slam one another for their personal opinion. 😛
Posted by Emi on August 14, 2012 at 11:28
I agree with you on this article. He is sending the wrong message in his songs and music videos, like so many other artist do today. It’s great we have websites like Project Inspired to reminds us of the wrongs in the media when we get to tied up in them. I’m grateful for this site. I hope many people see this article and realise how harmful this really is.
Posted by Bmac on August 18, 2012 at 10:59
ur awesome!! *high five*!
Posted by hugsnkisses0706 on August 14, 2012 at 10:47
LOL i know that was dramatic but its true… he’s just not the same anymore… i liked him better when he was a
Christian!
Posted by srrosado on August 20, 2012 at 12:27
I’m pretty sure he still is a Christian.
Posted by hodudswife on September 25, 2012 at 13:15
god gave him the gift of music now its his choice what he sings about
Posted by PurpleRo5e on September 5, 2012 at 19:18
Any person who acts that way can not still call himself a christian he might know that god is real but that is it. and that is not what a christian is, and if he is still a christian he is pretty mixed up
Posted by hugsnkisses0706 on August 14, 2012 at 10:46
its sad how BIEBER fell away from GOD …. in fact it seems like BIEBER’S ego is soo big he thinks he is g-d…. thats why this really disappoints me..
JUSTIN BIEBER IF U READ THIS … TURN YOUR LIFE BACK TO GOD… UR TURNING INTO A NARSACCIST!
Posted by hugsnkisses0706 on August 14, 2012 at 10:44
sends a wrong message! even though he is really cute… but YES its does!
Posted by Lina15palomino on August 13, 2012 at 18:37
Yes! I believe video is harmful! I don’t even like Bieber! and he seems to be trying to grow up WAY to fast!!
Posted by Genesis91315 on September 2, 2012 at 20:15
Agreed! I’m his age, and he’s going way to fast. It would be ok for him to sing his cute little songs from before (although I didn’t like those either)… he doesn’t have to go this far.
Posted by imisscharlie on August 15, 2012 at 07:15
hes 18! and its just a video i dont get how it can be taken the wrong way and i dont like him either really i mean i like a few of his songs but im not a crazed fan or anything