I’ve been asked countless times about the movie Avatar. An article I read about it today prompted me to finally respond publicly.
Avatar is a visual treasure. A technological milestone. Stunning… mesmerizing… a wonder. The hype is all true. It’s an amazing piece of theatrics.
It’s also a blatant education in theology and politics, something director James Cameron doesn’t shy away from including his most recent documentary on Jesus which had no other purpose than to discredit Scripture (“The Lost Tomb of Jesus”).
Avatar is a blatant political statement declaring without apology or subtlety:
- Humans are destroying the earth
- White corporate leaders are greedy, unmerciful and faithless
- Industrialized civilizations destroy and abuse nature while indigenous peoples live in complete harmony with the earth (a favorite myth put forth in countless movies over the last 20 years particularly about American Indians)
- The military is full of death-loving, peace-hating mentally deranged psycho’s with no heart or conscience
- Indigenous natives might fight back or kill but their motives are always pure and sympathetic
Yawn… we’ve been fed a steady diet of this environmentally-extreme, liberal, “the rich are evil”, “white people are greedy”, “natives are harmonious earth loving peace makers” for decades. Anyone not completely fooled by Hollywood or thoroughly indoctrinated by the government sees the message for what it is: a political ideology (agree with it or not). That’s why left-wing propaganda movies rarely do well at the box office (but they still keep churning them out).
The spiritual indoctrination of Avatar is another story.
Cameron, director of the previous “most successful film in history” (Titanic; now 2nd place to Avatar) brings us a titanic religious deception in his latest movie.
Generations of Americans have been increasingly desensitized to religious teaching in movies starting most notably with Star Wars. The Judeo-Christian underpinnings of America were significantly eroded by the non-personal teaching of God as a “force”, aka. Hinduism. Add to that movies like Harry Potter, any number of Disney animated “magic” movies, Lord of the Rings and [pick from a long list] – you have a relentless effort to muddy the spiritual waters over the last 30 years.
Christians, in a futile (and unBiblical) attempt to find “common” ground, often try to Christianize these movies declaring different characters and situations represent Biblical concepts and persons. Coupled with the decreasing amount of sound Biblical teaching throughout the church (replaced with a junk food diet of social gospel and “success” sermonettes), we now have multitudes of Christians who see movies like Star Wars and Avatar then incorporate various spiritual ideas into their faith.
Avatar is a BLATANT sermon about earth worship, shamanism and spiritism. Blatant. In fact, blatant is too mild a description. Even though I was painfully aware of all the “messages” being taught by Avatar, my flesh was still left with this desire to wish life were nature-filled, harmonious and wondrous… just like the movie. I could point out just about every spiritual deception in the movie and was still left feeling “wow, wouldn’t life be great if we lived like the natives on Pandora?” If a message can fight that hard to get into the head of someone who knows better, how far does that same message embed itself into minds with open doors?
It is no mystery that generations of secular Christians who are nominally education in Scripture flock to movies like this and then tend to embrace many of the ideas, if only in bits and pieces. To actually criticize the deception in the movie is left to the “religious extremists” who are “intolerant” of just about everything anyway.
Note: there are other issues with the movie that should concern Christians like profaning God and Jesus*, eroticism and foul language. But that doesn’t seem to bother most people nowadays anyway. (*Puzzling, since the movie is set a thousand years in the future; Christianity is outdated and disappeared but saying “G-d d–m” and “J—s C—-t” it still part of their profanity)
I was going to explain much of the spiritual message in Avatar but T.A. McMahon of The Berean Call already has done a great job. What follows are excerpts from his article and a link to the full newsletter:
The Avatar Gospel
T. A. McMahon
Movies are today’s most popular means of influencing cultures on a worldwide scale. They have been effective in that way for the greater part of a century. They are, and always have been, teaching machines.
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First of all, it shouldn’t be surprising that the beliefs of most people are not derived from Sunday school or church teaching but rather religious ideas they pick up from a wide variety of sources as they go through life. Prior to being born again and becoming a biblical Christian, for example, I had received a great deal of religious instruction, growing up Catholic, to which I added all kinds of contrary spiritual ideas, from reincarnation to the denial of hell to the universal salvation of everyone. I’ve had conversations with those who claim to hold the Bible as their only source of faith and practice yet who also hold ideas they have gleaned from Oprah Winfrey or some of her New Age guests. Humanity in general seems to be a magnet for all kinds of beliefs about God, and this would include not only the very religious but the agnostic and the atheist as well.
Movies often teach theology. Some have greatly influenced our last two generations about the character and qualities of God and perhaps none more than the Star Wars series, which began in the late 1970s. This series promoted the supreme deity as an impersonal, amoral energy “Force” that could be tapped into and used for one’s own end through mental techniques. “May the Force be with you” was even interpreted by some sincere (but sincerely wrong!) Christians as Jesus being the true “Force.” Such a promotion attributes characteristics to Jesus that both distort and demean His character as presented in the Scriptures–resulting in “another Jesus.” Star Wars wrapped the beliefs and practices of Hinduism in a high-tech, science fiction saga. Obi Wan was a sorcerer; Yoda was a yogi by design and practice, and the incredibly successful film series propelled Eastern mysticism into the minds of Western youth. Avatar does the same for shamanism.
Shamanism is the religion of nature and spirits and is the most widespread of all the religions in the world. It’s found among every indigenous people group throughout the earth, and its beliefs and techniques are the same wherever it is found. This is due to the fact that shamanism is a practice that comes from the spirit realm, with the spirits themselves not restricted by distant geographical locations. The term shaman comes from the Tungus people of Siberia and has been preferred by anthropologists over “witch doctor,” “medicine man,” “wizard,” “sorcerer,” etc. According to noted authority Michael Harner, an anthropologist and shaman, “a shaman enters an altered state of consciousness at will to acquire knowledge, power, and to help other persons. The shaman has at least one, and usually more, ‘spirits’ in his personal service. To perform his work, the shaman depends on special, personal power, which is usually supplied by his guardian and helping spirits.”
Avatar is a spectacular platform for preaching shamanism. The story line is neither unique nor complicated. A distant moon planet called Pandora is colonized by a corporation that is mining a metal of great value for the earth, which has been ravaged by the exploitation of its own natural resources. The enterprise, however, is hampered by a tribe of indigenous humanoids called Na’vi, whose village and land cover the main core of the precious metal. Diplomatic attempts to persuade the Na’vi to resettle elsewhere have ended in failure, primarily because of the Na’vi’s religion of shamanism. They worship Eywa, a goddess akin to what the Greeks called Gaia, or Mother Earth. Eywa appears to be an impersonal, godlike force that is responsible for maintaining the balance of all life. Everything in Pandora is linked to Eywa mystically and biologically. The biological emphasis amplifies the critical nature of preserving the planet’s physical ecological system for future survival. Demonstrating the connectedness of all life forms, the spirits of animals that are killed for food or in self-defense are addressed by the Na’vi either in thanksgiving or apologetically.
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Director and writer James Cameron makes his theological (and ecological) bent quite clear in nearly every frame of the film. The movie’s title and image of the Na’vi are derived from the Hindu god Krishna, a blue-skinned incarnated avatar of the god Vishnu. Hinduism teaches that throughout history avatars have manifested in human and/or animal forms to restore the balance of good and evil. The emphasis on trees in the movie is consistent in all shamanism. The huge Hometree that housed the Na’vi clan and is destroyed in the attack by the humans is representative of Eywa providing for the Na’vi through “Mother” nature. The luminescent Tree of Souls, which provides direct communication with Eywa, is also a power center that can transfer souls to other bodies. In traditional shamanism, the tree is a universal communication medium for such cultures to connect with deceased shamans, ancestors, and the spirits themselves.
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After reading dozens and dozens of comments by young people enamored with the theology in Avatar, it is apparent that its false gospel is finding fertile soil worldwide as it introduces and attracts millions of moviegoers to shamanism.
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Cameron is certainly entitled to preach the shamanic gospel of Avatar. Christians, however, need to be aware of what they are being fed along with the overpriced popcorn. It is a general lack of discernment among them that is often maddening and spiritually treacherous for the upcoming generation of believers. The maddening part comes when professing believers attempt to read Christianity into popular movies that are thoroughly antichrist. It happened with Star Wars, the Harry Potter series, and too many others to list. It’s a foregone conclusion that we will see much of the same for Avatar. Christianity Today, for example, often leads the way in anointing the world’s popular delusions as Christian. In its supported blog site directed at women and titled Her·meneutics (ironically a play on the word that fosters accurate Bible interpretation), a female Princeton Seminary student writes the featured article, suggesting that the character of Grace (mentioned above) may have been “Avatar‘s Christian character,” and then adds a qualification, “Well, Christian-ish anyway.”
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http://www.thebereancall.org/node/8404
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I would be very grateful if you
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Well said, Brent. You can add to this movies like Harry Potter and the Golden Compass.
Blessings!
Kelly Sandy
Greetings in the Name of Jesus,
I personally did not go to see the movie because of all the
things I heard about it….and you and T.A. of The
Berean Call nailed it…..
Some Christians today do not know Christian movies
from secular garbage.
The dramatics of the movie seem to draw people in and
then zap them with how bad we are….
I am so glad that I didn’t give any money to go see this
movie.
Thank you so much for calling it was it is…..
God Bless..
Lovingly,
Sandy in NC
While you are entitled to your own opinion, I do ask for a bit of clearification on something you wrote above. “Industrialized civilizations destroy and abuse nature while indigenous peoples live in complete harmony with the earth (a favorite myth put forth in countless movies over the last 20 years particularly about American Indians) ”
Do you care to expand on your line of thinking there?
Hawk,
As with the other bullet points, what I’m stating is that movies, for decades, have portrayed western civilization (and white men specificially) as the RUIN of the earth, when in fact, western civilization, America in particular, have gone to great lengths to learn how to be good stewards of the land. While far from perfect, American industrial civilization actually does an amazing job of managing and protecting the environment and responsibly managing the land(though it’s never enough for environmentalists because they are after POWER, not results).
To the contrary, it can be shown that many, if not most, native groups before “western civilization” came to the Americas moved from area to area STRIPPING and DESTROYING the land, then moving on. Except in Hollywood and liberal politics, this history is beyond dispute… unless you simply don’t want to believe it.
Hollywood, for several decades, would have us believe the OPPOSITE is true. Many natives embrace this myth for obvious reasons; it benefits them and flatters them. Most non-native Americans except this as “fact” simply because if you repeat the same lie long enough, it becomes truth. We see this truth in politics and culture all the time.
I don’t care about or defend ANY political correctness no matter who it protects. I’ll denounce slavery and the abuses of America natives just as quickly as I’ll denounce revisionist history and today’s liberal socialism. I defend the moral goodness of religions I don’t believe in and condemn the hypocrisy of the one I do believe in.
The TRUTH is the only thing that interests me because ETERNITY is a LOT longer than this wisp of a lifetime now.
Brent
This is so well-written Brent. Thank you for posting this. I knew Avatar was strange and wanted nothing to do with it from the beginning. This answers a lot of my questions I had about the movie itself.
Brent,
I have been reading your blog for a long time and enjoy it. We rarely agree theologically, but I appreciate the opportunity to consider your views and redefine my own in light of your teachings.
However, this piece bothers me. I hope you will see this not as “intolerant” or “religious fanatic” but as conversation. (Incidentally, I believe that labeling people as these things is, in fact, intolerant. If you want to preach tolerance, please tolerate everyone, including the intolerant.)
The world is full of people.
People who believe LOTS of different things. Which is not to say that I believe that anyone SHOULD believe whatever they choose. But I do believe that they have the RIGHT to choose. As created beings, the Creator of Heaven and Earth gave us that gift.
As a minister myself, I don’t see Avatar as any sort of threat to Christianity. I agree with you that there are dangers in sponging up whatever the world is teaching and calling it Christianity. But I’m not sure that Cameron or anyone else involved with Avatar intentionally sets out to destroy the faith of believers – or even to paint them as bullies. Rather, I believe that what Cameron has done is to tap into a different kind of story. He set out to tell a story – much like Star Wars did – of a different faith system. As the article you republished states: varieties of shamanism are the most prevalent religion the world over. Doesn’t that mean that we should learn something about them? Again, I don’t think Cameron sets out to educate on facets of shamanism; he has just chosen to tell the story. If this is the world’s largest religion, how are we ever going to teach the world about the Jesus we profess if we don’t know what they already believe?
This is exactly what the early church did. Christmas isn’t in December because that’s when Jesus was born. Christmas was calendered on 12/25 to find a common ground with the worshippers of Io Saturnalia – the Greek holiday of the solstice on 12/21. The early church recognized that in order to help the Greeks appreciate what the church was about, they were going to have to find some common ground. Just as you would never convert to Hinduism (nor would I), a Hindu will never convert to Christianity unless we can first find some common ground.
Again, please don’t hear me say we need to ADOPT this thinking. Rather, I think it’s a good way to stretch our minds: to allow “all things to work together for good.” (Romans 8:28) If our faith is so fragile that it is threatened by a movie, is it really faith at all?
I enjoy the dialogue!
Grace and Peace,
Erin Miller
Dearest Erin,
You and I would just have to peaceably disagree then. To say that Cameron did not purposely set out to educate and indoctrinate is simply ignoring the obvious. He didn’t just give a brief glimpse of a religion (or several glimpses, or even a few scenes); the ENTIRE MOVIE was solidly constructed around 2 things: liberal environmentalism and Shamanism. THE ENTIRE movie… from the language, the names, the visuals, the storyline, the symbols, the themes, the conclusions…
That’s like saying Schindlers List didn’t set out to educate about the Holocaust. You would have to simply ignore the entire movie to make that statement.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with “stretching” your mind… I did this myself by viewing the movie and I study other beliefs and history. But I do this from a foundation of confident faith and the ability TO DISCERN the Truth based solely on God’s Word. The problem we have today is that an overwhelming percentage of those who profess Christ know very little – often not even the basics – about what Jesus Christ clearly proclaims as absolute truth (or even why the Bible IS that authentic Truth).
Blessings,
Brent
LOL what a tool of discernment! Doesn’t the new testament warn us that in the later days, I’m assuming that includes us today, ministers won’t edure sound doctrine. Unlike the worldly earthly prizes of athletes which return to the dust of the ground, the sound doctrine of the gospel and Jesus Christ is the only chance any one has for eternal life without sin. Any other doctrine is not fit for the dung hill and is warm weather (i.e. lake of fire screaming for eternity.. a humble alternative). Didn’t Jesus say many will come in my name (not referring to myself but to JesusYeshua) but don’t go out and follow them.
Comparing movies, books, ministers, the world, our daily activities to “what is written.. and what it means in correct context..” or The Word, Bible, Old and New Testaments is where we are to anchor ourselves and those we meet daily.
I apologize for my failing flesh and a couple of strokes (i.e., i’m not talking about my old golf score’s either as I gave that up years ago..) and difficulties with dementia beyond my control have slowed me down… just a tad. LOL Mixing the religions of the world with Jesus teachings and the Old and New Testament teachings is paramount to going back to egypt in Moses time. Wheat is solid sound doctrine and bare’s further crops for future generations, some a hundred fold.. etc. These altered doctrines are the weeds of the doctrines of the world sewn amongst the Word or Wheat. We can’t pull them up but we can teach other’s what is wheat and what is weeds (old english used the word tare’s).
If good ministers, are to teach future generations how to grow wheat and not weeds, then contrasting sound doctrine against false doctrines is one of our major farming tasks. Keep contrasting the WORD and what is written with the ungodly egyptian concepts of the world. Didn’t the socery practitioners in Egypt duplicate most of the Mosaic GOD given tasks in an attempt to deceive people and pharo?
GOD will not share his glory with another.. KJ Isaiah 42 and 48 the chapters? Sorry my computer crashes preclude my current online checking at blueletterbible dot org.
Keep up the good work, GOD put Adam (man) in the garden to till the ground, for there was not a man in the garden to take care of it? Adam before he had sinned was planting wheat. The second Adam i.e., Jesus, is the True Bread, 100% whole wheat that leads to eternal life without sin.
JesusGOD Bless!
Keep The Faith, Preach The Gospel
Respectfully Submitted,
Jeff
I agree totally with you and McMahon. I loved the visual beauty of the movie but also noted the heavy mystism and was really taken aback by the opening scene peppered with profainity. My niece and I were just talking yesterday about the Harry Potter movies and how they have been such a negative (in my opinion) impact on our younger generation. Thanks for speaking out.
Wow. Wow is all I can say after reading your post and the inserts from the article afterwards. I am a Christiam myself and have never really thought of the many intricate things that are being put into our heads without us even realizing it. I can hear of a movie and, if it looks good, watch it without ever noticing myself being ‘over taken’ by other beliefs. However, your comment about how you were wishing for these things in your head even though you new the truth really hit me. I steer away from most mystic movies because my parents always taught me they were wrong. However, I have been drawn to watch Avatar because of the wonderful reviews. I will have to rethink my decision of whether or not to watch it. If I do decide to watch it however, I will be interested to notice the many beliefs that are interlaced within the storyline. SCARY!
This is exactly how I feel, although I DID see the movie….twice. Thought I had to see it in 3D because that’s what the reviews said! Thank you for your words, they have helped me to clarify in my life what is truly important…HIM.
Very well said. I have many friends that saw Avitar. They were blown away by the special effects and just soaked it in, seemingly without any truth filters. The same thing could be said for Harry Potter and the Golden Compass and the Twilight Series. The quickest way into the heart is through a visual and emotional expeience. Believers really do need to be cautious with what they fill their minds with.
Thanks for speaking out on this issue. It is so needed.
Blessings and grace to you,
Debi
Beaverton, OR
Am I the only person who doesn’t go into a movie theater looking for God? Seriously…I never saw any correlation with God and the force while watching Star Wars, and though I haven’t seen Avatar yet, I’m certain I would not have made any God connections with it either. It’s bizarre to me that people think this way. Is it not possible to just enjoy a movie because it’s beautiful and not attempt to find some theology behind it? That said, I understand that filmmakers like Cameron do this intentionally, and their motives are blatently clear. Even if I hadn’t seen a God angle, I would certainly have noticed the earth worship and the human bashing. That is EVERYWHERE(did you see HAPPY FEET?? I frequently tell my kids that yes, we are to be good stewards of the planet God gave us, but not to the extent of worship, and we are to use the resources given us while responsibly renewing them.) I think today’s culture is so easily influenced because they have no firm foundation to stand on! They have nothing to counter balance the images on the screen with what is real. What a shame. And to the pastor above who doesn’t think this movie affects people the way you described, my husband and I were listening to the radio the other night and the commentator was discussing that there are actually people all over the country who are dealing with issues like depression and real-life let-down after watching that movie because they wish their/real life were like that! They’re setting up hotlines, etc! We looked at each other in amazement. What is the deal??
Jen
Excellent commentary! How subtly Satan plants his “seeds” in the hearts and heads of many – Believers and non-believers. As a 65 year old Christian who throughly enjoyed the movie storyline, graphics and message, I am deeply appreciative that you provided this accurate commentary with its overall impact on all of us. Its a warning to be vigilant on what God teaches us through his Word. I pray that I’ll become much more spiritually aware of messages that contribute to widening the gap between God and man rather than closing it. It would appear that few things are being done to close that “gap” – even among us Christians. Thank you for reawakening me and in helping me to “try the Spirits” to determine from whence they come.
YES!! this too is how I feel! Again, thank you!
Excellent commentary! How subtly Satan plants his “seeds” in the hearts and heads of many – Believers and non-believers. As a 65 year old Christian who throughly enjoyed the movie storyline, graphics and message, I am deeply appreciative that you provided this accurate commentary with its overall impact to each of us. Its a warning to be vigilant as to what God teaches us through his Word. I pray that I’ll become much more spiritually aware of messages that contribute to widening the gap between God and man rather than closing it. It would appear that few things are being done to close that “gap” – even among us. Christians. Thank you for reawakening me and in helping me to “try the Spirits” to determine from whence they come. Praise God that He is always and ultimately in charge!
*Humans are destroying the earth
*White corporate leaders are greedy, unmerciful and faithless
*Industrialized civilizations destroy and abuse nature while indigenous peoples live in complete harmony with the earth (a favorite myth put forth in countless movies over the last 20 years particularly about American Indians)
*The military is full of death-loving, peace-hating mentally deranged psycho’s with no heart or conscience
*Indigenous natives might fight back or kill but their motives are always pure and sympathetic
Yawn… we’ve been fed a steady diet of this environmentally-extreme, liberal, “the rich are evil”, “white people are greedy”, “natives are harmonious earth loving peace makers” for decades.
Brent. I love your blog. I am a regular reader, but I’ve never felt the need to comment before. Theologically we almost always agree. I am a Christian. I believe the bible. I am not a “cafeteria” Christian. I don’t take what I want from the bible and leave the rest. Our children are being raised on biblical principles, and we take seriously our charge to live *in* this world but not be *of* this world. My family and your family would be friends in real life & you’d not hesitate to let me babysit your kids (you’ll just have to take my word for that;-).
But I am so sick and tired of being called a *liberal* by my Christian brothers and sisters because I distrust corporate America and suspect that much of the decisions made my corporate America are greed-driven and do not necessarily have my childrens’ best interests at heart. Or because I *know* that we humans have damaged the earth that God gave us. Or because I believe additives are put in our food that are harmful to us. Or because I suspect that wars have been waged for very UNbiblical reasons and that sometimes Christians are duped into believing that God is on one side or the other. There is *nothing* in the bible that says that I must whole-heartedly support any war that “conservative” politicians support. Nothing that says that the earth is given to us to abuse in any way that makes us money or make us happy.
I have not seen the movie Avatar, and I’m thankful for your review. I don’t care to see a movie with erotic undertones or questionable language…If I did see it, I would likely see the religious lean myself…However, nothing in your bulleted list is inherently unChristian and as a Christian who believes many of these things, I resent the implication that it is. Please, please, please don’t call me a “liberal” because I am environmentally concious & don’t blindly follow every politician that carries the “conservative” banner (and I’m not saying that you *do* blindly follow anyone). It makes no sense that because of my viewpoints on corporate greed, war, and the environment, I have been lumped in with pro-choice, Kabala-believing, celebrity-worshiping, homosexual-supporting, anti-Christian individuals…One does not equal the other.
I enjoy your blog and will most definately continue to read…Please prayerfully consider what I’ve written.
In Christian love,
Amanda