Watched Avatar a couple weeks ago.
I came out of it feeling like I haven't felt for a decade or so, that old feeling I used to get after reading a really good sci-fi or fantasy book. It's a mix of excitement and low-grade melancholy produced by the fact that the world we live in is much more boring than the one I'd just been immersed in. The melancholy wasn't near as bad as it used to be though, since I was thinking about the New Earth, and how likely there would be comparable landscapes in my future.
Heard some christians complaining about the "occult" or "new agey" themes in the film. I used to do the same thing (quickly criticize movie philosophies that I didn't think were "christian"). But I've found it slightly annoying this time around, partly because I think it's silly to expect pagans to make a "christian" movie, but mostly because I didn't see what was un-scriptural about most of the movie's themes. I think concern for creation should be a christian trait, and it's irritating when I see and hear christians ridiculing compassion for animals or conservationist actions that really are just good stewardship. I don't think it's christian at all to kill animals for fun, or to slash and burn, mine, or otherwise ruin swathes of earth for convenience's sake. I think a big theme in "Avatar" was a critique of destructive greed - covetousness. Scripture says covetousness is Idolatry.
If it wasn't for covetousness, there would be almost no abortions, since abortion rates are driven by a covetous desire for "reproductive freedom" and a unfettered lifestyle full of things and opportunities that a child would get in the way of, as well as the covetous desire of the abortion industry for the cash kickbacks of their dirty business. Covetousness is the root of most other sins, the Lord Jesus even said "be on your guard against all kinds of greed, a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions". I think this is one of the biggest things christians need to hear today in wealthy countries like America. I know I need to keep hearing it. I have about 20 shirts, and more books than a third-world library. I have a computer that costs more than many people make in a year. It's too easy to buy stuff online that I don't need, it's too easy to feel like my life consists in the abundance of my new purchases.
I also think it's good for people to have their imaginations expanded, to see beautiful things. It's too easy to let the grind convince you that it's all there is, and to get too wrapped up in the trivialities of the here and now. So a sub-theme of biological pantheism doesn't really scare me. Especially when the pantheism functions more like theism, and the "god's" name is an phonetic anagram for Yahweh. It scared me to hear christians laughing about torturing animals, or talking about deforestation and strip mining like it's a scriptural mandate.
All that to say, I really liked the movie. It's the best story I've watched onscreen in a really long time, it ended just like I wanted it to, and it made me happy to live in the great state of Washington where we have a rainforest just a couple hours away!
5 comments:
I also felt really excited about the beauty, and felt like there was a promise of what to expect in the special creation of avatar.
I have to admit that the "mother creation" aspect didn't go down for me at all but like you said ,its unrealistic to expect nonchristians to produce real truth.
I like though that God speaks in all things to those who hunger for him.
I really enjoyed this writing.
I have not yet seen Avatar, although I would like too. I never seem to find the time to go to the theatre.
These thoughts resonated with me. When my husbands family went up for their annual hunting trip and invited me along, I went. On the car ride there though I realized just how much I actually dislike the idea of a group of people marching through the woods with guns to get the deer. There were at least 20 hunters. I can't say specifically why this bothered me so much but it felt like it was taking hunting out of context, it was more like waging war against the deer. And they didn't stand a chance. Needless to say they usually get about 30 deer this way.
I used to hunt...but I just don't think I can anymore. I never killed anything other than a squirrel that was already shot and not dead but dying (I hastened the journey...), a possum, and some mice. I can tell you also I thought about that poor squirrel for days. I know, I know, thats kind of weird. But until then I didn't realize how much differently I look at life now.
And so, I agree with your points. And I think I will see Avatar.
I would be careful to not lump opinions into only two groups; conservationists vs. destructionists. (Yeah, I know that's not a word.) I agree that we should care for animals, but not to the extent that many animal groups take it. I have no problem hunting for food (I've shot many deer), and my family has had no problem eating the food that either myself, or Dirk or in Melody's case, her husband hunted, shot and killed. Death was never supposed to be easy, and yet God provided the animals as food.
I haven't seen the movie, and I generally like your blog, Judah. But I found myself saying quietly to myself "it's not either or..." as I read it. Maybe that's just me.
I am impressed with your points though.
I'm really distracted so this whole comment may not be making sense. It would make a whole lot more sense if my husband wouldn't keep asking me questions. ;o)
I saw the movie and I like it... it is very alluring and you're right the imagination of it brings color to a grey mind...
Still, I very much disliked it for the hug the earth political aspects of it. The Avatarians seemed to be based of a Native American culture and in a fiction set in another world I'm ok with that, but when he tells the tree you need to step in because our people have already killed our mother yadyada I felt there was an underlying political goal of "save the earth". I agree with you that believers have a responsibility to take care of the earth but I disagree with all the hype of global warming and crap like that and I don't like it subtly fed to me in a movie.
I also thought the whole tail thing connecting with things was a bit weird and awkward.
Even so I found for the next week afterwards I was thinking of different scenes and longing to reread some old flames of fantasy... it sticks with you and I think I would like it better having seen it a second time.
Mel, I sympathise with the time thing. This was the 1st movie we've seen since LOTR.
Tammy, thanks for the gentle criticism. I don't think I lumped anyone into two groups though; I never said anything against eating animals, and I agree that it's better to kill them before eating them. If you re-read the entry my contention was with christians who take pleasure/think it's OK to kill animals or torture them for fun. The Holy Spirit told Peter "Get up, kill and EAT" -NOT "Get up, Kill for FUN". As long as you don't skin the deer alive or something like that, I'm not criticizing you. I don't think it's right to enjoy the death of anything living, especially if the creature's not doing anyone any harm.
And as far as conservation, I said I don't agree with Christians that mock conservation efforts that are good stewardship. I don't believe all "conservationist" ideas/methods are good stewardship. Hopefully that clarifies things.
Beth, problems with the tail thing? "To the pure all things are pure" :-) I thought of it as just a fire-wire interface or something like that. Do you have problems with the Vulcan mind-meld too?
Earth worship IS idolatry, but I don't think there's anything wrong with earth hugging. I agree global warming scare is just a political racket or worse, but it's hard to deny that there's a lot of damage being done (deforestation etc...) that is caused by greed and ignorance. I think we're on the same page there though. I think it's very generous of you to call the save the earth message in the movie "subtle"-it seemed pretty blatant to me. But the movie had SO much more to it than just that, & It sounds like you got the good out of it too.
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