Comments on: Avatar, a Goddess Movie

By: Mariisa

Mariisa — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:32:19 +0000

The movie Avatar is very similar to how my Native American ancestors were stricken by the Europeans back in the historical beginnings and pre-beginnings of the exploration and claiming of Canada and America. So I feel somewhat strongly to it (since I am a Native American). My ancestors even prophesied of a messiah-like man coming into being 10,000 years before Christ was born: thus their beliefs are probably no different from ours and those ancient tribes of Natives had ancestorly originated from certain Asian groups.

If you were to ever syncretize beliefs together it would all make sense, especially if we were to think it through.
I believe Jesus sacrificed himself for our sins yes, but I also think He is a true meant-to-be Hero who has sacrificed His life and then passed down the power of the Holy Spirit and now it is up to every one of us to try to be the employees we are to help build God’s Kingdom.

By: Leigh Copeland

Leigh Copeland — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:22:18 +0000

I like Tim Keller’s question: “What did it cost your God to save you?” Christians love God’s perfect Avatar (image) who came to die for those who presumed upon the tree of life. Was not Eywa constrained by Jake’s inherent goodness? Doesn’t Jake now worship Her willingness to answer his prayers? Christianity is infinitely more beautiful that Avatar because God vindicates his righteousness not by trampling the planet destroyers and sending them back to their dying planet (helll?), but by absorbing all his own wrath against them and thereby fulfilling the purpose of creation: the display of his inconceivable grace. The heart of the Christian message is substitution, the infinite cost of grace. Eywa wins by power; Yahweh wins by losing.

By: Satya

Satya — Tue, 18 May 2010 18:26:51 +0000

Well to start with I will admit I am not a Christian, I am shakta Hindu and I will say that the World portrayed by Avatar and the Goddess there is quite similar to my belief system.
What I will confess is while I grew up I had a lot of respect and love for Christians and Christian faith and thought them to be very accepting, liberal and broadminded. Which clearly I was outright Wrong, Clearly from where I see it you and your views are in conformation with that of the “Company” presumption and assumption fills your logic as rightly said one can not fill a vessel that thinks its full.

By: Editor

Editor — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:48:13 +0000

You’re welcome!

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:33:27 +0000

Hi there – just wanted to say THANK YOU, Ms. Wheeler, for your
perspective! I stumbled upon your site while seeking out a
review of a book my son brought home and now have you bookmarked!
As a mom and homeschooler I REALLY appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you again and keep up the AMAZING work!

By: Editor

Editor — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:24:14 +0000

Eric, Emily, Rod, and Karisa,
You have all given me food for thought. I had been thinking that
Pandora surely is a world like our own, fallen, with a gulf of our own making between us
and God. Aren’t all worlds like that? But no, our own world was not like
that before the Fall. Perhaps Pandora is more like Eden, where there is
no such gulf. Perhaps the Pandorans are “unfallen.”

For us fallen creatures, though, there’s no way to get to Eden now,
except through Jesus Christ. But for fallen creature Jake Sully, it
just took a trip of several light years, a cloned body, and some
persuading.

As to the gender of God, I go with how God describes himself in his
scriptures. He describes himself as a loving father, but at least once
used a feminine metaphor, that of the mother eagle covering her eaglets
with her wings.

He is not capricious, but consistent. His thoughts are not our thoughts.

By: Karisa Rowland

Karisa Rowland — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:02:51 +0000

“Here’s my challenge to you, Christians in Hollywood: create a new fantasy movie starring Jehovah. Thanks to the people who made Avatar, the tools are there to create a lush fantasy world that displays characters with human emotions. Why not use this to tell the world about our loving, holy God?”

Ms. Wheeler, I think you make my point far better than I do. Ewya, Jehovah, Allah, — make some cultures call God “Uncle Bob”. Doesn’t make Him or Her any more or less God. Why do we insist on compartmentalizing God, putting Him or Her in a gender box with a single name and excluding those who perceive God differently. Many Christians have such a narrow view of God. It’s disheartening an disturbing.

By: Karisa Rowland

Karisa Rowland — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:58:03 +0000

Emily, you left me wishing I had written that. What I have been thinking for years, you managed to actually articulate and I am in awe. The only thing I would like to add, at the risk of redundancy, is there is a subtle point in the movie where Jake and the female lead whose name escapes me now uses “Christ” and “Eywa” interchangeably. They are the same thing. Just because one culture perceives God as masculine and another as feminine doesn’t mean they are not one God. IIt’s a matter of perception. So.if we follow the author’s logic, than God is masculine and God is a trinity. Pandorans wouldn’t have reason to believe in a trinity unless Jesus was sent to die for their sins as well. So, the Pandorans are deists, therefore not Christian since the mandate of Christianity is accepting Jesus Christ as your savior. So, it’s not a ‘Christian’ movie. And, according to the columnist, that’s a bad thing. I am a Christian and I resent other Christians who are so narrow-minded and rigid in their thinking. As a Christian, I would rather be inclusive and not exclusive.

By: Emily

Emily — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:26:00 +0000

When I saw the film a name stood out to me. It got my attention.
That name was the goddess’ name, Eywa. It sounds just like Yaweh
but the letters are shuffled. The story reminded me of Eden.
As an artist and a believer in Jesus I refuse to align myself
with “Americanized Christianity” and refuse to be so naive to see
the world through its pallid and microscopic lens. It is true,
not only Hollywood is corrupt, but so are our churches. Now that
we have sinned and been banished from Eden, we are living in a
corrupt and sin infiltrated world. I think the lens in which we
see things needs to be like a kaleidoscope. For example, Jesus
spoke to people in parables & used symbolism in his teaching. The Bible is rich with
poetry and mystery, symbolism and profound depth of meaning that
leaves us shivering, longing for more. James Cameron’s Avatar
reached the human heart level. That is the place where Christ teaches
us and the place he wants to
dwell. Why are Christians so afraid of God being in control? Using his
influence through all kinds of unlikely vessels? Surely Avatar is
a testimony to the heart of God and the beautiful world (Eden) He wanted
to share with us and will recreate for His people someday. Americanized Christians try to act like there’s the Christian world and the pagan world. As far as scripture goes,
I see only one world, and in that world, God is alive and moving.

By: Rod Salinas

Rod Salinas — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:43:16 +0000

So, what is the point? That everything shall go around
Christianity? You are missing something Wheeler;

1) The story is based on a different planet with no Jesus, so
it cannot be Christianity related at all.
2) You are assuming that God (Jehovah) has gender, so you are giving
God a physical form… so you are limiting God. If the Na’vis
call Eywa to their Goddess, they are doing just the same that
you do… giving God a gender; but the opposite gender that
you are giving to Jehovah. It seems that this is what you don’t
like…

I think that Christians can tell their children that God has no
gender and It can be called as the each person or alien wants. This
can take your vision beyond frontiers… beyond Pandora.

The movie is a tale of men ambitions, and a group of compassionate
persons that got rid of their missions to defend life… Couldn’t
be this a Christian message?