A friend just sent me Russell Moore's review of Avatar (at the Gospel Coalition blog). After reading Ebert’s laudatory, but politically biased review, I had the same impression.
It seems to be two movies in one: a bad movie wrapped inside a great movie. On the outside is this magnificently imagined alien world. On the inside is treasonous, radical environmentalist screed.
At one level I think it’s monumentally stupid for the director to waste so much artistic imagination on something as ephemeral as a political allegory about the alleged evils of the Bush administration, &c. It takes a degree of fanaticism to squander your artistic vision on something that passé.
Then, as Moore points out, the viewpoint of the film is downright seditious and morally inverted. It turns the war on terror upside down, so that our US soldie’s are the villains while our sworn enemies–jihadis disguised as noble savages–are the heros.
It’s just like French communists who used to wax nostalgic for Stalinism because they didn’t have to live under it.
And the power of art makes the poison fruit delicious. Reminds me of the false prophet in Rev 13 with his lying wonders.
Let us remember that James Cameron was a co-plotter in the blasphemous yarn about the family tomb of Jesus Christ being found:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jesus_Family_Tomb
No Christian should fill this mocker's pockets. I understand that "Avatar" is full of impious transhumanist notions as well.
(Cameron is a Freemason, and they are a lot into that sort of self-deification.)
Pro 3:9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
ReplyDeletePro 3:10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
Lest we forget:::>
Rev 19:20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
forget:::>
Joh 12:28 Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
Joh 12:29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Joh 12:30 Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
I say we rise up and cast these thugs out:::>
1Ch 16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"
1Ch 16:32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!
1Ch 16:33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
Steve,
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet seen Avatar, but hopefully I'll be able to catch a showing soon. Judging by the trailer and anecdotes, it seems to have spectacular special effects, an interesting (if predictable) plot, cool technology, etc.
I'm know that I might be opening myself up for attack, but it seems reasonable to suggest that a distinction be made between criticizing the continuing "War on Terror" in it's present incarnation* and hatefully (and falsely) slandering our armed forces.
If Cameron's movie does the latter, then your indignation is surely appropriate.
But if it's the former, isn't there room for disagreement on the strategy itself? But again, maybe that's not what Cameron was doing. I'll have a better idea a few days and dollars hence!
I mean, 1) surely no Christian would advocate the advancement of Islam. There is no legitimate alternative to Christianity. And 2) I'm grateful to the men and women who have died to secure liberty for this country in times past (especially those who fought the War of Independence). Furthermore, 3) as a country we definitely need to defend ourselves from harm.
But isn't there room for alternative solutions concerning how to go about the task of defending America without sending thousands of troops somewhere else to root out a few hundred Al-Qaida-affiliated guerrillas and establish Islamic "democracies" that, even if they functioned, would still be Islamic? Also, I'm not very confident that the goals of the War on Terror (about which there seems to be some confusion, even with the Commander-in-Chief, who I would have thought would know) are very clear cut. Of course, I'd be happily open to correction.
I know you've written on the War before, so maybe I'll go dig up some of your past articles on the subject to get a feel for your views on the subject.
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*I'm still not sure about the original incarnation!