My wife and I watched Avatar in 3D last weekend. It was an amazing experience. I had never seen 3D work quite like that before. At first it gave me a head ache but about 45 minutes into the movie my headache disappeared and I was able to fully enjoy the movie. However, a bigger nuisance than the headache was the strong thread of pantheism that was woven throughout the movie. As a friend said later, James Cameron has stolen the script for Pocahontas and warped it into space.
I found a very good review on Avatar by ROSS DOUTHAT who delves into this much better than I do. Its definitely worth the read.
Here is an excerpt:
It’s fitting that James Cameron’s “Avatar” arrived in theaters at Christmastime. Like the holiday season itself, the science fiction epic is a crass embodiment of capitalistic excess wrapped around a deeply felt religious message. It’s at once the blockbuster to end all blockbusters, and the Gospel According to James.But not the Christian Gospel. Instead, “Avatar” is Cameron’s long apologia for pantheism — a faith that equates God with Nature, and calls humanity into religious communion with the natural world.
In Cameron’s sci-fi universe, this communion is embodied by the blue-skinned, enviably slender Na’Vi, an alien race whose idyllic existence on the planet Pandora is threatened by rapacious human invaders. The Na’Vi are saved by the movie’s hero, a turncoat Marine, but they’re also saved by their faith in Eywa, the “All Mother,” described variously as a network of energy and the sum total of every living thing.
If this narrative arc sounds familiar, that’s because pantheism has been Hollywood’s religion of choice for a generation now
My buddy Josh Bronleewe just decided to enter the blogosphere. If you have been checking out my blog for a while you probably have heard some of his music. Anyway, I wanted to recommend his blog to you. Here is an excerpt from his latest post:
God has broken my heart for something. Over the past few weeks many thoughts and promptings have been swirling around in my heart and mind, and on Saturday morning they all came to fruition in a puddle of tears on my pillow. That morning I woke up and started weeping. Not crying, weeping. My first instinct was to shut it off. So I tried. And then I wept a little more. It’s been a long time since I’ve wept like that. Now, this is a bit embarrassing to share in my first blog post because I rarely cry, let alone admit it! But it’s all good because I know it’s from God, and this is why I wept: God has broken my heart for Africa.
Before we go there, let me jump into your world for a second and then we’ll make our way back. So, whether we’ll admit it or not, most of us have bought into the philosophy that what we need to finally make us happy is just more of what we already possess. More things, more success, more whatever. Those of you reading this on an Apple computer know exactly what I’m talking about (yes, I have a macbook). In annual fashion, Apple will unleash a new line of sleeker, cooler, savvier gadgets that will wow the masses. Mouths will salivate, eyes will sparkle, and wallets will become lighter. It’s just understood that the gadget you bought last year is now archaic, inefficient, and lame. This attitude pervades our culture, and it’s madness. I believe it’s why Christmas has become so commercialized – acquisition pumps through our veins. Over the next few weeks we will make our way through stores buying things to give to people we love, all the while knowing we’ll get something back in return, we’ll have something under the tree with OUR name on it. Something NEWER. Something BIGGER. Something BETTER than the thing we had before. “Maybe THIS will make me happy,” our hearts say. This makes me very sad. There are tremendous and staggering needs in Africa (thousands, mostly children, dying of starvation every day) while we observe the wonderful Christmas traditions of trading ipods for tv’s in our comfortable, padded lives. Some would respond to that by saying, “That’s just the way things are.” You’re right. But they don’t have to be! Somewhere along the way, we decided to close our fists tight and began to hoard. Self preservation runs our lives.
If you need something to get you going and on mission for God this Friday morning watch this video.
3 observations
1. Hillsong Rocks! They aren’t there for the show or fame they just worship.
2. It sends me chills up and down my spine to see 60,000 people worshipping their savior with all their hearts. I am so glad that I can be a part of a movement of people who love Jesus
3. The drummer has awesome facial hair. I am going to ask my buddy Josh to grow his to match.
It is hard to believe how quickly this year is flying by. I can’t believe it is Christmas already.
This fall has been really encouraging for me at Green Hills where I pastor. We have had a spike in attendance and have seen many new people join our faith community.
The most exciting thing however has been that our people have become excited to serve the underserved. Brad and I really feel that it is nothing that we have done to bring this about but it has been God who has been doing something special in our church’s heart. To save some space I just want to give you a list of some of the things that we have been encouraged by our people’s obedience.
1. Our college students put together 127 bags of basic toiletries and Bibles for homeless people. They have chosen to put these bags into their cars so they can hand them out when they see people in need.
2. We were able to put together over 90 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child
3. Our small groups have adopted 2 families who were in great need. One of our groups is dedicating a Saturday to go repair and clean the trailer of their adopted family.
Our most exciting event this fall was this Sunday when we had Gwen and Suzanna from 147millionorphans.com come and share about how God has been moving them to champion the cause of adoption and care for orphans. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. They have partnered with Katie Davis and Amazima ministries in Uganda and have created a clothing line to raise funds to feed orphans and provide grants for families who want to adopt.
This is the real heart of Christmas! To be the body of Jesus to a lost an hurting world, showing them that the savior cares for them and inviting them into a relationship with Jesus.
