Hi to my Forum Friends,
For all Christian believers, we must be diligent in protecting ourselves, our families, especially our young, impressionable children -- and our Christian fellowship of believers, and all of our friends -- from false teachings and false theologies which have the potential to lead people down the wrong path of eternity. Yesterday, I received the latest The Berean Call newsletter in the mail. The main article in this issue, "The Avatar Gospel," should make all Christians sit up and take notice -- and ask yourself, "Do I have family or friends who are vulnerable to being led away from the true Christian path -- by this false, pagan theology?"
Last night, I lay in bed, reading the newsletter, and getting out my yellow highlight pen to mark the excerpts I want to pass on to you. What I have included below is just the main points of the article. If you like, with the URL link below you may visit their web site to read the full article. My Friends, we must be aware of the great influence Hollywood, Oprah, and other New Age teachers can exert upon those in our families -- immediate families and fellowship families -- who are not yet as mature as they need to be in their knowledge of God's Word.
And, we must not shirk our duty of bringing this information about the movie "Avatar" and other such New Age teachings to their attention. I would rather have a family member or friend get testy with me for sharing this warning -- instead of having them later ask, "Why didn't you tell me while there was still time? If you really loved me, why did you allow me to be lured into this pagan religion? If you really cared for me, if you really loved me -- why did you not tell me about the real Jesus Christ?"
We want to greet our ALL of loved ones and friends in heaven one day -- not, mourn the fact that we did not tell them about Jesus Christ, while there was still time.
If you agree, please feel free to share this with your Friends, Relatives, Associates, and Neighbors -- all your FRANs. Let's make sure that everyone in our "circle of influence" meets us in heaven on that Glorious Morning.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE AVATAR GOSPEL
By T. A. McMahon, The Berean Call
http://www.thebereancall.org/node/8404
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. Although most people regard them as simply escapist fare or a mode of entertainment, they nevertheless always teach something.
That is certainly true of one of the most expensive films to date, the quarter-of-a-billion-dollar production of Avatar, which has already grossed two billion dollars. No film thus far has matched its stunning production value in creating a fantastic world of computer-generated characters that seamlessly match and interact with the physical actors and the world we know. Believability is the "do or die" quality of every movie of any kind, and Avatar makes believers of all but the most critical film goers -- few of whom could complain that this extraordinary production did not give them their money's worth.
Avatar's theology is my primary concern.
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.
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.
Cameron has added his own twist to native shamanism by having the Na'vi communicate with the Eywa, spirits, and animals through fiber optics in their braided hair tails. The Na'vi plug the strands into similarly compatible devices found in animals and plants. Although at odds with the actual practice of shamanism, this does reflect the necessity of "experiencing" a god that cannot be "known" through reason, intellect, or science.
It also solves a problem for Cameron the filmmaker. In what was no doubt a box office-related decision, he avoids the method commonly used by shamans to contact the spirits: inhaling or imbibing hallucinogenic drugs. Na'vi "doing drugs" would have forced Avatar out of a PG-13 rating, eliminating an age group that is prone to seeing such a movie many, many times, as well as being a top consumer of Avatar-related merchandise.
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.
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, the Emerging Church Movement, Rick Warren's Global P.E.A.C.E. plan, and those among some mission and parachurch organizations (e.g., those that follow the leadership and teachings of C. Peter Wagner) have a penchant for trying to find buried nuggets of Christ in the culture -- or accommodating Christianity to the culture, and vice versa. Many are about sanctifying and redeeming the paganism of a society -- or at least trying to harmonize and work with all religions. This is all fodder for syncretism and ecumenism. They are contributing to the religion of the Antichrist.
A. W. Tozer took such an endeavor to task by noting that Moses did not enter into a panel discussion with the Israelites for finding some spiritual merits of the golden calf. Nor did Elijah trade edifying insights with the prophets of Baal. And, neither did Jesus seek a meeting of the minds with the Pharisees.
Furthermore, promoting a "group hug" among contradictory religions with the intention of solving the world's problems is a grand delusion at best. Isaiah, speaking for Jehovah God, makes His view absolutely clear: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this [God's] word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20).
Warnings are also clear in the Word of God that a great spiritual battle is being waged all around us -- that we are in the days of rampant apostasy in the church -- and that we are being subjected to an increasing antichristianity in the world. What, then, must a believer do? We must diligently follow the Lord's prevention and protection program, the heart of which is found in Psalm 1: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
But certainly there's more: prayer and fellowship, for example. We need to circle the wagons at times -- for spiritual protection, counsel, encouragement, and ministry to one another. If such things become our disciplined practice of life, though the Apostasy dries up the spiritual environment around us -- we and our families nevertheless shall be fruitful in the Lord.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
T.A. McMahon is president and executive director of The Berean Call ministry, editor-in-chief and contributing writer for The Berean Call newsletter, co-author of The Seduction of Christianity, The New Spirituality, Understand the Times, and author of Showtime for the Sheep? Holder of a master's degree in communications, he has researched and written numerous documentaries and scripted several feature films. His writing/producing for Christian videos includes The Cult Explosion, The God Makers, The New Age: Pathway to Paradise? The Evolution Conspiracy, A Woman Rides the Beast, Israel, Islam & Armageddon, and Psychology and the Church.
Tom is the executive producer and co-host of two weekly radio programs, Search the Scriptures Daily (with Dave Hunt) and According to God’s Word (with Jim McCarthy, Greg Durel, and Mike Gendron). He is also cofounder and an executive committee member of Reaching Catholics for Christ.
Attachments
Original Post