Romans 14:12: “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Professor Owen Anderson returns to FSE University, this time to walk us through the movie “Avatar: The Way of Water.” His goal in this article: show the movie’s debilitating impact on masculinity and fatherhood.

As Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Arizona State University, one of his areas of focus – questions on reality, value, and purpose – fits perfectly in his critique of James Cameron’s latest movie. Professor Anderson exposes “Avatar: The Way of Water” for showing us what a man and father is not.

“We have been cursed with the movies of James Cameron for four decades now. We are being disciplined for our folly. And I should not say “movies” I should say “movie” because they are all the same. Three generations have been taught that technology and growth are evil and destroy humans. And Avatar: The Way of Water is no different. Same old Cameron. The irony: he uses the best technology to tell this story.

In Avatar 2 we are punished with a story about a father who wants to protect his family. But that protection is merely physical. He does not protect them from idolatry and ignorance. There have been societies that reduce the role of the male to physical protection while spirituality is not governed by men but the priestess.

Avatar teaches standard paganism. Mother Earth is in balance. The human soul pre-existed in Mother Earth and at death returns to Mother Earth. Now, follow me for a moment: Could not they reason that even if there is a Mother Earth that this Mother Earth is itself dependent and created. So, their worship and prayers should be directed to this even greater spirit that created Mother Earth. And they can follow that line of thought about dependency all the way up to the Greatest Spirit who is eternal and created all things.

But as in other pagan systems, even if there is this Great Spirit, He is ignored as distant and uninterested.

Prayers are offered to the Earth Spirit. As far as I can tell, the Earth Spirit is evil because she does not correct these misdirected prayers and teach them that prayers are to be directed to God alone.

She wants their worship and prayers in the place of the Creator. And as Augustine pointed out, the further men go from God the more they become like animals. In Avatar there is no essential difference. They grunt and snarl and are even said to be less intelligent than the whales.

One of Jake Scully’s sons is taught that all is one, all is water. This is one of the earliest pagan teachings. It is not a coincidence that Moses rejects this and teaches that God the Lord created water. But this son accepts this teaching and believes that the soul comes from water and returns to water.

As an animal eating its own young, Mother Earth reabsorbs us. And the father cannot help his son and does not teach him about God the Lord who created water and earth and who should be loved and glorified. This father claims to find meaning in protecting his family and yet cannot protect them from such simple mistakes. He does not protect them from meaningless beliefs. What becomes of his meaning?

So, this father does not protect his family. He is not goal oriented. He does not know his highest good and he cannot direct his family to the highest good. Together they continue in idolatry and darkness. He might be able to prolong their physical life by fighting enemies, but he cannot keep their souls alive.

Fathers, consider Avatar as a cautionary tale of how not to be a man and father. You should know your Creator and be able to recount his wondrous works. Teach your children to do the same. Give them meaning and purpose in life. Preserve them from cyclical systems by teaching them the truth about teleology (answering the question: ‘why am I here? What is my purpose in life?’).”

As this week’s verse tells us, one day “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Towards the end of ‘Ecclesiastes,’ King Solomon gives this same warning to young adults: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

Professor Anderson reminds us “Far from being reabsorbed into Mother Earth, they will be asked to give an account for themselves. We are going to be afflicted with more of these Avatar movies until fathers repent and protect their families by teaching them the truth about God.”
“The Evidence of Faith’s Substance” _ Article #567