Avatar definition: Avatar is a Sanskrit word meaning “descent” …referring to the descent of a deity to earth (Typically the incarnation in earthly form).
Avatar was a movie released in 2009 by James Cameron. When I began writing this blog, I was intrigued by the inspiration for the story line. In my research, what I wasn’t prepared for was the wide range of comment and critique of the film, citing its inspiration, theology, social and ecological stances and the movie’s proposed intentions by all manner of individuals and many and varied religious groups either claiming it as a representation of their belief system or alternatively, refuting the movie’s spirituality. At the risk of attracting negative comment, I have chosen to follow my initial heart response because the movie itself impacted me and have chosen to use the film purely as a metaphor to explain, to the best of my ability, my own reaction and interpretation of the film, as I experienced it and as such, should be read in that light.
James Cameron’s story is based on a fictitious planet, Pandora and its inhabitants, the Na’vi people and the planet’s geography, geology and biology. The basis of spirituality is Pantheism, where animals and plant life have souls, its source of spirituality being Eywa, a Mother Earth identity. It is the geology and its inherent value to earth that has brought investors to the planet to mine its wealth, along with military and scientific capabilities, the story exploring the differences and interaction between the races based on intent.
On the first viewing after its release, I was unsure why the movie moved me as it did. Although the film is proposed to be based on Pantheism, if we look at the Biblical view and take the Garden of Eden story with God’s design for man’s dwelling in unity and companion with His creation, ( see Genesis 1:27-28 and Genesis 2:19) the relationship of man ( or in the case of the movie, the Na’vi race) with their surroundings …there is respect for all living things, living in awareness and oneness. The story line of the movie sets this ideal against the depravity and recklessness of mankind.
To me, the Na’vi people took their stewardship of their world as sacrosanct. They lived as many of our ancient tribes and first nation’s people, as custodians of the land in which they dwelt…not conquerors. They tread lightly upon the earth, living within the framework and security of their coexistence with their world…a spiritual existence. All their needs were met by their environment. They dwelt within it, took only what they required on a daily or seasonal basis and lived with intent… not contempt…for their surroundings.
As history has shown us even in our own dealings with ancient cultures and peoples, the movie expressed the tokenism used to subdue any aggression or resistance to the goal…the procurement of naturally occurring raw materials, generally considered sacred or part of the overall environs. Man as the conqueror.
In this case, a scientific team, created “Avatars” or replicas of the Na’vi beings, “indwelt” by humans through complex technological and biological means, taking on the nature and personality of its inhabitant through consciousness. The scientific basis of this experiment was to learn the ways of the native tribes people, discover the planet “Pandora’s” biology and better understand the culture of the Na’vi.
In the eyes of the instigators with their military capabilities, this experiment was tolerated only as a means to get the Na’vi to relocate giving them access to the vast wealth of mineral deposits beneath the ground and amongst the root system of their “Home Tree “settlement.
As history invariably repeats itself, any further telling of the storyline details is superfluous. Mankind has forever been driven by greed and its lack of regard or compassion for anything other than the conquered territory and its reserves for monetary or political gain.
However, for my mind and experience, the redeeming quality of this tale was the coexistence with nature. For example, there was what was referred to as the “Pandora connection”…between a Na’vi rider and a Dire horse, a right-of-passage into adulthood. To ride this beast, a “union” must be made through a neural/spiritual connection by interwoven filaments from each…the rider and the animal. The two become one…of one mind and therefore movement. This evoked in me a heart-longing for that union…that connection…with the Holy Spirit. I believe that is how I am intended to be, in the Spirit’s “indwelling” of me…my mind, will and purpose surrendered to a unified purpose in God. We become as one…as in there is no separation between His will and mine…me co-labouring with God to fulfil His purpose and will in my surroundings and world in which I live.
There is a verse in 1 Samuel 14:7 where Jonathon, David’s son, is with his armour bearer on a reconnaissance mission against their enemy. Jonathon states his plan, to which the armour bearer responds:
“Do all that your mind inclines to, behold I am with you….as is your mind, so is mine.”
That is my take on this level of connection…my mind at one with the Holy Spirit, to do all that God’s mind inclines to…to be an integral part of whatever God has for me to do but it is not of my strength, my working, my idea or timing. I can do nothing on my own. The power comes from and through, that oneness with the Holy Spirit.
Obviously, this was not the director’s intent with his story, but it stirred in me parallels for my understanding, being a visual learner. Now when prayerful about a direction I need, a deeper understanding of God’s will in a situation or even to know now how God intends to use my story to help or possibly influence someone else, that visual of the Pandora connection is helpful in portraying my prayerful longing to feel at one with God.
Another visual from the movie was the drifting of “Wood sprite”, seeds from the Na’vi’s spiritual “Tree of Souls”( the wisdom and souls of ancestors), onto the avatar Jake, one of the main characters, that signalled favour and future success. While treated suspiciously until this point, this resting of iridescent floating seeds upon him was auspicious and a sign to the Na’vi of his potential opening up a trust for ongoing relationship. This struck me as another parallel for the favour of the Holy Spirit on us.
So what is favour? The dictionary definition is approval, support, goodwill, kindness, preference.
This is available to every believer, but like Jake in the parallel, this favour was a gift bestowed with some responsibility on his part. It required of him a humility and hunger to learn…to fail and get back up and keep trying….to gain experience, knowledge, and wisdom.
Proverbs 3:1-4
“If you truly want a long and satisfying life, never forget the things that I have taught you. Follow closely every truth that I’ve given you, then you will live a full and rewarding life.
Hold onto loyal love and don’t let go and be faithful to all you’ve been taught.
Let your life be shaped by integrity with truth written upon your heart.
That’s how you will find favour and understanding, with both God and men-
you will gain the reputation for living life well.”
This favour and its parallels between the movie character and our relationship with the Holy Spirit continues. This favour meant developing a love-interest in the lives and ways and thinking of the people and a desire to emulate their behaviours and lifestyle…their heart.
His offering to the people was his loyalty…to them and in the charge against their protagonists …a dedication to their cause, safety and security.
He had to be seen to prove his faithfulness, submitting to their ways, authority and rule, confident in their ability and worthiness to lead.
When it became dangerous for the people, he was honest about his flaws, failings and betrayal. It required an admission, confession if you will, of fault and a humility to seek forgiveness.
This is how it must be in our quest for the favour of God on our lives…
A hunger to learn… to know…and a real desire for relationship.
A love interest in seeking God…to know His heart…to emulate the life of Jesus
To be loyal, faithful, dedicated to service for Him
“We need to be blameless before God”. Matthew 6:33
“Lord how wonderfully you bless the righteous. Your favour wraps around them and covers them under your canopy of joy”. Psalm 5:12
Submission to His ways, authority and ruling in all things, even…no… especially when we don’t understand them.
“God resists the proud but multiplies grace and favour when you are humble”. 1 Peter 5:5
Trusting in His love and desire for us.
A willingness to admit fault and seek forgiveness to learn to become a worthy child of God…a collaborator in His quest for the overall welfare, saving and security of mankind.
“Constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom and the righteousness (right standing) that comes from Him.” Matthew 6:33
The last parallel I will draw so as not to be too long-winded was the coming together of the Na’vi people for the benefit of another, one of the avatar scientists, in an attempt to save her from dying.
They came together, encircled, all touching one another in Unified prayer…each connected to each other for a unified purpose…all of one accord, one mind, one heart. The Na’vi were connected neurally through an underground living network with the Tree of Souls.(their ancestral wisdom)
As a church, our coming together in unified prayer, our interconnectedness with each other should be underpinned by our deeper spiritual bond with Christ. The power derived from that approach and purpose…one mind, one accord, one heart, I think speaks to a need as a church, to think and act more collectively. We meet and centre our true worship and need around God, our Source…from where we derive our power and when we act in accordance with…and in union with…His will and purpose we can affect the outcome of that prayer in thankfulness as willing co-labourers of His will in any and every situation.
So, are we willing to step out in faith, to anchor ourselves in complete trust to the our Father God and His love for us, becoming all He intended for us to be so that we can walk confidently in the surety of that desire He has for us. If we can adopt and accept that level of relationship of surrender to Him, He will use all that we are and have become in Him to co-labour in His desire, will and purpose for our lives as well as the lives of others…our loved ones, our church, our community…anywhere He places us, to affect change.
Shalom.