Avatar Causes Depression?
January 13th, 2010 Posted in Pastor's cornerI recently saw Avatar, the film that is currently breaking box office records around the world.
Without question, director James Cameron has raised the bar for computer-generated graphics to a level never seen before. His depiction of the Na’vi, the imaginary creatures who live in the world of Pandora, is quite a spectacle.
An article on CNN’s Web site described it like this: “The world of Pandora is reminiscent of a prehistoric fantasyland, filled with dinosaur-like creatures mixed with the kinds of fauna you may find in the deep reaches of the ocean. Compared with life on Earth, Pandora is a beautiful, glowing utopia.”
Pandora is not real
Now here is where the rub comes. Some people have have gotten a bit too caught up in the CG world of make-believe.
The CNN article went on to say, “James Cameron’s completely immersive spectacle Avatar may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.”
Say what? Depression and suicidal thoughts? Some people are taking this all way too seriously.
I do think this touches on something deeper, our unique makeup as humans that causes us to long for more than we have here on this earth. It really is a longing for heaven.
As the Bible says, “God has placed eternity in our hearts.”
There is no indication the animal world has similar longings. I seriously don’t think dogs (and especially cats!) think about the meaning of their lives and decry the emptiness of their lives, but humans do.
Deep inside, we all long for this place that we have never been. C.S.Lewis called it the “secret signature of each soul.”
“There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven,” Lewis wrote, “but more often I find myself wondering whether in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. . . . It is the secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want.”
The real thing
Heaven is the real thing. Pandora is a CG imitation, at best.
I would hope that those who are feeling depressed and even having suicidal thoughts would open up the Bible and read its descriptions of the future home of the person who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. You can read all about the very real place called heaven in the Book of Revelation, among other places.
Here is a glimpse of our future eternal home from Revelation 21 (from THE MESSAGE):
The Angel speaking with me had a gold measuring stick to measure the City, its gates, and its wall. The City was laid out in a perfect square. He measured the City with the measuring stick: twelve thousand stadia, its length, width, and height all equal. . . . The wall was jasper, the color of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable . . . . The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. But there was no sign of a Temple, for the Lord God—the Sovereign-Strong—and the Lamb are the Temple. The City doesn’t need sun or moon for light.
I’ll take the real over the virtual any day of the week.
you mean I can’t have my own bird to fly on?
I don’t know about depression, but I felt like I was supposed to feel guilty for all that white people had done in displacing native peoples around the world, as well as guilt for just being a human and my part in destroying the planet. I could see how people might find reasons (legitimate or not) for feeling depressed in those areas because the movie sure did lay it on thick.
i too will take the real over the virtual or imagined any day. and speed the day, O Lord, of our reunion with the Lamb and our departed in Your presence!
Very cool post Pastor Greg. I haven’t even seen the movie Avatar (im probably the only one…hah) but I know that we all long for something more, that God can only supply. Perfection and beauty and His holiness!
Amazing… Truly amazing the real thing in Heaven is!!! Glory to God in the highest!
I agree with you! I think about what heaven will look like sometimes, but just knowing that Jesus is there and the love, peace and joy that we will have is so much more exciting than anything that we will be able to see with out eyes.
We saw the movie the other night….Marty said is was like a high tech Bambi!
Blessings,
Jenny
Perhaps the people who are depressed because they want to live in a make believe world are faced wither realization that they should be pursuing heavenly things and basking in the beauty and joy of Gods presence here but the evil in their hearts, their greed and self centeredness are what they spend their time on. God called this guilt over our sinful nature. Purify the sinful heart and bath yourself in the joy and light of Christ. NO make believe computer generated world can ever surpass the joy, beauty and peace He can share with His chrildren in this world.
What unveiled my eyes to this life were all the attempts man has made throughout history to replicate a sort of heaven on earth as they see it. Look at vegas, recently built tallest building in the middle east. Achievments man considers great but they won’t last. I want something permanent, man couldn’t help me with this, So I turned to God.
That’s awesome! The part about us looking forward to Heaven… (not the depression part, lol)
Though I have not seen Avatar it is my understanding that the beautiful utopia of Pandora is threatend by the human villians, an image reflected in the pseudo-religion of environmentalism. Yet, as Christians, we know that it is our transgressions against God, not the planet, that put us in danger. Though it is true that we are to be stewards and manage the resources(the planet, creatures, etc…)that he has trusted us with, we know that the world will not end because of climate change, but rather with the return of the Lord, our God. We, humans, can not achieve perfection or utopia for or by ourselves; instead we will be granted this by a loving and merciful God who has redeemed us. This is what I long for, not a world of beautiful CGI blue-skinned cat-faced people who never pollute their pristine wilderness. What these people are really depressed about is a lack of God in their lives.
I think if these depressed people thought through what it would actually be like living on Pandora like the Na’vi they would be thankful for what they have.
No running water or sewage. Where do these people go to the bathroom and how do they dispose of waste?
I never saw them eating. What do they eat and how do they prepare it?
Not to mention danger from wild animals and other personal hygiene issues.
Perhaps the movie makers should’ve given Avatar a “P.G.” Pastor Greg rating.
I haven’t seen the movie just yet, which probably isn’t right considering I’m a film student. But I wasn’t aware of what CNN had written; which is very interesting and I am glad that you addressed that.
People were not made in God’s image to live a virtual life. Jesus is THE real Life and the more we deviate from Him the emptier we will feel. I don’t doubt the film would leave a person feeling despair. As for heaven, the bible says we can’t even begin to comprehend what He has prepared for us! As our hearts feel the longing for eternity without Christ we will continue to be duped into what puny finite minds consider “utopia”. Just one glimpse of His holy loving eyes will be more joy than I could ever know and it would be enough to keep me happy forever!!!!!
avtar was a great movie, the computer-generated effects were beauthful,the best I have ever seen, people being depressed over it I dident see that.
I haven’t seen it and have no desire to. I know someone who has gone a little over the edge over this movie. please pray for him.
I had the same thoughts that Chewy exspressed. This environmental push from certain groups in our country has in my opinion placed the creation above the Creator. Good stewards but at what cost? We are so desperate to fix this “environmental meltdown” we are sacrificing everything to accomplish this ficticous goal. Everything from national security to our childrens future based on the “faith” that our world is melting… I have read way to many articles lately about many parts of the world having the coldest winters recorded in seventy years. This just makes me think that our society places no faith on the fact that God has His Hands on this world. Which we all know better… Don’t get me wrong, I love Gods creation just as much as the next guy but am I willing to place the environment before God? The simple answer is no. I think the most disturbing part of the movie was the scene where everyone was gathered around the tree worshipping it or the collective environment. What is first the Creator or the creation?