The Vatican criticizes the avatar miove. what do u think of this article?
VATICAN CITY – "Avatar" is wooing audiences worldwide with visually dazzling landscapes and nature-loving blue creatures. But the Vatican is no easy crowd to please. The Vatican newspaper and radio station are criticizing James Cameron's 3-D blockbuster for flirting with the idea that worship of nature can replace religion — a notion the pope has warned against. They call the movie a simplistic and sappy tale, despite its awe-inspiring special effects. "Not much behind the images" was how the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, summed it up in a headline. As the second highest-grossing movie ever, "Avatar" is challenging the record set by Cameron's previous movie "Titanic." Generally it has been critically acclaimed and is touted as a leading Oscar contender. Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, has praised "Avatar" for what he calls its message of saving the environment from exploitation. But the movie also has drawn a number of critical voices. Some American conservative bloggers have decried its anti-militaristic message; a small group of people have said the movie contains racist themes. To Vatican critics, the alien extravaganza is just "bland." Cameron "tells the story without going deep into it, and ends up falling into sappiness," said L'Osservatore Romano. Vatican Radio called it "rather harmless" but said it was no heir to sci-fi masterpieces of the past. Most significantly, much of the Vatican criticism was directed at the movie's central theme of man vs. nature. L'Osservatore said the film "gets bogged down by a spiritualism linked to the worship of nature." Similarly, Vatican Radio said it "cleverly winks at all those pseudo-doctrines that turn ecology into the religion of the millennium." "Nature is no longer a creation to defend, but a divinity to worship," the radio said. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said that while the movie reviews are just that — film criticism, not theological pronouncements — they do reflect Pope Benedict XVI's views on the dangers of turning nature into a "new divinity." Benedict has often spoken about the need to protect the environment, earning the nickname of "green pope." But he also has balanced that call with a warning against turning environmentalism into neo-paganism. In a recent World Day of Peace message, the pontiff warned against any notions that equate human beings with other living things in the name of a "supposedly egalitarian vision." He said such notions "open the way to a new pantheism tinged with neo-paganism, which would see the source of man's salvation in nature alone, understood in purely naturalistic terms." The pope explained in the message that while many experience tranquillity and peace when coming into contact with nature, a correct relationship between man and the environment should not lead to "absolutizing nature" or "considering it more important than the human person." The Vatican newspaper occasionally likes to comment in its cultural pages on movies or pop culture icons, as it did recently about "The Simpsons" or U2. In one famous instance, several Vatican officials spoke out against "The Da Vinci Code." In this case, the reviews came out after a red-carpet "Avatar" preview held in Rome just a stone's throw from St. Peter's Square. The movie — which has made more than $1.3 billion at box offices worldwide, partly boosted by higher 3-D ticket prices — will be released Friday in Italy. "So much stupefying, enchanting technology, but few genuine emotions," said L'Osservatore in one of three articles devoted to "Avatar" in its Sunday editions. The plotline of aliens who live on a distant unspoiled planet and the humans who want to pillage their resources is a universal theme that can be reminiscent of past colonizations and wars, the paper said. As such, it is easy to relate to it, but also unoriginal. "Everything is reduced to an overly simple anti-imperialistic and anti-militaristic parable," it said. In America, the big numbers and media hype have been accompanied by some controversy. Blog posts, newspaper articles, tweets and YouTube videos have criticized the film, with some calling it "a fantasy about race told from the point of view of white people" and that it reinforces "the white Messiah fable." Cameron says the real theme is about respecting others' differences. An LA Times blog noted that the movie "has inflamed the passions of right-wing bloggers and pundits." "Cameron incensed many voices on the right by acknowledging of-the-moment messages about imperialism, greed, ecological disregard and corporate irresponsibility," it said. Anti-smoking lobbies have denounced the cigarette-puffing character played by Sigourney Weaver. Back at the Vatican, the reviews did praise the groundbreaking visuals of the movie. Vatican Radio said that "really never before have such surprising images been seen," while L'Osservatore sa
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Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
it's just a movie, they need to shut up
2 :
who cares, its a movie made to entertain people.
3 :
If the Vatican had it's way, probably more than half of the movies that currently exist would be banned. Anything they have to say carries no weight with me.
4 :
good movie
5 :
Much ado about nothing.
6 :
Have they seen the movie and if not why are they criticising it. If the pope does not want to see the movie, I am not aware of anyone forcing him too.
7 :
This is the rubbish you are filling your head with that the governments want you to do, to stop you thinking about the real issues going on in the world. e.g wealth and greed and war.
8 :
It's true, Paganism is the planned religion of the New World Order. The promotion of earth worship is linked with the Globalists ( the Club of Rome's ) programme for "eugenocide" or population reduction. HIV/Aids was fabricated as part of this (see Alan Cantwell) and they have many other bio-weapons ready to unleash. Check out the list of micro-biologists who've met untimely ends in the past decade alone and see if don't think there's something very fishy going on. See too the Georgia Guidestones, "America's Stonehenge", which expresses openly the number it is striving for in future. Hollywood has been promoting the occult in other world such as Harry Potter too with same the intention .
9 :
brought to you by the same people that quietly endorsed child molesting, the same people who claim birth control is a sin,the same folks that have been banning books for centuries, and still today hold woman as lesser human than men, and prove this on a daily basis, by confining woman to a domestic, supporting role. So let the sheep not see Avatar, the rest of the world can enjoy a beautifully done flick. Did i mention the Popes role in the holocaust?
10 :
This is just as stupid as the time the vatican flipped out when the DavinCi Code came out. Here's what I have to say: it's just fiction! the inquisition doesn't exist in the U.S! VIVA LA RAZA!
11 :
Its just a movie, people need to breath and chill out. I respect everyones beliefs and religions but my take is that their is no god. everyone of different cultures have a different god and thats messed up. it's all just a story. People just think belive in god so that they feel safe and have hope. the truth is that we are alone. there is no god watching over us, protecting us. we are alone. People also may believe in god and go to church because if they don't then they will go to hell. From what i was taught about him he isn't some evil dark dude who will send you to a fire pit just because you don't belive in something. so i think church is just a waste of time and money. there is no god. we are alone and chill out movie critics. no disrespect to anyone, thats just what i believe and i know you may have different reasons.
12 :
So much controversy around this movie... Kudos to James Cameron for inspiring people to think, and to explore what matters to them.
13 :
i have seen half of this movie!i'll see it 2morrow!
14 :
No.... I think this is a fundamental problem that we need to discuss about Christians! They believe that we are greater than nature it's self? No.... We are part of nature! We are also already part of God! This is something that drives me crazy! They believe that the human races is the only thing that matters... and also that you are not connected to God! And that you have to go through them and kiss there Fascist ring to get into heaven... Man! We really need to cut the crap! and I'm talking about all Christians! Please wake up and cut the crap! We are part of nature and we exist because of this planet! We are part of this planet and all surrounding nature! God! Please! Christians Suck! and we are part of God and Nature.... already! I love Jesus... I just hate his followers... what happened. Now it's Christianity = Fox News! Oh dear Jesus... Please!
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