Subtle on the Mind ( a Review of X-Men: Apocalypse)

I am not an avid movie-goer. Matter of fact, I rarely watch movies until they've been out for a few years. I made an exception recently when I took advantage of a trial membership of HBO NOW and watched last year's X-Men: Apocalypse.

As soon as I started watching this film, I knew I'd have to blog about it. If you haven't seen the film, you might want to stop reading here. Also, if you are hostile to Christian beliefs, you really might want to stop reading here.

                                                           

I'm no film scholar nor am I great at analyzing movies, but this one was so loaded with spiritual themes that I felt overwhelmed. Since I am not good at analyzing films, let me just do some stream-of-consciousness bullet points for you:

• Egyptian symbolism was thick at the beginning. Also a lot of sly comparison to Christ/Christianity.
• The main bad-boy character is named Apocalypse (if that doesn't just smack you over the head) and he looks very demonic. His entrance into the movie is a resurrection of sorts. 
• The characters are split into 2 camps (good guys and bad guys) for the first half of the movie and each camp has a "leader". Apocalypse is, of course, the hero of the baddies.  Charles Xavier is over the good guys. (Though I will argue that it's silly to think of demon and demon-like characters as being good or bad. Demons are evil.)
• When I saw the development of the two highlighted characters (Apocalypse and Xavier), I thought of 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
• It's hard not to immediately draw parallels to Christian themes (even though the movie is not Christian-friendly for those watching closely). Since most of the main characters possess special abilities and the two groups of them are at war with each other, they remind me of demons/fallen angels. I think that if we are meant to catch the angel comparison, we are supposed to identify characters as being either a "good" angel or a "bad" one. Apocalypse has a follower who is an actual "angel" (of a sort) - wings and all.     

Warren Kenneth Worthington III, originally known as Angel and later as Archangel, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is a founding member of the X-Men. Wikipedia 

• Charles Xavier has the ability to 'be at one', if you will with every human and mutant. This makes him appear very God-like - or maybe I should say "Creator-like". Basically, he has this amazing "connection" to all. 
• Apocalypse has a lot of power (much as Satan does), but he wants Xavier's ability to connect with all humanity (mush as Satan would like to have the connection God has with his creation).
• There is the prodigal son figure (Magneto) who eventually comes back into the fold of the good guys. And, I guess, Apocalypse would see Magneto as a type of Judas figure.
• Of course, because of their special powers, we get to see characters doing a lot of flying around and hovering like warrior angels and demons.

Even the comic books, which have been around for a looong time,
have this running theme

                                    

I did enjoy watching the movie - as entertainment and with discernment - but couldn't help doing a lot of head shaking throughout. It's always amazing to me that Hollywood (or most of the entertainment industry) has such disdain for Christianity but will twist it for their movies. 

    There was one piece of dialogue (among many) that really stood out for me:

 Alex: Like "the four horsemen... of the Apocalypse?" He got that one from the Bible?

                                Moira: Or the Bible got it from him? 

Movie fans might not think that this is true, but there are messages in movies like this one. The message - or intention might be a better word - is to water down Christian basics and mix it in with New Age beliefs and other Luciferian ideals. Of course, they don't always openly bash Christian beliefs. I think the main intention is to glorify the humans-as-gods (mutants) hopes. 

                                                        

I have to think back to something I once read about Satan still using the lies he told in the Garden - the fourth lie, in this case: "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5)

Between society's fascination with aliens/ufos, ghosts, demons, angels, super powers, increasing our intelligence (transhumanism) and always trying to match God's  powers... I think there is an agenda to get us used to the idea of all of those pursuits. If we start thinking of the abnormal as a "new normal" or the outrageously unimaginable as ordinary, and ourselves with the possibility of being "'like God", then certain people in certain industries will have achieved their goals.

I bet that more than half the people who read this post will think that I'm making too much of nothing. Some might even accuse me of being overly critical and would suggest that I just learn to accept entertainment at face value. I'm sorry if any of you feel that way. As a person with a Christian worldview (entertainment view, social view, life and culture view, etc,), I see everything through this Christian eyes. Also, I would suggest that my critics should be just as critical of this and other movies. We are in a spiritual battle and entertainment is the easiest and most subtle way to condition us into acceptance of things not always for our good.

Remember this: ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is dangerous.

Finally, I want to share some links I ran across after I wrote this post. I wondered if many people were thinking about this movie in the same way that I was.

• From the main villain himself. He has quite a few interesting things to say. Pay attention to his resume.
• A review done by a pro, and
• another review that nailed most of my feelings
• This article makes a few statements that grated on my nerves.
• "Apocalypse views himself not as a mutant but as a god -- and, for all intents and purposes, he is potentially the God of the Old Testament." — Bryan Singer, director [source] (who I don't think I would personally like, by the way.)
• And still more from Mr. Singer.

So, the Bible comparisons were intentional.

Peace

--Free

Television: Living by Remote?

Before I launch into my experiences and observations about television - or just "entertainment" in general, I want to pose some questions for any of you:

• Do you feel that you could (or should) spend less time watching TV?
• Have you ever (or would you ever) participate in the annual Screen-Free Week?
• Could you give up most of your time spent watching TV ever?
• What would you spend the extra time on?
• If you don't think you could give up TV for any prolonged time period, why not?
• How do you feel about that?
• If not TV, what do you think you might spend too much free time on?

The idea for this post came up when I was talking with an acquaintance last night and the subject of prayer came up. Actually, we were talking about the nice new "smart" TV that another person had just bought and I mentioned that I haven't owned any kind of a television for a couple of years. 

The person I was talking with was surprised at this fact. She said that she has a television in almost every room of her house and she wondered why I gave up owning a set. I explained that I originally stopped watching the TVs I had owned because I'd had to start working two jobs. The television habit was such a time suck and distraction that, the only way I could keep on top of my work (one job was done from a home office) was to give up TV. I barely had time to sleep, and any free time that I did have, I wanted to use to spend time with my sister and niece. Sometimes, I just needed the time to do nothing and let my brain rest.

After several months of watching TV on a very limited basis, I just lost interest in it. There were times that I'd catch a bit of a show that someone else was watching, and I had some fascination with one or two shows that I might tune into every now and then. When I moved back to Alaska and wasn't having to work two jobs just to survive, I had gotten more into reading and doing things online than watching television. Actually, I could still catch up on what was going on with a few shows via YouTube and Hulu.

When I got sick, I started back watching movies and television shows - even though I did so mostly via Hulu and Netflix. Once I moved in with a roommate, I didn't even bother hooking up a little TV set I'd gotten during a Black Friday sale. I ended up giving it to my roommate for her bedroom because she was a constant TV watcher. I had my Hulu and I even signed up for a Netflix DVD account. I wasn't watching as much as my roommate, but I was back to spending hours just having shows playing in the background throughout my entire day. I couldn't even go to sleep without having a show or movie playing on my computer.

This is how rested my brain felt the morning after

At some point, I decided I was going to have to be more proactive about getting my health back. I started getting up and out of the house more on the days I could manage that. When I was in the house, I spent more time doing some modified forms of exercise. I just realized how awful I felt when I sat around just watching a bunch of television.

Once I really gave it some thought, I realized that most television (and movies) are made to make us feel less than what we are. I was always comparing every aspect of my life to that of the people portrayed. According to most of what I saw on the stuff I saw on these shows, I wasn't any kind of "enough" (smart, pretty, rich, thin, ambitious, lucky, confident, quirky, romantically experienced, etc.). The only thing I was getting out of all that gawking at the shows was the idea that I had no right to be happy with any part of myself or my own precious life.

Basically, television was killing my spirit.

Probably most people who use the internet have heard the story about television coming into a home as a "stranger". The story has been spread around so much that there are different names for it, but I found this one called "The Visitor". (I chose this one because it seems to have been updated to reflect modern issues.)

Of course, it's easy to find info on some of the consequences of watching too much TV, but keep in mind that most warnings are about watching too much TV. I actually found that, unless I choose very carefully what I watch, I am not made better by watching any amount of TV. Everybody is different though.

Anyway, other than killing any human self-worth I have (though self-worth is not my ultimate goal), I noticed that television was also taking away from more important things in my life. I'm not talking just about work and time with people, but about my time honoring God.

Now, I didn't start praying more or spending more time with my Bible when I first cut out so much television. I always have put aside a little bit of time for that "stuff" but, lately, when I've had to lean so much more on my faith and God-given hope, I'm making more time.

My motives are not completely unselfish. I get something more when I do read my Bible and study it. I get something when I pray, even if that "something" is not always the answer I want when praying for a specific thing. I get something when I shut out the noise of media and the internet.

What I get when I honor God with my time and full attention is a kind of peace. Not only that, but I usually get a renewal of spirit when it's been worn down by all the clamor of life around me.

My doctor once suggested meditation when I was first learning to deal with the stress of my disease. I regret now that I didn't tell him that my time spent with God can't compare with what he told me meditation would do.

I'm not doubting that meditation works for some people. I'm sure it does, but it's not for me for two reasons:

1. It's either dependent on my own ability or power to renew my mind and spirit, or
2. It's dependent on some other power greater than my own that I want nothing to do with.

I discovered long ago that my own power is puny, which is one of the reasons I prefer to give my life and all that it is to the One who has saved me. I also know from talking with other people (who know) that there are other gods and greater-than-mortal spirits that have power of a sort. I want nothing to do with those other gods and spirits.

Anyway, where time spent with television does nothing other than offer short-term entertainment (and long-term, possibly damaging, effects on me), I have access to the Throne of God. For no cost. And He takes me just as I am. He doesn't care about how "enough" I am or not. I'm broken enough to be made perfect by His love.

No matter your reasons (or religious beliefs), here are some resources you might find interesting

• Screen-free org (and for this year's challenge)
• Digital Detox ?
• Do you suffer from internet addiction
• Alternatives during a screen-free week (no matter when you take the challenge)

I've subdued my TV habit, now it's time to curb some of my internet use. In the meantime, maybe I can buy old TV sets to turn into something truly relaxing...

Peace-

Free