I was able to see a cut of the X-Men Apocalypse teaser from Comic Con. I wanted to be incredibly excited about it, but there was a big problem.
The main villain is Apocalypse. He is an ancient mutant who has gone through history like a god. But in the trailer he says this:
"I've been called many things over many lifetimes: Ra, Krishna, Yahweh…"
So, this comic book movie is saying that the God of Abraham, the One revealed by Scripture, the Maker and Redeemer of all, is actually an evil blue mutant.
Now, for those who are saying that this is fiction and we should just lighten up, keep in mind what is being said: Judaism, Christianity (and actually Hinduism), are religions with ideologies that are compatible with a genocidal megalomaniac.
I have no problem believing that X-Men would make a direct attack on religion. Col Stryker from 3 of the X-Men films got his start in the comics not as a military man but as a Christian preacher who advocated mass murder of mutants, including children.
And in the the 25 cent issue sold a few years ago, the first line of the story was, "More people have died in the name of religion than have ever died of cancer… and we try to cure cancer."
I am open-minded and am willing to entertain the idea this line was just Apocalypse trying to aggrandize himself and shake the faith of his enemies. But the makers of the film are going to have to prove this to me.
As of now, I am resolved to not see this movie. And I might be the only one who noticed. I can't find anyone else writing about this cinematic blasphemy. This is a shame because I love the X-Men franchise.
I think 20th Century Fox is making a huge mistake.
Thoughts?
This reminds me of Star Trek 5, but if I remember correctly its proven that the God/alien thing didn't actually start any religions. Age of Ultron also comes to mind, except, again, Ultron isn't actually God.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are correct.
DeleteIf only X-Men could join the MCU...
Delete"There's only one God, sir. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like you."
It means a lot that even though Whedon is an atheist he could still write a believer in such witty terms. I mean, he didn't have to include that little exchange, but he did and he was respectful of that character's beliefs.
DeleteI'll have to see how it plays out, but this, combined with the current story line in JLA, sure does make it seem like there's a concerted effort to hammer religion in comics and comic-related material right now. It makes me a little nervous to see where they're going with the religious angle in Batman v Superman.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little nervous, but I was so happy with the religious overtones and imagery of Man of Steel. I loved that that Clark went to a priest to ask about what he should do. As a philosopher, I was also stoked that he was caught reading Plato!
DeleteWe'll see though. I'm trying to be open-minded.
I found the full teaser here (with a brief strong language warning):
ReplyDeletehttp://toylab.blogspot.com/2015/07/x-men-age-of-apocalypse-first-trailer.html
I'm even more disappointed in the potentially anti-religious aspect because otherwise it looks awesome!
No Allah? Must have been an oversight.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of what the makers of the movie 2012 said about why they included scenes of the Vatican and other holy sites being destroyed, but no Muslim holy sites. http://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/nov/03/roland-emmerich-2012-kaaba
DeleteThis was the first thing I noticed about the trailer today and it disgusted me. Brainwashing everyone into thinking religion is nothing but a joke or a lie. It's not a joke or a lie. Talking about how all dumb idiotic people in the world follow these mutants who claim to be Gods but oh no we cool mutant people caught onto it because we're cool mutant people and the masses are ignorant. Absolutely ridiculous i will not see this movie. I'm debating if I will even see BvS. It's just as blasphemous.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the trailer, and the word blasphemy was the first thing that came to my mind...
ReplyDeleteYes!Made me sick to my stomach,sad and angry all at the same time!The devil is out to steal,kill and destroy, and not always in the most obvious ways. Think of all the young, impressionable minds Watching this. :(
DeleteThis is the way the serpent makes his way into our children's minds. Keep away from this slow melting pot of wicked intentions.
ReplyDelete2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 "and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."
Jeremiah 7:8 - Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Colossians 2:8 - Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-13 - [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (Read More...)
Psalms 109:2-4 - For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. (Read More...)
1 Corinthians 5:6 - Your glorying [is] not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Matthew 16:6 - Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
2 Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The trailer is nothing short of blasphemous. I like the X-Men movies, but I'm not willing to give up my spiritual convictions in the name of entertainment.
ReplyDeleteThe trailer is nothing short of blasphemous. I like the X-Men movies, but I'm not willing to give up my spiritual convictions in the name of entertainment.
ReplyDeleteExcellent observation. Isn't it obvious why? Lol
ReplyDeleteSorry I came here 3 years after this issue. But to let all of you know, they finally changed the quote to "Ra, Pushen, Elohim". As you may know, elohim s not always a direct reference to God as Yahweh actually is.
ReplyDelete