ANGEL WARS
A "CHRISTIAN' ANIMATION OR A DECEPTIVE IMITATION?
by Berit Kjos - December 2006
"Kids will love this animated action movie! Angel Wars is an animated
DVD featuring an epic, supernatural adventure of angels battling fallen
spirits."[1] AFA Superstore
"Angel Wars Guardian Force
rocketed to success this fall as children in more than 2,000 American
churches buckled up and strapped in to the high powered adventures of
Michael, Swift, Kira and Ariana."[2] Review by
Joe Montague
"I made them for my boys who love
Pokemon and
Power Rangers,"[3] Chris Waters, Angel Wars' creator
A spiritual war is raging, but help is near. Here come the angels!
But wait! These warriors look more like Power Rangers or Superman.
Some soar the
skies on skateboards; others fly spaceships that remind us of
Star Wars
battles. Like sorcerers and superheroes, they can invoke power and
protection through magical objects, and even "good"
angels have bad attitudes and act like rebellious teens. So who
are these new masters of the universe? What do they teach our children? Surely not Christianity!
No, these angels are marketing a
tempting counterfeit. According to
hollywoodjesus.com, their "creator" Chris Waters (who "moonlights" as a youth pastor) did
"extensive research on the 'tween market."
He "believes the best way
to reach today's 8-12 year-olds is through visual entertainment, and hopes Angel
Wars will be a portal through which they will come to understand the nature
of a complex spiritual world."[4
This "complex spiritual world" scorns the Biblical order. "Rather than being overt with morality and Biblical teachings," explains Joe Montague in his review of this anime-like DVD series,
"Waters relies on action-packed scenes, a high tempo musical score delivered
by acclaimed veteran music producer Christopher Stevens and the strength of
good character development to flesh out the message."[3]
And what is that message?
"Drawing a similarity between his work
and C. S. Lewis'
The Chronicles of Narnia, [Chris
Waters] says that both have hidden Christian meanings in them yet
remain 'one step removed, so that someone who isn't a Christian can still
appreciate the struggle and not feel like they are being preached to
or
being smacked over their head.'”[3]
In other words, his message presents a mythical illusion designed to
appeal to the world. Purged of any offensive
reference to the gospel, it fits Time Magazine's 1993 observation: "For those who choke too easily on God
and his rules... angels are the handy compromise."[5]
REDEFINING ANGELS
There's nothing really new or holy about
today's "cool" angelic images. Awesome angels have been popular
topics through the ages. Remember all the angel books back in the 90s.
Fueled by the TV serial, "Touched by an Angel," that
fad birthed a revolution in the public perception of supernatural
forces. As truth merged with myth and fantasy, Biblical discernment
plummeted, and fascination with "other gods" and popular supernaturals
soared.
The Angel Wars illustrate the process. Each episode starts with the same
introduction -- a strange blend of truth, myth and fantasy. In this context,
Biblical words such as "redemption" are linked to angelic
efforts, not to the crucified and resurrected Christ. Our sovereign, personal
God is replaced with a
remote creator-god who plays no further part in the action:
"In the beginning there was One, the Great Maker King who called
forth all that was. The first of the Maker King's creations was the
glorious race of angels, with none so bright as the Daystar. But
the crown of His creation was earth, where lived a race of mortal beings
so like the king that it maddened the Daystar. Drawing to his
side a legion of angels, the rebel sought to overthrow the Kingdom of
heaven. His rebellion squashed by the righteous guardians, the rebel
fled to earth where he found his opportunity for revenge. From that day
to this, a war has raged for the hearts of mortals, one side bent on
destruction, the other
redemption."[6,
see note]
How "righteous" are these angelic guardians? This letter from
a concerned Christian illustrates the answer:
"It is hard to see these 'angels' as having anything to do with the
Bible. Other than the reference to the "great maker king" at the
beginning of episode 1 and the same thing in the middle of episode 2, I
don't remember anything at all to do with Jesus, the Father or His Word. The angels travel around in a cool looking spaceship and form wings on
their backs when flying out of it to go on their assignments..... except
the young angels, Kira and Eli, who fly out on skateboards shaped like
small wings. Eli cloned himself in his first fight scene when he was
outnumbered by the enemy.
"The most disturbing thing for me, as far as the visual images went, was
the faces of the evil characters, especially their eyes. I can still see
the images in my mind. I would think this could cause some kids to have
nightmares. I am at a total loss as to how this could be considered
Christian entertainment. But I understand why they would love these
angels, especially if they are fans of
Power Rangers, robots and
Transformers."
Yet, both
Family
Christian Stores
and
LifeWay
Christian
Stores spread this promotional message: "Angel Wars: Guardian Force is an epic, animated, supernatural
adventure of angels battling fallen spirits. Eli and Kira, two junior members of the Guardian Force
must grow up in a hurry when their first mission to earth takes a detour,
pitting them against Morg, a deadly but long forgotten foe. In a race against
time, the Guardians must uncover the source of Morg's power, defeat his crafty
minions, and stop the ruin of a mortal life, all while learning to work
together."[7]
But Biblical angels don't start out as immature teenagers who must grow up
and "learn to
work together." Instead, they obey God and continually carry out
His will. His holy
messengers, first introduced in the Bible as sword-bearing guardians of
God's garden (Genesis 3), don't need high tech assistance to traverse God's
infinite space. Nor must they, as the DVDs show, earn credits in order to
get their wings.
UNDERMINING THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
The
American Family Resource Center shows the same disregard for Biblical
integrity. Ponder its promotion of the second and third episodes, which it offers at
a discount: "With his angel hostage in tow, the archangel Michael on his tail, and a symbiotic stone taking control of his body, the demon Morg flees to the underworld where he quickly establishes a new base of operations. Feeding off the demon’s pride, the symbiotic stone slowly transforms Morg into an all-consuming beast with the power to threaten both Heaven and Earth."[8]
Who is considered sovereign in this story -- our God, the evil Morg, or
the angelic "Guardian Force"? In contrast, what does
God's Word
tell us about His sovereignty and the destruction of the
earth? Compare His ways with man's arrogant speculations:
"I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning,
and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying,
‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all My pleasure.’" Isaiah 46:8-10
CLASHING VALUES
Young fans may never forget these counterfeit angels that
corrupt the Biblical worldview. As brain research has repeatedly shown us, such thrill-driven
stimuli will more effectively change
beliefs and values than real (but less thrill-driven) facts, truth and logic.[9]
[See The Power of Suggestion and
Unconscious Learning]
But that's not all! These unbiblical images and
suggestions can now be reinforced through an additional DVD! Called
"Drawing With Dan," it will help children learn "to draw angels like the pros.... setting them on a course to artistic glory
unrivalled in all of history."[10]
In other words, children not only learn to blend truth with myth
(DIALECTIC thinking), they also practice what they learn (PRAXIS) by
reproducing the images. Through this praxis, these practiced fantasies become part
of a child's new understanding of heavenly realities.
Christian children, whose home-taught beliefs are "challenged" by these
mystical alternatives, are likely to experience "cognitive dissonance" --
a
mental and emotional confusion caused by the clash of opposing beliefs and
values. When trying to resolve this confusion,
today's
children tend to side with their peers and pursue the new thrills.
[See Brainwashing
and how to resist it]
THE NATURE OF GOOD AND EVIL
The
"Rotten Tomatoes" website tells us that "ANGEL WARS is designed to appeal
to young teens while teaching them lessons about the nature of good and
evil."[11] But the "good" in the movie distorts what God
calls good! Unlike the remote Deist-like
deity of Angel Wars, the true God never abdicated His role as Lord and
Master. He continues to wield and delegate power according to His will and plan! Though
He warns us repeatedly not to
add to His Word
or delete from it, these animations add unforgettable impressions that
stretch and transform God's own revelations about Himself into a mystical
fable.
Our Lord has no appreciation for clever marketing strategies that appeal
to human nature. He despises our foolish attempts to hide the victory of the
cross and the power of Christ's redemption behind enticing
lies. Instead He seeks faithful followers who will teach truth to
children and trust His Spirit to make it alive in their hearts.
In conclusion, those who have -- by God's grace alone -- been "raised up with
Christ" (Ephesians 2:6) have the privilege to view reality from God's heavenly perspective. That worldview will
enable us to --
1. Love and worship God, not angels or any other spiritual forces.
2. Build our understanding of God on His word, not on popular entertainment.
3. See God's angels as ministering servants of God, holy
messengers doing His will.
4. Use Biblical words correctly.
5. Reject marketing that appeals to the flesh and stirs cravings that clash with the Spirit. "For
the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and
these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you
wish...." Galatians 5:17
"For we are not, as so many, peddling the word
of God...." 2 Corinthians 2:17
"...we have renounced the
hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the
word of God deceitfully...." 2
Corinthians 4:1
"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:56
Endnotes:
1.
www.americanfamilysuperstore.net/e/product.asp?sku=5559406112
2.
Joe Montague, "Angel
Wars Guardian Force,"
www.tollbooth.org/2006/features/angel.html
3.
Joe Montague, "Angel Wars: Animating Biblical Truths in an Epic Struggle of
Good Versus Evil," November 28, 2005.
www.sightmagazine.com.au/stories/Features/angelwars28.11.05.php
or
4.
www.hollywoodjesus.com/sites/angel_wars_about.htm#Synopsis
5. Nancy
Gibbs, "Angels Among Us," Time
(December 27, 1993); 56.
6.
www.hollywoodjesus.com/sites/angel_wars_clips.htm. The main problem is
that unchanging Biblical truth has been converted to an evolving myth. In
spite of it similarities to God's revelation, it's still
a myth -- disconnected from actual Truth.
Tolkien and Lewis did the same with their fantasies. See
Christian Romanticism, the Inklings, and
the Elevation of Mythology at
www.crossroad.to/articles2/006/nathan/romanticism.htm
7.
www.familychristian.com/shop/product.asp?ProdID=11366
and
www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?isbn=1415898367
8. www.americanfamilyresourcecenter.net/e/product.asp?sku=5558543663
9.
www.crossroad.to/articles2/suggestion.htm and
www.crossroad.to/articles2/MovieMagic.htm
10.
www.americanfamilysuperstore.net/e/product.asp?sku=5558694505
11.
www.masonicforum.ro/en/nr4/gaotu.html
12.
www.rottentomatoes.com/m/angel_wars_guardian_force_vol_3/about.php