Free from illusion<\\/h2>\\n Take the hugely influential science fiction franchise \\u201cThe Matrix<\\/a>.\\u201d Depicting characters caught in a diabolical computer simulation, held prisoner to AI, the film feels particularly timely in 2024.<\\/p>\\n Seeing past illusions to a deeper cosmic reality, as the film\\u2019s protagonists must do, is of course a theme of many faiths. \\u201cThe Matrix\\u201d is peppered with many other allusions to religion<\\/a> and mythology. Main character Neo, referred to as \\u201cthe One,\\u201d is killed and resurrected. A hacker even tells him, \\u201cYou\\u2019re my savior, man, my own personal Jesus Christ.\\u201d One central character is named Trinity. Another is called Morpheus, after the Greek god of dreams.<\\/p>\\n \\n \"A<\\/a> \\n Carrie-Anne Moss and Keanu Reeves as Trinity and Neo in \\u2018The Matrix.\\u2019<\\/span>* *\\n Ronald Siemoneit\\/Sygma\\/Sygma via Getty Images<\\/a><\\/span>* *\\n <\\/figcaption><\\/figure>\\n More specifically, religion scholars see explicit themes of Gnosticism<\\/a>, a variant of Christianity<\\/a> that flourished during the faith\\u2019s first few centuries. A central focus of Gnostic texts is attaining liberation from worldly illusion through direct inner knowledge of truth. Its teachings include stark dualism \\u2013 light vs. dark, mind vs. body, good vs. evil \\u2013 and belief in a hidden God operating in a hostile cosmos, both of which have analogues in \\u201cThe Matrix.\\u201d<\\/p>\\n Buddhist themes<\\/a> are also unmistakable. The film begins with Neo waking up, both literally and figuratively, as he discovers the truth: Machines have trapped humanity in pods to harvest their energy. The world in which humans believe they are living is actually \\u201cthe matrix,\\u201d an illusory world created to distract them.<\\/p>\\n \\u201cBuddha\\u201d means \\u201cawakened one<\\/a>,\\u201d and many viewers have drawn comparisons<\\/a> between Keanu Reeves\\u2019 character\\u2019s journey and Buddhism<\\/a>. Once awakened to reality<\\/a>, Neo is no longer bound to the illusions of ignorance and desire. Just as importantly, he must help other humans awaken and escape the cycle of suffering.<\\/p>\\n Spirits on screen<\\/h2>\\n*** *\* ***Even apart from specific allusions like these, cinema shares something important with religion. <\\/p>\\n Religion scholar R. Brent Rodriquez-Plate<\\/a> argues that films can function something like religions<\\/a> in the lives of their audiences, \\u201cplaying God\\u201d by creating imaginary worlds<\\/a> \\u2013 worlds that may make viewers see their real lives in a different light.<\\/p>\\n \\n \"Three<\\/a> \\n Visitors gaze at a clay model of Hayao Miyazaki\\u2019s film \\u2018Ponyo\\u2019 at an exhibition in Tokyo in 2008.<\\/span>*** ***\\n Yoshikazu Tsuno\\/AFP via Getty Images<\\/a><\\/span>*** ***\\n <\\/figcaption><\\/figure>\\n That power is nowhere more evident than in animated films, which create vivid realms that live action can only dream of. In films like \\u201cSpirited Away<\\/a>\\u201d and \\u201cHowl\\u2019s Moving Castle<\\/a>,\\u201d legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki creates his own mythic worlds<\\/a> populated with fanciful \\u201cy\\u014dkai<\\/a>\\u201d: creatures that are inspired by Japanese legends but not quite Shinto or Buddhist.<\\/p>\\n Many of Miyazaki\\u2019s films also include spirits that inhabit inanimate objects, which he associates with Japanese tradition. \\u201cIn my grandparents\\u2019 time \\u2026 it was believed that spirits (kami) existed everywhere \\u2013 in trees, rivers, insects, wells, anything,\\u201d he once said<\\/a>. \\u201cMy own religion, if you can call it that, has no practice, no Bible, no saints, only a desire to keep certain places and my own self as pure and holy as possible.\\u201d<\\/p>\\n \\u201cPrincess Mononoke<\\/a>,\\u201d Miyazaki\\u2019s 1997 film set in medieval Japan, tells the story of a young prince drawn into an epic struggle between forest gods and humans who exploit natural resources. It\\u2019s a challenge religions have often ignored but are increasingly trying to engage: how to live responsibly in the natural world. <\\/p>\\n While the movie has an environmental message<\\/a>, it avoids oversimplifying the struggle to \\u201cgood nature\\u201d besieged by \\u201cbad humans.\\u201d San, a human girl who leads an army of wolves, tries to kill the prince, while Iron Town provides support for lepers and outcasts, even as it degrades the environment.<\\/p>\\n \\n

{"id":1763,"date":"2024-03-07T12:12:09","date_gmt":"2024-03-07T16:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theconversation\/?p=1763"},"modified":"2024-03-07T12:12:09","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T16:12:09","slug":"oscars-2024-films-are-full-of-faith-in-unexpected-places","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theconversation\/2024\/03\/oscars-2024-films-are-full-of-faith-in-unexpected-places\/","title":{"rendered":"Oscars 2024: Films are full of faith in unexpected places"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\n Seeing the light \u2212 at the movies.
\n

igoriss\/iStock via Getty Images<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/p>

By David W. Stowe<\/a> of Michigan State University<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In some movies, religion hits viewers over the head \u2013 including films that take home the industry\u2019s biggest prizes. No one could miss religion\u2019s importance in \u201cThe Exorcist<\/a>\u201d or \u201cJesus Christ Superstar<\/a>,\u201d both nominated for Oscars 50 years ago. Martin Scorsese, whose \u201cKillers of the Flower Moon\u201d is up for 10 at the 2024 Academy Awards, is working on a new project on the life of Jesus<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Anyone can find a religious meaning in \u201cKundun<\/a>,\u201d Scorsese\u2019s epic about the Dalai Lama\u2019s youth, or \u201cFiddler on the Roof<\/a>,\u201d the story of life in a Russian Jewish shtetl at the turn of the 20th century. Cinematic Christ figures are a dime a dozen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But for scholars of religion and popular culture<\/a> like myself, movies that engage religion less directly are often more intriguing. <\/p>\n

Free from illusion<\/h2>\n Take the hugely influential science fiction franchise \u201cThe Matrix<\/a>.\u201d Depicting characters caught in a diabolical computer simulation, held prisoner to AI, the film feels particularly timely in 2024.<\/p>\n Seeing past illusions to a deeper cosmic reality, as the film\u2019s protagonists must do, is of course a theme of many faiths. \u201cThe Matrix\u201d is peppered with many other allusions to religion<\/a> and mythology. Main character Neo, referred to as \u201cthe One,\u201d is killed and resurrected. A hacker even tells him, \u201cYou\u2019re my savior, man, my own personal Jesus Christ.\u201d One central character is named Trinity. Another is called Morpheus, after the Greek god of dreams.<\/p>\n \n <\/a> \n Carrie-Anne Moss and Keanu Reeves as Trinity and Neo in \u2018The Matrix.\u2019<\/span> \n Ronald Siemoneit\/Sygma\/Sygma via Getty Images<\/a><\/span> \n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n More specifically, religion scholars see explicit themes of Gnosticism<\/a>, a variant of Christianity<\/a> that flourished during the faith\u2019s first few centuries. A central focus of Gnostic texts is attaining liberation from worldly illusion through direct inner knowledge of truth. Its teachings include stark dualism \u2013 light vs. dark, mind vs. body, good vs. evil \u2013 and belief in a hidden God operating in a hostile cosmos, both of which have analogues in \u201cThe Matrix.\u201d<\/p>\n Buddhist themes<\/a> are also unmistakable. The film begins with Neo waking up, both literally and figuratively, as he discovers the truth: Machines have trapped humanity in pods to harvest their energy. The world in which humans believe they are living is actually \u201cthe matrix,\u201d an illusory world created to distract them.<\/p>\n \u201cBuddha\u201d means \u201cawakened one<\/a>,\u201d and many viewers have drawn comparisons<\/a> between Keanu Reeves\u2019 character\u2019s journey and Buddhism<\/a>. Once awakened to reality<\/a>, Neo is no longer bound to the illusions of ignorance and desire. Just as importantly, he must help other humans awaken and escape the cycle of suffering.<\/p>\n Spirits on screen<\/h2>\n* Even apart from specific allusions like these, cinema shares something important with religion. <\/p>\n Religion scholar R. Brent Rodriquez-Plate<\/a> argues that films can function something like religions<\/a> in the lives of their audiences, \u201cplaying God\u201d by creating imaginary worlds<\/a> \u2013 worlds that may make viewers see their real lives in a different light.<\/p>\n \n <\/a> \n Visitors gaze at a clay model of Hayao Miyazaki\u2019s film \u2018Ponyo\u2019 at an exhibition in Tokyo in 2008.<\/span> \n Yoshikazu Tsuno\/AFP via Getty Images<\/a><\/span> ***\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n That power is nowhere more evident than in animated films, which create vivid realms that live action can only dream of. In films like \u201cSpirited Away<\/a>\u201d and \u201cHowl\u2019s Moving Castle<\/a>,\u201d legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki creates his own mythic worlds<\/a> populated with fanciful \u201cy\u014dkai<\/a>\u201d: creatures that are inspired by Japanese legends but not quite Shinto or Buddhist.<\/p>\n Many of Miyazaki\u2019s films also include spirits that inhabit inanimate objects, which he associates with Japanese tradition. \u201cIn my grandparents\u2019 time \u2026 it was believed that spirits (kami) existed everywhere \u2013 in trees, rivers, insects, wells, anything,\u201d he once said<\/a>. \u201cMy own religion, if you can call it that, has no practice, no Bible, no saints, only a desire to keep certain places and my own self as pure and holy as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrincess Mononoke<\/a>,\u201d Miyazaki\u2019s 1997 film set in medieval Japan, tells the story of a young prince drawn into an epic struggle between forest gods and humans who exploit natural resources. It\u2019s a challenge religions have often ignored but are increasingly trying to engage: how to live responsibly in the natural world. <\/p>\n While the movie has an environmental message<\/a>, it avoids oversimplifying the struggle to \u201cgood nature\u201d besieged by \u201cbad humans.\u201d San, a human girl who leads an army of wolves, tries to kill the prince, while Iron Town provides support for lepers and outcasts, even as it degrades the environment.<\/p>\n \n