It would appear that Avatar - one of the best science fiction movies ever made - is under attack from all directions.
Right wingers are criticising it for it’s anti-imperialist, anti-military stance
The politically correct are accusing it of being racist
Anti-smokers are complaining about one of the characters smoking
The Vatican is complaining about it promoting paganism and nature worship
Unbelievable.
Given the ill judged actions of various “super powers” (a title they gave themselves) in forcibly attempting to impose their own flavours of democracy on countries that cannot possibly support it, it amazes me that the military industrial complex dare complain about anything.
The politically correct idiots in America should perhaps take a look at Pocahontas. If Avatar is racist, then so is Pocahontas. They should also look a little closer to home - and the entire history of the various early foreign settlers in the US; their theft and destruction of the lands, people, history, and culture.
Anti smoking campaigners could have been far more clever; instead of clinging to the coat tails of the most successful movie in history in order to grab any headlines they can, why not point out that the nature of Pandora could not save the character who smoked?
The vatican has come out with perhaps the most hilarious complaint of the lot - essentially complaining that a work of fiction is promoting a different belief system than the one they promote. A bit like saying “You should all be reading Brer Rabbit, not Peter Rabbit”. For what it’s worth pagan ideologies and belief systems are far older than any form of christianity, and when picked apart have far more basis in observable fact (and therefore truth) than a trumped up, rewritten series of books about a political dissident, promoted by the richest, most corrupt organisation our world has ever known.
Quite apart from any of the grand-standing going on, it’s worth shouting from the rooftops once again - IT’S A WORK OF FICTION. If the thoughts it provokes are causing reactions, it’s almost certainly because it has exposed guilt on the part of those complaining most vociferously.