Have Some Integrity

The new Chronicle of Narnia movie is set to hit screens this weekend . The last two did well , however the last one did not perform to expectations. Having seen  both , unlike the first one , the second lacked the charm and strong Christian overtones of the Lion , The Witch and the Wardrobe(which was still water downed a bit) . Well hoping to right the ship , apparently the Voyage of the Dawn Treader embraces the underlining Christian message more clearly.On that one , we shall see.

Now comes a interview with Liam Neeson , the actor who voices Aslan . Well read this for yourself and chuckle at his pathetic politically correctness and relativistic thinking.

"Aslan symbolises a Christ-like figure but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries.

That’s who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids – that’s what he means for me." Liam Neeson

The most important words in this whole statement are for me .  In other words it doesn't mean a hill of beans what Lewis wrote , what he intended with his story that clearly , without mistake , makes Aslan a Christ figure . No I can twist and distort for my own pleasure what it means to me. Even if Neeson doesn't like the exclusive nature of Aslan being a Christ figure , at the very least have the integrity to ackowledge Aslan cannot be Buddha or Mahammed. Its insulting and yes it gets my dander up when a "actor" speaks of which he doesn't know.

Even if he didn't like the message of Narnia ,  he should just keep his mouth shut till at the very least he has something to say that makes sense. In the Chronicles it is so clear that Aslan is Christ . He dies for sins and rises from the dead  .Did Buddha or Mohammed do that . No. Did they teach that they were God in the flesh. No.

The gulf between every religious figure and Jesus Christ is a chasm that even the universe is insufficient to describe. 

Now some may say , lighten up its a talking Lion for goodness sake. But the fact is what right does Neeson have to take what Lewis clearly meant in the text and twist it for his own purposes. For that matter , even on this account the filmmakers have fudged as well in the previous film. In many ways , as its been said by other critics of the films , they domesticated Aslan.

Just as dealing with any author , we should let the text speak. Plus if we have any integrity , we will without twisting it to fit our own preferences . Many do the same with the Bible , reducing Jesus to a wise sage or  moral example . But the writers of scripture knew what they meant. One may not like it but too bad.


So I'm hoping this new Narnia will right the ship and let the truth Lewis was pointing to shine through his stories and may they be told with some integrity . Aslan after all is not a tame Lion !