Avatar

Put your 3D glasses on and get ready for a barn-burner. Tonight six of us made a trip to the cinema to catch a flick, one that was fortunately in English, though some essential subtitles were in Icelandic. For those of you who have not seen Avatar I suggest you fork out the ten or more dollars (though it was cheaper than ten dollars here, goggles included). An Avatar is a Hindu understanding of a physical being inhabited by a deity. Appropriate to the movie. In all honesty, the movie is a heavy commentary on not just American History, (though mainly it is), but the history any civilization that has destroyed another for what treasures they sit on.

I grew up about 20 miles south of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, quite probably the most impoverished place in the United States. I have learned some of Sioux spirituality from school, some from churches in the area, but most from kind friends and acquaintances willing to open their culture up to me and others. I think that for the most part, Americans should be able to see the quite obvious connections in the movie Avatar, though my proximity to the reservation and education of the Plains Indian Wars may give me a deeper insight than most. In Iceland... I'm not so sure.

I talked to one of our hosts, Guðni, (who took us out to the movie), and asked him about his thoughts, then explained my own. Guðni was kind enough to let me talk about myself, my experiences, and my thoughts quite a bit. I will leave my opinions to myself for the blog, but will make the reflection that even in a foreign country a person can be brought close to home.

I forgot that we were to post prayers at the end of our posts, thankfully the women were faithful and so I will pick up on their example.

God of All People, I thank You that You are with us in all places and connected to our every being. Thank You for the opportunity to reflect on home in a far away place. Help us to look with love on all people and all of Your creation to see that You are their God and Creator and to treat all of Your creation in that regard. With love for You I pray, Amen.