The Vatican has criticised James Cameron’s 3-D blockbuster 'Avatar' for portraying the idea that worship of nature can replace religion.
In the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, the film is labelled a simplistic tale, despite its awe-inspiring special effects and the article headline said: "Not much behind the images."
Most significantly, much of the Vatican criticism was directed at the movie’s central theme of man versus nature.
L’Osservatore said the film: "...gets bogged down by a spiritualism linked to the worship of nature."
Similarly, Vatican Radio said it: "...cleverly winks at all those pseudo-doctrines that turn ecology into the religion of the millennium. Nature is no longer a creation to defend, but a divinity to worship."
Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi said that while the movie reviews are just that, film criticism, not theological arguments, they do reflect Pope Benedict XVI’s views on the dangers of turning nature into a "new divinity".
Generally the film has been critically acclaimed and is touted as a leading Oscar contender.
As the second highest-grossing movie ever, 'Avatar' is challenging the record set by Cameron’s previous movie 'Titanic'.
