Moana

Background

• Moana is a Disney movie that was released in 2016. This movie depicts the story of a Polynesian heroine who travels across the ocean to save her people, discovering her purpose as a wayfinder of the ocean.
• This movie has basic New Age themes laced throughout the plot as Moana chooses to be her own saviour, following her own rules of what feels right to her.

Background

God is in everything

Pantheism: The entire universe is a part of God. Every distinction between good & evil are illusionary. Everything is one.

God is in everything

~ Moana presents two main pantheistic views: Te Fiti and Te Ka, and the stingray.

God is in everything

Te Fiti and Te Ka are essentially the same person, one is good, one is evil. (putting them together, creating the oneness) When the god is good she is te fiti, when she is evil she is Te Ka.

God is in everything

Moana's grandma encourages her to accept her oneness with the sea. Before she dies she states "when she dies she wants to be a stingray so she can be united with the sea". After her death, we see her spirit in the form of a stingray.

Man is God

• Moana becomes her own hero
• She does not need Maui (the god) to accomplish her goal in saving her people
• Moana exemplifies what it means to be her own god, saving both herself and her people
• She is a independent, brave woman who conquers the evil, Te Ka, who was destroying her land.

Man is God

Man is God

• The grandma seeks "higher consciousness" through meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, channeling spirit guides, and more. Each of these diverse practices has the same purpose: to awaken the god in man.

Man is God

One's own experience validates the truth

• Moana feels like her personal truth is to be with the ocean
• Her successful journey to return the heart of Te Fiti affirms this truth
• New Age encourages the seeking of one's individual truth

One's own experience validates the truth

One's own experience validates the truth

• Since she was a child, Moana felt like her calling was to be one with the ocean and this idea of her independence is continued through the entire movie.

One's own experience validates the truth

Why are these concepts spiritually dangerous?

• The concepts seem like good ideas in theory, but when put into action they can be damaging and work against the Biblical principles that are in place
• God is in everything: Worshipping other things besides God is idoltary
• Man is god: Man is not god and if we try to believe this, we will eventually fail ourselves. God is the only one strong enough to control and be the hero of our lives
• One's own experience validates the truth: In this belief no one has morals. You are allowed to set your own rules. Corrupted humans can not be responsible for coming up with their own morals.

Conclusion and final thoughts

Moana presents various new age views, but is a fun movie for kids that can't truly understand the views of the movie.

Though the movie presses towards a new age filtration of thinking, we would all allow our kids to enjoy this fun movie :)

Conclusion and final thoughts