Click to watch PART 2! ua-cam.com/video/riotaG84C80/v-deo.htmlsi=JIpUao8qt_s59iS7 hi all! Thanks so much for the convo in the comments! Just wanted to add that I think as Christian’s it’s important to always discern media when watching anything - even IF it claims to be Christian bc not all Christian media is biblical… but I sorta see it as chewing the meat and spitting out the bones (as far as its new ageism which is NOT of God) When I watch avatar, I take the positive aspects and leave all the other spiritual stuff alone. We should be doing that continuously ! :)
You're not the only one Especially when it animated movies or series People tend to overlook it and says it's for kids only? Like? What? And I watch other shows I see Christ or myself as a Christian or spiritual warfare in animated series Eg Demon slayer, Avatar, Inside out 1&2 and more So it's really nice seeing someone else apart from my cousin who shares something similar ✝️🔥👌🏾🌅💯
No we should not.. you wouldnt go to a satanist church and say im gonna just enjoy the beat of their music because it brings me peace. That would be ridiculous, If you are baptized the Holy spirit will tell you what to watch and not to watch, if you listen to Him you will feel it and I really really doubt i about Avatar... Keep in mind Ive watched avatar and only when I grew up I started understanding it because I have learned about the craziness they put in our faces.. and im not accusing you im saying this with love and hope that you see things a lil different
@@lovinghand7325 hi there! I agree we should be discerning with what we consume. Like you, I avoid anything demonic and am careful with what I watch and listen to. For example, I don’t really listen to secular music. I don’t believe everything secular needs to be avoided though; the key is listening to the Holy Spirit and guarding our eyes and ears. We’re called to be in the world, not of it, so avoiding everything isn’t always realistic or helpful. Even ‘Christian’ media can twist scripture, so discernment is crucial. With Avatar, I recognize some of its unbiblical themes, but I watch it for its clean dialogue, family-friendly storytelling, and great plot.
@@lovinghand7325 bro I get what you saying but it's not like that with everyone My cousin sister only prefers Gospel songs and movies, she doesn't want to be watching other stuffs mainly cuz of distractions and so on, but for those who can watch other shows, like cartoons or anime and still see Christ inside it, it still helps in our growth with Christ, Yes we shouldn't watch shows that have lust and demonic preferences and so on, But Remember everyone is different even though we in Christ The Holy Spirit has a way for everyone and a way for you might not be the same way for someone else who is battling with something or growing in Christ, But of course when it comes to Heaven Jesus Christ is the only way there
When thinking of arrogant and narcissist people, their humility comes from thinking less of themselves because they believe they are better than everyone else. Its kind of their defining characteristic. Once a person learns to move past arrogance or narcissism, then humility is about thinking less often about yourself and thinking about others.
Zuko’s story relate to me in so many ways! I lost my way to the sins of fornication, depression, guilt, anger and wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Then Jesus reminded me when I was in my brokenness that, “I still love you”. I immediately snapped and started searching for meaning and answers about Jesus. I became a truly saved Christian last April. I was the prodigal daughter just like Zuko. FYI Zuko is my favorite character in the show! 🎉
That's just what I was thinking! Every time I see Zuko go to repent to his uncle, he thinks his uncle will hate him but he is embraced as rhe son who was lost.
"I was never angry with you, I was sad, because I was afraid you'd lost your way" - Iroh One of the best displays of the Father's Love I've seen on TV, it's become my visual representation for the parable of the prodigal son 💚
Avatar: the last airbender is actually one of the things that made me a Christian. There were many areas of my life God was working in that lead me to him, but one of those ways was through this show. I watched this show as a kid and loved it, and would regularly rewatch it. When I was an adult I rewatched it again after 6 years. 6 years of pain, agony, humiliation, betrayal, striving for success, depression etc. And I got to see my favourite character: Uncle Iroh. There's one scene that always makes me cry so so much, and it's the scene where Zuko had betrayed his Uncle, imprisoned him, yelled at him on the other side of the bars, done all these horrible things to the one person who was on his side. He reunites with him and tears apologises for all the things he does. He says he doesn't believe his uncle can ever forgive him and right at that moment Uncle Iroh embraces Zuko in a hug and says "I was never mad with you. I was sad, because I thought you lost your way." Iroh's completely selfless love for Zuko despite all the horrible things Zuko did to him struck a deep chord with me. As a child I found it sweet, but it was something I almost expected from a parent. As an adult and seeing how cruel and unforgiving reality is, the idea that Iroh did that was insane to me. It made me, as an atheist who was searching for answers, understand the depth and weight of God coming down in human form to be with us and then dying for us, and forgiving us no matter how much we betray him and mock him and spiton him. It made me realise that that might be a fable to me, but there are people who believe the God of the Universe did that, and that that's something so serious it should be considered with some real gravity. Long story short, God used my favourite character Iroh as a stepping stone to show his sacrificial love to me.
@juliakboateng OMG glad to know that I am not the only one (of course) for whom God has used popular media to make me a better Christian and person. The way you all feel about Avatar: The Last Airbender is how I feel about Avatar by James Cameron. 😅😂😊
Yes he had the PAUL arc you know Paul had a past just like zuko full of hatred and anger just like Paul he was hunting Christians zuko hunted the avatar but he ended up helping the very thing he hunted and broke GENERATIONAL CURSES and unity just like Paul became the very thing he hunted a Christian he was so savage with it he wrote one third of the Bible so zuko and Paul have that redemption arc story in common and brought unity Jesus works in mysterious ways😂
Honourable mention to Katara. Her perseverance in refusing to lose hope in a dark world inspires me to trust in God's goodness always. Her deep respect and compassion for community inspires me to protect Christian fellowship. Her righteous anger inspires me to stand up against evil. Please make a part two :)
I was literally just talking to my homies about how Moses was scared to speak because of his stuttering but he was lucky to have a brother who had his back and how important the correct brotherhood can be
I always saw Aang’s philosophy as similar to how a Christian is supposed to live and persevere, spreading love and faith despite the negative influences in their surroundings.
Very true! Aang was so faithful to who he was even tho the rest of the world was very counter to him. Like with us , as Christians we live “in the world, but not of the world.”
Buddha n Christianity can never be the same , Buddha is just not like a religious Christ who was born different from us like they claim😮..Please do proper research DO not assume things coz they seem similar Buddha was before Christ
I love that you made a video about this because I've always felt this. Aang choosing not to kill the firelord at the end of the show was something that truly resonated with me as a Christian because we face situations where our morals can sometimes go against what the world says is right. Even other Christians would disagree with us but if we feel God placing a decision on our heart that is the way we must go.
I don’t make videos on UA-cam, but you just spoke exactly my thoughts about ATLA that I’ve always wanted to be out there on YT! I grew up watching this show and it was such a pivotal aspect of my walk with Christ. Genuinely! Iroh’s words that “if you only take wisdom from one place, it becomes rigid and stale” stayed with me when I asked God for more wisdom and sought after it. Also the saying “pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source” keeps me mindful of my actions and where they are rooted from. I think another aspect of ATLA that I want to point out is forgiveness. Katara wanted to follow Zuko to the man who killed her mom, and Aang tells her to forgive him instead. Zuko says “that’s the same as doing nothing!” And Aang goes “no it’s not. It’s easy to do nothing, but it’s hard to forgive.” God tells us to forgive our enemies, and I think this is the simplest way to acknowledge that God’s forgiveness to us was not easy, and God calls us to do the hard thing to others as well. SUCH a good show with so much wisdom!
I have watched many shows and have gotten a biblical/ spiritual revelation from it such as Toy Story 4 and how the spoon constantly tried to throw himself away just because he was made of trash, but Woody encouraged him that he was created for a purpose. Like maybe some of us as people might feel we are nothing in life but have to realize we all were created in the image of God and that he has a purpose for our lives.
Zuko was talking to God in that thunderstorm. When Chinese people talk to or refer to Heaven, they are referring to God of the Bible, they just lost His personable details though because of corrupt emperors
For me when i think of zuko, i think of When, paul was arresting christians and he basically thought that's what he meant to do. only for him to find out his true destiny was with his enemy.
I love this. I'm a 31 deconstructed female. I feel secularly/culturally Christian. While Christians have always been putting a Christian perspective on modern media, i really appreciate your boldness and bravery to post so openly about your faith. I don't know if I'll find a community in faith again, but i really appreciate this video.
@swagsukeuchiha7599 lol no. I believe in the power of prayer but I also respect everyone’s journey. If this individual replies and rejects it, that’s their prerogative, makes no difference to me. Let people speak for themselves.
@@swagsukeuchiha7599 do you not realize that is what they are saying? Prayer should not be taken as a offense. It's is hoping for a future op will be happy in.
I love this show and I'd often notice how certain things from this show reminds me of the Bible. For example when Iroh tells Zuko that he was never angry at him, he was sad because he was afraid he'd lost his way. That scene always makes me think of God's forgiveness and patience with us. Then also the way everything Zuko goes through and how many times he fall but at the end of the series he becomes the Fire Lord, showing how all of what he went through wasn't in vain. It's amazing how God can use different things to reach His children in different ways. All glory to God
Yes all glory to Him! Yes when Iroh said “I was sad bc I was afraid you lost your way” it makes me think of how we can grieve the Holy Spirit. When we drift further from God it saddens Him more than anything. And when we come back He’s leaping for joy! We serve such a loving and patient father 😭
This! Like I've always felt this way about ATLA being a Christian. Thought I was alone so i clicked so fast on this vid. And even in the Legend of Korra, its like this for me. The ending of season 1 final episode, where Korra realised she lost her "powers", and Aang came to restore it saying "its at our lowest point , we are open to the greatest change". When whole time before, she could never connect to Aang or any past lives (the spiritual side of being the avatar). That was so impactful for me given Korra was always overconfident in her own physical abilities, and thats what used to block her from growing spiritually and connecting to the avatar "spirit". And that just reminded me of how God often times allow us to come through dark valleys so we can learn to humble ourselves and depend on him. The way Aang showed up is the same way God does for us ( or moreso we are better aware of how close God has always been to us when we are at our lowest) and He alone can restore us. (that portion alone in the show reminded me of the scriptures James 4:9-10, Psalm 43:18, and Proverbs 3:5-6)
Not only that but in general, the "avatar spirit" raava, reminds me of the Holy Spirit. It's really the avatar spirit that makes the avatar powerful. If the light spirit is not in the avatar, then they are much weaker and cannot even fight against dark forces or save anyone. Seeing how the first avatar Wan and raava combined permanently at harmonic convergence, and raava said " we are bonded forever" was just chills for me, because essentially, the same way when we accept Jesus Christ and God lets His Holy Spirit dwell in us, as we are now adopted to sonship and our body becomes a temple for God's light and His Spirit. Its like God bonding us to Himself eternally, and now we also have power and authority through His Holy Spirit. So whilst the avatar universe only has one avatar, in our reality God is so omniscient and omnipresent that all of us believers are basically like the avatar due to the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. I can go on but this is just a lovely series you've started. Please do a part 2 vid when you get chance.
“all believers are like the avatar due to the Holy Spirit” you just messed me up 😭 that’s so freaking true wow! Also yes! With Korra, not depending on yourself… ahhh that’s so on point. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I CERTAINLY will make a part 2.
@@juliakboateng no, thank you for posting this video. Finding another willing to talk about this niche parallel made my day☺️ Also cant wait for part 2
In the legend of Korra, when it is explained that the Avatar is the fusion of a human with Raava, the spirit of light, I always thought of it as an allusion to the Holy spirit. She is the source of power, knowledge, and the avatar's identity It is because of her that the Avatar is ALWAYS inclined to do good and bring peace to the world. She lives inside the avatar, just as the Holy Spirit dwells within us. and when she says "We are bonded forever" When she and avatar Wan became one, it sounds very much like the Creator's desire for us to be one with Him.
This is true. And its because the enemy copy cats everything that God has established. The fact that the avatar is fully human yet fully like a "god" sounds like Jesus. Master of all 4 elements. Jesus not only masters the elements, he created the elements. I understand, trust me I used to be a super fan of Atla, untill Jesus opened my eyes to the deception in it. Maybe as Christians we are not influenced to practices those things like buddhism, meditation, projection, chakras, 3rd eye, yin and yang, but there are Many who ARE in deception 😢 and those people Truly believe in this practices. They don't think of Raava as the Holy Spirit. Hope that makes sense. Not trying to make anyone feel attacked, its just to open people's eyes to the devices of the enemy. Because not everyone who watches the show are Christians, some of them actually believe and practice those concepts. For example, PROJECTION is an extreme level of meditation and witchcraft that people with evil use to hurt others. It's not a practice to help people as seen in Korra where Jinora does it to help her friends.
Another thing I find fascinating is when video games actually take inspiration from the Bible. And as a Christian you get so excited to see how much respect a type of media can give to your beliefs.
video games for sure! and honestly i feel like a lot of media takes themes from christianity without wanting to give reverence to it. God can still use it for His good though!
@@juliakboateng I 100% agree. One company I've noticed takes a lot of inspiration from Christianity on their games is Nintendo, you should check out Zelda and Fire emblem and their themes of biblical meaning. Some games are more obvious then others as well, and Doom if I'm not mistaken is also inspired with Christian biblical themes. I loved the Video, may God bless you and your family, I pray in Jesus name, Amen 💚
It may look like Aang serves as the parallel to Christ as the redeemer in the Avatar world and character of peace. Zuko (from a royal family) in some ways is actually the parallel to the biblical Saul/Paul, since he started off by hunting the Avatar far and wide, did eventually join his side and is perhaps the most popular character besides the Avatar due to his unmatched character development. He was the last major character to join Team Avatar, quite late in the series. Guess who became an Apostle quite late in life? Saul or Paul who originally was a Pharisee (a powerful class), had contact with Christ, lost his vision, but did eventually get it restored along with a new mission in life, did travel far and wide, becoming perhaps the most famous Apostle. In Avatar, Zuko himself came from a powerful class, travelled widely before and during the show, did clash with the Avatar before joining him, he did not lose his vision like Saul (soon to be Paul) but in fact lost his fire-bending which was restored at the end of an episode when he realized that it was losing his sense of mission that was responsible for his loss of power and that when he regained a new meaning in his life then his fire-bending was restored. Talk about parallels!
This was really cool to listen to!! I think one reason I always liked atla was that it was a secular show that actually spoke about spirituality and in a good way. Even if it discussed chakras and different practices I don't believe in, we still get to see Aang solve emotional problems by reflecting on his life and what he has learned. And not just punching them away in unhealthy anger.
agreed!! It’s really a great show for kids to watch in that sense that it really promotes healthy emotional regulation. Thinking through things and seeking guidance before making rash decisions. And whenever the characters did do something rash they had to bear the consequences accordingly!
This is awesome and I have always had the same thoughts. I think many people limit Christian thought because of their experience from its culture, not from God. And this limits our abilities to see connections in our beliefs in things like Avatar.
Oh 100%! I think it’s bc we’re worrried about mixing the spiritual with secular, which is 100% real and valid , however I feel like when we learn to chew the meat and spit out the bones, we can still learn a lot from many other places! Be in the world, not of it!
Yes! I love connecting the dots! I see so many similarities and parallels between Christianity and sci-fi/fictional adventure franchises and universes!!!!
Such a good point abt mentorship. There’s a part in Acts I like where Philip the evangelist is guided by an angel to meet an ethiopian eunuch on the road in his chariot, and when the eunuch sees Philip he asks for help in reading a prophecy from Isaiah. Philip explain it’s about Jesus and it leads to his baptism and helps form the church in Ethiopia. It’s a simple story but I always liked the message, that it’s okay to ask for help and guidance from more experienced people, whether they be in your church, a family member, a friend etc and that it can be so fruitful beyond what you can imagine Of course like you said we shouldn’t listen to just anyone. Be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves”, but a little guidance never hurts sometimes. Along with prayer and reflecting on scripture for yourself. Interesting vid
I’ve always LOVED that story!! I feel like that story also always made me remember that God will put you in the right place at the right time. He’ll position you in order to help and serve others! 🩷
You really hit the nail on this one! I never truly connected Atla with Christianity until recently! The way Zuko's story parallels with the prodigal son and also Paul's story is absolutely insane but truly amazing when connecting the dots. Great job with the video!
Last year it was zuko redemption acceptance self realization = my repentance & my faith grew stronger in Christ.uncle iroh being a mentor,I needed that
It taught me how to forgive my abusive father Thank you Jesus Christ for bringing me in the 21st century Not Avatar but also Naruto and Spiderman These shows taught me a lot about Forgiveness, Responsibility and never giving up As a Christian we are all like Spiderman,we must put on our mask which is our faith As for Naruto,I am a jinchuruki of the Holy Spirit Not Marvel's Spiderman but Jesus Spiderman Sharing from Nigeria 🇳🇬
Favorite show ever and I am so happy you made these connections. I always knew ATLA was more than a children’s show and I sometimes only saw it from a mental health perspective. As a Christian I now wanna rewatch it and make more connections like you did. Thank you for this! Btw love that we share the same name and initials that’s what drew me to this video. KEEP SHARING 🎉🎉🎉
I was literally thinking the other day during my rewatch of the show about the connections between ATLA and Christianity lol. Thanks for getting this much needed conversation going!
There is a reason for this, because the enemy copies everything from God. He cannot create his own concepts, he can only copy. For ex. Buddhism which is highly shown in Atla, is a concept that says you don't need a Savior (Jesus). Focuses on meditation, balancing your chacras, opening up your 3rd eye, karma ( all of this leads a person down the wrong path, into a path that says you need only you. Leaving God, Jesus our savior out of the equation. It points to you being the owner of your destiny. In Christ, we learn to surrender to his will. Not my will but yours be done. Not my strength but yours.
@@isarownie6073 you're halfway there. I studied Buddhism in a world religions class. It definitely wasn't my favourite, in fact it was probably my least favourite of the ones I studied lol. But Buddhism is also about detachment and emptying yourself to the point where you cease, find enlightenment, and your spirit merges with the Universe, Nirvana (not the band lol). It's pretty anti-individualism. Otherwise you remain stuck in the reincarnation cycle to keep trying again. So technically ATLA doesn't go that far, cause, well, that's kind of weird and depressing lol. It is briefly touched on at the end of the show, when a previous Air Nomad Avatar tells Aang he can't fully detach himself from the world because he's the Avatar. I'm certainly not saying any of this is right, just offering some of the facts I learned about Buddhism in that class. Most people, at least in the West, don't practice real Buddhism. If they do, we don't hear about them, cause they're probably not on social media lol. And they're certainly not out saving the world; they're trying to detach from the world. Btw I'm a devout Christian. I think having accurate info is helpful. What I like about Avatar, despite it's non-Christian religious influence, is that it's one of the few shows, esp. kids shows, that depicts spirituality/religion as a good and real thing (in its fictional universe). Most shows act like religion doesn't even exist, so it's pretty cool to see it depicted in this show. I treat it as fiction, see the connections to my own faith, and move on with my life 😊
Part 2 please❤ I love ATLA, and as a Christian, I recognized many of these themes. I watched ordinarily as a child, but as an adult, I was prompted to see it through the lens of my faith. I relate so much to Zuko (he's my favourite character) because he represents my personal struggle with remaining in faith and coming back to the right path. It's a vivid example of the back and forth struggle we have with sin. And as you said in the video (and I want to take it even further), Uncle Iroh represents God, who's always with us even in our struggle. Who waits for us and gently guides us to the right path. Who is ready to forgive us when we truly repent. Hallelujah!
As a Christian and Avatar fan I love this video! As I’ve gotten older and grown in my faith and understanding of the Bible, I find myself remembering moments from this show that taught similar lessons. Iroh’s line “humility is the true antidote to shame” has always been stuck in my mind because I didn’t fully understand that line until I got older.
Honestly, ATLA includes a lot of similarities between religions/philosophies like Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Hinduism. (Even in the case of Christianity, Shinto and Animism, though it is more antithetical in comparison to the others.) I find this really intriguing because I'm an agnostic raised by Christian parents and deep down I really enjoy observing the patterns that each spiritual teaching brings. It's as if everything is really interconnected, as the Yin-Yang concept of Taoism says.
I love this video Avatar is one of my favourite show and it definitely teaches so much about how to be a better person but you've taken it to the next step by relating it to the bible. 👏🏾
Great video! The zuko part is true his story taught me to never give up, good things come through pain. I'm not religion but this video made me to think about God
Thanks so much for posting this, i completely relate and remember when I watched the show for the first time just thinking how insanely true to The Truth the redemption arc of Zuko was... I love rediscovering the great story of Jesus over and over again in other great stories ❤
As a Christian, I felt closer to God watching this show too. Thank you for making this video. It's wonderful to know I'm not the only one who feels that way.
Thank you for doing this video. You make some wonderful points. The Holy Spirit truly can speak to us through so many things. We don't have to fear the things of the world, we are in the world after all. At the same time you're proving that there is a way to be in the world, and not of the world. On a side note, don't worry about the people that give you grief over this, because either a person is going to get it, or they're simply not going to get it. It's nice to see this level of maturity in another believer, and it's nice to know that there are others out there listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit regardless of what they encounter.
@@juliakboateng I've watched the series atleast 50 times, so I could see what you were going for 😂🤝🏾. And I'm a Christian too , it's really awesome that you managed to pick out some bible lessons 🙏🏾! I've thought about it, but never this far so props to you 💪🏾
This was great. I honestly have never heard of another Christian seeing biblical themes in something that is very secular, but at the same time The Almighty is always in charge, and He can use these things to bring someone closer to Him. “God works in mysterious ways”. It won’t be the same for everyone, but who are we to say what God CAN’T do. My favorite show for the past almost 20 yrs has been DeathNote. During a very dark time in my life, about 8 years ago, I was really watching the show way more than I regularly had. Like I was binging the episodes weekly, if not every other day. But I was also trying to get more in my Bible and study, and at the same time I was noticing these biblical-type themes in the show. As I watched it over and over again, I began to study it, and I believe Christ really revealed Himself to me, only because I was seeking Him too (MATT 7:7). I have never been more on fire for Jesus in my life, than I have after that dark period and realizing that He was pursuing me, and thru that gave me another chance at life, literally. It really is a deep topic, but again it’s so great to see that someone else has noticed something like this as well. This is my first time stumbling on your video/channel, and I thank God because He can do anything! Just to go after that one besides the 99! Great video! God bless girl!❤
I’m so glad you made a video on this topic. I’ve been thinking the same way about how stories and lessons in tv shows and films can help us gain an even better understanding of our own faith. I’m actually working on my own version of this with a different tv show, so I appreciate hearing your perspective. Keep up the good work, God bless you.
Please make a part two I thoroughly enjoy this video and I love. I can see my fellow Christian talking about things like anime stuff around media. If that makes sense. ❤
Great video. I always thought Avatar had a Christian influence since there's a lot of themes that are in the bible (forgiveness-as shown with Aang/Katara after losing a loved one, having hope despite their being evidence- Zuko looking for the Avatar, Aang looking for Appa, Sokka, Toph and Suki having hope that Aang will show up during the comet etc). I also always felt like the scene where Zuko goes back to Iroh for forgiveness is always like how we do with God, and how he forgives us in a heartbeat, like how Iroh did for Zuko.
It's amazing that the Bible's lessons can be found in everything, there truly is nothing new under the sun. I enjoy drawing parallels between secular media and the Bible lessons that can be gleaned from them, but I thought I was the only one. Thank you for this! Will you be doing other movies/shows?
Two dicey ones are Venom and Lucy, I saw lessons on how the Holy Spirit works in our lives in those two. Still drew the line at the appropriate time when comparing tho😅 Like you said, picking out the positive and leaving the rest behind
@@juliakboatengfull metal alchemist brotherhood but the alchemy is considered demonic but if you have the discernment to watch then go for it but the message overall on sacrificing on the ones you love like Jesus and pride being one of the greatest downfalls
Really enjoyed listening to you and being a fellow Christian, and a huge Avatar fan, I absolutely loved hearing you tie together the love of Christ with a awesome show like this. Can’t wait to see more this topic and maybe even other shows as well!!❤
AHH YES‼️ I remember rewatching the show in the beginning of the year also starting my spiritual journey after being lukewarm for so long. And one of the scenes that really hit me was when Zuko was asking Iroh for forgiveness. I was like "Oh. My. Gosh." That's me and Jesus! Another instance was when Aang was learning about his chakras and was told that he had to let go of what tied him to the Earth. And that hit so much for me, because since I was a kid I've always wanted to travel and do so much in the world and I realized what was tying me to Earth and separating me from Heaven was Earth. Love this video! So glad to see that's there's other Christians who love this show! ♡
Glad I stumbled onto this. You've made many good observations, some of which have crossed my mind before; like how we can still learn from people younger and seemingly less experienced than us, if we set our ego aside (Aang seems to be bereft of ego, for the most part). I also needed to hear the part about feeling unsure of one's station in life and learning to rely on God to rescue us-kind of like Peter walking to Jesus on the water. For the longest time, I couldn't help but notice some of the Judeo-Christian themes in this show, despite its superficial use of Buddhism, Daoism, and other Asian mysticism. I think this is also a major reason why it isn't popular in the Asian countries: because it's not really culturally Asian. Cool History Bros described it as 'cultural uncanny valley' and I totally get it because I've experienced the same thing before. It's also why this show resonates a lot more with Western audiences: because whether the the showrunners realized it or not, the story is influenced by biblical themes and is culturally Western. A lot of people in the West take our Christian moral framework for granted and think these themes are universal when they're not. Zuko reminds me a lot of Moses at the beginning of his journey-you can even compare this with an adaptation like the Prince of Egypt; and he's also an obvious prodigal son metaphor. And of course, Iroh is the Christ allegory, equal parts forgiving yet stern, merciful and just-though perhaps with some more daoist neutrality (which I don't totally agree with, if I'm being honest; neutrality isn't automatically good). I'd be interested to see more analyses on the other characters and cross-examining them with biblical figures, themes, metaphors, and imagery. This is the sort of thing I find intellectually stimulating. I'd really love to see more videos like this. The space is sorely lacking in this kind of analytical coverage.
This is such an insightful comment! Thank you so much for sharing. Totally agree with the fact that more conversations like this need to be had in this space! I’ll be making a part 2 very soon to this!
@@juliakboateng Looking forward to that part 2! And I just noticed I made a typing error on my post, but oh well. 🤷 I wrote it past midnight on my phone, lol.
Your very right when it comes to this video. Naruto is similar in regards to understanding how vengeance and choosing not to forgive can corrupt someone (example: Sasuke), christ never gives up on us which is like how naruto pursues being a positive influence to sasuke. I learned things like this through mentorship at my old church in Kendall and then I understand more when noticing the parallels
Haven’t watched this video yet but this is definitely my type of content. I personally enjoy finding parallels to biblical truths in cartoons and movies. It’s a cool mental (and spiritual) activity.
This is SO good! Thank you for making this! My wife and I talked about several Christian parallels we saw in ATLA too. So many good life lessons were touched on. A part 2 would be awesome!
I connected so deeply with this video! I loooooove avatar & Korra! Great analogies & parallels! Thank you so much for putting this video together visuals and all!
thank you sooo much! so happy this resonated with you Jimmy!! i uploaded a part 2 if you're interested! ua-cam.com/video/UXXl5yyTeAw/v-deo.htmlsi=Y99Q4eEKNGhGTSdu ☺️
This came up on my recommended list and it’s odd; as a Christian myself how this time last year I was utterly absorbed into The Last Airbender Series! I admired how in depth the characters were and how it correlates to real life! The underlying teachings of religion under the umbrella of spirituality and meditation within the drama is interesting. It shows the importance of being in the moment. I have gained a lot more patience as a result ❤
thank you for this! These are some of the reasons I love AtLA, and in most other AtLA content on yt its not connected to faith. One youtuber who doesnt usually explicitly mention his faith, but it shines through in his videos anyway is "Master Samwise" he has some really good videos on virtue in media(AtLA among other things). God Bless you, sister!
Girl! I haven’t watched this video yet, but from the title…… I’ve ALWAYS had the comparison in my mind. So glad I’m far from being the only one. Excited to watch 🎉😊
Great comparison between Last Airbender and Biblical principles. Yeah, there's redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, love, humility, personal growth and even spiritual gifts.
Okay but no, this perspective is actually so real 😭😭! I didn’t even connect the dots in that way. So many parallels indeed. This was beautifully done and very encouraging 😊❤️! A sister in Christ that enjoys Avatar!? We have a winner 🤣🥰.
This has always been something ive always thought about but never voiced out so i was extremely happy when i saw this pop up on my fyp.... Thanks for the post
On the topic of grief, I think Legend of Korra there was more grief. Or if not more frequent, more devastating. ie: Amon blocking her bending, Zaheer poisoning Korra with mercury. Brian and Mark did an excellent job with both Avatars. Great video 👍🏻
Im sorry for your loss, and thank you for this wonderful, beautiful message and how you got all that from just a simple tv show. These were awesome and beautiful words, and it taught me a couple of things so, Thank you. God Bless
Bro i literally got saved because of uncle iroh and zuko you must let go of your feelings of shame, if you want your angry to go away - iroh but i don’t feel any shame at all, i’m as proud as ever - zuko pride is not the opposite of shame but it’s source, true humility is the only antidote to shame - iroh cool to see other christian’s liked this show to, God bless you and all glory to the most High ❤
Definitely make a part two!! This was fantastic. Exactly some of the same thoughts I had about the show and the same way I think about many anime that I watch. I'm glad somebody else sees Christianity portrayed in the world around them. 👍👍
Great! Here you can notice how different perspectives can be based on same fundamental principles and understanding of the universe. People long ago all around the world and at different ages developed those perspectives of life and humanity and passed those along to generations and generations through different characters, situations and context still the same underlying principles.
Thanks for making this video! God used this show to speak to my 10 yr old self over a decade before He would fully reveal Himself to me through Christ. You are right that there are so many parallels
loooooooveed this! i’m a huuuggge atla fan + Jesus is my everything. i remember catching certain biblical parallels as well. now do the same kind of video w an anime! ps, so sorry for your loss. may God continue to strengthen you + encourage you through your grief. 💙
Im 38 seconds in your video and i just wanna say that i have used some parts of The Avatar to explain Biblical things to my children. Especially Kora whej the spiritual world gets introduced. I am so glad that i am not the only one who thought this. Cant wait to share your video with the kids. 😊
Click to watch PART 2! ua-cam.com/video/riotaG84C80/v-deo.htmlsi=JIpUao8qt_s59iS7
hi all! Thanks so much for the convo in the comments! Just wanted to add that I think as Christian’s it’s important to always discern media when watching anything - even IF it claims to be Christian bc not all Christian media is biblical… but I sorta see it as chewing the meat and spitting out the bones (as far as its new ageism which is NOT of God) When I watch avatar, I take the positive aspects and leave all the other spiritual stuff alone. We should be doing that continuously ! :)
You're not the only one
Especially when it animated movies or series
People tend to overlook it and says it's for kids only? Like? What?
And I watch other shows
I see Christ or myself as a Christian or spiritual warfare in animated series
Eg Demon slayer, Avatar, Inside out 1&2 and more
So it's really nice seeing someone else apart from my cousin who shares something similar ✝️🔥👌🏾🌅💯
Oh yea, you're definitely onto something! 💯🙌🏾
No we should not.. you wouldnt go to a satanist church and say im gonna just enjoy the beat of their music because it brings me peace. That would be ridiculous, If you are baptized the Holy spirit will tell you what to watch and not to watch, if you listen to Him you will feel it and I really really doubt i about Avatar... Keep in mind Ive watched avatar and only when I grew up I started understanding it because I have learned about the craziness they put in our faces.. and im not accusing you im saying this with love and hope that you see things a lil different
@@lovinghand7325 hi there! I agree we should be discerning with what we consume. Like you, I avoid anything demonic and am careful with what I watch and listen to. For example, I don’t really listen to secular music. I don’t believe everything secular needs to be avoided though; the key is listening to the Holy Spirit and guarding our eyes and ears. We’re called to be in the world, not of it, so avoiding everything isn’t always realistic or helpful. Even ‘Christian’ media can twist scripture, so discernment is crucial. With Avatar, I recognize some of its unbiblical themes, but I watch it for its clean dialogue, family-friendly storytelling, and great plot.
@@lovinghand7325 bro I get what you saying but it's not like that with everyone
My cousin sister only prefers Gospel songs and movies, she doesn't want to be watching other stuffs mainly cuz of distractions and so on, but for those who can watch other shows, like cartoons or anime and still see Christ inside it, it still helps in our growth with Christ,
Yes we shouldn't watch shows that have lust and demonic preferences and so on,
But
Remember everyone is different even though we in Christ The Holy Spirit has a way for everyone and a way for you might not be the same way for someone else who is battling with something or growing in Christ,
But of course when it comes to Heaven Jesus Christ is the only way there
"humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less" 🙌
some of the truest words I’ve ever seen regarding the topic !
C.S Lewis said that quote.
Bar)😂❤
When thinking of arrogant and narcissist people, their humility comes from thinking less of themselves because they believe they are better than everyone else. Its kind of their defining characteristic.
Once a person learns to move past arrogance or narcissism, then humility is about thinking less often about yourself and thinking about others.
Zuko's story is a wonderful example of redemption and the prodigal son!!!
fr!!
Zuko’s story relate to me in so many ways! I lost my way to the sins of fornication, depression, guilt, anger and wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Then Jesus reminded me when I was in my brokenness that, “I still love you”. I immediately snapped and started searching for meaning and answers about Jesus. I became a truly saved Christian last April. I was the prodigal daughter just like Zuko. FYI Zuko is my favorite character in the show! 🎉
That's just what I was thinking! Every time I see Zuko go to repent to his uncle, he thinks his uncle will hate him but he is embraced as rhe son who was lost.
I had this same thought.
"I was never angry with you, I was sad, because I was afraid you'd lost your way" - Iroh
One of the best displays of the Father's Love I've seen on TV, it's become my visual representation for the parable of the prodigal son 💚
it’s so beautiful!! one of the most beautiful displays of love I’ve seen in animation 🥹
It’s crazy you were talking about Prodigal son. I recently was on the “Deep end” podcast with Lacrae, and he was talking about that story 🙏🏽
I always thought this was what Jesus would say to people when they lost their way❤
Avatar: the last airbender is actually one of the things that made me a Christian. There were many areas of my life God was working in that lead me to him, but one of those ways was through this show. I watched this show as a kid and loved it, and would regularly rewatch it. When I was an adult I rewatched it again after 6 years. 6 years of pain, agony, humiliation, betrayal, striving for success, depression etc. And I got to see my favourite character: Uncle Iroh. There's one scene that always makes me cry so so much, and it's the scene where Zuko had betrayed his Uncle, imprisoned him, yelled at him on the other side of the bars, done all these horrible things to the one person who was on his side. He reunites with him and tears apologises for all the things he does. He says he doesn't believe his uncle can ever forgive him and right at that moment Uncle Iroh embraces Zuko in a hug and says "I was never mad with you. I was sad, because I thought you lost your way." Iroh's completely selfless love for Zuko despite all the horrible things Zuko did to him struck a deep chord with me. As a child I found it sweet, but it was something I almost expected from a parent. As an adult and seeing how cruel and unforgiving reality is, the idea that Iroh did that was insane to me. It made me, as an atheist who was searching for answers, understand the depth and weight of God coming down in human form to be with us and then dying for us, and forgiving us no matter how much we betray him and mock him and spiton him. It made me realise that that might be a fable to me, but there are people who believe the God of the Universe did that, and that that's something so serious it should be considered with some real gravity. Long story short, God used my favourite character Iroh as a stepping stone to show his sacrificial love to me.
😮💨 Wow hallelujah!! What a testimony you have! God can use ANYTHING to bring us back to Him! Thank you so much for sharing that! 🩷🩷🩷
@@TedEhioghae I know this lol I'm a Christian too
@juliakboateng OMG glad to know that I am not the only one (of course) for whom God has used popular media to make me a better Christian and person. The way you all feel about Avatar: The Last Airbender is how I feel about Avatar by James Cameron. 😅😂😊
Amen...
Beautiful
"pride is not the opposite of shame, but the cause of it" another gem
As a Catholic and a long time atla fan ive never thought of this before, i mean Zuko’s entire story is a testimony!!
Seriously it is! The prodigal son to a T.
Yes he had the PAUL arc you know Paul had a past just like zuko full of hatred and anger just like Paul he was hunting Christians zuko hunted the avatar but he ended up helping the very thing he hunted and broke GENERATIONAL CURSES and unity just like Paul became the very thing he hunted a Christian he was so savage with it he wrote one third of the Bible so zuko and Paul have that redemption arc story in common and brought unity Jesus works in mysterious ways😂
Honourable mention to Katara.
Her perseverance in refusing to lose hope in a dark world inspires me to trust in God's goodness always.
Her deep respect and compassion for community inspires me to protect Christian fellowship.
Her righteous anger inspires me to stand up against evil.
Please make a part two :)
Just reminded me of that one quote from the Alita movie:
"I do not stand by in the presence of evil."
Fits Katara to a T.
👏 👏 👏 👏 👏
I was literally just talking to my homies about how Moses was scared to speak because of his stuttering but he was lucky to have a brother who had his back and how important the correct brotherhood can be
yup! Very true. Community in Christ is so vital
True Aron and jethro helped as well his father law gave Moses great advice on how pick the right people in his circle to trust
I never imagined seeing this as a UA-cam video title but it's so fascinating.
haha thanks!! I’ve never seen anyone touch on faith OR the show like this, so I figured why not start a new convo?
Same. It caught me off guard but I’m staying for it
I always saw Aang’s philosophy as similar to how a Christian is supposed to live and persevere, spreading love and faith despite the negative influences in their surroundings.
For context, I mean even as a child I recognized some of these overlapping details.
Very true! Aang was so faithful to who he was even tho the rest of the world was very counter to him. Like with us , as Christians we live “in the world, but not of the world.”
His philosophy is entrenched in the Hindu and Buddhist concept of _ahimsa,_ or non-violence.
Love how u compare it oh to jesus❤
Buddha n Christianity can never be the same , Buddha is just not like a religious Christ who was born different from us like they claim😮..Please do proper research DO not assume things coz they seem similar Buddha was before Christ
"In your brokeness God does His greatest work."
Oh u clocked it! Man I needed to hear that
super true!! When I heard that for the first time it sucker punched me 😂😂
I love that you made a video about this because I've always felt this. Aang choosing not to kill the firelord at the end of the show was something that truly resonated with me as a Christian because we face situations where our morals can sometimes go against what the world says is right. Even other Christians would disagree with us but if we feel God placing a decision on our heart that is the way we must go.
Oh for sure! Yes that’s such a huge marker of our faith, going against the world!
I don’t make videos on UA-cam, but you just spoke exactly my thoughts about ATLA that I’ve always wanted to be out there on YT! I grew up watching this show and it was such a pivotal aspect of my walk with Christ. Genuinely! Iroh’s words that “if you only take wisdom from one place, it becomes rigid and stale” stayed with me when I asked God for more wisdom and sought after it. Also the saying “pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source” keeps me mindful of my actions and where they are rooted from.
I think another aspect of ATLA that I want to point out is forgiveness. Katara wanted to follow Zuko to the man who killed her mom, and Aang tells her to forgive him instead. Zuko says “that’s the same as doing nothing!” And Aang goes “no it’s not. It’s easy to do nothing, but it’s hard to forgive.” God tells us to forgive our enemies, and I think this is the simplest way to acknowledge that God’s forgiveness to us was not easy, and God calls us to do the hard thing to others as well. SUCH a good show with so much wisdom!
yes!! All so true!! That episode with Katara was 🔥
zuko's entire story is a testimony! 🙏
indeed!!!
@@juliakboateng it’s similar to Paul in the bible!
@@khadijaabdunnur6727 now that you mention it🤔
I have watched many shows and have gotten a biblical/ spiritual revelation from it such as Toy Story 4 and how the spoon constantly tried to throw himself away just because he was made of trash, but Woody encouraged him that he was created for a purpose. Like maybe some of us as people might feel we are nothing in life but have to realize we all were created in the image of God and that he has a purpose for our lives.
You made me think about how the moment Zuko yells through a thundersorm, asking for thunder to strike him, relates to me.
I feel like a lot of us have been at that place at one point or another..! Really relatable moment there
@@juliakboateng On the crafts, or skills, first part of your video, the fact that jesus is son and pupil of a carpenter came to mind.
Zuko was talking to God in that thunderstorm. When Chinese people talk to or refer to Heaven, they are referring to God of the Bible, they just lost His personable details though because of corrupt emperors
@@mattparke4370While I agree that they have lost the understanding of God, I think it's as much their own fault as it is the emperors'.
For me when i think of zuko, i think of When, paul was arresting christians and he basically thought that's what he meant to do. only for him to find out his true destiny was with his enemy.
That’s so good! A parallel I hadn’t considered!
I love this. I'm a 31 deconstructed female. I feel secularly/culturally Christian. While Christians have always been putting a Christian perspective on modern media, i really appreciate your boldness and bravery to post so openly about your faith. I don't know if I'll find a community in faith again, but i really appreciate this video.
thank you so much! I’ll pray for you, that you find the Christian community you need to learn, grow, and feel safe again 🩷
@@juliakboateng Stop that. "I'll pray for you" stuff. Let her be who she is
@swagsukeuchiha7599 lol no. I believe in the power of prayer but I also respect everyone’s journey. If this individual replies and rejects it, that’s their prerogative, makes no difference to me. Let people speak for themselves.
@@juliakboateng she must accept Yeshua on her own if she so choose.
Choice is better than no choice
@@swagsukeuchiha7599 do you not realize that is what they are saying? Prayer should not be taken as a offense. It's is hoping for a future op will be happy in.
You're the second Christian I know who's learned something from Avatar.
I love this show and I'd often notice how certain things from this show reminds me of the Bible. For example when Iroh tells Zuko that he was never angry at him, he was sad because he was afraid he'd lost his way. That scene always makes me think of God's forgiveness and patience with us. Then also the way everything Zuko goes through and how many times he fall but at the end of the series he becomes the Fire Lord, showing how all of what he went through wasn't in vain. It's amazing how God can use different things to reach His children in different ways. All glory to God
Yes all glory to Him! Yes when Iroh said “I was sad bc I was afraid you lost your way” it makes me think of how we can grieve the Holy Spirit. When we drift further from God it saddens Him more than anything. And when we come back He’s leaping for joy! We serve such a loving and patient father 😭
I finished watching the show,went to church and ranted about it to my friends now this pops up. God is good
All the time!! :)) hope you enjoyed the video!
This! Like I've always felt this way about ATLA being a Christian. Thought I was alone so i clicked so fast on this vid. And even in the Legend of Korra, its like this for me. The ending of season 1 final episode, where Korra realised she lost her "powers", and Aang came to restore it saying "its at our lowest point , we are open to the greatest change". When whole time before, she could never connect to Aang or any past lives (the spiritual side of being the avatar). That was so impactful for me given Korra was always overconfident in her own physical abilities, and thats what used to block her from growing spiritually and connecting to the avatar "spirit". And that just reminded me of how God often times allow us to come through dark valleys so we can learn to humble ourselves and depend on him. The way Aang showed up is the same way God does for us ( or moreso we are better aware of how close God has always been to us when we are at our lowest) and He alone can restore us. (that portion alone in the show reminded me of the scriptures James 4:9-10, Psalm 43:18, and Proverbs 3:5-6)
Not only that but in general, the "avatar spirit" raava, reminds me of the Holy Spirit. It's really the avatar spirit that makes the avatar powerful. If the light spirit is not in the avatar, then they are much weaker and cannot even fight against dark forces or save anyone. Seeing how the first avatar Wan and raava combined permanently at harmonic convergence, and raava said " we are bonded forever" was just chills for me, because essentially, the same way when we accept Jesus Christ and God lets His Holy Spirit dwell in us, as we are now adopted to sonship and our body becomes a temple for God's light and His Spirit. Its like God bonding us to Himself eternally, and now we also have power and authority through His Holy Spirit. So whilst the avatar universe only has one avatar, in our reality God is so omniscient and omnipresent that all of us believers are basically like the avatar due to the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. I can go on but this is just a lovely series you've started. Please do a part 2 vid when you get chance.
“all believers are like the avatar due to the Holy Spirit” you just messed me up 😭 that’s so freaking true wow! Also yes! With Korra, not depending on yourself… ahhh that’s so on point. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I CERTAINLY will make a part 2.
@@juliakboateng no, thank you for posting this video. Finding another willing to talk about this niche parallel made my day☺️ Also cant wait for part 2
In the legend of Korra, when it is explained that the Avatar is the fusion of a human with Raava, the spirit of light, I always thought of it as an allusion to the Holy spirit.
She is the source of power, knowledge, and the avatar's identity It is because of her that the Avatar is ALWAYS inclined to do good and bring peace to the world.
She lives inside the avatar, just as the Holy Spirit dwells within us. and when she says "We are bonded forever" When she and avatar Wan became one, it sounds very much like the Creator's desire for us to be one with Him.
So cool!! I always got chills when she would say “we are bonded forever” lol. Jesus is literally with us forever! ♾️
@@juliakboateng I really liked the video. Never stop doing reviews like this.
This is true. And its because the enemy copy cats everything that God has established. The fact that the avatar is fully human yet fully like a "god" sounds like Jesus. Master of all 4 elements. Jesus not only masters the elements, he created the elements. I understand, trust me I used to be a super fan of Atla, untill Jesus opened my eyes to the deception in it. Maybe as Christians we are not influenced to practices those things like buddhism, meditation, projection, chakras, 3rd eye, yin and yang, but there are Many who ARE in deception 😢 and those people Truly believe in this practices. They don't think of Raava as the Holy Spirit. Hope that makes sense. Not trying to make anyone feel attacked, its just to open people's eyes to the devices of the enemy. Because not everyone who watches the show are Christians, some of them actually believe and practice those concepts. For example, PROJECTION is an extreme level of meditation and witchcraft that people with evil use to hurt others. It's not a practice to help people as seen in Korra where Jinora does it to help her friends.
Another thing I find fascinating is when video games actually take inspiration from the Bible. And as a Christian you get so excited to see how much respect a type of media can give to your beliefs.
video games for sure! and honestly i feel like a lot of media takes themes from christianity without wanting to give reverence to it. God can still use it for His good though!
@@juliakboateng I 100% agree. One company I've noticed takes a lot of inspiration from Christianity on their games is Nintendo, you should check out Zelda and Fire emblem and their themes of biblical meaning. Some games are more obvious then others as well, and Doom if I'm not mistaken is also inspired with Christian biblical themes. I loved the Video, may God bless you and your family, I pray in Jesus name, Amen 💚
It may look like Aang serves as the parallel to Christ as the redeemer in the Avatar world and character of peace. Zuko (from a royal family) in some ways is actually the parallel to the biblical Saul/Paul, since he started off by hunting the Avatar far and wide, did eventually join his side and is perhaps the most popular character besides the Avatar due to his unmatched character development. He was the last major character to join Team Avatar, quite late in the series. Guess who became an Apostle quite late in life? Saul or Paul who originally was a Pharisee (a powerful class), had contact with Christ, lost his vision, but did eventually get it restored along with a new mission in life, did travel far and wide, becoming perhaps the most famous Apostle.
In Avatar, Zuko himself came from a powerful class, travelled widely before and during the show, did clash with the Avatar before joining him, he did not lose his vision like Saul (soon to be Paul) but in fact lost his fire-bending which was restored at the end of an episode when he realized that it was losing his sense of mission that was responsible for his loss of power and that when he regained a new meaning in his life then his fire-bending was restored.
Talk about parallels!
That’s beautiful!!! I never thought of Zuko like Paul in the Bible but that’s basically a 1:1 parallel!!! 🤯🤯
I think Iroh is Paul and Zuko is the prodigal son in my opinion but do see the parallels
I AM SQUEAAALING RN! i am so excited to watch this because my walk with Christ is tough and I am OBSESSEDD with atla omygosh
ahhhh we all have those times! I pray that this video encouraged you! :)
11:28 Rest In Peace to your mom. Losing your parent young will affect your faith.
definetly consider a part 2.
thank you so much, and I definitely will!
This was really cool to listen to!! I think one reason I always liked atla was that it was a secular show that actually spoke about spirituality and in a good way. Even if it discussed chakras and different practices I don't believe in, we still get to see Aang solve emotional problems by reflecting on his life and what he has learned. And not just punching them away in unhealthy anger.
agreed!! It’s really a great show for kids to watch in that sense that it really promotes healthy emotional regulation. Thinking through things and seeking guidance before making rash decisions. And whenever the characters did do something rash they had to bear the consequences accordingly!
i was waiting for the prodigal son reference!!! i noticed that parallel a few years ago when i rewatched the show and it made me tear up even more
This is awesome and I have always had the same thoughts. I think many people limit Christian thought because of their experience from its culture, not from God. And this limits our abilities to see connections in our beliefs in things like Avatar.
Oh 100%! I think it’s bc we’re worrried about mixing the spiritual with secular, which is 100% real and valid , however I feel like when we learn to chew the meat and spit out the bones, we can still learn a lot from many other places! Be in the world, not of it!
Yes! I love connecting the dots! I see so many similarities and parallels between Christianity and sci-fi/fictional adventure franchises and universes!!!!
Such a good point abt mentorship. There’s a part in Acts I like where Philip the evangelist is guided by an angel to meet an ethiopian eunuch on the road in his chariot, and when the eunuch sees Philip he asks for help in reading a prophecy from Isaiah.
Philip explain it’s about Jesus and it leads to his baptism and helps form the church in Ethiopia. It’s a simple story but I always liked the message, that it’s okay to ask for help and guidance from more experienced people, whether they be in your church, a family member, a friend etc and that it can be so fruitful beyond what you can imagine
Of course like you said we shouldn’t listen to just anyone. Be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves”, but a little guidance never hurts sometimes. Along with prayer and reflecting on scripture for yourself. Interesting vid
I’ve always LOVED that story!! I feel like that story also always made me remember that God will put you in the right place at the right time. He’ll position you in order to help and serve others! 🩷
My favorite part is when Aang takes the Firelord's power away from him so that he can't hurt anyone ever again.
You really hit the nail on this one! I never truly connected Atla with Christianity until recently! The way Zuko's story parallels with the prodigal son and also Paul's story is absolutely insane but truly amazing when connecting the dots. Great job with the video!
yes exactly!! thank you so much!
Last year it was zuko redemption acceptance self realization = my repentance & my faith grew stronger in Christ.uncle iroh being a mentor,I needed that
So amazing that you realized that through this show!!
It taught me how to forgive my abusive father
Thank you Jesus Christ for bringing me in the 21st century
Not Avatar but also Naruto and Spiderman
These shows taught me a lot about Forgiveness, Responsibility and never giving up
As a Christian we are all like Spiderman,we must put on our mask which is our faith
As for Naruto,I am a jinchuruki of the Holy Spirit
Not Marvel's Spiderman but Jesus Spiderman
Sharing from Nigeria 🇳🇬
Favorite show ever and I am so happy you made these connections. I always knew ATLA was more than a children’s show and I sometimes only saw it from a mental health perspective. As a Christian I now wanna rewatch it and make more connections like you did. Thank you for this! Btw love that we share the same name and initials that’s what drew me to this video. KEEP SHARING 🎉🎉🎉
Awww yesss def go rewatch it! Thank you!! ❣️
I was literally thinking the other day during my rewatch of the show about the connections between ATLA and Christianity lol. Thanks for getting this much needed conversation going!
absolutely, and thank YOU for weighing in! 💕
There is a reason for this, because the enemy copies everything from God. He cannot create his own concepts, he can only copy. For ex. Buddhism which is highly shown in Atla, is a concept that says you don't need a Savior (Jesus). Focuses on meditation, balancing your chacras, opening up your 3rd eye, karma ( all of this leads a person down the wrong path, into a path that says you need only you. Leaving God, Jesus our savior out of the equation. It points to you being the owner of your destiny. In Christ, we learn to surrender to his will. Not my will but yours be done. Not my strength but yours.
@@isarownie6073 you're halfway there. I studied Buddhism in a world religions class. It definitely wasn't my favourite, in fact it was probably my least favourite of the ones I studied lol. But Buddhism is also about detachment and emptying yourself to the point where you cease, find enlightenment, and your spirit merges with the Universe, Nirvana (not the band lol). It's pretty anti-individualism. Otherwise you remain stuck in the reincarnation cycle to keep trying again. So technically ATLA doesn't go that far, cause, well, that's kind of weird and depressing lol. It is briefly touched on at the end of the show, when a previous Air Nomad Avatar tells Aang he can't fully detach himself from the world because he's the Avatar. I'm certainly not saying any of this is right, just offering some of the facts I learned about Buddhism in that class. Most people, at least in the West, don't practice real Buddhism. If they do, we don't hear about them, cause they're probably not on social media lol. And they're certainly not out saving the world; they're trying to detach from the world.
Btw I'm a devout Christian. I think having accurate info is helpful. What I like about Avatar, despite it's non-Christian religious influence, is that it's one of the few shows, esp. kids shows, that depicts spirituality/religion as a good and real thing (in its fictional universe). Most shows act like religion doesn't even exist, so it's pretty cool to see it depicted in this show. I treat it as fiction, see the connections to my own faith, and move on with my life 😊
I agree completely. My favorite show changed my life.
Part 2 please❤
I love ATLA, and as a Christian, I recognized many of these themes.
I watched ordinarily as a child, but as an adult, I was prompted to see it through the lens of my faith.
I relate so much to Zuko (he's my favourite character) because he represents my personal struggle with remaining in faith and coming back to the right path. It's a vivid example of the back and forth struggle we have with sin. And as you said in the video (and I want to take it even further), Uncle Iroh represents God, who's always with us even in our struggle. Who waits for us and gently guides us to the right path. Who is ready to forgive us when we truly repent.
Hallelujah!
yes Hallelujah!! will absolutely do part 2 soon!
As a Christian and Avatar fan I love this video! As I’ve gotten older and grown in my faith and understanding of the Bible, I find myself remembering moments from this show that taught similar lessons. Iroh’s line “humility is the true antidote to shame” has always been stuck in my mind because I didn’t fully understand that line until I got older.
Honestly, ATLA includes a lot of similarities between religions/philosophies like Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Hinduism. (Even in the case of Christianity, Shinto and Animism, though it is more antithetical in comparison to the others.)
I find this really intriguing because I'm an agnostic raised by Christian parents and deep down I really enjoy observing the patterns that each spiritual teaching brings. It's as if everything is really interconnected, as the Yin-Yang concept of Taoism says.
Katara never forgave her mom's killer but she did forgive zuko,knowing there are some terrible yet misunderstood ppl out there that're redeemable
I love this video Avatar is one of my favourite show and it definitely teaches so much about how to be a better person but you've taken it to the next step by relating it to the bible. 👏🏾
Zuko is literally Saint Paul
Great video! The zuko part is true his story taught me to never give up, good things come through pain. I'm not religion but this video made me to think about God
Thanks so much for posting this, i completely relate and remember when I watched the show for the first time just thinking how insanely true to The Truth the redemption arc of Zuko was... I love rediscovering the great story of Jesus over and over again in other great stories ❤
yes! Isn’t it amazing?? It’s so wonderful how God speaks to us in so many ways! Even through people and situations that aren’t really “Christian.” 🥹
As a Christian, I felt closer to God watching this show too. Thank you for making this video. It's wonderful to know I'm not the only one who feels that way.
Of course! Thank you so much for watching 🩷
Thank you for doing this video. You make some wonderful points. The Holy Spirit truly can speak to us through so many things. We don't have to fear the things of the world, we are in the world after all. At the same time you're proving that there is a way to be in the world, and not of the world. On a side note, don't worry about the people that give you grief over this, because either a person is going to get it, or they're simply not going to get it. It's nice to see this level of maturity in another believer, and it's nice to know that there are others out there listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit regardless of what they encounter.
9:58 You almost nailed the Zuko voice crack when he's apologising to Iroh 😂
HAHAHA I was trying so hard to remember it perfectly!! Thanks for noticing 😅😅
@@juliakboateng I've watched the series atleast 50 times, so I could see what you were going for 😂🤝🏾. And I'm a Christian too , it's really awesome that you managed to pick out some bible lessons 🙏🏾! I've thought about it, but never this far so props to you 💪🏾
This was great. I honestly have never heard of another Christian seeing biblical themes in something that is very secular, but at the same time The Almighty is always in charge, and He can use these things to bring someone closer to Him. “God works in mysterious ways”. It won’t be the same for everyone, but who are we to say what God CAN’T do.
My favorite show for the past almost 20 yrs has been DeathNote. During a very dark time in my life, about 8 years ago, I was really watching the show way more than I regularly had. Like I was binging the episodes weekly, if not every other day. But I was also trying to get more in my Bible and study, and at the same time I was noticing these biblical-type themes in the show. As I watched it over and over again, I began to study it, and I believe Christ really revealed Himself to me, only because I was seeking Him too (MATT 7:7). I have never been more on fire for Jesus in my life, than I have after that dark period and realizing that He was pursuing me, and thru that gave me another chance at life, literally. It really is a deep topic, but again it’s so great to see that someone else has noticed something like this as well.
This is my first time stumbling on your video/channel, and I thank God because He can do anything! Just to go after that one besides the 99!
Great video! God bless girl!❤
Thank you for your testimony, Sister🙌🏾
thank you so much for listening! 🩷
I’m so glad you made a video on this topic. I’ve been thinking the same way about how stories and lessons in tv shows and films can help us gain an even better understanding of our own faith. I’m actually working on my own version of this with a different tv show, so I appreciate hearing your perspective. Keep up the good work, God bless you.
Definitely want a part two to this video😭. Thank you so very much for making it😊❤
Will do!!
Please make a part two I thoroughly enjoy this video and I love. I can see my fellow Christian talking about things like anime stuff around media. If that makes sense.
❤
of course!! will do, so happy you enjoyed this one 🩷
As a born again Christian and huge fan of ATLA, I approve this message! Thank you for this video, sister!! ❤✝
I love zuko and his resilience and growth!
Great video. I always thought Avatar had a Christian influence since there's a lot of themes that are in the bible (forgiveness-as shown with Aang/Katara after losing a loved one, having hope despite their being evidence- Zuko looking for the Avatar, Aang looking for Appa, Sokka, Toph and Suki having hope that Aang will show up during the comet etc). I also always felt like the scene where Zuko goes back to Iroh for forgiveness is always like how we do with God, and how he forgives us in a heartbeat, like how Iroh did for Zuko.
It's amazing that the Bible's lessons can be found in everything, there truly is nothing new under the sun. I enjoy drawing parallels between secular media and the Bible lessons that can be gleaned from them, but I thought I was the only one. Thank you for this! Will you be doing other movies/shows?
for sure! and hmm not sure, i havent been watching much tv as of late.. haha do you have any recs?
Two dicey ones are Venom and Lucy, I saw lessons on how the Holy Spirit works in our lives in those two. Still drew the line at the appropriate time when comparing tho😅
Like you said, picking out the positive and leaving the rest behind
@@juliakboatengfull metal alchemist brotherhood but the alchemy is considered demonic but if you have the discernment to watch then go for it but the message overall on sacrificing on the ones you love like Jesus and pride being one of the greatest downfalls
I did not expect to be recommended a video about my two favorite things
Great vid! God can use anything to speak to us and get our attention. Stay open to him and what he's saying/doing.
amen!!
You must look within yourself to save yourself from your OTHER self. Only then will your true self reveal itself.
😮💨 zuko was spittin!
Slay 😮
I’ve heard this countless times, always loved this show
We ready for that Part 2!
will do!!
I thought I was going crazy, it's so true. This helped me realize what the father was saying to me❤️
Really enjoyed listening to you and being a fellow Christian, and a huge Avatar fan, I absolutely loved hearing you tie together the love of Christ with a awesome show like this. Can’t wait to see more this topic and maybe even other shows as well!!❤
AHH YES‼️ I remember rewatching the show in the beginning of the year also starting my spiritual journey after being lukewarm for so long. And one of the scenes that really hit me was when Zuko was asking Iroh for forgiveness. I was like "Oh. My. Gosh." That's me and Jesus!
Another instance was when Aang was learning about his chakras and was told that he had to let go of what tied him to the Earth. And that hit so much for me, because since I was a kid I've always wanted to travel and do so much in the world and I realized what was tying me to Earth and separating me from Heaven was Earth. Love this video! So glad to see that's there's other Christians who love this show! ♡
Now the is what I call a well made TV Show
Seriously!
Never thought of it like that before. I’ve been wanting to rewatch it so now I got a reason 😂
lol it’ll blow your mind thinking from this perspective!!
Glad I stumbled onto this. You've made many good observations, some of which have crossed my mind before; like how we can still learn from people younger and seemingly less experienced than us, if we set our ego aside (Aang seems to be bereft of ego, for the most part). I also needed to hear the part about feeling unsure of one's station in life and learning to rely on God to rescue us-kind of like Peter walking to Jesus on the water.
For the longest time, I couldn't help but notice some of the Judeo-Christian themes in this show, despite its superficial use of Buddhism, Daoism, and other Asian mysticism. I think this is also a major reason why it isn't popular in the Asian countries: because it's not really culturally Asian. Cool History Bros described it as 'cultural uncanny valley' and I totally get it because I've experienced the same thing before. It's also why this show resonates a lot more with Western audiences: because whether the the showrunners realized it or not, the story is influenced by biblical themes and is culturally Western. A lot of people in the West take our Christian moral framework for granted and think these themes are universal when they're not.
Zuko reminds me a lot of Moses at the beginning of his journey-you can even compare this with an adaptation like the Prince of Egypt; and he's also an obvious prodigal son metaphor. And of course, Iroh is the Christ allegory, equal parts forgiving yet stern, merciful and just-though perhaps with some more daoist neutrality (which I don't totally agree with, if I'm being honest; neutrality isn't automatically good). I'd be interested to see more analyses on the other characters and cross-examining them with biblical figures, themes, metaphors, and imagery. This is the sort of thing I find intellectually stimulating.
I'd really love to see more videos like this. The space is sorely lacking in this kind of analytical coverage.
This is such an insightful comment! Thank you so much for sharing. Totally agree with the fact that more conversations like this need to be had in this space! I’ll be making a part 2 very soon to this!
@@juliakboateng Looking forward to that part 2! And I just noticed I made a typing error on my post, but oh well. 🤷 I wrote it past midnight on my phone, lol.
Same with anime , also it’s great to know how to navigate the nuances spiritually by staying grounded in the word . With any situation tbh
This is so great.
That's exactly how I watch Avatar!
Your very right when it comes to this video. Naruto is similar in regards to understanding how vengeance and choosing not to forgive can corrupt someone (example: Sasuke), christ never gives up on us which is like how naruto pursues being a positive influence to sasuke. I learned things like this through mentorship at my old church in Kendall and then I understand more when noticing the parallels
I know this is a secular show, but I got reminded sooo many times of the Bible.
I love this video!!!
Thank you soooo much!!
I noticed the biblical parallels and how real the show felt !! Loved this video🔥
Glad you liked it!! 🩷 i cant wait to do a part 2 to this!
Haven’t watched this video yet but this is definitely my type of content. I personally enjoy finding parallels to biblical truths in cartoons and movies. It’s a cool mental (and spiritual) activity.
This is SO good! Thank you for making this! My wife and I talked about several Christian parallels we saw in ATLA too. So many good life lessons were touched on. A part 2 would be awesome!
@@SwoffBass thank you!!! part 2 is up, check my pinned comment!
I connected so deeply with this video! I loooooove avatar & Korra! Great analogies & parallels! Thank you so much for putting this video together visuals and all!
thank you sooo much! so happy this resonated with you Jimmy!! i uploaded a part 2 if you're interested! ua-cam.com/video/UXXl5yyTeAw/v-deo.htmlsi=Y99Q4eEKNGhGTSdu ☺️
Absolutely true! The first scene that tipped me off to this was Iroh’s forgiveness of Zuko, in the same way God forgives us when we don’t deserve it
This came up on my recommended list and it’s odd; as a Christian myself how this time last year I was utterly absorbed into The Last Airbender Series! I admired how in depth the characters were and how it correlates to real life! The underlying teachings of religion under the umbrella of spirituality and meditation within the drama is interesting. It shows the importance of being in the moment. I have gained a lot more patience as a result ❤
thank you for this! These are some of the reasons I love AtLA, and in most other AtLA content on yt its not connected to faith.
One youtuber who doesnt usually explicitly mention his faith, but it shines through in his videos anyway is "Master Samwise" he has some really good videos on virtue in media(AtLA among other things). God Bless you, sister!
awww thanks, and I’ll check him out! God bless you!!! 🩷
If I hadn't Listened, I wouldn't have learned.
Thank you.
thank you so much for watching!! so happy you learned something from this!
Wow this is really awesome, TLA is one of my favorite shows. Thank you for giving me a new perspective.
so happy to hear that! Thanks for watching!!
Girl! I haven’t watched this video yet, but from the title…… I’ve ALWAYS had the comparison in my mind. So glad I’m far from being the only one. Excited to watch 🎉😊
Great comparison between Last Airbender and Biblical principles. Yeah, there's redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, love, humility, personal growth and even spiritual gifts.
absolutely!! so many great themes! going to be doing a part 2 and addressing more of these.
Okay but no, this perspective is actually so real 😭😭! I didn’t even connect the dots in that way. So many parallels indeed. This was beautifully done and very encouraging 😊❤️! A sister in Christ that enjoys Avatar!? We have a winner 🤣🥰.
This has always been something ive always thought about but never voiced out so i was extremely happy when i saw this pop up on my fyp.... Thanks for the post
of course, thank you for watching!!
Great video!!! Keep shining the light!
thank you so much!! Will do!!
On the topic of grief, I think Legend of Korra there was more grief. Or if not more frequent, more devastating. ie: Amon blocking her bending, Zaheer poisoning Korra with mercury. Brian and Mark did an excellent job with both Avatars. Great video 👍🏻
I'm really glad you made this video, I love this series and I'm glad I can go back to this show for safety
Im sorry for your loss, and thank you for this wonderful, beautiful message and how you got all that from just a simple tv show. These were awesome and beautiful words, and it taught me a couple of things so, Thank you.
God Bless
Bro i literally got saved because of uncle iroh and zuko
you must let go of your feelings of shame, if you want your angry to go away - iroh
but i don’t feel any shame at all, i’m as proud as ever - zuko
pride is not the opposite of shame but it’s source, true humility is the only antidote to shame - iroh
cool to see other christian’s liked this show to, God bless you and all glory to the most High ❤
Definitely make a part two!! This was fantastic. Exactly some of the same thoughts I had about the show and the same way I think about many anime that I watch. I'm glad somebody else sees Christianity portrayed in the world around them. 👍👍
i for sure will! thank you!!
I slick always felt the comparisons so it was cool to see this pop up as a suggested video. Thanks !
Great! Here you can notice how different perspectives can be based on same fundamental principles and understanding of the universe. People long ago all around the world and at different ages developed those perspectives of life and humanity and passed those along to generations and generations through different characters, situations and context still the same underlying principles.
Thanks for making this video! God used this show to speak to my 10 yr old self over a decade before He would fully reveal Himself to me through Christ. You are right that there are so many parallels
I love this! These thoughts have always been on my head but i just cannot word it like you do! Thanks!
loooooooveed this! i’m a huuuggge atla fan + Jesus is my everything. i remember catching certain biblical parallels as well. now do the same kind of video w an anime!
ps, so sorry for your loss. may God continue to strengthen you + encourage you through your grief. 💙
Aww, I love this. Avatar is my favorite show of all time. ❤
Im 38 seconds in your video and i just wanna say that i have used some parts of The Avatar to explain Biblical things to my children. Especially Kora whej the spiritual world gets introduced. I am so glad that i am not the only one who thought this. Cant wait to share your video with the kids. 😊