Eternals

Eternals presents a complex and often contradictory worldview when examined through a Christian lens. The core theme of the film revolves around the Eternals' questioning and ultimately rebelling against their creator, the Celestial Arishem, to save humanity from destruction. This narrative, which portrays the creator as flawed and the created as justified in their defiance, directly contradicts the biblical understanding of God as sovereign, omniscient, and perfectly good. The movie suggests that humans (and even humanoids) know better than their 'god,' a message that can be seen as promoting a relativistic view of morality where personal feelings and perceived good supersede established authority or a higher plan. While the film promotes positive themes of sacrifice, unconditional love, and working together for good, these virtues are often decoupled from a transcendent, unchanging moral framework and instead rooted in humanistic ideals. The value of humanity is emphasized, not as being created in God's image, but rather as being inherently good despite flaws, a human-centric view that differs significantly from a biblical perspective. Character morality in Eternals is largely driven by individual conscience and emotional connection to humanity rather than adherence to a divine law or clear moral accountability. Characters like Ikaris, who initially remains loyal to Arishem and commits acts like killing Ajak, are ultimately shown to be tormented by their choices, with Ikaris choosing self-destruction due to guilt. However, the film's portrayal of 'right' and 'wrong' can be subjective, with different Eternals justifying their actions based on their own evolving understanding of humanity and purpose. Virtue is often rewarded through the survival and continued existence of humanity, while vice, particularly blind obedience to a destructive 'creator,' is depicted as morally inferior. Redemption themes are present in the Eternals' willingness to sacrifice themselves and defy their programming for the sake of humanity, embodying a form of self-sacrificial love. However, this redemption is self-driven and collective, lacking the grace and forgiveness found in Christian theology that comes through a divine sacrifice for sin. Family values are portrayed in the close bonds among the Eternals, who function as a 'dysfunctional family unit' that evolves over millennia. There is also a depiction of a loving same-sex couple, Phastos and his husband, raising a son, which is presented as a normalized and integral family unit within the film's narrative. Authority, particularly that of Arishem, is ultimately challenged and overthrown as the Eternals choose to protect humanity over fulfilling their creator's destructive purpose. Faith representation in Eternals is complex; while it doesn't explicitly mock Christianity, its foundational narrative presents an alternative creation story and divine hierarchy that implicitly replaces traditional Christian concepts of God as the sole Creator. The Celestials are presented as god-like beings, and the Eternals' belief in them functions as a form of religion or dogma that is eventually revealed to be built on lies, leading to a crisis of faith for the characters. This challenges a transcendent view of God, replacing it with fallible, powerful alien entities and suggesting that meaning can be found through human connection and choice rather than divine mandate.