Knowing

Alex Proyas is known for making “spiritual” movies. This should not be confused with making Christian movies, but it is no surprise that Proyas has a number of fans among Christian audiences. Films like “Dark City” and “I, Robot” both had heavy spiritual and religious themes although neither was particularly Judeau-Christian in scope. Proyas’ latest film, “Knowing,” continues this trend, but with a much heavier dose of New Age mystic-pantheism and Von Däniken.

Some have called “Knowing” a secular version of the Bible Code theory, but it is really more like what Von Däniken would have thought of the Bible Code had he heard of it. The movie is also eerily similar to a famous episode of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, entitled “The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes.”

“Knowing” opens with a apparently disturbed young girl placing a series of seemingly random numbers into a time capsule. Fifty years later the mysterious letter finds it way into the hands of John Koestler, an agnostic science professor who is also the son of the pastor. He soon discovers that the numbers are actually predictions of disasters that took place between 1959 and the present. Several “prophecies,” however, remain and John must struggle to find meaning in the prophecies and in his own life. Can he prevent the disasters to come? If not, why did he get the prophecies at all?

Obviously the movie poses great philosophical and theological questions. There is the arbitrary line of dialogue about “sciences” versus “faith” (a false argument set up by secularists) and in an early scene John Koestler discussed the theories of determinism and randomness. He eventually reveals that he believes there is “no purpose” and life and “s--- happens.” By movies end John has had a transformation, but the Christian viewer needs to realize that it is not a Biblical one, but a vague (pan)theistic one. I will discuss the theological implications below, but since it will involve spoilers, I will not recite it here.

If you don’t count deception, the movie is fairly clean morally. There are a few cuss words including two uses of the “s---” word early on in the film. There is violence including a young girl with bleeding fingers who was scratching something into a door, people are on fire following a plane crash, and numerous scenes of death following various disasters. None of the violence is particularly gruesome or exploitive, but because of the nature and scope of the violence the movie garnished a PG-13 rating which should be taken seriously.

Like most Proyas films, “Knowing” is well made piece of art with deeply philosophical and religious themes. Unlike his last two films, however, some devout Christians may be disturbed by direction of this films religious views; namely the views of Erich Von Däniken. This aspect needs elaboration, but will involve spoilers—reader beware.

Erich Von Däniken wrote a famous book called Chariot of the Gods. In his book, it is suggested that the angels of the Bible were actually space aliens, the chariot of Elijah was a spaceship, Adam and Eve were space travelers, and the miracles of the Bible were actually done by means of alien technology or similar theme. This New Age interpretation of the Bible has fascinated science fiction authors ever since. “Knowing” is the latest to follow this theory.

In this case, the angels of Ezekiel are aliens who come on a spaceship to “save” a small number of people who will populate a new world, like new Adams and Eves. In another scene John is talking to his pastor father and refers to the Gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians. Once again his definition of the gift of prophecy is foreign to the Bible.

The basic problem with the Von Däniken view is that it is essentially pantheistic. It views the universe itself as an intelligent entity and whatever cannot be explained in this way is transferred to aliens from another world, rather than to God as an intelligent, all knowing Creator. The theme has been promoted by science fiction shows ranging from “Star Trek” to “Space:1999” to “Battlestar: Galactica” to “Knowing.”

Atheist Richard Dawkins, in the movie “Expelled,” also suggested that life could have begun on an alien planet which was transferred to the Earth via aliens. Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, and avowed atheist, also incorporated this theme into many Star Trek episodes. This fact alone should make people realize that Von Däniken’s theories are not truly compatible with Christianity. God is ultimately replaced by highly evolved space aliens. It is for this reason that parents should make sure their young children understand that angels are not aliens. The concept is not only foreign to the Bible, but ultimately a way of diverting people’s eyes from God to outer space.

There is no doubt that Alex Proyas makes quality films with a deeply spiritual tone absent from most Hollywood films. As such he has gained a small following among Christian movie goers, but the Christian needs to be able to distinguish between “spiritual” and Christian. Proyas' latest film is entertaining, if a little poorly paced. It delves into many spiritual issues, but ultimately degenerates into a cliché ending that is rather disappointing.

Fans of Proyas will want to see the film, but Christian parents should educate their children to the nature of Von Däniken’s theories and ensure that the spiritual message of the film is not confused with Biblical Christianity. Overall, I give the movie a “B.” It is entertaining and thought-provoking, but seems unevenly paced, plodding at times, and offers an unsatisfactory ending. Nevertheless, I will look forward to Proyas' next venture in which I hope he will return to the form he showed with “Dark City” and “I, Robot.”

• Violence: Very Heavy
• Profanity/Vulgarity: Mild
• Sex/Nudity: Mild

Editor’s comment

Followers of Christ should alert about this film’s promotion of ANCIENT ALIENS or ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS theory, because this is an issue that is truly deceiving a very great number of people, partly because it is presented as scientific and archaeological (both false claims). At its base, it is a lie being used by godless people to “scientifically” explain away Biblical miracles and events—and God Himself.

This tactic started with atheist author H.P. Lovecraft. Years later, this pseudo-scientific idea was famously promoted by Erich von Däniken (Chariots of the Gods) and others. The Director of this film was inspired by von Däniken, and says so. This idea has particularly been used by some whose worldviews are New Age or Evolutionism/Atheism (or both).

The claim is that extraterrestrials with advanced technology came to Earth in ancient times and were mistaken for gods, angels and supernatural activity—and that out of these encounters with naive and unsophisticated humans (who misunderstood what they witnessed), humans began to worship these aliens—and the world’s religions (including Christianity) are the end result.

I have researched these claims in considerable depth, including attending von Däniken lectures. I am in agreement with many other researchers, the so-called evidence for this fantasy is filled with foolish errors and serious outright lies and deceptions.

Nonetheless, many sci-fi books, movies and TV shows have eagerly used and promoted what is essentially a dangerous Atheist-inspired worldview.

What difference does it make? When accepted, this pseudo-science leads people directly away from Biblical truth about Earth’s Creation, mankind’s place in God’s plan, Earth’s history of wicked rebellion against the Creator, and the record of His judgments. Inherent in this worldview is rejection of belief in God and the Bible. People are less likely to perceive their spiritually bankrupt state before God and are more unlikely to want—or listen to—the Gospel.

Entertainment dramas that use the ancient extraterrestrial encounters fantasy and thus promote it some extent…

• “Stargate”
• “Prometheus”
• “Knowing”
• “Thor”
• “The X-Files: Fight the Future” etc.
• “Alien vs. Predator”
• Transformers: The Last Knight and most of the “Transformers” series
• “Outlander”
• “The Fifth Element”
• “Mission To Mars”
• “Star Trek” various episodes, including “Star Trek: The Next Generation—The Chase,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation—Who Watches the Watchers” —Gene Roddenberry, creator of “Star Trek” was an opponent of all beliefs in God
• “2001: A Space Odyssey”—the monolith
• “Earth: Final Conflict”
• “Space: 1999”
• “Quatermass and the Pit”
• 65 (2023)

If nothing else, the mere CONSTANT REPETITION of this view of history in entertainment media is causing it to become embedded in the minds of billions of people, making it somehow seem to them less ludicrous than it really is. Discerning Christians know that we and God have an Enemy who is the father of lies who seeks to deceive the whole world.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

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• Young people