This weekend I was able to watch the movie Lucy after the kids went to bed. Movies like this often catch my eye, because it is these types of movies that make the largest worldview claims. On a cinematic level the movie was really cool... great effects, and an interesting and cool story line... yet if one looks deeper there are some deep worldview assumptions that are really important.
In short summery Lucy is about a woman and a professor. The woman (Scarlett Johansson), who is forced to ingests an experimental recreational drug, begins to develop the use of all of her brain power. The professor (Morgan Freeman) has developed theories about the potential of the human brain and how powerful human beings can become if they just harness all of their brain power.
(Spoiler alert) In the end, the brain of Lucy develops so much that she is able to move objects, read minds, and not feel pain. She becomes more and more in control, and more and more aware of the environment around her as her brain develops. As Lucy hits 90% of her brain power she begins to transcend time and space. She travels to different places and different times with just a thought.
At 100% Lucy dematerializes and the researchers around her receive a text message that says "I am everywhere".
Although this movie is science fiction, like many other movies of its kind, it makes a huge statement about humanity.
Although this movie is science fiction, like many other movies of its kind, it makes a huge statement about humanity.
According to this movie, in short summery, humanity can become God if the power of the human brain is fully realized. Man can become omniscient, omnipotent, spiritual, and omnipotent; all qualities that Lucy possess at the end of the movie.
This type of idea is not unique to science fiction but has been the teaching of many false religions through history. Mormonism, for example, teaches the 'doctrine of exaltation' which is the idea that humans eventually become God and rule their own planets. Scientology teachers that after OTIII training humans possess God like powers and are able to move objects with their minds and read thoughts. Science fiction cinema often teaches something similar... that man will eventually evolve to the point of deity. This same idea is present in one of my favorite movies of the year, Interstellar. (spoiler alert again) In the end of the movie human beings became so evolved that they transcend time and space which is what enabled them to communicate in the past and save themselves.
Sadly, however, as great as all of this sounds, it is far from the truth. God indeed created us in his image, yet there is also a clear distinction between the creator (God) and his creation (mankind).
God is God. We are human.We will never become God even if we harness our full potential. But, you might ask, "aren't we supposed to be like God?" Yes, but we have to be clear on this... Theologians often make a distinction between God's communicable and incommunicable attributes. God's communicable attributes are attributes that we can posses like love, grace, mercy, justice, etc., yet God's incommunicable attributes are attributes we cannot and never will posses like omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, and infinitive. The latter, God's incommunicable attributes, we will never possess, in opposition to the claims of false religions and science fiction.
Even at the consummation of all things in our glorified states we will only be a mirror pointing back to the glory of the creator.
The same lie of the serpent in the garden continues on in false religions and the science fiction cinema today... The serpent said to Eve in the garden, "You will be like God..." (Genesis 3:4). The movie Lucy says the exact same thing... Don't believe it.
Interesting movie and fun to watch, but don't forget who God is... He is God alone and there is no other (Isaiah 45:5).
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