If you are familiar with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which was the first movie released by Disney in the series, Disney tried to hide from the Christan allegory of the story. Before the young children could help return Narnia to this place of beauty, Aslan had to die only to return to save. This was no doubt a reference to Christ; although Disney worked hard not to attach that meaning to the story. There are other forms of Christianity that are placed throughout the movie as well such as Turkish delight. Turkish delight represents the apple in the garden and sin. Provided by the evil queen, it betrays young Edmund Pevensie and delivers him to a form of hell.
C.S. Lewis, who was a good friend of Lord of the Ring's J.R.R. Tolkien, was born and baptised in a Christian home, but he would doubt the existence of God early on in his life at age 15. It was his friendship with Tolkien and a number of books that led Lewis back to Christianity.
Lewis became a Christian writer sometimes using allegories like Narnia and sometimes just having fun with his writings like in the Screwtape Letters, which is the story of Christianity through the eyes of two demons in the form of letters, a fun read to say the least.
So what does all this have to do with Liam Neeson, well, Neeson, who plays the voice of Aslan made a quite controversial statement last week about Aslan claiming Aslan could represent Mohammed and even Buddah. Don't try to rub a lion's belly Mr. Neeson. The results may not be good for you.
“Aslan symbolises a Christ-like figure but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries.
That’s who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids – that’s what he means for me.”
Neeson's comments have angered many who see the story for what it is, an amazing allegory that tells the story of Christ, including Walter Hooper, Lewis's secretary.
“It is nothing whatever to do with Islam. Lewis would have simply denied that. He wrote that ‘the whole Narnian story is about Christ’. Lewis could not have been clearer.”
Neeson apparently is being called out on more than one occasion.
William Oddie, a fomer editor of The Catholic Herald and a lifelong fan of the Chronicles of Narnia, accused Neeson of ‘a betrayal of Lewis’s intention and a shameful distortion’.
He said: ‘Aslan is clearly established from the very beginning of the whole cannon as being a Christ figure. I can’t believe that Liam Neeson is so stupid as not to know.’
There is no room for anything but the truth in Narnia Mr. Neeson.
