Disclosure Day
Spielberg's Messianic Aliens Film
So, full “discloure”—I saw Disclosure Day, but it was a couple of weeks ago, and I’m just now writing about it. I won’t pretend to give a full, or fair, review. You can go elsewhere for that. But, the Messianic elements of the film just hit me recently, so here are some observations.
As a former aspiring film-maker in my youth (very amateur, but I did read and study up quite a bit, wrote some screenplays just for fun, and took acting lessons from Norman Burton, a solidly B actor who peaked in the ‘70s, but was in a James Bond movie with Sean Connery), I’ve enjoyed and appreciated Steven Spielberg over the years. Who hasn’t? It was fun to see the specifically-Spielberg camera shots and use of lighting in Disclosure Day. But, Spielberg said some provocative things about how his film might challenge orthodox Christian (or monotheistic) beliefs, and I think he was serious.
The film contains explicitly theological dialogue about how the existence of aliens (SPOILER ALERT, in case the title didn’t give it away) calls the existence of God into doubt. It was muddy theology, to say the least. That’s not my focus. I want to look at how Spielberg co-opted Christian symbolism in his attempt to (apparently) undermine Christianity (or at least monotheism).
First, the two main characters are “annointed” by the aliens with special (spiritual?) gifts. One is given the ability to understand mathematics at an insanely high level. Turns out he has the gift of tongues because only he can understand and interpret alien speech. Turns out aliens are so advanced their language is math-speak!
The other main character, Emily Blunt (who stole the show with her acting), is given an equally-important spiritual gift—the gift of Empathy. Turns out she can read people’s minds and understand their deepest desires and longings. She actually has two gifts (a double portion of the Alien Spirit?), because she can speak in tongues too. But she speaks and understands normal human languages, not super-advanced Alien math-speak.
These two Emissaries/Prophets were chosen at a young age by the aliens to help humanity progress (evolve?) to a higher level. Turns out that humanity’s biggest issue is … a lack of Empathy. That’s why we fight each other, steal, hate, kill thousands of Jews—and also torture harmless little aliens in our mad Empathy-less quest for dominance and power. If only the Messianic Aliens had shown up in the 1930s and reached into Adolf Hitler’s poor, empathy-less soul! But, then, Spielberg would not have won those Academy Awards for Schindler’s List …
The ending of the movie is explicitly Messianic. After “disclosing” secret government files that are broadcast throughout the world, the entire world just stops (thanks to our ubiquitous smartphones) and is drawn together in a world-unity-shared-humanity-moment where we realize We Are Not Alone! This Disclosure actually stops a war that is about to start! Just in time! The Messianic Aliens stop WW3!
The movie ends with a Real Live Alien whispering something in their super math-speak to the Math Prophet, who then interprets it to the Empathy Prophetess. She then goes on camera, live (because the whole world is now watching) and says simply, “Listen…” and then the film ends! Spielberg, you have outdone yourself! He left us hanging, not knowing what the Messianic Alien wanted to tell us. But, I’d wager a few pennies it has something to do with the Power of Empahty. After all, that’s our problem.
There you go. The Alien Disclosure Day was really Revelation Day. The Truth was revealed. Armageddon was stopped. There is a real potential for Peace to reign on earth. How? Technology (remember everyone watching the Alien Disclosure on their smartphones?) and Empathy has brought humanity together. And we didn’t even have to confess any of our sins. It was all a big Misunderstanding. And no one even had to die. No one had to pay the ultimate price (although one of the Messianic Aliens did get tortured for a bit.) There was no sacrifice for sins.
We are not alone. There is a Higher Power that can unite humanity. There is a Higher Form of Life that can bring us together. But, this Person has already disclosed Himself, and Spieldberg is looking in all the wrong places for hope. He forgot what he taught us in E.T. Before we have Life, someone must die. There is no peace without death and resurrection.
As the Gospel of John puts it: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die’” (John 11:25).