Christians believe in afterlife because this gives life meaning and purpose. Most Christians believe that people will go either to a place of happiness (heaven) or torment (hell). Most Christians also believe in Angels. In the New Testament angels appear frequently as the ministers of God and the agents of revelation.
The film shows angels as messengers of God and in the Bible there are several accunts of people being visited by angels with messages. For example Gabriel appeared to Mary in the traditional role of messenger to inform her that her child would be the Messiah. Angels, in the film, have never been humans, nor have bibilical angels. The Bible and the film support the idea of Heaven for those who have died being with God. In the Bible, it is stated, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”(Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:1). ‘Building of God’ may be Heaven and it is implies that Heaven is eternal. They are also shown in the film to have no free will and bound to do God bidding which is also the bibilical view.
Angels in the film dress in black which strays from the stereotypical image of angels as ‘pure’ and powerful, holy servants of Light. At any point in the Bible, angels don’t turn into humans, although, these superhuman beings were said to be able to take human form temporarily. There is no mention of a concept of Hell alongside Heaven at any point in the film. The Biblical descriptions of Hell tell about a where weeping, tears, creaking of teeth and torment are eternal for souls condemned to live there. There is also no mention of ressurection mentioned in the film, although there is the concept of ‘immortality of soul.’
Most Chrisitans will tend to agree that angels exist because they are mentioned in a many places in the Chrisitian holy books. Their roles are mentioned in the Book of Revelation and they even have names.
Christians generally accept the idea of Heaven. Protestant Christians will mostly agree with the idea that after death their soul will go straight to heaven because of what Jesus said and the immortality of soul. Many Evangelical Protestants will disagree with the way it is shown in the film because they believe in resurrection, hell and Judgement. They believe in this as Jesus’ body rose from the dead. Roman Catholics will oppose this idea because of their belief in hell and Judgement when everyone will be resurrected and Christians will go to Heaven and others to hell. This fits in with Jesus and St. Paul’s teachings and the Catholic Catechism. So, some Christian viewers will like the neutral way in which ideas are shown in the film, although most will differ in their opinion of angels and afterlife.
Muslims believe in the concept of heaven and hell. Everyone will be resurrected on the Last Day (akhirah) when Allah will judge them. Good Muslims will go to Heaven and everyone else to Hell. This is due to the Quranic teachings. They also believe in angels which is central to the religion. Their views will mostly but they do believe in afterlife, heaven and angels.
The film treats Christian religious views fairly well. Even though, they have so different views in some cases. Other very basic beliefs of other faiths are also covered though not in detail.
