Is violent entertainment spirtually harmful?

DontTreadOnMe wrote:

. . . what i still haven't figured out, is why "the passion of the christ" was embraced and "the last temptation of christ" was so dramatically reviled by the christian community.

Yeah, what you said.

0 Replies

Now that most here have opined in the guise of both movie critic and biblical scholar, I would expect that both Neologist and Real Life will have calmed down enough to address my points and questions directly and specifically. If not both will be relegated to the back pew, next to the communion washroom.

0 Replies

Chumly wrote:

Now that most here have opined in the guise of both movie critic and biblical scholar, I would expect that both Neologist and Real Life will have calmed down enough to address my points and questions directly and specifically. If not both will be relegated to the back pew, next to the communion washroom.

Sorry. Thought I did. Are you referring to the colloquium? That a group of paid religious 'scholars' have reached a conclusion giving license to a watered down message is roughly equivalent to health studies financed by the tobacco industry.

Not to disrespect your research, Chum, but you are assuming quite a lot when you post such a huge generalization without raising any specific points. I didn't say to you 'It's in the bible; here's a copy; read it.'

And I'm not saying you might not be correct. I'd simply like to see what teachings of Jesus you specifically believe promote violence.

0 Replies

I brought up the colloquium to show the words and acts of Jesus are in overt and viable contest, by peoples with at least as much authority on the question as you and Real Life (correct me if I am wrong) and not to argue the merits or lack thereof of particular details of any presumed words and acts of Jesus.

I am not sure why you feel payment is an issue, (do you?) as priests are paid; large numbers of people associated with promoting the bible are paid.

I'll address your "teachings of Jesus you specifically believe promote violence" point shortly.

0 Replies

don't know that the teachings of jesus cause violence on their own merit. but like other religious texts, the new(and old) testiments have been creatively "interpreted" to give credence to the views of those with less than pure motives.

i'm not much on the bible now, but what i do remember as being the reported words of the christ (and printed in red! ) are distinctly different than those uttered by the likes of bob jones, falwell, robertson & dobson.

the only time they mention christ's love is when the want their followers to hit somebody over the head with it.

must be the new math or something when the word love is spelled h_a_t_e.

so i guess in that way, the teachings of jesus are a big part of the downfall of america. too many people are spending all of their time nosing around what their neighbor is doing (as opposed to simply loving them) instead of paying attention to what the government and the corporations are up to.

the downfall of america isn't about kids wearing crazy clothes, movies, music, gay marriage and abortion.

things like a gazillion dollar debt, exporting jobs and really bizarre actions like selling a half dozen major american ports to the arabs (????) have more to do with the future of our country than any social activity ever will.

0 Replies

Mathew, quoting Jesus wrote:

He that is not with me is against me

Them's fightin' words if I ever heard em.

0 Replies

neologist wrote:

Sorry. Thought I did.

Here are the most recent questions with a dash of humor

Chumly wrote:

Are you talking about what effect it might have on me, or some subjective and oblique "they"?
Whose interpretation of Jesus' life should we use for this movie?
Those who have engendered violent outcomes from the likes of Jesus?
Or those who believe that all those who have engendered violent outcomes from the likes of Jesus are sinners? How shall we show the violent outcomes from the likes of Jesus in the movies; from a sympathetic or unsympathetic perspective towards Jesus? And perhaps most importantly, can I be the producer, and will you pay for movie, and where is the casting couch for the requisite harlots that need saving?

neologist wrote:

Not to disrespect your research, Chum, but you are assuming quite a lot when you post such a huge generalization without raising any specific points. I didn't say to you 'It's in the bible; here's a copy; read it.'

And I'm not saying you might not be correct. I'd simply like to see what teachings of Jesus you specifically believe promote violence.

I consider that my relative argument (the likes of Jesus et al versus popular media) does not have to demonstrate to you specifically, that your interpretations, of your version of the bible that you accept, has Jesus acting or saying something that you construe to be suggestive of violence.

To make the Jesus part of my relative argument (the likes of Jesus et al versus popular media), all I need show is that many people have used Christ's name, words and acts in violence, that there are many people who believe that you can use Christ's name, words and acts in violence, that many people are at least as sincere in their beliefs as you, and that many people who at the least appear as knowledgeable as you as per Christ's name, words and acts are in substantial contest and/or doubt as to interpretation and authenticity.

Please show me which of the above I have either failed to meet or is not rather self-evident historically or in actuality

Put humorously in condensed form:

.....I have yet to see millions die in the name of kittens.....

(But maybe I am just a gas bag)

0 Replies

Chumly wrote:

. . . I have yet to see millions die in the name of kittens.....

(But maybe I am just a gas bag)

Yes; perhaps you are.

But let one kitten suggest we should love our neighbors as ourselves . . .

0 Replies

At least you kindly included the word "perhaps" Smile

0 Replies

Well, you did say maybe.

0 Replies

What exactly do cats hang beside their own litter boxes and scratching posts?
http://www.jesusoftheweek.com/jesii/193/

0 Replies

Pictures of Jesus Cats?

I dunno. I consider the hanging of Jesus pictures a form of idolatry.

0 Replies

Are you saying you consider the hanging of Jesus pictures a form of idolatry Smile

0 Replies

Stringing someone up idolizes them?

Aha! There is your violent undercurrent coming bubbling up through the veneer!

0 Replies

Chumly wrote:

Stringing someone up idolizes them?

Aha! There is your violent undercurrent coming bubbling up through the veneer!

Stringing them up 'inconveniences' them. Laughing

0 Replies

How the hell am I supposed to differ with you when you have a good sense of humor (as do I of course)? Does the Bible teach to win over the unwashed heathen with humor?

0 Replies

This may sound strange to some, but here goes. For me, to
witness violence in movies (where it is completely UN-real) is
actually a healthy act. Being human (as Carl Jung saw us) we
are creatures full of paradox. Just as their is light & dark,
so we humans must learn to nourish both the "light"(spirit--filled)
side as well as our "dark side". ( in my humble opinion )
I've long ago stopped watching "real violence" which for me
means that I do not watch the news, read the newspaper, and
current events out in our big wide world, as reported.
**I believe seeing and hearing this can be very hurtful to me
and causes me a great amount of emotional pain and is a
danger to my spiritual self. I could no longer tolerate hearing
about one more infant beaten to death, shoved in a toilet, or
a dumpster, or shaken till their brains were mush etc. And that's
just the beginning.
**Jung believed that we have this duality in our nature, and if
we attempt to completely stifle and wipe out what is simply our
natural dark side..(.this doesn't necessarily mean evil)
It may be as harmless as calling in sick to work one day due
to some need you have to a day for yourself. You need some
emotional refurbishment. While this may not qualify as a "sick
day" under your employer's definition, in a sense, you are
telling a lie & nourishing or at least acknowledging your own
dark side. To attempt to stamp out the darker sides of our
human nature is a ridiculous idea. What will happen if a
person absolutely refuses to see & acknowledge their own dark
side??? It comes sneaking out under the table, so to speak.You
say mean spirited things or behave in a very ugly way to the
very people you love. The dark side of human nature WILL
have it's release- the choice is do you
control how your dark side is cared for and allowed to vent; or
does your dark side control YOU?? This is what I think is behind
many murderes and persons acting out some ugly form of
violence. Perhaps they had a parent who expected
perfection from a child?? This isn't even remotely possible for
an adult human. Particularly if we admit to how less than
perfect we are ourselves.
**One of my outlets is watching violent natured movies like Pulp
Fiction, or Kill Bill or any of the violent (but fake violence) movies.
I can't help but laugh at them. There is so much dark humor in
such films. I have seen myself "act out" in not so pretty behavior
if I fail to give homage to and own my own dark side.
**I don't believe that watching a violent movie causes a
person to behave violently. These things are never as simple or
as cut & dried as that. There is no easy explanation for it, but
I believe that Carl Jung was onto something in his belief that
duality is simply the fact of our nature as human beings.
So what if I watch The Terminator or Jaws for the 50th time??
Who cares? It is merely an outlet. Similar to one's daily
bowel functions - if you hold it in - you are going to get very
constipated.

0 Replies

Thanks babs. I follow your logic but don't agree. Why must we seek release for our dark side(s) beyond recognizing its existence?

0 Replies

Chumly wrote:

How the hell am I supposed to differ with you when you have a good sense of humor (as do I of course)? Does the Bible teach to win over the unwashed heathen with humor?

But I wasn't trying to be funny. :wink:

0 Replies

@neologist,

When they dont show or teach any lesson of responsibility in doing such actions then yes it is working against a persons better nature and conditioning them to expect/accept such behavior.

Many games limited the opponents to obviously evil entities - Nazis, mosnsters like killer zombies/aliens, terrorists, etc...

But then you have others where just ordinary people are the targets - usually for material gain/advancement in the game - with few other paths to the same ends. The body count frequently runs into the hundreds in many such games.

One game - Bioshock - actually had you murder children as part of their required advancement. There was actually quite a firestorm at the time when people asked alot of questions about a game company doing such things.

A recent sequel to that game show a man getting baptised as the source of the evil he later does. Some of the motives of these game developers is obviously suspect.

0 Replies

Is violent entertainment spirtually harmful?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know