Avatar Is The Work Of The Devil, Says Mark Driscoll

[bryce]

There was an atheist (extremist) on the Daily Show who wanted to keep Mother Theresa off a stamp.

I don't remember him being identified as an atheist. He sounded like a raging anti-catholic, though. And it's usually the evangelicals who hold most angst against Catholicism. The separation of church and state argument seemed like a lame attempt to hide his true motives. The guy was a conspiracy theory nut, really.

Actually he (Dan Barker) is an atheist - and head of the Freedom from Religion Foundation - and far from a "conspiracy nut".

As much as I *love* the Daily Show, they didn't really seem to take any time to listen to what he had to say or weigh seriously his claims before mocking him.

It's not so much about separation of church and state (though for Dan Barker it is a big thing) but for many it's about the belief that Mother Teressa wasn't necessarily really the "saint" and humanitarian people just mindlessly assume that she was. And the allegation the she really did NOT help people which the money she raised for the Catholic Church's coffers, because she believed that suffering and poverty were virtues, and a way to get closer to God...(and that prayer, not medicine, were the best way to heal people...as well as her opposition to birth control, etc...)

But this is a topic for another thread - and better fit for TNZ.

But if you are curious about the criticism of Mother Teressa, Christopher Hitchens has a video here (which includes interviews with ex-nuns who worked with her):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WQ0i3nCx60

And Penn & Teller criticized (or perhaps exposed) her here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3tUuA7WBRE&NR=1

^Agree or disagree, it is considered distasteful to question her...so we all just accept this image of her that we have been feed.

I mean, how much do you *really* know about her, her work, and her politics & actions?

And I'd be happy to move this to TNZ - I just wanted to answer the points about Dan Barker, Mother Teressa & the related Daily Show skit...

 

[Neroon]

bryce, it is obviously an important subject, but you're right... it's better suited for TNZ.

 

[O'Dib]

Alright, I started something in TNZ for the continuation of this particular line of conversation.. In other news, Avatar raped my Christian upbringing.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

James Cameron isn't taking religious and political criticism of the movie lying down - he's called Glenn Beck an "asshole" and "madman" for his religion and politics-fueled rants:

Asked what he thought about Beck during a junket appearance in support of the "Avatar" home-video release, Cameron said: "Glenn Beck is a f---ing asshole. I've met him. He called me the anti-Christ, and not about 'Avatar.' He hadn't even seen 'Avatar' yet. I don't know if he has seen it...
..."He's dangerous because his ideas are poisonous. I couldn't believe when he was on CNN. I thought, what happened to CNN? Who is this guy? Who is this madman? And then of course he wound up on Fox News, which is where he belongs, I guess."

Cameron on Beck

I like Cameron more and more.

 

[Kegg]

..."He's dangerous because his ideas are poisonous. I couldn't believe when he was on CNN. I thought, what happened to CNN? Who is this guy?

When I first saw him on CNN, I figured they were trying to pander to the Fox News crowd.

Anyway, Beck is an easy target, given his frothing hyperbole. Lets see Cameron take on the Vatican's judgement of his film as shallow!

 

[Dusty Ayres]

James Cameron isn't taking religious and political criticism of the movie lying down - he's called Glenn Beck an "asshole" and "madman" for his religion and politics-fueled rants:

Asked what he thought about Beck during a junket appearance in support of the "Avatar" home-video release, Cameron said: "Glenn Beck is a f---ing asshole. I've met him. He called me the anti-Christ, and not about 'Avatar.' He hadn't even seen 'Avatar' yet. I don't know if he has seen it...
..."He's dangerous because his ideas are poisonous. I couldn't believe when he was on CNN. I thought, what happened to CNN? Who is this guy? Who is this madman? And then of course he wound up on Fox News, which is where he belongs, I guess."

Cameron on Beck

I like Cameron more and more.

Me too, in spite of his nasty boy reputation.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Anyway, Beck is an easy target, given his frothing hyperbole. Lets see Cameron take on the Vatican's judgement of his film as shallow!

Oh, dissing the Vatican's judgment is always a piece of cake - you just mention Galileo. It's like throwing Jayson Blair up at the New York Times when they print something you don't like.

 

[3D Master]

This guy is schizophrenic, isn't he?

It's bad to be a consumer! - I've got three Tivos, two theater entertainment systems, multiple tvs...

Consumerism and this evil modern world is bad! - Liking nature, living in harmony with it, not being consumed with technology and destroying the world, and be good to each other; the opposite of consumerism, THAT's bad too! - No wait, this modern world, disconnected from nature, destroying it and using the technology for yourself, it's good!

Uh, what?

Also, he must not understand the little chapter Genesis very well. It's only the first chapter in the book. Adam and Eve before the apple - that's the blue guys in Avatar.

 

[Michael Chris]

Also, he must not understand the little chapter Genesis very well. It's only the first chapter in the book. Adam and Eve before the apple - that's the blue guys in Avatar.

No it's not.

 

[3D Master]

Also, he must not understand the little chapter Genesis very well. It's only the first chapter in the book. Adam and Eve before the apple - that's the blue guys in Avatar.

No it's not.

Yes, it is.

 

[Kegg]

3D Master is right, it's easy to see the Na'vi are people living in a world before original sin.

Which makes humanity and all its technology a giant honking apple. Or possibly the snake - or both!

 

[Neroon]

3D Master is right, it's easy to see the Na'vi are people living in a world before original sin.

Which makes humanity and all its technology a giant honking apple. Or possibly the snake - or both!

I'm not so sure that it tracks that far. In Eden, Adam & Eve are tempted to take the fruit. It is something desirable. On Pandora it's quite the opposite. The Na'vi do not want the human presence, which is abusive and destructive for the most part. If anything, the roles would be reversed. In a way, Pandora is tempting to the humans, and not just for the requisite mineral. Pandora has a life that the humans need or at the very least want badly, Sully in particular. He wants it so deeply that he literally becomes Na'vi and loses himself in their world. Even then the analogy only goes so far, because in Eden the taking of the apple was a violation, a sin and the two were driven out. On Pandora, Sully and perhaps the translator (Norman?) give up the human life willingly and lose nothing, at least from their perspective.

 

[Silvercrest]

"Is there anyone on this ship who even remotely looks like Satan?"

 

[Neroon]

"Is there anyone on this ship who even remotely looks like Satan?"

I am not aware of anyone who fits that description

(beautifully played!!!)

 

[bryce]

bryce, it is obviously an important subject, but you're right... it's better suited for TNZ.

Yeah...I got a little carried away...hard to answer the points raised and keep it short...I should have just started a thread in TNZ & linked to it now that I think about it...but it's been moved there now, so good.

Anyway, you can't tell me what to do! You have a Na'vi version of House as your AV, so obviously you worship Satan, and eat kittens and probably hate apple pie even!

Admit it...apple pie disgusts you!!!