A GREAT movie...from an atheistic point of view


I don't believe Mary was a virgin, I don't believe anyone rose from the dead, I don't believe in miracles. Some folks might misinterpret parlor tricks for miracles (feeding 5000, water into wine, Lazarus, all can be explained).

Having said all that, I LOVE this movie, and I love Jesus Christ. He was the greatest philosopher and teacher of humanity who has ever lived. I don't believe in "god" but I believe in the teachings of Jesus. Have I accepted him as my "personal saviour?" Nope. Never will. I don't believe any god would be that psychologically naive, to think that one person could save another, absolving her from her sins. My sins are MINE, and no one died for them. I own my sins. My sins are horrible, but I was brought up to know that there are consequences, and I have paid them...

So THERE!

GREAT MOVIE....great theme....great music...great backdrop (NYC)....great message.....Great Man, that Jesus: a HUMAN, but not a MERE human, like you and me....probably the smartest, gentlest, most wise man who has ever lived.

Love to all,

Anne


Lady, the god YOU pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud.

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I agree.

The only religion I ever had was my parents using church as a way to get me out of their hair on sundays.

But I've always loved this movie.

I own two copies of the movie, and three copies of the soundtrack.








Also, any 'converters' out there can forget it.

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[deleted]

If Jesus of Nazareth was so gentle, why did he tell his disciples this: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."


Ummm, context please. This was in relation to friendly familial relations, not violence. Please don't enable people to justify taking The Bible out of context by claiming supporters do it themselves. :)

makepovertyhistory

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[deleted]

I can't say I had the same reaction.

Jesus the Clown comes to NYC, lectures nine mentally deficient insane folk on his particularly biased view of life, is betrayed by ... John the Baptist??, and is then tied to a fence and later his motionless body is paraded about the city.

To top it off, bad songs sung badly.

I'm baffled by the praise for this film, from Christians and atheists alike.

3/10, for at least having a sometimes recognizable plot.

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I just saw it on TV last night - and loved it. I think the idea of the apostles all being playful with Jesus pretty much hit the mark. Jesus was, if anything, NOT religious - despite the many varieties of the Christian religion who think otherwise. He was non-conformist and he was fairly angry about what the religious people of the day were trying to do with their followers.

It was a treat to see Victor Garber in this - I had no idea he played Jesus (and did it well too). The music was, for the most part, good. There were a couple of exceptional numbers too - like "All for the Best" and of course the unforgettable "Day by Day".

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By My Side is a very sweet song!

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I think the movie was portrayed that way was to explain the parables in Matthew that was with the colorful cool times of the early 1970's. Not new age, mind you (but even I think that's arguable). It was simple and easy to understand. It kind of makes the Bible "fun" instead of being dead serious. I'm sure it's brought some people back to church, reading the Bible again...at least ONE person.

And for you atheists, when you die, you're sure gonna find out the truth, won't you?

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OR NOT.

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To top it off, bad songs sung badly.


I honestly don't get this reaction. Whatever criticism Godspell gets from people who know musicals, the score is not one of them--it is unversally applauded by people who study, perform or just enjoy musicals. The concept might not always work but the score is terrific. "All for the Best"? "By My Side"? "O Bless the Lord My Soul"--really? You don't like any of those? These songs are beloved. And sung badly? Uh--no. Just no. Trust me on this.

(BTW, Judas betrays him, not John the Baptist--yes, it's the same actor playing two roles.)

Sorry, dude--this sounds as though you're trying to pile on, "oh and the score sucks too! And....and they sing it badly!" It's fine you don't like the movie but trashing the score doesn't quite read believably here. What music do you listen to? Godspell is considered a classic score.

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the songs in this movie are garbage. the only reason you like them is because you have bad taste in music. musicals with good soundtracks? sound of music, grease, the disney movies.

this movie is the biggest piece of trash i've ever seen. and i've only seen one minute of it altogether. it's that bad.

the soundtrack is just awful too.

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The Dragon 999 HOw would you know this? in another thread you said you saw this film two times all at five seconds each total 10 seconds. Now your saying you saw a minute of it how would you know what the songs are like. SOunds to me that you are a Pathological mental liar.

You Ask-I Answer-You Decide

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i listened to a little bit of each song on youtube just before i posted that to be sure... the songs are just as annoying as the movie.

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at the dragon 999 now your changing your story . Make up your mind.

You Ask-I Answer-You Decide

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^ This. I, too, am baffled why anyone likes this movie. Just ridonkulous.

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I love Jesus Christ. He was the greatest philosopher and teacher of humanity who has ever lived. I don't believe in "god" but I believe in the teachings of Jesus.


You do realize, there is an inherent contradiction in what you're saying. Jesus taught (among other things) that he was
- The bread of life
- The light of the world
- The giver of eternal life
- The forgiver of sins
- The judge of the world
- Lord and God

It is impossible to believe in the teachings of Jesus and NOT believe in God, since he taught about God and even went so far as to claim that he IS God. He is either speaking the truth, or he is seriously mistaken about who he is, so mistaken as to be completely mentally deranged, or worse, a con man on a grand scale. Jesus taught repeatedly that he would be crucified and after three days rise again. If you claim to believe his teachings, how can you say you don't believe he rose from the dead?? He taught that he would.

To claim you believe his teachings, while claiming not to believe the things he taught about is, frankly, inconsistent and a demonstration that you don't in fact believe his teachings. If you are going to claim to believe his teachings, I suggest you go back and examine what he actually taught. I don't think Jesus would agree that you believe his teachings. The man was crucified for claiming to be God. He didn't take his words back or change his claims, but was prepared to die for them. To say you believe Jesus' teachings and don't believe in God can't be done without denying Jesus' teachings. He taught about God and more than that claimed the he is the ONLY way to God.

This signature has been deleted by an administrator

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Jesus lied. He was also pretty cocky and arrogant.



The trinity is not only impossible, it is heretical and blasphemous as well. Equating a man with God Almighty diminishes God's power and authority. It makes God into a mere human who can be born and who can die. It also makes Him a liar.







"What say there, Fuzzy Britches? Feel like talking?"

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And like many great thinkers, Jesus has probably been misquoted. And he has most DEFINATELY used by those who call themselves Christians to justify nearly everything he was against: war, oppression, bigotry, cruelty, greed and the persecution of those who are different.

I love what Flour-Girl said. She speaks for me--even though I'm not an atheist. I love Jesus the man, as he was portrayed in Godspell, and I love his teachings. I just won't call myself a Christian; "Christians" have unleashed too much horror on the world.

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OP, that's some pretty lazy thinking. If you're really an atheist an yet you still believe that Jesus was "the greatest philosopher and teacher of humanity who has ever lived", you have a very low bar for what constitutes good philosophy. The only people who have any business claiming that are Christians, and even then only out of a preference towards their own religion. But even most Christians understand that you cannot separate Jesus' metaphysical claims from his philosophical claims. Almost everything Jesus said derives it's legitimacy from his divinity. If he were not divine, most of what he said would be nonsense. So, even if Christians are wrong about the divinity of Jesus, they're being logically consistent.

Stripped of the legitimacy that divinity would give, the sum of Jesus' teaching amounts to a weakly-justified "do unto others" morality, something that did not originate with Jesus and that has been more strongly argued for by others. I challenge you to read a little Kant and see where that takes you.

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i guess nobody heard of Jefferson's bible ////???? look it up

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