MovieChat Forums > Sirens (1994) Discussion > Fairytales for Atheists

Fairytales for Atheists


It struck me that the movie genre of which Sirens is a part is designed to be sort of a fairytale for atheists: a thing that helps them sleep at night in their denial of God. You know, everything always works out libidinous and perfect in the end for the atheist while the believer ends up befuddled and cuckolded.

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So?

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[deleted]


My denial of a delusion? I sleep fine, thanks.

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Maybe not. But you atheists are sure watching this film a lot. lol

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Lots of people have watched this film, including you, apparently.

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Shhhh, so are you sheep.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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<snicker>

Wow, a true 'man of God' would be much more forgiving of athiests. Isn't that what Jesus taught: forgiveness and tolerance?

Anyway, what certain characters in _Sirens_ suggest is that organized, industrialized, corporate religion, the CHURCH, is where lieth delusional folly; not simple belief. I've watched this film a number of times and there's no atheist or anti-theist message. True, _Sirens_ does wallow in giddy(!) vacuous sexuality a lot of time (which can become tedious even in real life, you spooners), but there's nothing harmful here. Also, I can take Mr. Campion's side at times, particularly when describes being unfairly baited at school for his belief. Anyone can understand that.

Your comment, however, is as sour and coldly cynical (indeed, almost hateful) as any so-called atheist spouting off about a Chruch-goin' devotee. Be nice; Jesus said that.

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I believe in God and this movie definitely proves his existence by us seeing Elle, Kate, Portia, Pamela and Tara in their beautiful birthday suits.

God has made them beautiful and I am grateful for that as I love Elle, Kate, Portia, Pamela and Tara.

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yes, proof of the existence of god = these beautiful girls in the nude in sirens, proof of NO god (on the atheists side) = the borat nude scenes with the obese russian.

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What does About Schmidt prove? lol

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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I like the OP's points; they make sense to me. Anyway, Sirens isn't explicitly atheist. It explores MANY different viewpoints.

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Lol, I love these religious *beep* I find it really hilarious that they somehow look down on people who have the audacity to not believe in some mythical being that doesn't seem to exist. It would be like me believing that I'm better than the OP because he doesn't believe in Santa Claus and I do....you're in denial about Santa Claus

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Yeah web, compare Santa to God. Great analogy.

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You're right. How can you compare a jolly old elf to a bitter, blackmailing, egotistical sadist.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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A former German U-boat commander once put it this way. He stated he can take the most ardent, Godless communists he could find and then take him out to sea where he can experience depth charge attacks. He said that EVERY SINGLE ONE will be on the deck praying to his God along with the rest of the crew.

It is the ultimate in procrastination. A person *knows* he is going to die someday, but he does not want to deal with it because it is a hard truth and might require some changed behavior, "getting a 'round to this whole God thing.". So to rationalize his laziness, he decides there is no proof of God anyway (even though he believes lots of other things that "have no proof" according to his "system" of logic). But then, in his final hour, he always always ALWAYS becomes a believer. What a laugh!

You can see why therapy for such a complex, as provided by a movie such as this, is BOX OFFICE!

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I don't see how accepting death or not is any proof for or against God? And even being a believer is no proof of the existence of God. It's just proof of your belief in the existence of God. And no, people don't always become a believer on their death bed either.

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lol There are to atheists in foxholes, how original. Yes, let's take the word of a Nazi as to the existence of god. Or better yet, let's go by a book, written by men, edited by men, written hundreds of years after the alleged incidents took place, from a time when religion was used, along with the monarchies, as a means to control the masses. Good lord, use the brain you were born with.

Also, you seem rather prideful and smug. Not exactly following the teachings you profess to follow. But there's a shock, eh? A hypocritical christian.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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He made no point.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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I don't think you need a movie like Sirens for that. I think you just need reality.

I feel more comfortable in bed knowing that I don't declare any God to be the one and only (pretty open minded about all of the religions, they all have their good points but it's easy to see patterns in history with religions).. I'm usually open to learning about them and always did well in school with them. I enjoy alot of the stories in the bible, the same way I enjoy movies, they are good stories. It's good to be informed. I also did some religious charity work in those days.

Back to the original statement.. I'd rather go to bed open and not declaring any God as the one and only, as opposed to going to bed thinking my God is the one and only and that all others in 20 000 years of human history are wrong. Even today, there are many conflicting religions.

I think religions contribute many positives to society but also quite a few negatives. I think the concept as a whole is outdated in this time period for two reasons..

1 - We have TV, movies, internet, literature, education, police.. we don't need stories of the boogie man in order to convince us not to kill people when we have differences. If I cheat on my brothers girlfriend, he won't bang my head on a rock, or chop my head off with an axe like he would have a thousand years ago. People in today's society should be able to understand right from wrong, without needing to do it to get a reward (heaven, hell, reincarnation etc).

2 - It's human nature to try and explain what we don't know. I see every day on the net with this site, youtube, yahoo answers, people speaking out of their butt when all it would take is 2 mins to search about something and learn about it before speaking. Or how about this.. saying "I don't know".

"How did that mountain get there?" "Well the God of mountains came and chose some spots and he thought that would be a good spot". How did that canyon and creek get there? The gaint rainbow serpent slithered through there millions of years ago and that's his trail. This was the rationale of early religions. Over time, humans became smarter and so did the religious "stories".

We now have science. It was problematic at first. The first scientists to discover that the Earth orbitted the Sun (meaning that the Earth ISN'T the centre of the universe) were burned or hung for being heretics. Every day were learn more about how the Earth was formed, and what lies in our future. Every day it becomes more clear that nature is driven my nature. Not by us, as much as we wish we were the ones in control or were the ones who are the centre of the universe. Every generation, we learn more and more and don't need to guess or play chinese whispers for why things are the way they are. The fortunate thing about 2010, is that we don't need to only believe what our parents tell us, we can go to school, talk to teachers and class mates, read books, watch videos and we can make up our own minds. It wasn't always this way.

I've known many religious families.. some of them have been awful and more "sinful" then any athiest family I've ever known. Not just sinful but also prejudice and fearful.

I have also known a few very kind natured religious families.. being in their presence would always bring a smile to your face, and a very nice aura. I wouldn't say anything bad about that. Religion helps alot of people, and makes them feel whole. For some people it works, and I say good for them. It's a shame that they aren't the majority though. Maybe if they were, there wouldn't be so many wars in human history over religion.

Some people need faith. I say, put faith in yourself. Achieve your goals. The problem with faith is you are believing in something you cannot see, feel, touch etc. That's one of the core concepts of faith. But how do you choose the right one? If you are Christian for example.. you are going to sleep having "faith" solely because you were born into a Christian family. If you were born in India, you would be going to sleep having the Hindu faith. That wouldn't sit well with me.

I think you can learn alot from all of them.

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One thing that irritates me about imdb boards it's the "looks like" topics. Never even close.

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You have used the word "good" about 12 times, "negative" ~4 times, positive ~3 times. How do you know what they mean except based on your own self-serving auto-definition?

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He used the brain he was born with. Unlike the sheep who need to be told how to act.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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Just like Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, Leopold and Loeb, Jeffrey Dahmer used their brains. Anyway, OP stands unaddressed. I was watching movie to be challenged, you were watching movie to be patted on the back and told what a smart Laddie you were for not believing in God.

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Stalin studied for the priesthood, Hitler used the "Christ Killers" argument for his persecution of Jews, what are you talking about?

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1)Give me a quote from Hitler, and then Ill address that. 2) Stalin ... the fact that he studied for the priesthood proves WHAT exactly? 3) Oh, and ... "What are YOU talking about?".

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Here we go again. Neither Hitler nor Stalin used their atheism to justify what they did, so their being atheist (which is not true at least in the case of Hitler) is as relevant to their deeds as the fact they both had prominent moustaches.

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" used their atheism to justify"

Thats a new one. The what they used to justify standard.

But I'll play along for fun.

Let me see... would Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot agree with this statement:

"I can do what I do, because there is no God"?

Yep, pretty much ....

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Let me see... would Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot agree with this statement:

"I can do what I do, because there is no God"?


And you clearly are not only a mind reader, but a time traveller to boot, since you know exactly how they would think.

How different is that view from 'I can do whatever I want because God is with me/God told me to do it/He will give me 72 virgins in paradise'?

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lol It's telling that you need to TRY and put down those that don't think the same as you. Or should I say, the way you believe without thinking.


This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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Theist: I believe youre going to hell, I want to save you by telling you that.
Atheist: You must be killed!
T: But I thought I was free 2 believe what I wanted?
A: Not that!

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Where did you come up with that? I'm willing to bet that more have killed and been killed in the name of religion than the opposite. Whattya say....wanna bet?

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

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I would like to respond in the same manner as the scene early in the movie outside the pub quoting what the old drunk sitting on the front of the truck said.

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This movie isn't about the theological arguments; that's all happening in the background. This movie is about seduction, and what might be a sexual awakening for Anthony and Estella, and probably a deepening of their relationship.

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