i really hate how bad people make religion look in movies. and i hate how people get extremist mixed up with religion. i am a christian and i've gone to church countless times. we mainly learn about love, acceptance and peace. i will still see this movie bc i like the actors and i love horror movies. i'm just a little annoyed with all the hate on religion.
shareIn this case, it certainly wasn't the writer-director's choice to make religion look bad. If you think it's what the critics focused on, that's on the critics, not the film.
Kevin Smith says and thinks exactly the same as you. He was raised Catholic and, while not going to church and becoming more cynical in his adult life, it's clear from listening to his podcasts that he values the things he was taught as a kid and wants, at least in some small part, to raise his own child in the same way (though lets his wife handle the main decisions in the kid's upbringing, who is an atheist).
In fact, once you watch the film, you'll see that it's as much a critique of government and policing than it is of religion. And, actually, "critique of religion" is a misnomer in itself; it's a critique of extremists, not religion as a whole.
I seriously don't think that Kevin was trying to make religion look bad. His problem is with extremists and fanatics of all kinds. On the whole there are a lot of people that may be offended by this movie, but I found it pretty enjoyable.
shareShould probably read up on/watch some documentaries on the Westboro Baptist Church and you'll see who exactly Smith has in his sights. I live and let live with people and their religion (not religious personally) but, these people make me sick.
shareAs the others said. He's had a hard-on for the WBC for a long time. Since his brothers gay(and a practicing christian) he takes personal offense to the things they preach. He based the movie off an interview and dealings hes had with them and as others said it's a critique of the governments scorched earth policies and history with things like the WACO siege.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco_siege
You don't need movies to make religions look bad, you just need the extremist psychos and evangelists amongst you to make christianity look bad. I feel conflicted because the bible does teach violence (if God uses violence on his 'evil children' why can't his followers do the same to each other?) and I will believe that unless you use your conscience and 'pick and choose' the good parts of christianity, you are practising a violent religion. These days extremist christians are really harming society and pushing their beliefs on the law and everything else.
shareReligion is extreme. Doesn't need movies to make it look that way it just is.
Well let's put it this way, if religious people made all our laws, Kevin Smith would never had made a movie. Let alone this one.
TV, movies, music, freedom of choice for just about everything we enjoy now would be taken away.
This is just following "main stream" religions. Let alone the more extreme ones.
I agree with you, pathxe. Look at the horrible things people do in the name of religion and "God".
Of course not every religious person is like this, but there are extremists and they are capable of doing very crazy things.
For a moviemaker, religion is an obvious tool to place characters in a believable realistic situation and allow them to go all wild and crazy. In the name of Jesus. Because it happens in real life as well!
If you're religious and you aren't forcing anyone to follow your path and don't mind with other peoples business, I have no problem with you. Believe in whatever you want as much as you like.
If religious "extremism" bothers the movie maker and those who use religion for violence then why aren't we seeing more movies about Muslim "extremism"?
In the Middle East today, homosexuals are beheaded or hung (or stoned) if they are caught or suspected. A women who is simply suspected of having sex with another man is stoned or whatever other measure the Muslim religious leaders decide.
I saw a news story today that said in Egypt this year there have been over 700 cases reported (no telling how many NOT reported) of men sexually harassing/assaulting women. Little is ever done about it, and of course, in other countries the situation is as bad.
In this country and in Europe many Muslims who have moved here have been charged with "honor" crimes. Young girls, who date someone their father disapproves of, or suspecting of becoming too "Western" have been run over in cars, shot to death and stabbed to death.
Don't believe me? Check out this recent CBS News story (link below) regarding the growing rash of "honor" killings. Maybe Hollywood should quit trying the lame & worn out plots and focus on the real religious nuts! Maybe they don't b/c it's not "P.C." or they're afraid of what may happen to them.
Just ask yourself which is more of an immediate danger to us: some Christian or a Muslim prepared to blow up himself and his family? I don't know of any homosexual or lusty teen stoned by Christians but I can certainly cite many sources of radical Islam that do...
www.cbsnews.com/.../honor-killing-under-growing-scrutiny-i
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There are nut types of all kinds anywhere, on all sides of the issues. I don't know who you are referring to at first glance but Christians are beat up and killed in the Middle East everyday!
This is why Coptic Christians are having their churches burned down and members are beaten, killed, have their homes destroyed, etc.
I am talking about Christians in this country since that's what this movie is about. As I say there are always going to be a couple of nut jobs of ALL kinds. I just saying that from the way Hollywood portrays certain parts of the country you'd think everyone in West Virginia is an in-bred, cannibalistic, killer. And every Christian is a murderous, Scripture- quoting, insane lunatic.
If these portrayals were accurate then we'd hear of "lusty teenagers" being held captive and tortured all the time. Just as homosexuals don't want to be stereotyped as "limp-wristed, fancy dressing, girlie sounding guys", no one else wants to be labeled as such.
I don't condone any physical violence against anyone, unless in self defense. I'm just saying that, as a horror fan, there are simply too many of these types of movies. Just as we have now dozens upon dozens zombie movies now since that's the craze...
Because people write what they know. It's interesting that people are calling this movie an attack on religious anything. I thought it was a critique of extremism in general. At the end John Goodman asked the agents why he was given the order, and they literally said, "Because F those people." John Goodman is horrified by that response and rightfully so.
Because this film portrays religious zealots (a la WBC) AND the extremism of left-wing government, it is safe to say that a movie about the way people are treated in the middle east/ Egypt would not be about the same thing. They are different beasts entirely.
If the horrors in other countries are more poignant for you, then go make a movie about that. Apparently, Kevin Smith cared more about the horrors happening here, and there's nothing wrong with that.
We'll call it the psychotic bastard religion.
Maybe because most Hollywood film directors haven't had much experience or knowledge regarding religious (or Islamic) extremism in the Mideast?
I come from a Muslim family, but I don't follow the religion, and I also am living in Egypt. Let me tell you that it was not like this before the revolution, before the extremists came out and appeared out of nowhere, but it's funny how Egypt gets most of the spotlight beside other Mideastern countries about Islamism when in fact, there are much more religious countries out there who practice backwards punishments to those who are apostates or homosexuals, for instance (you've got Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan but it is not really Mideastern but still "Islamic") - just saying.
And I agree that Islamic extremism is more dangerous, maybe it's because religious Muslims are too stuck-up that their religion is "the best" and "the real last religion" and all that jizz. It's mainly also to do with the fact that most Islamic countries are very traditional (suicide bombing is now more of a disturbing tradition, not really an act of "faith").
*sigh*
This whole "go after the Muslims!" argument again?
Book of Mormon, this, etc?
The point is Kevin Smith and the Parker/Stone have no history or interest in Islam.
However, Smith grew up in Christianity and has a gay brother and the WBC has targetted him so it was the Red State story that grew in his head. Why do you think he'd concentrate on Islam, aside from to court controversy?
Parker/Stone grew up around Mormonism and have a deep-seated knowledge of it. They barely know anything of Islam and have admitted that themselves. As such, it was The Book of Mormon that grew in their head as they were writing parodies and making affectionate jokes at the religion since they were teens. Why would they have done "The Quran" when it'd clearly appear far more forced and researched and 'not as natural' because it was all just done solely to critique Islam rather than simply being a natural flow from the jokes they told as kids?
Don't blame the filmmakers for working on what interests them. Are you donating to anti-paedophile campaigns? No? YOU'RE A CHILD MOLESTER! That's your basic argument taken to the extreme. Why? Because you have lots of other interests and not concentrating on one, single topical issue (paedophilia) while concentrating one a lesser issue that you actually feel compelled to help due to personal history (whatever that is - diabetes research, poor families in your area, etc).
Yes, it's a shame that more people who are interested in Islam aren't able to make films about that. But that's the real problem here. That people raised in Islam - with Islam-centric stories to tell - aren't getting a voice in Hollywood, compared to the Christians. It's not Smith's fault, it's societal racism in general. Thankfully we ARE getting more stories that aren't white/Christian/etc-based nowadays and those are only increasing.
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/aps87
Are you high. There are all manner of TV shows and movies depicting Muslims as dangerous. There have been entire series pretty much dedicated to it: M-I5 in the UK and 24 in the US (on Fox, surprise).
Christianity has a bloody history, not just in past centuries (the crusades, witch hunts). Look at how Christian fundamentalist groups are funding anti-gay legislation (complete with death penalty)in Africa.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/06/27/from-colonialism-to-kill-the-gays-the-surprisingly-recent-roots-of-homophobia-in-africa/
Religious people did make all our laws, doofus.
Check a history book when you're feeling sentient sometime.
If you had, you might actually know jack about what your talking about.
Where do you think laws come from? The stork?
There is no secular foundation for ethics or morality. Secularists have been struggling to come up with their own basis for morality for about 3 centuries now, and so far they have nada.
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The problem is that if you are Christian, you are supposed to believe and follow ALL of the Bible, not just the parts you like, and the Bible does encourage putting people to death for quite a lot of things.
Personally, I think it's all BS. I don't see how anybody could actually believe that book.
Actually no. Your statement illustrates the fact that you know virtually nothing about Christianity and I say that with all due respect. Read up on the "new covenant" which supersedes the old. Most people that don't believe the Bible haven't read it (and I mean ALL of it).
I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are nothing like your Christ."-Ghandi
shareJust remember, it's only fiction. The film isn't making claims about what real Christians in the real world or like. And even if it was, it's just the opinion of the filmmaker.
Conform or be cast out
I'm Christian too, & I'm glad films like these are made. It shows the ignorance & destruction "Crazy Christians" make, the people that make these films aren't doing it to make Christians look bad, they're make films like these because they're fed up with the Crazy Christians, & I support that.
shareI think we can all agree the OP being a self proclaimed Christian, could have used a better subject line than "I really hate"
shareJust like a christian to focus on certain things about this film and dwell on them. Just like a christian to hate someone for an opinion. This pastor is a nutjob. Killing in the name of religion is wrong no matter how you look at it. Gay, Straight, Left, Right, Black, White. It's wrong. I don't care about your faith. Either way, I'm sure it's blind. Kevin Smith is a Catholic BTW. This is not a film about anti-religion. It's about fanatics like yourself.
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