Flintlock Tom wrote:It's mind boggling how your guys are able to determine the intellectual and academic background of fundamentalist Christians from a single sentence.
I'm able to do it from two words. Fundamentalist Christians.
Edit... Scratch that. Usually the first word is all that is necessary.
Cognosce teipsum et disce pati
"People come and go in our lives, especially the online ones. Some leave a fond memory, and some a bad taste." -Aesop
Well, as I've previously noted, Mark's First Rule of Social Interaction says that in any population, the percentage of assholes is non-zero. That includes the population of Fundamentalist Christians too. My wife used to go a church where the Pastor's core doctrine was "If Catholics do it, it's wrong." He disapproved of my wife and I getting married because I'm "too Catholic" (I'm Anglican), although he still performed the service (had he refused, my priest would have been thrilled to have married us, but by tradition a couple is married by the brides clergy).
Anyway, back to the original topic, I thought I'd offer a more in-depth review of the series. I'll put in a spoiler tag in case some of you don't know how it ends....
[spoiler]Overall, the series was pretty good. It's impossible to fit the entire Bible into a ten hour show, so what's left out is notable but understandable. The series starts with Noah, then moves on to Abraham/Isaac/Jacob, then Moses and Joshua, Samson, Saul and David, the Babylonian exile, then into the New Testament period. I'm not sure Samson was black, but....
Some portions that were left out are very important Theologically (like the book of Job), but the high points of the historical narrative are covered pretty well (meaning, in the Old Testament, the covenant with Abraham, the Exodus, the Judges, the Kings, and the conquest by Babylon.
I have some nits to pick in the New Testament portion though:
1) Jesus was wimpy. The actor didn't put any life into the character. Jesus was a charismatic leader, the character was about as interesting as a bowl of mashed turnips. Whatever your belief about Jesus Theologically, you have to treat him historically as the originator of a movement that continues to this day, whatever he was he couldn't have been boring.
2) Way too much emphasis on Mary Magdalene. She seemed to act as spokesperson for the Apostles (a role generally filled in the text by Peter). This struck me as Political Correctness, we gotta get a woman involved in this, first step toward a female Pope.
3) Paul was too old. The book of Acts describes Saul of Tarsus (a name never used in the series, but understandable to avoid confusion) as a young man, the character had grey in his hair and beard.
Like I said, overall I enjoyed the series despite its faults.[/spoiler]
OK, out from under the spoilers, for a little prognostication.
We all know that movie/mini-series-makers can't leave well enough alone, when something succeeds they make more of it. I wonder if we may see mini-series made of Biblical stories in more detail. I could easily envision ten hours each on Genesis, Exodus/Joshua, the Gospels and the early Church, maybe the Maccabees too. You could easily make a two-hour movie out of Daniel, Ester, Ruth. Properly handled, such movies would be the next best thing to a license to print money.
MarkD wrote:the Pastor ... disapproved of my wife and I getting married because I'm "too Catholic" (I'm Anglican)...
Well, historically, the Church of England is catholic, just not Roman Catholic... Apart from the Latin liturgy, the rites were virtually indistinguishable prior to Vatican II, and are still very close.
MarkD wrote:the Pastor ... disapproved of my wife and I getting married because I'm "too Catholic" (I'm Anglican)...
Well, historically, the Church of England is catholic, just not Roman Catholic... Apart from the Latin liturgy, the rites were virtually indistinguishable prior to Vatican II, and are still very close.
Agreed. Technically I'm Anglo-Catholic (formerly known and High-Church Anglican). I use Anglican instead of the more usual Episcopalian in the USA because the Episcopal Church has gone seriously off the rails (google John Shelby Spong and his theses for proof).
Termite wrote:#1. Find a REALLY hardline southern Baptist, who insists that every single word of the Bible came straight from God's mouth.
#2. If they are male, make them read aloud part of the Bible to an unrelated attractive female, one-on-one. If female, they have to read aloud to an unrelated attractive young man, one-on-one.
#3. The part they have to read is Song of Solomon.
#4. Watch them squirm.........
Sirach 40:20 is good enough for me! At least it was in the translation on my nightstand.
Remember, folks, you can't spell "douche" without "Che."
“PET PARENTS?” You’re not a “pet parent.” You’re a pet owner. Unless you’ve committed an unnatural act that succeeded in spite of biology. - Glenn Reynolds
Many different denominations tend to believe "We have it right, and only us."
Thing is, they can't all be right. More likely, ALL denominations have errors in their canons.
"Life is a bitch. Shit happens. Adapt, improvise, and overcome. Acknowledge it, and move on."
I just wish they hadn't changed it within the past 8 years is all.
Remember, folks, you can't spell "douche" without "Che."
“PET PARENTS?” You’re not a “pet parent.” You’re a pet owner. Unless you’ve committed an unnatural act that succeeded in spite of biology. - Glenn Reynolds
