not religious
read up on religion quite a bit (have a degree in philosophy) am inclined toward eastern religion
I love ritual but dont believe
Christian.
I don’t see why it would not be relevant. A person’s spiritual or religious beliefs can inform their taste in art, and the way that they view life.
I’m supposedly Catholic, but I don’t care to be. Religion is unimportant to me and I think the question is extremely irrelevant.
Dang, you’re just hating on all my threads today, Stephen!
2) No.
Nate, by all means, if you think it is relevant than that’s fine. I just responded to your question.
This question is relevant if religion is a large part of your life. It’s not a big part of mine, so it’s not to me, but I don’t see any problems with a thread discussing religion.
I follow no organized (or unorganized) religion, but do consider myself a spiritual person. I believe in an open mind to all mystical/poetic/transcendental views of life and the universe. I believe in synchronicity and the ever-present mystery of Being that surrounds each and every one of us. I am not New Age but definitely Old Age. Eternity is here and now and the infinite is…just around the corner. I am hedging all my bets, because I am not a betting man. I don’t believe in anything that one can point to and say: “This is IT!”
Are my religious views – or anyone else’s – relevant to a film forum? No. Is my sexuality or gender? No. Is my political viewpoint? No. Is my personal philosophy? Maybe, but only if we are talking about what narrows us and what typical blindspots we have relative to any subject or film. Let’s leave our prejudices and pre-determinded mindsets out of it – and out of discussion on this forum.
Talk here should just remain that – talk. Of that, we have an abundance. Amen. May all the various gods be praised. The auteurs said be fruitful and the threads multiplied. Some multiplied too fast, perhaps…
Next question: If you believe in predestination, could this very thread have been predicted?
If the religion of a director can inform the films they make, why is it not important if the viewer is religious or not?
Exactly. And if it isn’t important, why so much interest in the biographies of the bergmans, and the kubricks etc etc?
It’s just a holistic human connection, which goes beyond film, and ends at film.
I can say that I don’t believe in any of the explanations offered by the various religions for why we are here. I find the idea that an infinite being would create finite beings that It has absolutely no use for completely ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is the idea that such a being would need to send a representation of Itself to Earth in order to forgive humans for the “sins” that only the being Itself could have created. Any sort of relationship an infinite being would have with finite beings would be entirely arbitrary.
I do not believe in spirituality. I do not believe that all religions are equally valid. I believe that they are all equally invalid. Any movie that promotes religious belief or sprituality has the potential to greatly irritate me.
If you look towards movies to seek ‘truth’, you’ll be greatly disappointed my friend.
Still searching.
E) Undecided.
I’m Eastern Orthodox Christian and it’s informed many of my creative decisions, so in that sense, and a few others, I do feel that it’s relevant.
Of course it is relevant. To some degree, our assumptions, beliefs, biases, and/or prejudices about religion are always part of the individual baggage we take into the theater—we never view a film completely devoid of the diverse influences in our lives.
Agnostic ova-here.
Relevant to what?
Pastafarian
I’m agnostic. The foundation of every religious argument I’ve ever heard in my life comes to the same statement: the religious person, when pressed to personalize his/her explanation, says, “It’s just something I feel.” Sounds nice! But it’s not something I feel :(
I’ve always found it odd that so many people seem to be convinced that since we exist, we were created (more specifically created out of an act of deliberate will) – as if this concept is so true to the human condition it requires no elaboration. To my mind, the likelihood of our being created, versus the likelihood of our existence being incidental, is equal – and damned if that notion can be disproven! So say I.
Relevant in what connection?
Jewish/ Bokononist
Religion seperates. Relationship unites.
I dont aspire to any religion, but I am a Christian.
As far as cinema goes, I think the personal beliefs of directors and producers come through on the final film. That’s just how it is. Every single movie ever made has some kind of bias that could be traced back to some belief in something, even if that belief is in nothing.
HAHAHA JAH ! pastafarian
Hm. I guess you could say I was raised in an intimidating household for a child. It was pretty common for my father to start insisting on the nonexistence of any type of god or higher power after a few martinis at the dinner table.
So now, I quote Bertrand Russell -
“The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.”
This to me incorporates every aspect of our spiritual dilemma. I guess I don’t believe in anything in particular, but I find religion fascinating. I hate it when people (including my father) demand that science should be held above it, because spirituality / religion begins alongside infinity. It asks questions about being (in the abstract) that can’t be dissected by a microscope. I talk to what I perceive to be a higher being often, and it keeps me in line. No matter how high on myself and self-righteous I may occasionally get, believing that there is something far beyond me who knows every bit about what I keep from others and what my subconscious suppresses from me is very sobering. It will surely keep me from becoming an oppressive dictator should I ever be given the opportunity.
And yes – it is relevant because for most it is the basis for most of their reasoning and decision making.
P.S. @Den
Glad to know I have a fellow philosophy major posting on here. I’m sure once the job market picks up, the demand for meaning will increase as well. :oP
Agnosticism is the only really thing that has merit these days.
But this-
“I follow no organized (or unorganized) religion, but do consider myself a spiritual person. "
Really? That’s like me saying- “I’m not honest, but you’re interesting.”
Agnosticism is really the only thing that has merit these days.
But this-
“I follow no organized (or unorganized) religion, but do consider myself a spiritual person. "
Really? That’s like me saying- “I’m not honest, but you’re interesting.”
“Agnosticism is really the only thing that has merit these days”
Why not atheism.
“Why not atheism.”
Because although Atheism can be defended as it’s not based on ancient myths, it still has some of the same certainty of religion. Mainly about the questions that no human being can or ever should be certain about.
Moderated
Drunken Father Figure of Old
I’m Catholic.