Posted on 12/06/2010 6:55:42 PM PST by The Looking Spoon
Political correctness has now raised its head is what one would have thought a stronghold of traditional Christianity -- the work of C.S. Lewis. To be precise, the new film of his Voyage of the Dawn Treader, one of the best-selling "Narnia" series of children's books. The Dawn Treader is a revival of an old Irish form, the Immram, telling of a ship voyaging among islands, with the crew learning some lesson at each stopping place. The imaginary world of Narnia is, of course, under the rule of kings who acknowledge the rule of its Creator, the good lion Aslan, an attempt by Lewis to make the idea of Christ accessible to modern children. However, actor Liam Neeson, who provides the voice of the lion in theDawn Treader, has claimed it is also based on other religious leaders such as Mohammed and Buddha.... Neeson was quoted as saying "he [Aslan] also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries. That's who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids -- that's what he means for me." Read the rest at The American Spectator
To me Liam Neeson's mind is symbolic of a salad bar, and the absolute only ingredient available is iceberg lettuce. However, the lettuce is also representative of all the other great ingredients that make up a salad, like tomatoes, and spinach, and sprouts, and shredded carrots, and that fake crab meat, and garbanzo beans, and ranch dressing, yeah it may all still taste like lettuce but when I tell you which pieces of lettuce are supposed to be tomato, for instance, you should be able to activate your imagination (I'm not imagining it, it really is tomato, to me) and understand the rainbow of flavor presented before you.
For the purposes of full disclosure, it has to also be mentioned that it's not entirely true that lettuce isn't the only thing on the salad bar. There are also A LOT of bugs (crutons?), because the lettuce has been sitting out for a month, pesticide free, and is completely rotten...
Because it's the mind of Liam Neeson.
Symbolic of the fear that the possibility of a fatwa can generate, Mo has to be mentioned in a positive light. I would be careful about using the name of Buddha in the same breath, though, because you could get a fatwa for raising Buddha or Jesus to the level of Mo.
Liam Neeson is a moron.
The actor is just that - a dumb actor. He can’t re-interpret the work of C.S. Lewis.
We all know who C S Lewis meant for Aslan to represent. The first film in the series showed this in a wonderful way. The second film had no hint at all of a Christian message and therefore did not keep its core constituency of the first film, its Christian audience. That said, I am still looking forward to seeing The Dawn Treader. It is all we are going to get from the franchise so we have to fill in the blanks ourselves.
My daughter is an avid reader and because of the movies has started reading the novels for herself. Good will come from children being exposed to this movie series, I believe.
That’s just one actor’s statement.. no need to say something great like Lewis’ work is rotted by it. Neeson did a good job in his role he can blow the rest out of his.. well, you know..
1. He sacrificed himself so save Edmund, the sinner.
2. He rose from the dead.
3. He didn't beat Susan with a stick for going out in public uncovered.
4. He didn't try to marry Lucy.
thats a good point...
The lion is a nonspecific symbol of what is, or should be, good in the world.
In the times of it's writing, and in a mind set (if not a world) most of us would welcome back, he is based on Christ...the author was a Christian.
Although I've not seen the movie (intend to do - in 3D) I don't expect any "other than Christian" message in the script.
I expect to see kids who can do more than they imagined, critters that are more than simply elements of the food chain, and a message that is essentially beneficial to the youth that it is intended to be viewed by.
I don't give a rat's patootie about what some shop worn actor thinks about "his" animated character, the voice over "actor" is merely a prop.
Nor do I think that the suggestion that all religions might have a positive message hidden within them is particularly bad.
And, no, islam is not a religion of peace!
Neeson is simply practicing that left wing corruption called deconstruction. Proposed by French lefties Michel Foucault and Jacques Darrida it supposes that one can put any meaning onto someone’s literary effort and it would be as or more valid than the original meaning of the author. As Lewis is enjoying his well earned eternal reward and is not here to contradict Neeson, Liam feels he can say anything at all about the work.
Neeson needs to read 'The Last Battle'. The Calormenes (Arabs) worship this god (Tash). An ape named Shift (Mohammed) tries to convince the Narnians that Aslan and Tash are the same God.
Does anyone care what some actor thinks and why is it noteworthy?......It just might effect future films he mades and will hit him in the pocketbook...what an idiot to think anyone give a darn what he things.....Dixie Chicks redux...
"he [Aslan] also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries. That's who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids -- that's what he means for me."
when he really said:
"Aslan symbolises a Christ-like figure but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries. That's who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids -- that's what he means for me."
Neeson is a fairly strong Catholic, even had some problems back in Ireland because of it. He knows what the story means and is probably just trying to appeal to a larger audience then just Christians. Yes he probably doesn't realize the implications on how that reflects on Lewis's work but considering the previous two movies were fairly faithful (as far as movie modern adaptions go) I think this one will be pretty good also.
BTW: I know the story really doesn't allow for one be he needs to be making a sequel to Taken...now!
I agree on your point about “Taken” :-)
I can’t see you on the rest of it though, its like saying the sky is blue, but to me its also yellow with green polka dots.
There is absolutely no other thing Aslan represents BUT Christ, period. It is stupid to say or think that character represents anything more or less than Him. ESPECIALLY if you’re Christian.
We live in a world where Christ is repeatedly being pushed out of the picture. He plays second fiddle enough as it is, and He certainly shouldn’t have to share the stage with Mohammed and Buddah when an actor in a decidedly Christian story talks about said story.
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