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Religious tide turns against 'Noah'
Los Angeles Times ^ | 03/28/2014 | Glenn Whipp

Posted on 03/28/2014 9:15:41 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Whenever Hollywood makes a movie from a well-loved story or saga — Batman, Tolkien, "50 Shades of Grey" — there's usually a period of ... well ... let's call it adjustment, along with a "spirited" give-and-take among fans over such things as casting, content and approach.

Usually, though, the material's devotees don't believe the filmmakers will burn in hell if their ideas are ignored. (OK ... maybe the Dark Knight crowd does. We all know they can get a little intense.)

But that's precisely the belief with "Noah," Darren Aronofsky's $130-million retelling of the Old Testament account of apocalyptic deluge and a floating ark that opens on March 28. The same people who gripe that Hollywood never makes any faith-based movies are complaining because Hollywood has gone and made a religious movie, albeit one that might not be as literal-minded as they'd like.

"It's tough to make movies for the easily offended," Pepperdine University communications professor Craig Detweiler said. "Studios assume these biblical stories are public domain, but a lot of believers consider the Bible their private property, and if you don't interpret them the same way they've been taught, they're going to speak out."

Hollywood and religious groups have long been leery of each other, often with good reason. Cecil B. DeMille invited a host of religious representatives — Catholics and Protestants along with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Christian Scientists — to offer blessings on the first day of filming "King of Kings," his epic on the life of Christ. And what did DeMille do after receiving the consecration? He opened "King of Kings" with an orgy scene that set up a love triangle among Jesus, Judas and Mary Magdalene. The man knew you needed more than just salvation to sell tickets. You needed a little sin too.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: History; Religion; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: fakebutaccurate; film; hollyweirdvalues; movies; noah; noahmovie; noahthemovie; revisionisthistory; waronreligion
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To: Starstruck

RE: Now it’s time for Hollywood to make a movie about Mohamed. Lets see them stand up to that outrage.

The movie, Noah is BANNED in Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar and other Muslim countries for sacrilege against an Islamic prophet.


21 posted on 03/28/2014 9:36:52 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (question is this)
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To: Colonel_Flagg

“It’s tough to make movies for the easily offended,” Pepperdine University communications professor Craig Detweiler said.

Seriously? A lefty said that? He obviously has been under a tock for the last few decades if he doesn’t know that it’s the Left who are easily offended.


22 posted on 03/28/2014 9:39:10 AM PDT by winner3000
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To: SeekAndFind

Believers in Christ read the Bible to know the true story of Noah and the reason why God raised up Noah.


23 posted on 03/28/2014 9:42:40 AM PDT by YukonGreen
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To: SeekAndFind

It is not just that it is a movie, “that might not be as literal-minded as they’d like.”

That is a gross understatement.

Listening to people who have seen it, it is clearly meant to turn the teachings of the Bible associated with the flood on its head.

1) It represents God as the “Creator,” which in itself I do not have an issue with. The Founders, in the Declaration, named Him as the Creator...which He is. But when it becomes clear that God in this sense is meant to be the Earth itself, then that is something quite different. Mother Gaia is not God or the Creater, the earth was created by God the Creator for mankind, God’s children. This movie is a progressive effort aimed at changing people’s hearts and minds about the very Being of God.

2) When it reflects the great evils of that day as something different than they were in the Biblical account...this is also very serious. In that day Idol Worship, sexual immorality, perversion, murder, etc. were rampant amongst the entire population according to God. So miuch so that God decided to begin again with a rightous family. This movie makes the great sins of that day out to be, building huge cities, mining the earth in “excess,” and polluting the ground. Basically everything that the rapid environmentalists say we are doing now. In other words, this movie depicts the “earth” of that day’s great sin as being too much like “us.” And that, I believe is its intent.

3) When it portrays Noha’s biggest moral decision assocaited with the whole episode being him, in the end, having to decide whether or not to allow mankind to survive (which was God’s whole purpose in calling him to build the ark), by showing him struggling to decide whether to use a knife to kill his own grandchildren...then the movie clearly goes right over the cliff. Presenting the idea that man is not worthy to live because it will just mess it up again.

Now, in the end, Noah decides to let his grandchildren, and thus mankind, live. But the very idea of it is an affront.

I like Russel Crowe movies. Always have. He’s a good actor. In this movie and there are a lot of neat scenes and compelling acting. But the entire underlying theme is an affront and is also why Christians everywhere are in an uproar about what could have been avery good Biblical movie...but in reality turns out to be an attack on the very teachings of the scriptures.

The Director, who is an avowed atheist, couldn’t help himself. He spilled the beans before the movie ever aired by stating that Noah is the least biblical, biblical movie ever made, which drew all of this attention to it. That admission and comment was a God send IMHO.

In the end, I believe that admission will...and should...cost them tens of millions of dollars at the ticket counter. And, as I say, well it should.


24 posted on 03/28/2014 9:44:14 AM PDT by Jeff Head
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To: SeekAndFind

Why is everyone so worked up about this? Guess what...there’s a sure-fire way to not get offended by this movie...DON’T SEE IT.

Now can we get back to endless arguments between Freeper Catholics and Protestants? Thanks...


25 posted on 03/28/2014 9:44:56 AM PDT by strider44
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To: SeekAndFind

Saving my money for Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

“Ma’am, there’s only one God. And I’m pretty sure he doesn’t dress like that.”


26 posted on 03/28/2014 9:46:13 AM PDT by tanknetter
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Dang! He needed a “spoiler alert” in the title. Now he’s totally ruined the movie for me!


27 posted on 03/28/2014 9:47:30 AM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

But, didn’t Cain’s band of un-merry men all ride around in SUV’s with a carbon footprint big enough to melt the icecaps and glaciers?


28 posted on 03/28/2014 9:48:03 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys-Can't drive, can't ski, can't fly, can't skipper a boat-But they know what's best for you.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m looking forward to seeing it. Not that I expect much accuracy in the story in regards to the Biblical account, but to see what redeeming qualities and message it has, if any. Also, with that budget, the special effects should be amazing.


29 posted on 03/28/2014 9:53:01 AM PDT by wolfman23601
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To: SeekAndFind

“...a lot of believers consider the Bible their private...”

No. Not my property. Just the money that you wish to extract from my account to view your garbage is my property.

Anyway, I have always heard that Hollyweird believes that any publicity is good publicity. Not so much, huh?


30 posted on 03/28/2014 10:00:49 AM PDT by vg0va3
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To: BillyBoy

‘King of Kings’ was released in 1927 and starred H.B. Warner as Christ. It was directed by Cecil B. DeMille.


31 posted on 03/28/2014 10:01:54 AM PDT by TheCorinthian
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To: GreyFriar
the movie did not mention God, only ‘creator’

This strikes me as an odd criticism.

The word "God" is not His personal name. It is a common noun used as a title, which many assume to be His name. Just as the common noun for deity in Arabic is used as the title/name of Allah.

It seems to me that "Creator" expresses exactly the same idea of Who is being referenced.

32 posted on 03/28/2014 10:05:29 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: TheCorinthian

Good point, I had forgotten about the silent version.


33 posted on 03/28/2014 10:26:10 AM PDT by BillyBoy (Looking at the weather lately, I could really use some 'global warming' right now!)
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To: Jeff Head
In that day Idol Worship, sexual immorality, perversion, murder, etc. were rampant amongst the entire population according to God.

What Genesis 6 says on the subject is:

11 And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

The only explicit mention of offense is "violence". The types of "corruption" is not further explained. The offense of "idol worship" comes from the Islamic version of the Noah story.
34 posted on 03/28/2014 10:30:07 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (You don't notice it's a police state until the police come for you.)
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To: Jeff Head
In that day Idol Worship, sexual immorality, perversion, murder, etc. were rampant amongst the entire population according to God.

Interested in where you found this in the Bible. Genesis 6 reads (Amplified Bible): "The earth was depraved and putrid in God’s sight, and the land was filled with violence (desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power)." .

I don't see anything specifically about "Idol Worship, sexual immorality (or) perversion" as such. Murder is covered, to be sure.

You may be conflating the accounts of God's destruction of Sodom with that of the pre-flood period.

If you've got an additional verse, I'd like to see it.

35 posted on 03/28/2014 10:36:35 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: SeekAndFind

They should make a movie where all of Hollywood’s most extreme liberals star in a Biblical epic in which they are turned into pillars of salt or some such.

You make it “R” and fill it with depictions of debauchery and idol worship before God smites them all in a truly awesome display of computer-generated holy wrath.

Just before the devastating end, Sean Penn screams “Surely THIS is Global Warming!” before gasping his last.

Now, I’d pay to see something like THAT!


36 posted on 03/28/2014 10:38:08 AM PDT by OrangeHoof (2001-2008: "Dissent Is Patriotism!" 2009-2016: "Dissent Is Racism!")
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To: SeekAndFind
The movie, Noah is BANNED in Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar and other Muslim countries for sacrilege against an Islamic prophet.

Right. A Fatwa has been issued. If they were to make a movie about Moe, that would probably result in a Jihad.

37 posted on 03/28/2014 11:09:46 AM PDT by Starstruck (If my reply offends, you probably don't understand sarcasm or criticism...or do.)
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To: Sacajaweau

No thanks.....and I would not for the world want to be anybody who had any part in this travesty. Would not want the curse.


38 posted on 03/28/2014 11:43:16 AM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: Resolute Conservative

Someone should point out to Hollywood that the Quaran and Mohammed are in the public domain as well, and that they as the second largest religion, they also have a huge potential audience.

They can be true to the Quaran, or misrepresent it as they choose, but let’s see the irreverent movies.

“The Last Temptation of Mohammed” “Mohammed’s Dogma”.


39 posted on 03/28/2014 12:45:06 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Libertarianism offers the transitory concepts and dialogue to move from conservatism, to liberalism)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
BTW, Erikson peppered his review with 11 (ELEVEN) “I’m not kidding”s!

I liked the review.

But after that many crazy spoilers, I'll wait for it to stream on Netflix.

40 posted on 03/28/2014 12:48:41 PM PDT by NeoCaveman (DC, it's Versailles on the Potomac but without the food and culture)
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