...is a waste of good electricity.
Just damn.
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Posted on 10/12/2004 2:54:10 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
A movie whose purpose is to prove that Jesus Christ never existed and that demonizes Christian fundamentalists is scheduled to open on June 6, 2006 – that is, 06-06-06, the "666" biblical mark of the Beast.
Directed by Brian Flemming, who is described on the film's website as a "former fundamentalist Christian," "The Beast" promises to spread the theory he claims is "gaining credibility among scholars" – that Jesus was made up out of thin air.
"The authors of the Gospels, writing 40 to 90 years after the supposed life of Christ, never intended for their works to be read as biographies. There are no credible non-Christian references to Christ during the period in which he is said to have lived," states the film's site.
Currently in pre-production, the film's cast and crew are "legally sworn to secrecy," the promotional site says.
Here's how the film's promoters describe its plot:
When her father, a biblical scholar, mysteriously disappears, a Christian high-school student named Danielle investigates. She discovers that he had stumbled across a cover-up of Christianity's best-kept secret: that Jesus Christ never existed.Now that she possesses proof of this dangerous fact, Danielle must confront two strong forces: a band of fundamentalist Christians who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth, and her own desire for Jesus Christ to be real.
Diving into factual territory well-explored by scholars but largely hidden from the view of the public, "The Beast" is an epic story of innocence lost, faith in crisis and the astonishing power of the truth to survive.
On the trailer, which is viewable on the film's site, ominous music plays while these words flash across the screen: "Centuries ago, a legend was invented… forgery … fraud … coercion … wealth … greed … torture … murder … war … gave it the power to dominate the world." The words are displayed on a background of a painting of Christ's face.
The producers offer a newsletter for those interested in following the making of the movie.
Fleming is touted on the film's website as "internationally acclaimed."
States the site: "Flemming's work has been called 'a parallel universe' by the BBC, 'jaggedly imaginative' by the New York Times, and 'immensely satisfying' by USA Today. The Fox News Channel dubbed him 'a young Oliver Stone.' Flemming won the New York Times Claiborne Pell Award for Original Vision for his groundbreaking feature film 'Nothing So Strange,' which was released theatrically in 2003 and is currently distributed on DVD in more than 200 countries."
Supporters of the film have participated in a discussion forum on the site.
Says one excited poster: "I must say, I highly commend this director for his immense courage on putting something like this out!! The fact that he has the courage to put out a movie about the possibility of Christ never existing after all the controversy surrounding a movie about the LIFE of Christ (well death really) is just amazing!!
"Mad Kudos (and thanks) to EVERYONE involved in the making of this movie and good luck in handling all the 'adverse' reactions!!"
Another participant enthused, "I'm so excited! I can't wait until it's released! This is DEFINITELY the age of Aquarius!!"
Greg Koukl is head of Stand to Reason, a Christian apologetics organization. He says this kind of story line is not unusual among books and movies.
"It always turns out that fundamentalist Christians are the bad guys," he told WorldNetDaily.
"The problem with this is the evidence they draw from is always out on the fringes of academic scholarship" – evidence, he says, that is not even used by the leaders of the leftist Jesus Seminar.
Koukl noted historians that have no affinity for fundamentalist Christianity certainly write about Jesus and his impact on history.
"Nobody is trying to explain the indelible mark of Jesus of Nazareth on history by saying he never existed," he said. "That's way beyond the pale. No credible historian would make that claim. … It's a bizarre statement from an academic perspective."
Koukl wonders what motive anyone would have to invent Jesus and then "fool everybody."
He dismisses "The Beast" promoters' argument that because no non-Christian accounts of Jesus exist from the time of his life, he must be a fictional character.
"It may be the case that only Caesar wrote about the Gaelic wars," he explained, "but just because there are no other writing about the Gaelic wars doesn't mean we can't trust Caesar," mentioning the four Gospels are themselves four separate accounts of Christ's life.
He mentioned there are a "number of historical references to Christ outside Christianity, which buttress the fact he did exist."
Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of MovieGuide and chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission, predicts "The Beast" will bomb with American moviegoers.
"Generally, these movies do very poorly at the box office," he told WND. "'Saved!' which had a lot of publicity, did about $6 million at the box office. … That's pitiful."
Baehr said bringing the film's contentions into the light of day in the media works well to expose the agenda of its promoters.
"The way you pull the teeth of a false argument is bring up the argument first and show that it's frivolous and fallacious," he said. "Of course it's frivolous. The original apostles wouldn't have gone to their death for Jesus if they didn't believe he was real."
Baehr said, "There is a small group of teenagers who will see ['The Beast'] who will be convinced it is the truth. … It will have an impact on a susceptible few."
One of the film's producers, Amanda Jackson, was contacted for this story but did not respond by press time.
I guess it all depends on what the meaning of "was" is.
(c;
You guys ...
...is a waste of good electricity.
Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
2. If Jesus was not the Son of the Living God (not to mention, God himself), then He was the greatest charlatan of all history, a man of deception, cunning, and evil.
How would it imply that The Christ Himself was “the greatest charlatan of all history, a man of deception, cunning, and evil”? From everything I have read, he was generally a kind and considerate personage. Is He responsible for the actions of those who came later?
Yes, centuries from now when scholarship will have concluded that NOBODY could have been stupid enough voluntarily to elect such a creature to high office TWICE, that dress will be put to carbon testing and DNA, and will...
...I have to stop.
Dan
I'd be curious to know where the money funding this abomination is coming from.
"Mr. Fleming thinks that he's watching the game, controlling it. But in reality, it's the other way around. He's got a tiger by the tail. God help him."
God won't help deciples of the beast. He'll allow the beast to devour them whole. As it should be. How else do you think the fire gets fed, with lost and traded(bought) souls. As in nature, life has and will always be about balance.
This is true.
This is false.
Flavius JosephusBooks XII-XX, in which he speaks of the times preceding the coming of Christ and the foundation of Christianity, are our only sources for many historical events. In these the value of the statements is enhanced by the insertion of dates which are otherwise wanting, and by the citation of authentic documents which confirm and supplement the Biblical narrative. The story of Herod the Great is contained in books XV-XVII. Book XVIII contains in chapter iii the celebrated passage in which mention is made of the Redeemer in the following words:
About this time lived Jesus, a man full of wisdom, if indeed one may call Him a man. For He was the doer of incredible things, and the teacher of such as gladly received the truth. He thus attracted to Himself many Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ. On the accusation of the leading men of our people, Pilate condemned Him to death upon the cross; nevertheless those who had previously loved Him still remained faithful to Him. For on the third day He again appeared to them living, just as, in addition to a thousand other marvellous things, prophets sent by God had foretold. And to the present day the race of those who call themselves Christians after Him has not ceased.
You only need to listen to a Kerry rally inside a black church to hear that he's battling against demons (Bush supporters).
That "spurious" chapter in history will be followed by the doubts that the same party that produced one mythical creature produced another with "spurious" claims to medals, a spurious visit to Cambodia at Christmas time, traitorous meetings with enemies in a time of war, and who actively undermined the effectiveness of our troops through protests, all the while claiming THIS candidate was America's best hope for the future.
Looking back, if you can believe THAT happened, you can believe anything. ;-)
Brian Flemming appears to be another vile gay maggot who hates Christians and pushes the gay agenda constantly:
http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Brian%20Flemming%20Gay
LOL!
Somebody will make a movie that he never existed, because as vile and distasteful a creature as the hildebeast could never possibly have existed...
"We know Clintoon existed. We have the dress!"
Technically his DNA.
Because they were in Rome at the time?
How about Rome's best kept secret: Nero never existed. The government made him up out of necessity.
Evolution's best kept secret: Darwin never existed. His followers made him up out of necessity.
Like C.S. Lewis said, the existence of the largest religion in the world cannot be explained if Christ was not raised from the dead, and in order to be raised, he had to exist. And we have the testimony of many secular sources to satisfy all but the skeptic who covers his eyes with his hands. See Jesus & Christian Origins Outside the New Testament by F.F. Bruce.
Who's ignoring scholarship now? Scholarship suggests they're single sourced and written decades post Crucifixion.
He declared Himself the Messiah. If He wasn't, He was an imposter - a liar who preyed on the emotions of a vulnerable society of oppressed Jews. You call that kind and considerate?
The point is, one cannot reason that Christ was not the Messiah, and at the same time claim He was just some benevolent rabbi.
"Brian Flemming appears to be another vile gay maggot who hates Christians and pushes the gay agenda constantly: "
And there in is the true agenda of a deciple of the beast. It's feeding time, the beast has a voracious appetite.
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