At least this film was honest when the characters state they are accepting and don't make fun of anyone, except Christians.
I wonder if this would have been OK'd if they inserted Jew, Gay or Muslim in that line?
If wanting illegals deported makes me a bigot - then wanting a rapist jailed makes you a sexist!
Poor baby, did you get your poor Christian feelings hurt?
sharePoor baby, did you get your poor Christian feelings hurt?
Did you get your Christian feelings hurt too, Goobs?
This movie just was not being politically correct. We are just so oversensitive today.
By singling out Christians and sweeping Muslims and Jews under the rug, it was being politically correct.
shareEven more butthurt Christians! The story is about a man who grew up in Christian dominated culture and resented it. It made sense for the story, just as a similar movie about a Palestinian in Israel would be hostile towards Judaism or a movie about Christians in an Muslim country would be hostile towards Islam.
shareNo, it doesn't fit the character that he's worldly and intellectual but resents the local dominant culture so much. For instance when they are talking about capitalism he says "Well Marxists can be just as genocidal as capitalists" -- if your theory were correct, he would have more antipathy towards capitalism since it's part of the dominant culture where he grew up.
shareThat's a clever twisting of word "dominant". One meaning of the word simply means "majority", and another meaning is a "suppressive" activity by one group over others. Ben does play with the concept of capitalism which is the first kind, but he resents Christianity because he sees it as the second. It's that oppressive resentment that I think would translate perfectly to Palestine or an Islamic country even though all of those places are capitalistic.
sharePoor baby, did you get your poor Christian feelings hurt?
Not at all. I enjoyed much of the movie but the ending was a let down.
I was just wondering would this film have been allowed to insert Jew, Muslim, Homosexual Black, Asian, in place of Christian? I think it is a legitimate question.
If wanting illegals deported makes me a bigot - then wanting a rapist jailed makes you a sexist!
Ben made it clear that he and his wife had no regard for any organized religion. They would have felt the same about Judaism or Islam.
Race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation are an entirely different category, and I don't think they really compare.
I think you mix up different categories: innate ones, which you cannot choose (gay, black, Asian), and (more or less) voluntarily adopted ones (Christian, Jew, Muslim). So my answer is: Yes, it would have been allowed - simply replace "Christian" with "religious" or "superstitious". "Fat people" belong to the first category (at least according to the children's upbringing), because they have no choice in this society but to become "fat", since the food that is available is without alternative.
Nali:*
My list: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls053994183/?start=1&view=grid&sort=created:desc&defaults=1&lists
Is that how you would react to someone who was gay or handicapped too?
That comment make you sound like a jackass.
I'm not Christian I think you're an ass hole.
http://www.hesaidshesaidreviewsite.com/
Nothing like an idiotic condescending comment yojoemama. An atheist pushing its views is also an organized religion. As he interrupts a sermon its the same as if christians pushed their views on them, and he wouldnt liek it.
The movie is also about hollywoods and the US general push for atheism so they can insert another god that makes more money - pop and sports stars and the english royal family who really taxes the US.
Are you for real? Christianity has been the predominant religion of the Western world, which is quite well known for violently imposing itself upon the rest of civilization. Christianity can take a ribbing. It was only a joke, anyway.
share[b]Are you for real? Christianity has been the predominant religion of the Western world, which is quite well known for violently imposing itself upon the rest of civilization. Christianity can take a ribbing. It was only a joke, anyway.[/]
And I am fine with that. i enjoyed 95% of the movie (ending was terrible).
But - answer my question - would it have been OK to insert Jew, Muslim, Black, Asian, Homosexual in place of Christianity?
That's a yes or a no.
If wanting illegals deported makes me a bigot - then wanting a rapist jailed makes you a sexist!
Well, it wouldn't have made any sense, because Christianity and the role it has played historically and culturally is nothing like Judaism, Islam, etc. There is no reason the ultra-liberal, anti-establishment family in the movie would have any real grievances with marginalized ethnic groups.
shareAre you for real? Christianity has been the predominant religion of the Western world, which is quite well known for violently
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That isn't a straw man argument. You have demonstrated that you have absolutely no idea what the term means. Don't use words ya don't understand, sweetheart.
Religion should be made fun of. If I believed that stuff, I'd keep it to myself. -Larry David
Christianity has been the predominant religion of the Western world, which is quite well known for violently imposing itself upon the rest of civilization.
which is quite well known for violently imposing itself upon the rest of civilization.
No, the reaction would've been the exact same. These are fictional characters with fictional opinions. Who cares?
shareYou've posted similar rants all over this board. We get it, you're Christian and you're offended. Your signature says volumes.
shareThank you!
share@aimtomisbehave
His/hers signature is actually a logical statement. And a moral one too. Outlaws must be dealt with, be they rapists or illegal immigrants.
I thought it was kind of cute, and a hint that Ben's philosophy was not sacrosanct. When he said "we don't make fun of people," his daughter jokingly added, "Except Christians," teasing him about his inconsistency. If anything, it was slightly supportive of Christianity, suggesting that Christians get more criticism than their due, even from carefully open-minded people like Ben's family. The characters may have been hostile, or at least dismissive of Christianity, but the film itself wasn't particularly hostile.
shareyour comment makes me wish imdb had an upvote button :) it is clearly a cute joke that pokes fun of ben's own arrogance more than anything else.
shareThe characters may have been hostile, or at least dismissive of Christianity, but the film itself wasn't particularly hostile.
A film can, for example, have a main character who hates women, without the film as a whole sending a misogynist message. It may even send an anti-misogyny message. If a movie's message had to equate to the main character's beliefs, it would be impossible to make a film with a central villain.
Ben was established as earnest and well-meaning, but excessive and dogmatic in his beliefs. As I mentioned in my previous comment, he is even jokingly called out for being hypocritical in his attitude to Christianity, by his daughter. The film presents his beliefs without always endorsing them. He even changes many of his beliefs and practices by the ending, and that is implied to be progress on his part.
Fair enough! Thanks for taking the time to respond. :)
shareThat's actually interesting. Made me reconsider that line completely. Thank you
shareNo, of course not. "We don't make fun of people", "No, we don't", "Except Muslims" *ben smiles*. This would never work, nor would it work with "Except Jews". Just taste the sentence. I am a Christian, and I did not find it offensive, why should I? I enjoyed the movie. Although I didn't get the feeling they (the characters) knew themselves that they were hypocrites, and quite arrogant. Btw, you knew the answer to the question you begged. Then again, I guess you were more interested in the response you would get.
shareExactly. It would have come off as mean.
shareNot being personal here but its a silly question realy. I recall people asking on the Mony Python board why they would single out Jesus in Life of Brian and not go fome something about Mohammed or whatever. Well simply becaise movies such as that adress the living circumstanced of the prople writing the scipts. If you grew up in a christian school you pobisly have an axe to grind with that guy who annoyed you with singing christians songs every morning or witht he guy who churchschool. so thats what you make fun off because thats the enviorement you WANT to make fun off. Now good writers will obviously want to adress the situation of the characters they write about rather then their own and then still the comment regarding christianity makes more sense because these are all white people growing up in an all white enviroment so clearly thats what they are gonna adresse specificly even if they pretty much mean all organised religion wich IMHO is pretty clear from the movie if you watched it.
As far as I am concerned I am all for making fun of all the religions. they are all made from and for mental retards. Yes beyond idiotic christianity, also Islam and their mass murdering Muhammed and Judaism with its fascist ideology as currently exhibitet in Israel. You people all suck.
I wonder if this would have been OK'd if they inserted Jew, Gay or Muslim in that line?
I can insult and shame anyone and anything I want. It's called free speech. The tyrannical political correctness is turning free people into dumbed down plebs. Screw political correctness and anything attached to it.
shareNext time try to form your own opinions and judge a film by yourself.
Idiot.