TV/Movies Megathread

[Capetan Mihali]

SPOILER ALERT: he's not totally senile.

[Barrister]

I really dislike those show's reliance on the supernatural bullshit. I mean Christianity did not win in the West because of its magical powers.

Disagree.  From Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge, to the miracles of saints and the worship of relics, the history of the Church was very much about "magical powers".

[Valmy]

I really dislike those show's reliance on the supernatural bullshit. I mean Christianity did not win in the West because of its magical powers.

Disagree.  From Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge, to the miracles of saints and the worship of relics, the history of the Church was very much about "magical powers".

The Pagans had just as many magical powers. In Roman history the Astrologers are always right 100% of the time. All portents and entrails readings always accurately pronounce shit is about to go down. Even the sacred chickens fortold a Carthaginian naval victory.

Christianity won because of its values not because the guy who saw crosses in the sky being victorious was a better system of government.

[Josquius]

Christianity won because it didn't play nice with others.
Nothing more,  nothing less.

[Capetan Mihali]

Who did?  But to bring this back to movies, El Club amply demonstrates the devaluation of human life inherent in any component of capitalism's ideological superstructure, in this case the religious component.

[Valmy]

Christianity won because it didn't play nice with others.
Nothing more,  nothing less.

Yeah all those people flocked to Christianity because they were all like 'Finally an intolerant religion'!

[celedhring]

I really dislike those show's reliance on the supernatural bullshit. I mean Christianity did not win in the West because of its magical powers.

Yet the way to show that "god is real" is through those magical portents.

Plus faith-based audiences are probably drawn to SFX as much as regular audiences.

[Tonitrus]

Christianity won because it didn't play nice with others.
Nothing more,  nothing less.

Yeah all those people flocked to Christianity because they were all like 'Finally an intolerant religion'!

And here I thought it succeeded because of zealotry, and a very cunning Church converting/co-opting a sufficient number of the most successful lords/kings/royal families.

[Valmy]

Christianity won because it didn't play nice with others.
Nothing more,  nothing less.

Yeah all those people flocked to Christianity because they were all like 'Finally an intolerant religion'!

And here I thought it succeeded because of zealotry, and a very cunning Church converting/co-opting a sufficient number of the most successful lords/kings/royal families.

There had to be a large church in existence before it could be cunning with its converting and zealous. Unless your belief is the Church appeared out of nowhere sometime around the year 300.

[Martinus]

Christianity won because it explained the world better and offered a connection to divinity that was more in tune with the times. It has since faltered in that task. Time to replace it with something more modern. Like Thelema. 

[Valmy]

Christianity won because it explained the world better. It has since faltered in that task. Time to replace it with something more modern. Like Thelema. 

Instead of 'Gods did it' they went with 'God did it' and everybody was like: wow it all is so clear now.

[frunk]

Instead of 'Gods did it' they went with 'God did it' and everybody was like: wow it all is so clear now.

Reducing the number of gods involved is always correct.

[garbon]

Christianity won because it explained the world better. It has since faltered in that task. Time to replace it with something more modern. Like Thelema. 

Instead of 'Gods did it' they went with 'God did it' and everybody was like: wow it all is so clear now.

Well it did offer that it doesn't matter now if you are good, all will be awesome once you are dead. Sounds better than Hades.

[Martinus]

Christianity won because it explained the world better. It has since faltered in that task. Time to replace it with something more modern. Like Thelema. 

Instead of 'Gods did it' they went with 'God did it' and everybody was like: wow it all is so clear now.

Nah, it's not just that.

Early paganism was about the Earth. She was the life giver and the source of the mystery of life. The woman gave birth - and nobody knew why. She was divine!

Then people realised that it was the male that impregnated the female. Without it, she was barren. Hence the religion moved towards the solar, because Earth revolved around Sun, and her cycles depended on his rays - Osiris, Sol Invictus, Mithra, and ultimately Christ - all male solar deities that die and are reborn, like sun, in its is daily and annual cycle.

We now know that neither is true. Stars are countless and they are suns in their own right, there is nothing uniquely special about our own sun. Nor does the Sun actually die or is reborn - it is eternal and death and resurrection is just an illusion. So it doesn't make sense to worship only one god. We all are gods. Hence the outburst of new religions that one way or another acknowledge that - even in such a perverted and stunted form as Mormonism or Scientology do.

Religion should evolve together with our understanding of the world - else it withers and dies, like something we do not need any more.

[Valmy]

Religion should evolve together with our understanding of the world - else it withers and dies, like something we do not need any more.

Well I couldn't agree with you more on that point. Hence why I got my religion. But it also speaks to my annoyance with the emphasis on the superstitious parts of Christianity in those movies. See? It all comes back on topic!