tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post6354444736607927663..comments2024-03-22T11:32:57.801-07:00Comments on The Alien Next Door: Christ-Figure in Movies/Books: Grace or Redemption?Nina Munteanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-33559327909282943652012-06-15T13:13:53.199-07:002012-06-15T13:13:53.199-07:00Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog...Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished <br />to say that I've truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. After all I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again very soon!<br /><i>Feel free to visit my site</i> :: <b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FRYocZ4Cuk" rel="nofollow">smart water</a></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-64638047972352036632007-12-30T13:32:00.000-08:002007-12-30T13:32:00.000-08:00Very well said, Bezdomny!Very well said, Bezdomny!Nina Munteanuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-16023725592151792862007-12-13T01:36:00.000-08:002007-12-13T01:36:00.000-08:00We would of course be better off seeing Christ as ...We would of course be better off seeing Christ as a true friend and companion. As writers intend their written words to change paradigms, Christ, through his spoken words and actions was setting an example of changes in perception and comprehension: "The kingdom of heaven is within you," "YOUR faith has healed you,"<BR/>"my true brothers and sisters are those who believe as I do." He made our consciousness itself the undeniable evidence for our own and God's nature; and he made it the object of our exploration: "for there was no form of suffering humanity to which he did not relate." His way was to demonstrate the equivalence of love,freedom, and joy and life itself in its essence. And to show their true power as the ultimate one.bezdomnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03816452102461753159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-24119933456839449122007-10-03T06:12:00.000-07:002007-10-03T06:12:00.000-07:00aaahh, now I am getting the drift of the original ...aaahh, now I am getting the drift of the original conversation. I agree that literary iconography is intentional, and that western literature is dominated by western iconography. My frustration is with western culture interpreting all literary works through that same filter. I agree, though, that writers should be much more aware of the images they are perpetuating--great topic.Modern Matriarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464482204862662390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-69335631430320381332007-10-02T23:26:00.000-07:002007-10-02T23:26:00.000-07:00I just happen to agree with it, Erik. And I think ...I just happen to agree with it, Erik. And I think you've hit it perfectly with that one word: fear. When we let fear drive us, we are in trouble. It's fear that fuels the bully, fear of others and ultimately of oneself.Nina Munteanuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-88724634384473054692007-10-02T20:17:00.000-07:002007-10-02T20:17:00.000-07:00You got it, Nina. We constantly hear how change i...You got it, Nina. <BR/><BR/>We constantly hear how change is moving at a faster pace. Yet so much of our literature/entertainment has more or less crawled up Western Civilization's backside and died. <BR/><BR/>The way we constantly ref back on very old ideas, each time dumbing them down a little bit more, makes me think there is a definite backlash to all the change, a conservative streak that is lost and bewildered.<BR/><BR/>My blog, and nearly all of my writing, is about getting back to what we as a kind of chimp really need in this maelstrom of everything changing. To me, it's about people, not all the fancy techno nonsense.<BR/><BR/>And the way popular culture works, I think that people actually agree with me. The way all these fancy toys are used is narcissistic bordering on paranoid. That wouldn't be popular if we weren't deeply afraid.<BR/><BR/>Just my opinion, of course.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-84275710495055998172007-10-02T17:55:00.000-07:002007-10-02T17:55:00.000-07:00Wonderful dialogue, Tricia and Erik! As a writer (...Wonderful dialogue, Tricia and Erik! As a writer (and reviewer) I would suggest that most often than not the writer/screenwriter is very aware of the iconography, the symbology, the metaphor being portrayed. Yes, much is intuited, but much is also consciously put in. I, for one, do not choose my characters whimsically (right down to their name, and the colour of their hair). Therefore, the responsibility sits very heavily on the writer. As artists, we have the opportunity--and responsibility--to change the paradigms of our culture.Nina Munteanuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00311070435293186699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-89625321742562376342007-10-02T11:07:00.000-07:002007-10-02T11:07:00.000-07:00I know a lot of books are written and films are ma...I know a lot of books are written and films are made for this religious interpretation. Paul Newman's 'Cool Hand Luke' was one in the late 1960's.Jean-Luc Picardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01689798190618944262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-24308589824855594142007-10-02T09:12:00.000-07:002007-10-02T09:12:00.000-07:00Flatlanders? As in Illinoinian, er, Illinoisians,...Flatlanders? As in Illinoinian, er, Illinoisians, er ... people from Illinois? I'm not too worried about them, da Bears can't keep their quarterback from winding up flat on his back every play (no matter who takes the snap). <BR/><BR/>We can take 'em. We can also out drink 'em. They're lightweights.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-43771187333934159592007-10-02T08:09:00.000-07:002007-10-02T08:09:00.000-07:00erik,I am totally down with dualism. Now let's get...erik,<BR/><BR/>I am totally down with dualism. Now let's get the heck outta here before the Flatlander's storm the place and start kicking our ass!Modern Matriarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464482204862662390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-29202149712028878712007-10-02T06:38:00.000-07:002007-10-02T06:38:00.000-07:00First of all, thank you! I'll work up better resp...First of all, thank you! I'll work up better responses over the next several years, leading up until the time I grow old and die. :-)<BR/><BR/>First off, to the matriarch, I agree that these characters are not always intended, but as writers lean on existing symbols they reinforce them. I hope that writers see my discussion in this area as a wake-up call. Watch what you are writing!<BR/><BR/>Now, to Nina's great addition. I totally agree that many ancient people had a far more sophisticated take on this than we do. But let's think this over a bit. The ancients were more sophisticated. They had duality, we have ass-kicking. They had complimentary images, we have ass-kicking.<BR/><BR/>It's not just that we are dreadfully bland as we try so very hard to look kewl. It's the way we express it, with nearly every situation outside of our own experience naturally calling for an ass-kicking. This is the response of a schoolyard bully, a maladjusted dunce with a deep inferiority complex.<BR/><BR/>Besides, doesn't anyone realize that trying so hard to be kewl is the total opposite of kewl in the first place?<BR/><BR/>OK, there's a lot more to think about here. I hope you can see that I'm trying to get beyond the usual "violence in culture creates a violent culture" routine and get to some of the roots of why we feel compelled to pummel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584840770244929.post-65767407326972601362007-10-02T05:47:00.000-07:002007-10-02T05:47:00.000-07:00I would argue that the "christ-figure" iconography...I would argue that the "christ-figure" iconography is not always intended by the writer, but is the result of western reader response. As Joseph Campbell pointed out, these archetypes exist across history and cultures. <BR/><BR/>Of course, my reader response would interpret these elements as patriarchal vs. matriarchal icnonography, but I am obviously bias. LOLModern Matriarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464482204862662390noreply@blogger.com