I ran today at physical therapy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But I am so out of shape....lots of work left to do, but I am making progress. Now I get to start the "return to running" program. :)
That's all...back to work.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
The Golden Compass
This morning I found a couple of "movie warning" emails in my inbox that can be found below in green. My response is afterwards in purple.
(Apparently, in the last movie when the children kill god, they call him Yahweh: See the Snopes website for that additional info.)......... Please spread the word about this around. An aware public can make a difference!
"The Golden Compass" is set to premier on December 7, during the Christmas season, and will probably be heavily advertised. This movie is based on the first book of a trilogy by atheist Philip Pullman. In the final book a boy and girl kill God so they can do as they please. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "My books are about killing God."
The movie is a watered down version of the first book and is designed to be very attractive in the hope unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the movie and that the children will want the books for Christmas.
The movie has a well-known cast, including Nicole Kidman, Kevin Bacon, and Sam Elliott. It will probably be advertised extensively, so it is crucial that we get the word out to warn parents to avoid this movie.
Please consider a boycott of the movie and the books. Also, pass this information along to everyone you know. This will help to educate parents, so that they will know the agenda of the movie.
You can research this for yourself. Start with this article on Snopes.com. Once there, look to the column on the left side named “Hottest Urban Legends.” Click on “Golden Compass.
(I read the snopes article and this is definitely worth passing around. It's very disturbing. I normally don't forward this kind of email but I think it is well worth spreading.)
Not tired of reading about the movie? Here's MORE DETAILS
---
The movie has been described as "atheism for kids" and is based on the first book of a trilogy entitled "His Dark Materials" that was written by Phillip Pullman. Pullman is a militant atheist and secular humanist who despises C. S. Lewis and the "Chronicles of Narnia". His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis' symbolisms of Christ that are portrayed in the Narnia series.
Clearly, Pullman 's main objective is to bash Christianity and promote atheism. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "my books are about killing God." He has even stated that he wants to "kill God in the minds of children". It has been said of Pullman that he is "the writer the atheists would be praying for, if atheists prayed."
Psalm 22:22 "I will declare your name to my brethren"
Isaiah 42:8 "I am Yahweh, that is my name"
My Reaction and Response
Go and actually read the snopes page:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
From what I can tell, the movie is based on the first book in the series. The children are fighting against an oppressive god. I don't think they call the god-like figure in the movie Yahweh, rather they call him "the Authority." But the dissolution of the Authority isn't suppose to happen until the third book and so it is unclear if it will be in the movie or not.
I'm going to go and see the movie to be informed. The person who wrote it is an atheist, not a criminal or a bad person as is implied in the emails. The books have actually won awards...because you know what, I bet they make children actually think! I don't see anything wrong with reading C.S. Lewis AND Pullman because they offer great stories based on different beliefs. Being able to THINK through both of those stories helps you from being blinded from the misgivings of both sides.
"Several key themes of the novels, the rejection of organized religion and the abuse of power in a fictionalized Catholic Church, are to be diluted in the adaptation. Director Weitz said "in the books the Magisterium is a version of the Catholic Church gone wildly astray from its roots" but that the organization portrayed in his film would not directly match that of Pullman's books. Instead, the Magisterium will represent all dogmatic organizations.[33] " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materials:_The_Golden_Compass
What a great opportunity to actually talk about the abuse of power by organized religion that has happened in our world. Lots of examples to draw from for all types of religion- slavery, the Reformation, wars and wars and wars, treating women less than men, etc.
It's about being educated and it is ok to ask questions, read/watch materials that are different from your own beliefs and even talk to someone who believes differently. In the end, it makes us all more aware of what we truly believe and connected as human beings. Every person sees the world from their vantage point and having those multiple perspectives can lead us towards a better understanding of each other and of our world. Not allowing "outside" thoughts or media into our world means we are never challenged to think or consider alternatives that could lead to more developed understandings of complex issues.
Don't let these statements make you feel like you can't talk to me about this further or that I am not open to having a conversation. I certianly am open and love to talk about things. My purpose in writing this is to encourage dialogue and instead of sending an email around that is meant to cause alarm based on assumptions; why not send around an email that encourages people to learn and make a decision on their own. In the end, if they still find the movie or books to be anti-religous then they will know why for themselves and feel firmer in their faith. Or they may learn something about their faith that they disagree with and try to change it. Or they may feel confirmed in their belief that there isn't a god. But, at least they considered new information with an open mind and thought about something important instead of letting someone tell them what to think. That is how inequities and injustices are perpetuated in our world.
This has been a good exercise for me today to explore these issues myself, so I am thankful for that. I hope we can continue to talk and dialogue as these are important conversations.
(Apparently, in the last movie when the children kill god, they call him Yahweh: See the Snopes website for that additional info.)......... Please spread the word about this around. An aware public can make a difference!
"The Golden Compass" is set to premier on December 7, during the Christmas season, and will probably be heavily advertised. This movie is based on the first book of a trilogy by atheist Philip Pullman. In the final book a boy and girl kill God so they can do as they please. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "My books are about killing God."
The movie is a watered down version of the first book and is designed to be very attractive in the hope unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the movie and that the children will want the books for Christmas.
The movie has a well-known cast, including Nicole Kidman, Kevin Bacon, and Sam Elliott. It will probably be advertised extensively, so it is crucial that we get the word out to warn parents to avoid this movie.
Please consider a boycott of the movie and the books. Also, pass this information along to everyone you know. This will help to educate parents, so that they will know the agenda of the movie.
You can research this for yourself. Start with this article on Snopes.com. Once there, look to the column on the left side named “Hottest Urban Legends.” Click on “Golden Compass.
(I read the snopes article and this is definitely worth passing around. It's very disturbing. I normally don't forward this kind of email but I think it is well worth spreading.)
Not tired of reading about the movie? Here's MORE DETAILS
---
The movie has been described as "atheism for kids" and is based on the first book of a trilogy entitled "His Dark Materials" that was written by Phillip Pullman. Pullman is a militant atheist and secular humanist who despises C. S. Lewis and the "Chronicles of Narnia". His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis' symbolisms of Christ that are portrayed in the Narnia series.
Clearly, Pullman 's main objective is to bash Christianity and promote atheism. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "my books are about killing God." He has even stated that he wants to "kill God in the minds of children". It has been said of Pullman that he is "the writer the atheists would be praying for, if atheists prayed."
Psalm 22:22 "I will declare your name to my brethren"
Isaiah 42:8 "I am Yahweh, that is my name"
My Reaction and Response
Go and actually read the snopes page:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
From what I can tell, the movie is based on the first book in the series. The children are fighting against an oppressive god. I don't think they call the god-like figure in the movie Yahweh, rather they call him "the Authority." But the dissolution of the Authority isn't suppose to happen until the third book and so it is unclear if it will be in the movie or not.
I'm going to go and see the movie to be informed. The person who wrote it is an atheist, not a criminal or a bad person as is implied in the emails. The books have actually won awards...because you know what, I bet they make children actually think! I don't see anything wrong with reading C.S. Lewis AND Pullman because they offer great stories based on different beliefs. Being able to THINK through both of those stories helps you from being blinded from the misgivings of both sides.
"Several key themes of the novels, the rejection of organized religion and the abuse of power in a fictionalized Catholic Church, are to be diluted in the adaptation. Director Weitz said "in the books the Magisterium is a version of the Catholic Church gone wildly astray from its roots" but that the organization portrayed in his film would not directly match that of Pullman's books. Instead, the Magisterium will represent all dogmatic organizations.[33] " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materials:_The_Golden_Compass
What a great opportunity to actually talk about the abuse of power by organized religion that has happened in our world. Lots of examples to draw from for all types of religion- slavery, the Reformation, wars and wars and wars, treating women less than men, etc.
It's about being educated and it is ok to ask questions, read/watch materials that are different from your own beliefs and even talk to someone who believes differently. In the end, it makes us all more aware of what we truly believe and connected as human beings. Every person sees the world from their vantage point and having those multiple perspectives can lead us towards a better understanding of each other and of our world. Not allowing "outside" thoughts or media into our world means we are never challenged to think or consider alternatives that could lead to more developed understandings of complex issues.
I found this to be helpful in my consideration of religion:
Religion becomes both a violation of others' rights and a form of addiction under the following circumstances:
· When it is forced, rather than voluntary;
· When it abuses trust for personal gratification;
· When it misuses power to exploit others;
· When it seeks to force behaviors on others through political manipulation;
· When it uses any form of violence (i.e., "end justifies means") against others of different belief systems;
· When it isolates its followers from the rest of the world in order to remain pure
· When it is a compulsive escape from everyday reality and used to justify abusive behavior toward family, friends, and self.
http://www.philosophy-religion.org/criticism/addictionnew.htm
Don't let these statements make you feel like you can't talk to me about this further or that I am not open to having a conversation. I certianly am open and love to talk about things. My purpose in writing this is to encourage dialogue and instead of sending an email around that is meant to cause alarm based on assumptions; why not send around an email that encourages people to learn and make a decision on their own. In the end, if they still find the movie or books to be anti-religous then they will know why for themselves and feel firmer in their faith. Or they may learn something about their faith that they disagree with and try to change it. Or they may feel confirmed in their belief that there isn't a god. But, at least they considered new information with an open mind and thought about something important instead of letting someone tell them what to think. That is how inequities and injustices are perpetuated in our world.
This has been a good exercise for me today to explore these issues myself, so I am thankful for that. I hope we can continue to talk and dialogue as these are important conversations.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Fall is over...Winter is here....and I'm just posting
Yeah, yeah...I said I would be better about posting on here. Hahahaha! Didn't that fall by the wayside.
Last night was the last night of classes for the fall term and I finally feel as though I am back among the living. It was a crazy term and I'm glad it is over. It also means that my last time of attending a formal class in the fall is done! Yipee!
Now- what do I do with myself? It's nice to just come to work and not have to worry about class tonight or what is due tomorrow. I think I will sleep all weekend.
Life Updates
I am doing really well recovering from my knee surgery. I am going to start trying to run next week! It has been difficult, but my body feels more like itself every new day.
We have booked our tickets to Texas and fly in to Dallas on Christmas Eve and leave on Jan 2. I haven't been home in a year, so I am looking forward to seeing everyone. It should be good times!
Winter and Spring travel is looking to be busy. We have a couple of weddings, friends to see and a trip to New York for a conference. It is very possible that I will be flying from Hawaii(wedding) to New York(conference)! That will make me feel like a real traveler. The conference in New York is HUGE and I will be presenting two papers- one as the primary researcher and another as a secondary researcher. There were 12,000 proposals submitted and we were selected! In addition, we just submitted a book review to the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy...hoping that gets accepted and published. Then I would be published 3 times in one year! I'm so excited with where my academic life is heading.
We did make a trip to Austin in November for an Alpha Gam babyshower. It was so fun and all 11 of us were there for the weekend. We've known each other for 12 years now and still have so much fun together. It's a gift that I am thankful for every day.
I also made a trip to Banden, OR with my faculty advisor and two close classmates (we do all our research together). We also had a really great time on the coast and the beach was so beautiful.
Last night was the last night of classes for the fall term and I finally feel as though I am back among the living. It was a crazy term and I'm glad it is over. It also means that my last time of attending a formal class in the fall is done! Yipee!
Now- what do I do with myself? It's nice to just come to work and not have to worry about class tonight or what is due tomorrow. I think I will sleep all weekend.
Life Updates
I am doing really well recovering from my knee surgery. I am going to start trying to run next week! It has been difficult, but my body feels more like itself every new day.
We have booked our tickets to Texas and fly in to Dallas on Christmas Eve and leave on Jan 2. I haven't been home in a year, so I am looking forward to seeing everyone. It should be good times!
Winter and Spring travel is looking to be busy. We have a couple of weddings, friends to see and a trip to New York for a conference. It is very possible that I will be flying from Hawaii(wedding) to New York(conference)! That will make me feel like a real traveler. The conference in New York is HUGE and I will be presenting two papers- one as the primary researcher and another as a secondary researcher. There were 12,000 proposals submitted and we were selected! In addition, we just submitted a book review to the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy...hoping that gets accepted and published. Then I would be published 3 times in one year! I'm so excited with where my academic life is heading.
We did make a trip to Austin in November for an Alpha Gam babyshower. It was so fun and all 11 of us were there for the weekend. We've known each other for 12 years now and still have so much fun together. It's a gift that I am thankful for every day.
I also made a trip to Banden, OR with my faculty advisor and two close classmates (we do all our research together). We also had a really great time on the coast and the beach was so beautiful.
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