Generally, I like the horror genre in films. My horror dvd collection probably extends to nearly 300 flicks, most of them to do with zombies, vampires. Though I do have two of the better exorcist films. (Exorcist, and Exorcist II). The 360 degree swivelling head of Linda Blair in the first was especially good.
But the joy of horror goes out when films are done merely for the sake of sending a subliminal or hidden message, and that applies to "The Rite". The intent here is merely to provide more fulsome twaddle to the fundagelical -conservative notion that the ultimate protection against the demonic hordes inheres in a faith and morality bestowed by conventional, bible-banging religions.
But the joy of horror goes out when films are done merely for the sake of sending a subliminal or hidden message, and that applies to "The Rite". The intent here is merely to provide more fulsome twaddle to the fundagelical -conservative notion that the ultimate protection against the demonic hordes inheres in a faith and morality bestowed by conventional, bible-banging religions.
In 'The Rite' - though he's portrayed as an RC padre, Anthony Hopkins comes over more as a kind of Protestant Elmer Gantry type. How did this connection (apart from Pastor Mikey) ever get started?
We can probably trace it back to Martin Luther. In his ‘Teufelsbucher’ or Devils’ Books, written from 1545- 1600, he laid out the whole warp and woof of how the Devil involved himself in human affairs.
According to this “first Protestant", the Devil was involved in everything that made life worth living: dressing up, food, party going, dancing to poetry, drama, writing. The Devil was behind virtually all the vices and manifestations of the world. Especially sex! The other bottom line made clear is that Satan was not to be trifled with or taken lightly. Woe to those (like atheists) who did, and all that!
This theme wended its way throughout Protestantism and into its modern era. By the 19th century it had been brought to a pinnacle, where perhaps the earliest Evangelical in the United States, Josiah Strong, made Satanist beliefs and ritual part and parcel of a normal “Christian” cult. He probably also was the one who paved the way for latter day, evangelical "exorcisms" (and if you've ever seen one, like on 20-20, you will recall how funny they are, with the supposed possessed putting on an act that almost rivals Hopkins' staid acting in 'The Rite')
As Strong put it: “If you don’t have Satan as part of your theology, then you have nothing to control the people with. No fear.”
Thus, evangelical Christianity probably originated in the U.S. ca. 1885 with the publication of the Rev. Josiah Strong's book: Our Country - Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis. Interestingly, this wasn't long after the "Rapture" idiocy got started in Scotland...after which the tow memes met, and delivered the present incarnation of Armageddonish-Antichrist baloney: the multi-million dollar business from the "Left Behind" series bunkum.
Basically, Strong invoked “survival of the fittest” thinking to pave the way for a new variant of Christianity which would no longer tolerate weak “appeasement”, conciliation or common cause. He wanted no part of other religions, except to use them to show how inferior they were compared to his version.
His basic tenet was simple: If you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ you were not only saved in spirit, but your earthly life was better because God was with you. Those who became homeless, or were constrained in perpetual poverty or disease were victims of their unbelief, or Satan. In this way, he and his ilk (like modern day conservatives and Tea Baggers) could wash their hands of the poor.
Other religions and followers became “Satanic expressions” and their own rituals were stigmatized and rejected. The Catholic Church, for example, became the “whore of Babylon” and the Pope the Antichrist. Thus did the extreme evangelicals set up barriers against even their fellow Christians.
In his chapter, ‘The Fundamentalist Fringe’ (The Devil, p. 227), Peter Stanford recites how Josiah Strong’s perverted Devil- obsessed form of Christianity has come into our relatively modern times. He uses the words of the Rev. Billy Graham as an example:
"The Devil is real and that he is wielding unholy power and influence, there can be no doubt. Switch on your radio and television if you feel you need concrete evidence”
Of course, in the last part, he is merely regurgitating the extreme demon paranoia marked by Luther in his Teufelsbucher.
But why the obsession? Why the need for Satan, devils or Hell if Christianity is so powerful? And why condemn other Christians to it? Why the need? Wouldn't they be better off getting their act together to gang up on infidels?
Seems stupid to me!
Philosopher Alan Watts probably put it best in his ‘Wisdom of Uncertainty’ , that some extreme religions and sects can’t feel complete or justified unless they're assured their competitors are all destroyed. Only then can they relish their own existence.
Similarly, it isn’t enough that they win paradise, all others have to burn and be destroyed. Such is the way demonic influence has actually crept into their consciousness. They don't need films like 'The Rite' to achieve it - though they foist such fare on the rest of us.
Alas, harsh and terrible reality in real human history has trumped the mythical tortures dreamed up by these psychos. The Holocaust of Nazi Germany in which 6 million plus were gassed then incinerated, and then again at Hiroshima and Nagasaki - when nearly a hundred thousand were incinerated in atomic flames hotter than the hottest Hell any bible pounder (including Josiah Strong) ever conceived.
All of those real historical images render the phantasmagorias of "Hell" laughable.
Once the searing images of real life human -created hells spread, the power, and impact (not to mention fear) of the supernatural Hell lost its hold. It became more like a kiddie’s tale or something to tell the mentally feeble. As Lauran Paine has put it (op. cit. p. 173)
“In a world where problems are vast and nihilistic in nature- where the great majority of people know little beyond suffering and deprivation, a concept of Hell is likely to be a source of dread than a source of irony"
Surely, the most extreme Christian Fundies must be intelligent enough to recognize this at some level. So why do they keep on trying to perform the social terrorist act of “witnessing’ in the hope of scaring people who can no longer be scared to the salvation altar?
There is only one plausible reason: Satan and Hell are now so much a part of the theology of these extremists, that in some sense they now idolize Hell and Satan more than they profess to love their God.
In a very real sense, they have become the modern Satanists.
Just like those who make and promote movies like 'The Rite'!
We can probably trace it back to Martin Luther. In his ‘Teufelsbucher’ or Devils’ Books, written from 1545- 1600, he laid out the whole warp and woof of how the Devil involved himself in human affairs.
According to this “first Protestant", the Devil was involved in everything that made life worth living: dressing up, food, party going, dancing to poetry, drama, writing. The Devil was behind virtually all the vices and manifestations of the world. Especially sex! The other bottom line made clear is that Satan was not to be trifled with or taken lightly. Woe to those (like atheists) who did, and all that!
This theme wended its way throughout Protestantism and into its modern era. By the 19th century it had been brought to a pinnacle, where perhaps the earliest Evangelical in the United States, Josiah Strong, made Satanist beliefs and ritual part and parcel of a normal “Christian” cult. He probably also was the one who paved the way for latter day, evangelical "exorcisms" (and if you've ever seen one, like on 20-20, you will recall how funny they are, with the supposed possessed putting on an act that almost rivals Hopkins' staid acting in 'The Rite')
As Strong put it: “If you don’t have Satan as part of your theology, then you have nothing to control the people with. No fear.”
Thus, evangelical Christianity probably originated in the U.S. ca. 1885 with the publication of the Rev. Josiah Strong's book: Our Country - Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis. Interestingly, this wasn't long after the "Rapture" idiocy got started in Scotland...after which the tow memes met, and delivered the present incarnation of Armageddonish-Antichrist baloney: the multi-million dollar business from the "Left Behind" series bunkum.
Basically, Strong invoked “survival of the fittest” thinking to pave the way for a new variant of Christianity which would no longer tolerate weak “appeasement”, conciliation or common cause. He wanted no part of other religions, except to use them to show how inferior they were compared to his version.
His basic tenet was simple: If you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ you were not only saved in spirit, but your earthly life was better because God was with you. Those who became homeless, or were constrained in perpetual poverty or disease were victims of their unbelief, or Satan. In this way, he and his ilk (like modern day conservatives and Tea Baggers) could wash their hands of the poor.
Other religions and followers became “Satanic expressions” and their own rituals were stigmatized and rejected. The Catholic Church, for example, became the “whore of Babylon” and the Pope the Antichrist. Thus did the extreme evangelicals set up barriers against even their fellow Christians.
In his chapter, ‘The Fundamentalist Fringe’ (The Devil, p. 227), Peter Stanford recites how Josiah Strong’s perverted Devil- obsessed form of Christianity has come into our relatively modern times. He uses the words of the Rev. Billy Graham as an example:
"The Devil is real and that he is wielding unholy power and influence, there can be no doubt. Switch on your radio and television if you feel you need concrete evidence”
Of course, in the last part, he is merely regurgitating the extreme demon paranoia marked by Luther in his Teufelsbucher.
But why the obsession? Why the need for Satan, devils or Hell if Christianity is so powerful? And why condemn other Christians to it? Why the need? Wouldn't they be better off getting their act together to gang up on infidels?
Seems stupid to me!
Philosopher Alan Watts probably put it best in his ‘Wisdom of Uncertainty’ , that some extreme religions and sects can’t feel complete or justified unless they're assured their competitors are all destroyed. Only then can they relish their own existence.
Similarly, it isn’t enough that they win paradise, all others have to burn and be destroyed. Such is the way demonic influence has actually crept into their consciousness. They don't need films like 'The Rite' to achieve it - though they foist such fare on the rest of us.
Alas, harsh and terrible reality in real human history has trumped the mythical tortures dreamed up by these psychos. The Holocaust of Nazi Germany in which 6 million plus were gassed then incinerated, and then again at Hiroshima and Nagasaki - when nearly a hundred thousand were incinerated in atomic flames hotter than the hottest Hell any bible pounder (including Josiah Strong) ever conceived.
All of those real historical images render the phantasmagorias of "Hell" laughable.
Once the searing images of real life human -created hells spread, the power, and impact (not to mention fear) of the supernatural Hell lost its hold. It became more like a kiddie’s tale or something to tell the mentally feeble. As Lauran Paine has put it (op. cit. p. 173)
“In a world where problems are vast and nihilistic in nature- where the great majority of people know little beyond suffering and deprivation, a concept of Hell is likely to be a source of dread than a source of irony"
Surely, the most extreme Christian Fundies must be intelligent enough to recognize this at some level. So why do they keep on trying to perform the social terrorist act of “witnessing’ in the hope of scaring people who can no longer be scared to the salvation altar?
There is only one plausible reason: Satan and Hell are now so much a part of the theology of these extremists, that in some sense they now idolize Hell and Satan more than they profess to love their God.
In a very real sense, they have become the modern Satanists.
Just like those who make and promote movies like 'The Rite'!
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