Saturday, March 08, 2014

Producers make changes in new movie about Noah's Ark because of claims from religious people of historical inaccuracies. You read that right, "historical inaccuracies."

Courtesy of Raw Story:  

According to The Wrap, Paramount Pictures has edited Darren Aronofsky’s Noah — which stars Russell Crowe in the titular role — in order to avoid offending Christian viewers. 

Aronofsky allegedly told an associate that he was “not happy” when he learned that Paramount had appended a disclaimer to both the film and promotional materials for it. 

At the request of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), Paramount added a disclaimer which reads, in part, that “[t]he film is inspired by the story of Noah. While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values, and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis.” 

NRB board member Phil Cooke told The Wrap that the disclaimer was necessary because the film is “historically inaccurate.” It is, Cooke said, “more of an inspired movie than an exact retelling.” 

Cooke is not the only Christian to have concerns about the film. 

Writing on his blog last year, Answers In Genesis president Ken Ham noted that the film’s script “is not at all faithful to the biblical account in Genesis.” Ham believes the trailer for the film is “a Hollywood con” designed to lure unsuspecting Jews and Christians to witness “an unbiblical production.” 

He lists the many ways in which the film does not accurately reflect his interpretation of what happened in Genesis 6. He notes that “Noah’s family only consists of his wife, three sons, and one daughter-in-law, contrary to the Bible.” Moreover, “[i]t appears as if every species was crammed in the Ark instead of just the kinds of animals, thus mocking the Ark account the same way secularists do today.” 

Most problematic for Ham, however, is that “Noah does not have a relationship with God but rather with circumstances and has deadly visions of the Flood,” and that “[t]he Ark lands on a cliff next to a beach.”

To be clear this is an impossible story, told by untold authors, about an event that defies all scientific probabilities.  In short it is about has "historic" as the story of Athena being given birth from a hole in the skull of Zeus.

There are a lot of movies coming out with an overtly religious theme this year like Mark Burnett "Son of God." featuring the first latino Jesus (Wouldn't that me "Hey-suess?"), Ridley Scott's "Exodus,"  "Heaven is for Real," and "Mary, Mother of Christ," to name a few.

And of course all of this is by design, after all the sixth mountain of the 7 Mountains of Societal Influence is Arts and Entertainment.

So you would think that the religious community would be thrilled simply to have their mythology spread to a newer secular audience.

However if they are going to insist that every part of the film be completely accurate according to their favorite version of the Bible (King James?), they are going to lose much of their potential audience.

After all these are movie goers used to watching giant robots transform in to cars, humans portrayed as living batteries while their minds remain trapped in a giant MMORPG, and superheroes fighting off an alien invasion in the middle of New York City.

But let's remember there are limits to any movie goers ability to suspend disbelief.

I mean come on, watching hobbits taking a dangerous journey to dispose of jewelry while fighting off orcs and wizards is one thing, but buying into the concept of one family building a giant boat to hold two of every kind of animal on the planet while the entire population of humans, animals, and insects is drowned around them.

I mean come on how did a story that absurd even get past pre-production?

23 comments:

  1. Since when is the bible a history and science book?

    ReplyDelete
  2. My fiction is better than your fiction. It’s fun to watch zealots fight.

    I’ve always found the Noah story interesting, if a bit farfetched. I don’t have the document at my fingertips, but the story predating Noah, of a round, reed boat, sealed with pitch, makes quite a bit of sense; a stable and granary with living quarters. No elephants/mammoths/mastodons or their kind, sorry Ken Ham.

    Google the Irish Rovers Unicorn song (many variations) for a laugh.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4:59 AM

    There has been a lot of waiting room waiting going on for me the last couple of weeks. I've been reading Letters From The Earth by Mark Twain. It's just a little book. I love that man's wit.
    For those not familiar, Satan gets sent to earth and writes letters back to Michael and Gabriel. It is a hoot. And he does write home about the Ark situation. Laugh your ass off funny. We need more funny.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5:04 AM

    Bible history is absurdity built on the ridiculous. But, at last we know what really happened! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'll stick with Bill Cosby, thank you.

    "Voopa, voopa, voopa."
    "This is the Lord, Noah."
    "Voopa, voopa, voopa."
    "... ... ... Riiiiight."
    "Voopa, voopa, voopa."

    "What's a cubit?"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:14 AM

      loved that!

      Delete
    2. Anita Winecooler5:17 PM

      Bill was a comedic genius in his heyday. I played "To Russel, My Brother, With whom I have Slept" till it was smooth. The man was a riot!!!!

      "Lord, What's a headache?"

      Delete
  6. Anonymous5:27 AM

    The bible believers are a big market and the studios want to sell tickets and get as many butts in seats as possible. It's the bottom line, baby.

    RJ in Brownbackistan

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous6:01 AM

    If I were a Christian, I would want to downplay the story of Noah. It's…weird…basically, we're all descended from one dude and his family? It's sort of…incesty…and icky...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anita Winecooler5:15 PM

      Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel did it for me. Someone married one son and had babies, since Eve was the only woman..... had to be incest.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous6:05 AM

    Another reason to downplay the story of Noah -- it's a total ripoff.

    Ancient Greek[edit]
    Noah has often been compared to Deucalion, the son of Prometheus and Pronoia in Greek mythology. Like Noah, Deucalion is a wine maker or wine seller; he is warned of the flood (this time by Zeus and Poseidon); he builds an ark and staffs it with creatures – and when he completes his voyage, gives thanks and takes advice from the gods on how to repopulate the Earth. Deucalion also sends a pigeon to find out about the situation of the world and the bird returns with an olive branch.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous6:11 AM

    Why do people who "find" god refer to themselves as Born Again Christians, but in the mind of a Christian being gay is a choice, so why aren't there any Born Again Homosexuals, bible thumpers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anita Winecooler5:12 PM

      I've never understood that terminology either. I have an Aunt who's a self proclaimed born again christian, and I she said it's "figurative" in that God will forgive everything, wipe the slate clean, if you give your life to Jesus blah blah insert bible verses blah blah. I asked her why the process stops before conception, because a fetus is a person according to her.

      Never got a cogent answer.

      Delete
  10. Maple6:13 AM

    And in Egyptian mythology, the story of Isis and her son Horus bears a "striking" similarity to the story of Mary and her son Jesus.....

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous6:15 AM

    You really have to laugh at any bible believer... If an error is found in text, they just rewrite to fit the new narrative.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous7:29 AM

    I have a dear friend who is very immersed in the Church of Christ. I am an atheist, but we are good friends. The other day, she was telling me that her husband was watching a show about dinosaurs and that she couldn't deal with it. I asked "why, don't you like dinosaurs?" Her answer? She couldn't understand how there could be dinosaurs around with humans? And what about Noah's Ark? Her answer is to avoid watching or thinking about it. Her words- she just can't deal with it. I told her I was the wrong person to ask because I am not a believer. I have a feeling a lot of religious people have this mentality.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous8:25 AM

    According to the bible, God created Earth and the universe. So why are Christians against saving the planet by making the air we breathe and the water we drink safe? Hell, these assholes should be the ones pushing climate change..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:04 AM

      Indeed: They insist on imperiling the Earth at the risk of displeasing the "all-mighty," do they not? One would imagine that they'd not be so cavalier with his creation as to piss him off and damn themselves.

      Delete
  14. Beldar Son of Cronus Conehead9:08 AM

    "In short it is about has "historic" as the story of Athena being given birth from a hole in the skull of Zeus."

    As almighty Zeus is my witness, Gryphen - which according to the genealogical records obtained thru a FOIA request of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is not even your real name - you have crossed a line drawn on a bridge too far this time!!!

    How DARE you mock the grand poobah of Mt Olympus with your blasphemery, you... you... you BLASPHEMER, you!!

    And dont you dare try to tell me who and what was aboard Noah's Ark!!! I have seen with my own eyes the original passenger manifest for Noah's Ark (or at least a VERY clear contemporaneous photocopy of the original document) - which a lot of people don't know actually sailed under Liberian registry for insurance purposes and also to avoid strict rules regarding the transportation of non-kosher animals such as pigs and now extinct spotted yellow-tailed shrieking lemurs.

    Here's a fun fact: the christening ceremony of Noah's ark was disrupted when attending religious scholars pointed out that the concept of 'christening' would have no meaning for several thousands of years. So a compromise was struck, and that is why Noah's ark was officially known as the S.S. Minnow.

    Next you mention Zeus you best keep a civil tongue in your mouth as I guarantee that you do NOT want to experience the wrath of Zeus. Repeating: you do not want to experience the wrath of Zeus! I have, on several occasions, and I assure you it's an experience I deeply regret every single time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anita Winecooler5:06 PM

      LOL Reminds me of the theme song to "Guilligan's Island" but based on biblical principals.

      Don't know how you do it, but please don't stop!!!

      Delete
  15. Anonymous10:14 AM

    Here's a head-scratcher:

    "In an interview with Esquire magazine, Ridley Scott called religion "the biggest source of evil", explaining, "Everyone is tearing each other apart in the name of their personal god. And the irony is, by definition, they're probably worshiping the same god". "

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1528100/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous12:17 PM

    Genesis actually contains two versions of the flood story and they differ in some details. These are known to scholars as the J (fron Judah) version and the E (from Israel) version. Which one is "historically accurate" one?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous12:42 PM

    Genesis actually contains two versions of the Flood story and they differ in several deails. They are known to scholars as the J (from Judah) version and the E (from Israel) version. So, which is the "historically accurate" one?

    ReplyDelete

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