dianahsieh Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 By Diana from NoodleFood,cross-posted by MetaBlog Completely pathetic: Religious movie star Mark Wahlberg struggled with the script in director M. Night Shyamalan's new movie The Happening - because his character was required to blaspheme. Wahlberg has no problems swearing in his often gritty movies, but he tried not to use God's name in vain. So, when his latest director asked him to blaspheme, Wahlberg admits he had a real dilemma. He explains, "I had to say 'G' 'D' in this new movie and that was extremely difficult... He (Shyamalan) asked me if I would say it and I did, and I asked for forgiveness that night when I got home." Wahlberg was apparently born again while in prison. Blech! http://ObjectivismOnline.com/archives/002916.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Perhaps you would have preferred him to emerge from prison a hardened criminal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softwareNerd Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 (edited) Perhaps you would have preferred him to emerge from prison a hardened criminal?Well, that really does not address the point at all. If I criticize someone for one murder, someone might say "perhaps you would have preferred him to be a serial killer". Why? Where did that come from? What does it have to do with condemning him for his idiocy? Edited October 18, 2007 by softwareNerd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moebius Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 I don't think being religious necessarily equates idiocy. And I certain don't think it's "pathetic". I don't really have much of a problem with religious people as long as they don't force their views on others. Hypocrites aside, I find many religious people to be genuinely nice and more often than not more moral (albeit due to the wrong premises). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Well, that really does not address the point at all. Thank you, I was making my own point. If I criticize someone for one murder, someone might say "perhaps you would have preferred him to be a serial killer". That is a totally invalid analogy. What does it have to do with condemning him for his idiocy? I didnt comment on her 'condemning him for his idiocy' because I couldnt come up with a way of doing so without having my post deleted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softwareNerd Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 (edited) Of course they aren't idiots, just idiots qua religious people... which is not to say that only an idiot can believe in God, nor that a belief in God is a sign of idiocy qua belief. Edited October 18, 2007 by softwareNerd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_edge Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 That's really too bad about Mark E Mark. He was one of the only rappers from the early 90's who actually rapped about positive things (no druggin', thuggin', or the like). I thought he did a fine job in 'The Corrupter,' 'Three Kings,' and 'Invincible.' He's hardly a master actor, but certainly decent enough. --Dan Edge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Thank you, I was making my own point. Which was weak and a false alternative to boot. Either emerge from prison a born-again Christian OR emerge from prison a hardened criminal. How about emerging from prison a rational human being? Of course, if you really think this is the alternative, then you are making Diana's point for her. It is exactly a "sign of the times". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEgoist Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Jesus H. Christ on a cracker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 I don't think being religious necessarily equates idiocy. And I certain don't think it's "pathetic". I don't really have much of a problem with religious people as long as they don't force their views on others. Hypocrites aside, I find many religious people to be genuinely nice and more often than not more moral (albeit due to the wrong premises). Well, you are differentiating between people who have religion and religion as a set of ideas per se. I too don't have problem with many people I know who also happen to be religious, but that's because for the most part they evade the absolute irrationality of the basis for their ideas, and try to function as rational people in a rational world for the most part. How do you know this is what Diana meant by "pathetic"? What I think is pathetic is: a. this particular idea (wether or not to use a particular word because it will offend God), in and of itself. And the fact that it was agonized over. b. the fact that it made news c. the gross contradiction, between the type of gritty characters that many times commit immoral acts which Mark Wahlberg plays, and his seeming ease at doing so coupled with this "agonizing" decision to say or not say "god" in a line. Wahlberg may be a nice guy, but those things are pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capitalism Forever Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 A sign of our times? I wouldn't say so. Christians have always been like this: they would find it "difficult" to act against their impractical ideals, but they would somehow manage to do it nonetheless, then "ask for forgiveness," and of course God would always forgive them and all would be well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEgoist Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 To be fair, the words " God ", " Jesus Christ " " Goddamnit " and other blasphemous terms are thrown around this country a hell of a lot, by I'm sure Christians. Most Christians just don't take such silly guidelines seriously. Maybe if we're talking about the " Leave It To Beaver ", family values, church 3 times a week family, you might get parents yelling at their children when they say something like " God " or " Holy Crap ". But it's not like these are the people that goto church if they feel like waking up and drink a beer or two after the service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Which was weak and a false alternative to boot. Either emerge from prison a born-again Christian OR emerge from prison a hardened criminal. How about emerging from prison a rational human being? Of course, if you really think this is the alternative, then you are making Diana's point for her. It is exactly a "sign of the times". 'False alternative?' Ever heard of the word recidivism? Do you realize that the mostly likely event for a man released from prison to encounter is a return trip to the Pen? I believe the rate is something like 67%. He went into jail an irrational violent man, and came out largely a model citizen with an extremely successful career. That is quite a turn around, and quite the exception to the rule. Why ridicule him just becasue he attributes this transformation to a new-found faith in God? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 'False alternative?' Ever heard of the word recidivism? While we're at it with the condescending rhetoricals, did you actually read my post and do you actually know what a false alternative is? I'm not debating recitivism with you. It's the other side fo the alternative that's false, and that is why your original condescending rhetorical to Diana is bull. If the only option today is really recitivism or emerging a born-again Christian, then that really is a pathetic sign of the times, fletch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Whats with the smiley? Is that supposed to mask your condescending rhetoricals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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