Feel like essays today

[ghost_light]

1. Have you ever seen a silent movie? What did you think about it?

2. Do you think that some of the newly discovered Gospels, like the Gospel of Judas, are just as valid as the ones included in the Bible? Why?

3. What kinds of things do you do to reward yourself?

Comments

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

1. Nope. Don't think so.
2. Actually, Mom said that she learned about the Gospel of Judas in seminary, quite some time ago. But why should they be any less "valid" than the ones that the church fathers decided showed what they wanted shown?
3. Chocolate. Books.

[name-omitted.livejournal.com]

Let me take a stab at that.

All of the Gospels were written in a political environment of one type or another. They were written in order to influence a certain group of people, and often have extraordinarily different flavors to them. The common idea of Mary, for instance, is one of a humble maiden, chosen for greatness in an example of “last shall be first,” giving us the “Magnificat.”

If you read the Gospel of Mary, however, that shows a Mary who was raised in a temple, essentially to become pious and ready to me the Mother of God. THAT Gospel was written for a group of people who were more interested in God being apart, emphasizing the Christ, and de-emphasizing Jesus. If that works for you, then yes, that Gospel is just as valid, but it does not fit with the image of the Catholic church that the “chosen” gospels portrayed. In short, it presumably worked for the people for whom it was written (it impressed scribes enough to transcribe it), but it ultimately did not work for the faith as it evolved.

I've seen Fire and I've seen Rain

[scooterpbakes.livejournal.com]

1 I have and it is a valid form of art and expression.

2. I think all the gospels have a place in the book.

3. I would tell you, but they are dirty and I would get into trouble.

Re: I've seen Fire and I've seen Rain

[kahteeyah.livejournal.com]

Ohh! Ooh! Can you tell me?

[hiddendreams.livejournal.com]

1. Yes. Matter of fact, I really love silent films, such as those of Mary Pickford, as a for instance. The emotions she could convey just by the way she stood and allowed her shoulders to slouch... :-)

One of my favorite films of all time is "Sunrise," which TCM aired a couple of weeks ago...

2. I read through part of the Gospel of Judas a few weeks ago. (I put it that way because, in spite of the hype that it's been found intact, there were a lot of gaps in it, which made following it a bit difficult.)

It sounded like a lot of revisionism, which it no doubt was. Certainly it wasn't written contemporaneously to the life of Jesus... and, for me, that means points against it.

3. I used to buy myself a major thing once a year, in the fall. (Like a TV or CD player, back when they first came out and were kinda pricey...)

[poisondartfrog.livejournal.com]

1. Yes, I've seen a couple of Charlie Chaplan films. I find them entertaining but unfortunately my mind tends to wander a bit in sections.

2. Gospels? What Gospels? Is that a new boy band? (just trying to lighten the mood)

3. Time to myself. Time to not do ANYTHING. Time to not have to be anywhere or do anything. Time to read all day long if I so choose. Oh, and chocolate and new books are always good.

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

1) I've seen one or two of Harold Lloyd's -- I love them. I've also seen a couple of Chaplin's, ditto.

2) I try very hard not to discuss religion.

3) I'm currently looking for new reward schemas, as the present ones are not at all healthy (primarily being food and sex). Retail therapy can be overwhelmingly expensive.