Celebrities And Politics

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Post by Greg »

In my youth, before I got sick of soap operas, I briefly watched "Days Of Our Lives." I would've never figured Deidre Hall for such a lefty.
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Post by Damien »

From MTV.com:

WILL SMITH, BEN STILLER, EVEN PAULIE WALNUTR OPEN WALLETS FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

By Gil Kaufman


What do Tom Hanks and Pauly Shore have in common? About as much as Paul Newman and Jamie Foxx — and no, they're not the cast for "Wild Hogs 2."

They're some of the prominent Hollywood types who've ponied up big bucks in the first six months of 2007 to support the presidential candidacies of Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, respectively, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

A glance at the hundreds of pages of donor lists for the top Republican and Democratic presidential wannabes is full of surprises — like, who knew Ben Stiller was the type to throw heavy chips down on several candidates? — but mostly it confirms the old myth that Tinseltown is a bastion of Democratic good feelings.

Among the actors and singers who've donated between $250 and the $4,600 maximum to Clinton's campaign are: Danny DeVito, Tobey Maguire, Stiller, "Star Trek" actor George Takei, "The Office" actor Ed Helms, Michael Jackson spokeswoman Raymone Bain, Howard Stern regular Dominic Barbara, fashion icon Vera Wang and "The Nanny" star Fran Drescher. They join a list that includes the expected mix of bankers, real estate and insurance moguls, as well as former HBO boss Chris Albrecht and Madeleine Albright, the secretary of state during the Bill Clinton administration.

The list for top Democratic money-hauler Barack Obama is equally star-studded, including Foxx and Newman, as well as Jennifer Aniston, Jodie Foster, Cedric the Entertainer, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, former "Grey's Anatomy" castmember Isaiah Washington, Edward Norton, Eddie Murphy, Zach Braff and Rancid singer Tim Armstrong. Albrecht also doubled-down on Obama, alongside Netscape/Ning founder Marc Andreessen, songwriter Johnta Austin (Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige) and Interscope TV and Film division head Polly Anthony.

In some cases — such as Maguire, Stiller, Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson — the actors donated to Obama in the first quarter and to Clinton in the second, exercising a rule that allows donors to give up to $4,600 ($2,300 each for the primary and general election) to as many different candidates as they choose.

Though his prospects are not as bright as the leading Democrats, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has some big-name firepower behind his campaign as well, including Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer, double-dippers Newman and Foster, Steven Steven Spielberg — who is officially endorsing Clinton — model Christie Brinkley and Bette Midler.

The star wattage dips a bit by the time you get to 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards, who got $500 from controversial director Oliver Stone, as well as a $4,600 bump from Stiller and contributions from Albrecht, Dave Matthews Band member Boyd Tinsley, longtime Kiss manager Doc McGhee and Eagles singer Don Henley.

For now, the bottom-tier Democratic candidates have to settle for a "Surreal Life"-worthy cast of supporters, with Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich getting nods from "Will and Grace" actress Shelley "Rosario" Morrison, "Baywatch" co-star Alexandra Paul and "Days of Our Lives" actress Deirdre Hall; while Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd has to make do with modest donations from John Lithgow and the voice of "Kim Possible," Christy Romano. And while his acting cred is solid, it doesn't seem likely that the $700 from "In the Cut" actor Mark Ruffalo is going to do much to help Alaska Senator Mike Gravel.

What about the top Republican candidates? They haven't been totally dissed by Hollywood, though we couldn't find any bold names on the list for one of the leading GOP candidates, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani might be sitting pretty at the polls, but so far his celebrity donations are thin, including Adam Sandler, ex-"Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer, "Dancing With the Stars" hoofer John O'Hurley, "Sopranos" co-star Tony "Paulie Walnuts" Sirico and ex-"Little House on the Prairie" star Melissa Gilbert.

And, in keeping with his rapidly fading profile, Arizona Senator John McCain's star list is short, comprised most prominently of über-producer Jerry Bruckheimer ("Pirates of the Caribbean") and his wife.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Post by Precious Doll »

This an extract from an interview with Garrisonn Keillor from The Sydney Morning Herald by Sue Javes 9 July 2007 about his radio program.

He (Garrison Keillor) wishes the U.S. had a parliamentary system that would see an unpopular leaded voted out quickly rather than endure another 15 months of what has become a lame duck presidency. Of George Bush, he says:"The man is a fucking idiot and he's there for everybody to see. He's one of the most inarticulate people to hold the office. I mean, Richard Nixon was a maasterpiece compared with this man. He's just a small dismal, incurious, incompetent person and we have another 15 months of him."
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
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Post by Damien »

I know this is after-the-fact but I just came across the article.

From Bloomberg News:

Sarkozy or Royal? French Rockers, Film Stars Pick Sides in Vote

By Farah Nayeri

April 20 (Bloomberg) -- Johnny Hallyday, the leather-clad French rocker who sprang to fame in the 1960s, wants Nicolas Sarkozy to be France's next president as voters head for the polling stations in the April 22 first round.

``I truly believe Nicolas Sarkozy is someone good for the future of France,'' Hallyday told the France 2 primetime news after joining Sarkozy's ruling Union for a Popular Movement in August. ``He is a trustworthy man, a man of his word.''

Actress Jeanne Moreau, the two-timing temptress in Francois Truffaut's 1962 ``Jules et Jim,'' roots for socialist Segolene Royal, the first woman ever to run for president.

``I think you're wonderful,'' Moreau cooed on a Canal Plus talk show with Royal in March. Days later, at a celebrity-only rally, husky-voiced Moreau said she had ``nothing to ask of you, Madame Royal, because I'm sure you know the importance of what we call culture.'' She urged preservation of ``that ray of light that leads to creativity.''

Rockers and rappers, writers and philosophers, and stars of screen and stage are taking sides in France's two-round electoral race, scheduled for April 22 and May 6. Frontrunners Sarkozy and Royal are scooping most of the celebrity support.

Centrist Francois Bayrou, third in the polls, is backed by actor Vincent Lindon, who said on the podium at a Bayrou rally in March that he found him ``reassuring'' and added, ``I like people who remind you of a dad or a big brother.''

The closest parallel is Hollywood, where Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton raised $2.6 million at a March dinner attended by Barbra Streisand, and where actors have gone on to become president (Ronald Reagan) and governor of California (Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

Zola, Sartre

France's artists and intellectuals have a tradition of political involvement. The term ``artiste engage,'' coined in France, is used in other languages, too.

Historian Michel Winock traces the tradition back to the late 19th century, when author Emile Zola defended the wrongly convicted Captain Alfred Dreyfus with the headline: ``J'accuse!'' (``I accuse!'')

In the postwar years, intellectuals usually veered to the left. Writer Jean-Paul Sartre was a Communist Party supporter.

Today, with the Soviet empire's 1989 collapse and the blurring of left-right distinctions, choices are based on personalities and single policies.

Sarkozy Switch

Bernard-Henri Levy -- the author-philosopher known for his jet-black hair and open white shirts -- is a friend of Sarkozy. Earlier this month, though, he chose Royal, blaming Interior Minister Sarkozy for, among other things, his proposed ``ministry of immigration and national identity'' and his remark that people are ``born pedophiles.'' If Sarkozy wins, Levy said in a telephone interview, ``I fear a state of deadlock that, despite his good intentions, will make reform very difficult.''

Levy praised Royal's tough stance on issues such as Iran's nuclear program and Sudan's failure to end the conflict in Darfur. ``At the start of the campaign, I expressed very strong doubts about Segolene Royal,'' he said. ``But her foreign-policy positions go in the direction of the France that I am fond of: the France of human rights and liberties.''

Sarkozy has lured other thinkers instead. In a January Le Monde editorial headlined ``Why I choose Nicolas Sarkozy,'' writer-philosopher Andre Glucksmann blamed the left for ``wallowing in its own narcissism.'' The following month, a cover story in weekly Le Nouvel Observateur asked, ``Are intellectuals swinging to the right?''

Best Man

Actors have been the biggest activists of all. Jean Reno, who starred in last year's ``The Da Vinci Code,'' chose Sarkozy as best man at his Provence wedding last July.

Sarkozy ``is intelligent and he can be president,'' said actress Veronique Genest, the redhead cop from the ``Julie Lescaut'' TV series, interviewed during a Sarkozy culture rally in April, held at the Showcase nightclub. ``I was leftwing for a long time, but I don't believe in Segolene Royal at all.''

Director Elie Chouraqui, also there, said though he previously voted socialist, he liked Sarkozy's ``concrete'' proposals, and added, ``My country needs something other than words.''

Royal's supporters include Emmanuelle Beart, the pouting beauty from ``Jean de Florette'' and ``Manon of the Spring,'' and Carole Bouquet, who featured in Luis Bunuel's 1977 ``That Obscure Object of Desire.''

Environmentalist

Among male thespians, Royal counts Philippe Torreton, who appeared in Bertrand Tavernier's 1997 ``Capitaine Conan'' and calls her ``the only serious environmentalist candidate.'' Irritated when the former cabinet minister is described as inexperienced, Torreton concludes, ``It's time for this old and macho country to be led by a woman.''

Even second-generation immigrant performers are joining the fray. Rapper Doc Gyneco, his dreadlocks covered by a white cap, gets cozy with Sarkozy on the back cover of his book, ``Les Grands Esprits Se Rencontrent'' (``Great Minds Meet,'') a paean to the candidate.

Comedian Jamel Debbouze, born to Moroccan parents, invited Royal on stage during a Paris show, as a film clip available on YouTube attested. ``I'm counting on you!'' he cheered, while Royal blushed in her knee-length skirt and pumps. Earlier, the socialist candidate had snuck into the theater and quickly found herself snapped by rows of youngsters with mobile phones.

Regardless of their efforts, analysts say, artists and intellectuals have little electoral sway.

``For some time now, we've been witnessing a major divorce between France and its elite,'' said Laurent Dubois, a political scientist at Paris's Sorbonne University. If retired football star Zinedine Zidane were to take a stance, Dubois said, ``the impact would be far greater.''
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Post by Damien »

From BobGeiger.com

PAUL SIMON TO TOUR WITH DODD

Singer and songwriter Paul Simon will join presidential candidate Chris Dodd and his family for part of Dodd's "River to River" bus tour of Iowa during the week of the Fourth of July. Simon will campaign with Dodd on July 6th and 7th, appearing with him on those days' tour stops and adding informal performances to Dodd's events.

"I am thrilled that Paul will be joining Jackie, our daughters, and me in Iowa," said Dodd. "Paul is a long-time friend and one of the most important voices in American music, and he has been tireless in his service to the greater good of people throughout our country and the world.

"His music and his commitment to bettering our world reflect the leadership and optimism that my campaign is all about."

Simon will join the Dodd family at stops in Mason City, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, Carroll, and Council Bluffs.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Post by Damien »

SPIELBERG ENDORSES HILLARY CLINTON

by BETH FOUHY

NEW YORK, June 14 (AP) - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton has won the endorsement of film producer and director Steven Spielberg, ending a tug-of-war between Clinton and Barack Obama for the Hollywood heavyweight's affections.

"I've taken the time to familiarize myself with the impressive field of Democratic candidates and am convinced that Hillary Clinton is the most qualified candidate to lead us from her first day in the White House," Spielberg said Wednesday in a statement released by the Clinton campaign.

Spielberg has been a supporter and contributor to Clinton in the past, but his support for her presidential bid wasn't always certain. In February, he co-hosted a Beverly Hills fundraiser for Obama with his DreamWorks production partners David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg that brought in more than $1.3 million. Katzenberg is backing Obama, as is Geffen, a former Clinton ally turned critic.

Spielberg has directed some of Hollywood's most admired films, including "Jaws,""E.T. The Extraterrestrial,""Jurassic Park,""Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan."
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Post by Akash »

I warned you Damien. Ghouliani has a lot of appeal with the average American voter (as he does with these B/C list celebs). New Yorkers like yourself know better...but that was also true for Bush in 04 and look how that turned out :D
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Post by Damien »

From Variety:

Tue., Mar. 6, 2007

GOP finds hope in Hollywood
Giuliani, McCain establish ties to industry

By TED JOHNSON

When Rudolph Giuliani raised money in Brentwood on Monday night, there were few, if any, jokes about the plight of Republicans in Hollywood, and no apologies for anyone being there.

And that in itself gives some longtime GOPers in the industry hope. After years in the political wilderness, where they have felt all but marginalized in an era of strident, anti-Bush rhetoric, they are encouraged by the candidacy of Giuliani and of John McCain.

The reason is that each has offered moderate, r muted positions on social issues and have been working for quite a while to establish ties to an industry that President Bush has all but ignored. And each offers the kind of star power and charisma that has excited support on the Democratic side for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

McCain and Giuliani "are both perceived as not being captive to the social conservative wing of the party, and they are larger-than-life figures, which Hollywood likes," said Mike Murphy, a producer and political consultant who ran McCain's 2000 bid and also has worked for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mitt Romney.

Director David Zucker said that while Bush has proven to be a "polarizing figure" in Hollywood, McCain and Giuliani "are a lot more user-friendly. They are more centrist."

Much of the buzz over the past week has been over Giuliani's rise in the polls. According to a Newsweek survey, he beats not just McCain and the other Republican contenders but would edge out leading Democratic contenders in a matchup as well. Some 13% of registered Democrats say they would cross party lines to vote for him.

It's still way too early to discern whether Giuliani's current popularity will last, and, if he is the nominee, whether he or any other GOP contender can draw a sizeable chunk of centrist Democrats. Hollywood's Democratic political consultants doubt such a prospect.

But despite the perception that Hollywood is a predominantly liberal industry, the actual figures show that it isn't so lopsided. In the past couple of election cycles, approximately one-third of entertainment industry money went to Republican candidates. Even Bush collected $1.4 million from entertainment sources in 2004 to John Kerry's $3.5 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

That's a sum significant enough to create a dash for donors among the Giuliani and McCain camps. Each has been laying the groundwork for support of well-known industry figures for quite some time, even if their fund-raising in entertainment circles isn't at the same breakneck pace of their Democratic counterparts.

McCain has long had ties to Hollywood, where through the years even liberals have been intrigued by his maverick status, even if they are not supporting him in the race. Two years ago, McCain and Murphy lunched at the Grill with Warren Beatty.

Some of that bipartisan luster has been diminished by McCain's support for a troop increase in Iraq, but he still has the backing of a number of powerful industry figures.

MGM chief exec Harry Sloan, a member of McCain's national finance committee, hosted a fund-raiser for the Arizona senator in January. Univision's Jerry Perenchio is one of McCain's national co-chairs. And on March 13, McCain is scheduled to visit Hollywood again at a $1,000-per-person luncheon at the Beverly Hilton.

Giuliani, meanwhile, attracted a crowd of more than 150 people at a fund-raiser at the home of former Ambassador Rockwell Schnabel and his wife, Marna. It was not an industry-centric fund-raiser on par with Obama's star-studded Beverly Hilton event two weeks ago, but it did draw such names as Gary Sinise, attorney Bruce Ramer, Bernie Brillstein, Dyan Cannon and writer-director Lionel Chetwynd.

"He's a very authentic leader, and I believe there will be a lot of Republicans, Democrats and independents who will vote for him," says Brillstein-Grey CEO Jon Liebman, one of the co-chairs of the event. Liebman, a former assistant U.S. attorney, worked for Giuliani.

As on the Democratic side, there's still a great deal of sampling going on among donors. One source who attended the Giuliani event on Monday said that he saw a number of McCain supporters, apparently there to "hedge their bets."

"We're a year and a half away," said Sam Haskell, the former William Morris TV chief who says he is leaning toward McCain. "There are a lot of people still feeling their way through who and what this race could be."

Even Romney could draw a few industry figures when he is the guest of honor at a fund-raiser on March 27 hosted by developer Rick Caruso, who built Los Angeles shopping and movie destination the Grove. But Romney's conservative stances on social issues could limit appeal here.

That's the problem all of the GOP candidates face if they make serious efforts to court support beyond traditional Republicans. "If they go too far out on social issues, that is where they are going to lose us," said producer-manager Eric Gold.

A moderate Democrat who voted for Gore and Kerry in recent elections, Gold says he is drawn to McCain for his positions on national security, among other issues, as well as the Arizona senator's ability to take an unpopular stand. Gold says he supported the invasion of Iraq but believes the occupation was mishandled.

McCain "fought Bush when Bush's approval ratings were high, but he supports him now, when they are low," Gold said. "He's not afraid to go against the grain.

"I trust the guy," he said. "I met with him several times. I ask him a question and he answers it."

He is concerned, however, that McCain may lurch too far to the right on social issues in the primary to attract conservatives. It's certainly no secret that McCain is anti-abortion, but there were many doubts that he would ever do anything about it. But at a recent speech in South Carolina, according to the Associated Press, McCain said that Roe v. Wade "should be overturned."

"The liberals in Hollywood who like McCain don't like to see him do the things that he needs to do to win the nomination," Murphy said, adding that the big test will come if he emerges from the primaries and can then "be himself and can attract some of that Hollywood support."

Despite all of the early strategizing, events in Iraq could change the dynamics of the race. Or, if antiwar Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel decides to run, he could attract centrist donors who want a withdrawal. "So many people I talk to are keeping a watchful eye on what is going on," said producer Craig Haffner. "I'm not quite sure where people are going to find their footing."

At the very least, Republicans see a chance to take part in the discourse -- without some of the animosities of the past. Joel Surnow, the exec producer of "24," has become a much more visible Hollywood Republican as the producer of new Fox News series "The ½ Hour News Hour," a counter to Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."

Zucker, a former Democrat who switched to supporting Bush after 9/11, said he's gotten the feeling that "you are an oddball if you are a Republican here."

In the 2008 field, however, "There's less of the extreme. It's going to be different this time," he said.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Fonda, Sarandon among Iraq war protesters

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Protesters energized by fresh congressional skepticism about the Iraq war demanded a withdrawal of U.S. troops in a demonstration Saturday that drew tens of thousands and brought Jane Fonda back to the streets.

A sampling of celebrities, a half-dozen members of Congress and busloads of demonstrators from distant states joined in a spirited rally under a sunny sky, seeing opportunity to press their cause in a country that has turned against the war.

"Silence is no longer an option," Fonda declared to cheers, addressing not only the nation's response to Iraq but her own absence from anti-war protests for 34 years.

The actress once derided as "Hanoi Jane" by conservatives for her stance on Vietnam said she had held back from activism so as not to be a distraction for the Iraq anti-war movement, but now needed to speak out.

"Thank you so much for the courage to stand up against this mean-spirited, vengeful administration," she said.

Fonda drew parallels to the Vietnam War, citing "blindness to realities on the ground, hubris ... thoughtlessness in our approach to rebuilding a country we've destroyed." But she noted that this time, veterans, soldiers and their families increasingly and vocally are against the Iraq war.....


....More Hollywood celebrities showed up at the demonstration than buttoned-down Washington typically sees in a month.

Actor Sean Penn said lawmakers will pay a price in the 2008 elections if they do not take firmer action than to pass a nonbinding resolution against the war, the course Congress is now taking. (Watch how five dozen speakers preceded the anti-war march )

"If they don't stand up and make a resolution as binding as the death toll, we're not going to be behind those politicians," he said. Actors Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and Danny Glover also spoke.

Fonda was a lightning rod in the Vietnam era for her outspoken opposition to that war and her advocacy from Hanoi at the height of that conflict. Sensitive to the old wounds, she made it a point Saturday to thank the active-duty service-members, veterans and Gold Star mothers who attended the rally.
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Post by Damien »

Accepting the Christopher Reeve First Amendment Award at the Creative Coalition dinner the other night, Sean Penn -- in no uncertain terms -- called for the impeachment of both Bush and Cheney.

"If we attempt to impeach for lying about a blow job, yet accept these almost-certain abuses [by the Bush administration] without challenge, we become a cum stain on the flag we wave. Let's move forward and swiftly get out of this war in Iraq and impeach these bastards."
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Post by criddic3 »

The Religious Right have perverted and misrepresented the teachings of Christ and for that, I had to turn away from religion. After all, the God I knew would NEVER have allowed such a perversion to continue and if he allowed the perversion, then obviously I wanted nothing to do with him.


Very interesting passage. So you are willing to blame God for how people teach religion? See this sounds like an excuse not to believe in the religion itself, rather than turning away from those who "pervert" the message.

Back when i was 14, I too decided that the church wasn't necessarily the correct place for me to worship. I stopped going regularly to church. I got a strange feeling about the regular priest who did the service on Sunday. More importantly, though, I was discovering my sexuality. There are people in the Catholic faith, as well as other faiths, that denounce homosexulaity as an abomination. Realizing this, but not wishing to abandon my own faith in God, I chose to pray to him every night and rarely attend mass. I don't know whether or not this was the correct reaction for me to have, but I know that there are good people who practice the Christian faith and see Mel Gibson's movie in a different light than you have presented here.

I appreciate that you see Gibson's version of the sacrifice as a "perversion," but does that mean that all people who see the movie should have the same reaction? I don't think Gibson meant to pervert the message, but to pay tribute to the event by making it as real and immediate as possible for jaded Christians who may have forgotten the extent of the sacrifice.

Organized religion is not a bad thing in and of itself. People make choices. Not everyone makes the right ones. Following a religion is not wrong, nor is it wrong to preach religion, but some become overzealous with it. This can lead to corruption and false pride. I do not fault you for being bitter about religion. I just wish you could separate the belief from those who do it harm. God isn't the problem. People are.
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
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Post by OscarGuy »

I know you just didn't insult my intelligence!

Listen here! I have been on this planet 30 years. 25 of those, I spent in service to a church where I learned EVERYTHING about religion. I learned about everything that the church said Christ stood for and I learned about what his sacrifice meant. I also know a great deal about the other religions that the Christian Right see as a threat to their world dominance. I've seen the black hearts of those people and people even in my old church corrupt the teachings of Christ and Mel Gibson is just another incarnation of those blasphemous ways.

The Religious Right have perverted and misrepresented the teachings of Christ and for that, I had to turn away from religion. After all, the God I knew would NEVER have allowed such a perversion to continue and if he allowed the perversion, then obviously I wanted nothing to do with him.

The Passion of the Christ told me NOTHING about WHY Christ sacrificed himself for a loathesome and fearful people. It told me only about the unnecessary torture of a man. It told me that even then people would attack things that were different than they. It still didn't tell me ANYTHING about Christ's teaching, which epitomizes the struggle of the religious Nazis in our country and in history to corrupt society with their own idea of morality.

Do not ever consider yourself superior enough to ME or ANYONE else to think that you can even remotely characterize someone as NOT understanding the improtance nor sacrifice of something like that. The Passion of the Christ was nothing. It had no actual substance. The substance is ONLY in the heart or mind of the viewer. In my mind, Gibson betrayed everything that Christ stood for by eliminating it from the film and instead focusing on the violence of the crucifixion. Sure, it's wonderful to know what the man went through but The PASSION of the Christ was to sacrifice himself for our sins but that doesn't come across in the film because we never fully understand what our SIN is unless it's his crucifixion, which is certainly not the SIN which he wishes to clense us of.

Your delusion is clear. All Gibson succeeded at was bilking millions of Christians worldwide out of their money and into adoring an insubstantial, low-key snuff film. He enriched no one's lives but those who still adhere to organized religion's indoctrinization of the world.
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Post by criddic3 »

You're right about the awards. They don't mean much, but Ebert was only an example of the critics. Many offered positive views on the film upon its release, and none of them compared it unfavorably to the kinds of horror movies you claim are less violent.

There was violence, and some of it was intense, but not overwhemingly so. If it had been I doubt my Aunt would have stayed. She definitely is not into violence.

For a guy who never picked a fight, who is not violent by any means and who is disgusted by the gratuitous violence seen in many horror films today, I'd say it would have been tough for me to watch Gibson's film all the way through if it had been as violent as you and some others claim.

Certainly, The Passion of the Christ is not a movie to pop into the dvd player over and over, as you might with other Biblical films (though most of them are too long), it is not without considerable merit. It is a serious meditation on the sacrifice of Christ. Is that really so hard to understand?

I, unfortunately, am not a very active member of the Catholic faith, in that I do not attend weekly mass. I pray every night and I do feel that God is a guiding source in my life, but I am no preacher. This film is a reinforcement of the beliefs of the Christian faith. Many responded to it in that spirit. It is an acheivement in ways that maybe you just cannot grasp.
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
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Post by OscarGuy »

The People's Choice Awards are a joke, so I wouldn't credit them for anything. As are the Golden Satellites and Roger Ebert, so they don't add much credibility to your argument.

When I brought up sadomasochism, I brought it up because of the utter repugnance of the whole thing. It was glorified violence and had it been any other story, it would have been put down as such but because it's supposedly a true story, things were looked aside. And I disagree on your assessment of Horror comparisons. I've seen dozens of horror films that have less blood and gore in their entire lengths than this film does in the agonizing 20 minutes. It was unnecessary. And if people are renting it, I hope they fast forward through that scene or my assessment of their mental state stands.
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Post by criddic3 »

Okay. That's how you feel about the film, but why dismiss anyone watching the film as being sadomachistic? That isn't really fair. Many people who rent this movie are older women, who simply admire the film's gutsy telling of Christ's sacrifice. Saying it has anything to do with wanting to watch violence (which is not nearly as sickening in this film as in the horror films you elude to) is simply not fair.

I saw this film with my 70+ yr old Great Aunt (my grandmother's sister) prepared for the worst in terms of violence. We'd read and heard about how graphic it was. It was violent, certainly, but not so much so that we had to hide our eyes from it. Now, it is possible that the hype surrounding the film had prepared us too well for what we would see, but I doubt it highly. We were both moved by the film. There was much more than just violence in the film. That would have amounted to a snuff film, which I would not support and which I do not think would have garnered as much praise from people like Ebert or the Golden Satellite Awards. Not to mention the People's Choice Award it got as the best dramatic film of the year from voters.
"Because here’s the thing about life: There’s no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days when you need a hand. There are other days when we’re called to lend a hand." -- President Joe Biden, 01/20/2021
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