The Last Temptation of Christ is one of my favorite books, Kazantzakis one of my favorite authors, I thought the movie was well done and Willem Dafoe's best work. Freedom of religion (even atheism) is an important human right. Freedom of speech must necessarily be considered in the light of what is said and how it is received, because what is spoken and what is heard are both implicit in the freedom. Am I exercising freedom when I stand up on an airplane and yell "bomb," or inciting riot? Clearly, what is spoken and how it is received are both important in this case and defines the freedom.
I am no expert in developmental models, and refer folks to the two most versatile that I know: Maslow's Hierarchy, http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/maslow.htm ; and Spiral Dynamics http://www.spiraldynamics.org/aboutsd_overview.htm I site these because I think that both models apply to individual and group development. I think a country's decision to include blasphemy laws is necessitated by its level of sociological development. The need to restrict freedom and control worship, speech etc., indicates a lack of cohesive government, and probably a more tribal stage of development of groups within the country. Even in my beloved Ireland, the backwards thinking and inability of men to consider the needs of women, groups to consider the needs of other groups, and church (also state) to consider the needs of families indicates a serious lack of integrative function that sheds light on the blasphemy laws there. The country has not emerged from war mentality. It will need to do this before moving up the pyramid or spiral (or whatever model you choose) and come close to the unity consciousness needed for a government that provides these kinds of freedoms for groups and individuals. On Jan 5, 8:30 am, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 2:15 PM, frantheman <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Let's not confine this to Islam, though. Monty Python's "Life of > > Brian" was banned in many places and countries. And both Godard's "Je > > vous salue, Marie" [Hail Mary] and Scorcese's "Last Temptation of > > Christ" provoked vehement protests from many Christians, some of it > > violent. > > > Personally, the most gratuitously pornographic film I've seen in > > recent years is Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" (and I don't think > > much of claims concerning its historical accuracy either). I wouldn't > > dream of banning it, however. > > > Francis > > Agreed. Artists and performers need freedom to express themselves. > Certain forms should have a Mature label and be kept off the street > corners but book burning and banning is what other countries do. Not > mine. I hope. > > I heard enough about Gibson's snuff flick to avoid it. I read books > and go to the movies for enjoyment. Didn't sound like fun to me. I > liked Avatar. AKA Dances With Smurfs. That's entertainment. > > -Don > > > On 4 Jan., 20:39, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> "I'm not sure what the definition of blasphemy is but I know it when I see > >> it." > > >> And a cartoon of a prophet with a bomb strapped to his head ain't it. > >> It comes down to letting a ruling body decide what the definition is > >> going to be. I'm not fond of that notion. I say let folks say and > >> print what they like and let the readers decide. I would be against > >> subsidizing such enterprises however. > > >> IMHO, bowing to the threats and intimidation of a few crazy Islamists > >> is no way to run a country. I'd rather take the fight to them and > >> work openly as well as clandestinely to bring freedom to the countries > >> that support such oppression. Iran, in particular, seems to be > >> screaming for help. > > >> -Don > > >> On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 1:13 PM, frantheman <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >> > Given that there was an attempted murder on the Danish cartoonist Kurt > >> > Westergaard last week, and that the subject has come up in the > >> > "Muslims making you nervous" thread, I thought I'd open a new thread > >> > to discuss this particular issue. Molly asked two questions: > > >> > On 4 Jan., 19:56, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> >> Is your question "can God be mocked" or should there be laws in any > >> >> country that penalize citizens for doing so? > > >> > Two questions, really. > >> > So I'll start this with Molly's usual question, what do YOU think? > > >> > Francis > > >> > -- > > >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> > Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. > >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> > [email protected]. > >> > For more options, visit this group > >> > athttp://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en. > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > ""Minds Eye"" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > For more options, visit this group > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.
