The" Matrix" phenomena shaping opinion about religion

Theologians and pop culture experts have seen The Matrix as a phenomena shaping public opinion about religion.they argued the fact that it appealed directly to the heart of Christianity,it's scrip however draws on Platonic philosophy,Greek myth,buddhism and postmodernism.As in Star Wars,many fans felt that it too freely mixed myth and religion with the idea of a Jedi Jesus...what could possibly be the next big sci-fi movie with such a comparison and with who...Ghandi ?? Mandela... or maybe Arafat.

Christians are always searching for Christian themes in these movies. They saw a great Christian message in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which may or may not be true.

And of course Neo dying in Revolutions was seen as a Christ-like sacrifice.

``

hows about Gurdjieff

Wiki
............

seeing as how 'Matrix' is just the most recent adaptation of this Phenom. And Mr G, could be considered one of the founding fathers of Modern (matrix) thought...

consider the Diplomatic angles wrapped in this package, being French and all....

FROM: Gurdjieff Electronic Publishing
FEATURED: Fall 2003 Issue,Vol VII (1)
EXCERPT: Kathern C. Hulme's "Undiscovered Country: A Spiritual Adventure"

"Gurdjieff had given us a pledge to say each time before beginning the new exercise____that we would not use this for the self, but for all humanity. This 'good wishing-for-all' vow, so deeply moving in intent, had a tremendous effect opon me. For the first time in my life, I felt that I was truly doing something for humanity as I strove to make my own molecule of it more perfect. The meaning of this Work, which at first seemed so egotistical and self-centered, suddenly blossomed out like a treee of life encompassing in its myriad branchings the entire human family. The implications of it were staggering. By my single efforts toward Being, I could help sleeping humanity one hairsbreadth nearer to God. I believed this. Every time i said the pledge before beginning my exercise I believed that if I made something for my own inner world, I would be making it for 'all humanity'. It was my first experiencing of the Mystical Body of Christ of which I knew nothing of then, but would encounter many years later like a familiar concept though always shrouded in its immense mystery.

~*~

(of course the ref. to Christ,Mystical Body...is a experienced point of /analogy/coded definition...)

BUT, a 2 hour movie, last evening...'Little Richard' one of the architects of rock-n-roll, would be a top notch candidate too!!

Actually they did'nt have to search for anything,as the movie was specifically created for that purpose.The Wachowski brothers assigned actor keanu Reeves to read the book "Simulacra & Simulation" before any filming could begin.....the book appeard in the film when Neo hid his illicit software within a chapter of the volume titled "On Nihism"....
In Buddhism it's claimed that the chief problem faced by humanity,is not sin or evil.It's ignorance of the true reality.The lack of an explicit divin being and references to 'focus' 'path' and free your mind.Matrix rebels download truth and reprogram their minds to achieve salvation...
The Matrix is a computer program used to imprison mankind.Agent Smith (Evil) told Morpheus(Neo's mentor) that the original matrix world was designed to be a perfect human world,no one accepted the program,because humans define their reality through misery and suffering..Genesis.;Comparing humans to a virus,Smith establishes evil as a natural,intrisic state of human nature...

I love this stuff.

For those of us who aren't on the same page, could someone explain HOW that movie supposedly is influencing Christianity?

I see the evangelical movement influencing it. I see the feminist movement influencing it (sometimes negatively.) I see the gay rights movement influencing some of it (sometimes netatively.) I see the conservative movement influencing it. All these movements are causing changes in relgious services and in the ways that the churches are organized and cause the large assemblies of sects to change bylaws or bring these issues into debate.

But I haven't seen any sweeping movement that matches anything I saw in the movie. In fact, I'm not aware of any particular themes the movie "teaches" other than 'this reality is manufactured." I'd like to see some examples of what you guys are talking about.

I was under the impression that the Matrix was based on several Gnostic beliefs and teachings. Am i wrong?

One of the ships in Revolutions is called the Gnosis.

www.google.com...

Gnosis comes from a Greek word meaning 'to know' in the sense of 'to
be acquainted'. Gnosis in a more specific religious sense refers to
the knowledge of God and the fullness of the true spiritual realms
through direct personal experience. Similar terms are jnana
(Sanskrit) and ma'rifat (Arabic). A gnostic is someone who has had
such an experience or who has been initiated into a tradition which
provides access to such personal revelations.

[edit on 13-11-2004 by Ibn Iblis]

There are literarly hundreds of "Matrix" websites out there,and they're not about how goodlooking Keanu Reeves looks.The christian parallels,the philosophical underpinnings of the film is what captures people's intellectual imagination!!...

Gnosticism is hard to clearly define. It began as an adaption of Greek philosophy, but there are also the Christian Gnostics. One principle belief was that God gave man a spark of divinity, and that through knowledge we could free our spirits from the material world and join God in Heaven.

But i'm not to sure about the title question. I don't see that it is.

Sometimes I wonder if/when physicists finally discover the complete unified theory of everything, including where the universe came from, we would meet or know God.

It's almost like God left us a trail of crumbs, yet everytime we find one it leads us down a dozen new paths. One of these days I wanna get back to reading about cosmology and astronomy.

The Matrix mirrors the scientology cult where man (thetans) is trapped within an unseen prison By MEST

This is the exact nature of programming. Commercials, movies, media - are all forms of some kind of 'training' w/ the specific purpose of beating us into a state of mental submission where we give up on hope and no longer ask "what can I do?" The ones that concede to this programming give up on the quest for truth - which is the exact intention of those that provide it.

Saying that Scientology is a cult is saying that any group of organized people that wish to better themselves by purging their minds of this programming, is a cult also. Maybe if you read what Scientology is about, and about the founder, you may be invited to understand - unless you're not ready.

I live in Clw. I have had first hand knowledge of Scientology. All of it.

So...what does firsthand knowledge mean? That you read a book or two and threw it away?

What is it that you know that would make you label it a cult? And what else do you label a cult?

I lived with Scott Brown.

So enlighten me. What did you experience there that has made you use the word "cult"??

Main Entry: cult
Pronunciation: 'k<
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate -- more at WHEEL
1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator ealth cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

I live at ground Zero of scientologies mecca
I lived with a high level clear auditor Scott Brown in the 80s he
escaped scientology with all the books hymnals manuals He let me read for myself through the volumues I wish you could be here and see them all in there navy uniforms scurrying around giving every dime to the church trying to undo their fear.
Scientology is nothing new a rehash of old school self analysis
with a hefty price tag
Its a rip off.

I do support there fighting of drugging kids but ripping people off with auditing is a con game.
get clear help others get clear.