Church uses "The Matrix" to talk to youth

[White Knight]

[b][url="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9075370/"]Church uses "The Matrix" to talk to the youth.[/url][/b]


What do you guys think of this?

Really I dunno what to think. The Matrix did have some Elements of Christianity in there, like "Trinity" and such, but do you think this is really, a good way to go? Edited August 26, 2005 by White Knight

[jmjtina]

I think it's cool.

but I would LOVE to see priests on posters interacting with the people. I"m the vocation liason as well to everything else, and personally it's a cool poster, but lets photograhp them baptizing babies, teaching a class, out in the community, playing a benefit basketball game. "He can shoot. He can score. He can also hear your confession." or something like that.......

[Soldier4Him]

[quote name='jmjtina' date='Aug 25 2005, 11:01 PM'] "He can shoot. He can score. He can also hear your confession."
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LOVE IT!!!!

[White Knight]

Well not to be the double downer, but the Matrix isn't very popluar anymore among the public especially after two failed sequals.

Now the First one is cool. but the sequals kind of ruined the series, unfortunately.


Anyway to the point. I think The Matrix has some cool concepts to use in Catholicism but I dont think, it sould be used heavyly.

[RC_]

The Matrix is an ultra-violent movie.

Any "Christianity" in the film is more of the gnostic type.

Not a good movie to use to talk about Christianity.

I still like it though.

[ReinnieR]

yeah this is cool

flowery posted this about a couple of weeks ago

[zwergel88]

awesome that msnbc did a story about this.

I think that its pretty cool!

I don't really understand the matrix, it's an odd movie, but cool nonetheless.

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

i think its disgusting. The whole movie is inipropriate. Trinity and the like have names mocking christianity. it has gnostic themes. It totally inipropriate.

[Brother Adam]

Using the secular to get people to ask questions about Catholicism. Very evangelistic.

[Nicole8223]

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

i thought the matrix smiley would be appropriate.

[Brother Adam]

[Nicole8223]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Aug 26 2005, 11:38 AM']               

               

               
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[Luthien]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Aug 26 2005, 10:23 AM']i think its disgusting. The whole movie is inipropriate. Trinity and the like have names mocking christianity. it has gnostic themes. It totally inipropriate.
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Have you seen it?

[Brother Adam]

I agree the movie can hardly be called Christian in nature, but there is certianly nothing wrong with using the secular (as long as it isn't too far out) to help lead people into conversations about Catholicism or the priesthood. Obviously no one things the Matrix is actually a Catholic movie.

[Nicole8223]

I've seen the Matrix and loved it. I only saw the first one cause I heard the other two had some bad junk in them....anyway....

I was just on the Bishops website and looked up the Matrix. They rated it morally offensive. I was surprised, especially because they are often not as strict in their rating as I would like. So after knowing that, I think this message could cause some confusion. The Bishops find the movie morally offensive and then the Church uses it to promote vocations......maybe not such a good idea.

[ryanmeyersmusic]

the poster doesn't tell you to see the movie, it uses images that practically everyone in the country are familiar with and promotes something good.

[quote name='Madeline L'Engle']There is nothing so profane that it cannot become sacred.  This is the mystery of the incarnation.[/quote]

[Theoketos]

As a 17 year old, when it first came out, I was really wowed by it. Now reflecting back, I think that it is only mediocre.

Also, I was surprised by this...

[quote]# The Matrix -- [b]Because of excessive violence and recurring profanity, the U.S. Catholic Conference classification, (O) -- morally offensive. [/b]Motion Picture Association of America rating, R -- restricted The Matrix is a convoluted sci-fi tale in which a tiny band of cyber rebels led by Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne do battle with virtually indestructible humanoid killers from the 22nd centry. The action movie's violence is glorified, glamorized and made to look exciting with a dazzling array of eyepopping special effects. April 1999[/quote]

The next two got Adult IV, which is below O. I would think it the other way around, espcially with the sex scene in the second one. ( I walk out during and never have gone back to the Matrix.)

I never saw the third train wreck of "Revolutions", nor do I intend to do so.

But on to the point...

I do not think showing this film to youth who are still rather impressionable an un-formed would be a good idea. Maybe to college students who are well formed, but even then, there is WAAAAAAAAAAY better material that is fresher and less dangerous to use as outreach.

[Theoketos]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Aug 26 2005, 10:23 AM']i think its disgusting. The whole movie is inipropriate. Trinity and the like have names mocking christianity. it has gnostic themes. It totally inipropriate.
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I really do not think that it was mocking Christianity. I do agree that the slightly subtle Gnosticism makes it dangerous to those who are easily swayed, for instance a 12 year old who is interested in philosophy.

However, just because something contains a rival system to Christianity does not make it inappropriate.

What does make it inappropriate is the inconsequential sci-fi violence.

[Oik]

When our group was at WYD, I grabbed a free poster of this.

If anything, it is just laughable and entertaining. It's kischy. I think this kind of stuff boarders on using silly, entertaining things to attract youth (and other in general) to Catholicism.

Is that okay? Yeah. Not Yes! Not Absolutly, but only a meger, yeah.

Why? The priesthood or religious life in general is not a fad, it's not something cool, it's Holy. It's a life of vitue, rigor, and sanctity.


It's kind of like a rapping priest or a monk that uses a skateboard.


Ultimatley, I don't see anything wrong with it. It is silly to my (though I will readily admit, there was a time in my life that these things would have taken me by strom).


In the end, young people are attracted to Holiness, kindness, generosity, and virtue. They are only infatuated with entertainment, full-surrendered "fun" and immature activities (which is of course, again, not to say that these things can't be used to bring them to Christ).

Really, my concern, my experience is that this things don't really convey the depth of the beauties and Truth of the Church. They merely purvey the superficial exterior adornments that are easily accessible to even the most ardent of the Churches detractors.