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Church uses "The Matrix" to talk to youth


White Knight

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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.

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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]

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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.

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[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.

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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.

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I love Fr. Meyer, and I think it's great that he's so involved with young folks in the diocese. He's also trying to get some sort of TOTB program started.

I'm not worried at all about using The Matrix to start discussions about Christianity.

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i think its a good way to evangelize and such

I saw a poster that says "men in Black" "Pray about it", refering to the priest hood- its pretty tight

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well i think it's a good way to the public to see what priesthood is like

most of the time i get offended by what people say about priesthood.

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I believe the goal of this, is to let youth know that the priesthood doesn't mean "all work and no play". The priesthood is a serious thing, but many (myself included at times), feel that we would spend the rest of our lives constantly working, and absolutely have no fun or play. Priests have hobbies, interests, or activities they enjoy doing in their spare time, and that's what should also be told.

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[quote name='Theoketos' date='Aug 26 2005, 11:59 AM']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...
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.
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The USCCB movie ratings are very inconsistent, which is one reason I don't pay a whole lot of attention to them.

Unfortunatley, the USCCB councils (as on other things) tend to rate movies as much on political correctness as morality. Blasphemous anti-Catholic movies like "Priest" are rated morally acceptable, while fairly innocuous movies like "Rush Hour" are rated "morally offensive" (too much "racial humor" and "violence.")
The ratings tend to be easy on sex, and harsh on violence (and "politically incorrect" attitudes).

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Overall, this ad campaign seems rather silly and innocuous. Its just an ad campaign using a familiar image, and does not imply an endoresment of everything in the Matrix films.

There's nothing wrong with this - advertising is basically to get people's attention. If they're interested, they should obviously be given something more in-depth and substantial.

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[quote name='Laudate_Dominum' date='Aug 26 2005, 06:45 PM']I use Star Wars and LOTR to talk about the Faith.. But the Matrix creeps me out a little bit.
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i think dallas would love the star wars

LOTR

i think that's what JRR Tolkien intended

i mean it is about the book of revelation

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Extra ecclesiam nulla salus

shouldn't the idea of being a Minister of God be enough to attract people. it works for me. It should be about christ. not the Matrix or pop culture. THis is modernism at its worst. How this for an adverstising campaign


[img]http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/ncd02473.gif[/img]

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