God's Not Dead

You know what would be hilarious? If Jack Chick sued, claiming this movie was a rip-off of his "Big Daddy?" tract.

Yeah, that sounds like a lawsuit against the school that ends either the firing of a nontenured professor or a tenured professor teaching two classes that each have the other as a requirement.

^^Still gotta love how those comics look like parodies because they take fundamentalism to their logical conclusion

This movie is especially hilarious because even my overbearing, catholic, libertarian ethics professor who spends half his day in class trying to include goldbug and libertarian woo into all his lectures would find this movie's portrayal of a philosophy professor hilarious.

My pastor just fired some shots. He said that he hated the movie because he disliked the strawmen.

One would have thought a pastor, given his role, would be all over praisin' the film to the heavens. That he wasn't is... interesting.

Then again I don't tend to mix with a lot of pastors so I am operating under some amount of ignorance here.

Even among fundamentalist Christianity (let alone Christianity as a whole) there are a lot of intelligent people, and they're obviously not going to like the movie because it makes them look like idiots. Not every pastor is going to praise something because it has Jesus on the cover.

Cracked had an article not too long ago, 5 Traits You Think You Control (But Totally Don't). One of the things mentioned is that scientists discovered a gene that, if you have it, you are more likely to believe in a higher power than those without it.

So yes, there are plenty of intelligent people who believe in the supernatural. Part of it is probably their upbringing, but another reason could be their genetic makeup.

There does seem to be some genetic basis for certain leanings. Of course these are preliminary studies for the most part so file it under "almost entirely useless" until more work can be done.

On the last page there was some debate on who exactly this movie is for. If we take out all the people who would see this movie just to shit on it we're looking at probably a small portion of Christians. This is for that aunt who keeps forwarding you pictures of Obama not saluting the flag. For that girl in college who doesn't "get" evolution. For that cousin who says you just NEED to see this movie and he's praying for you.

This is 90 minutes of validation for those who already believe and 90 minutes you'll never get back for everyone else.

@Tam: a good deal of pastors have been to seminary or a college to study theology as a major. Unless you're talking a smaller, extremely rural congregation, quite a few pastors would be sufficiently educated to realize what a hilarious strawman of a movie this is.

A woman at my church apparently saw this as a "heartwarming" story and told me the whole synopsis. Going by this forum, the 5 minutes I spent listening to her was a lot better than the 90 minutes everyone else had to see.

Honestly, what professor would say "Write God is dead or I fail you"? If one of my professors said that to me, I wouldn't go into a series of debates, I'd sue him and the college for religious discrimination.

That professor would be fired before the class day ended. Depending on the professors status and time period.

I have encountered a Jerkass Professor in a past religious class, but at worst he was extremely dismissive. The "Believe what I believe or you fail" though?

I dunno, I think there is a place for a movie like this. One where a person goes to college and finds his beliefs challenged but ultimate finds a way to reconcile his faith. You can make a movie like that without the whole "Evil Atheist is trying to persecute me" nonsense.

I majored in Philosophy in college, and my professors rarely shared their own beliefs with the class, except on things like who their favorite philosopher was, or their opinions on what the writer was trying to communicate. Often, the discussion involved the professor asking the students to share their own thoughts and opinions.

And if you didn't want your beliefs and opinions challenged, then what are you doing in a Philosophy class?

edited 21st Apr '14 11:54:54 AM by Lawyerdude

In my experience a good teacher never gives their own views and plays the devils advocate for everything. For the sake of a good argument and promoting thought.

edited 21st Apr '14 11:58:14 AM by LeGarcon

Yeah.;.I have a shitty philosophy teacher who constantly tries to push randian libertarianism on us and how amazingly rational it is. But in his defense, he also can at least play devils advocate for other philosophies at times, and has pointed out that "not liking" an argument isnt the same thing as disproving it.

But even he wouldnt demand we all agree with Libertarianism or else we fail..because he'd get his ass fired in an instant for it.

A good response essay by a Christian who had atheist philosophy professors.

A friend of mine posted on his FB "God's Not Dead". Oh-No...

Which, when other's mentioned how bad it was in the comments, I thought I'd post my own thoughts of its lack of logical backing and etc...

"*insert my name here* thank you for your opinion, there's no point in arguing this because neither of us are going to convince each other of anything. I only hope that you can find fulfillment in believing in nothing and trying to convert people into hating God and religious beliefs."

HOLY CRAP! :O People are getting vicious over this film...

While I haven't seen the movie (I'm probably going to sooner or later) the things I've seen from the trailer lead me to complain about two things. First off the Hollywood Athiest. I mean how ridiculously stereotypical could you get? Without going all rant mode or anything, it's silly that stupid stereotypes have to be relied on for this. Secondly (and quite frankly worse in my opinion) is the fact that this movie is so over the top pandering to the Christians. The pandering is freaking stupid, regardless of who you're pandering too. I'm less concerned with the christians (even if I am athiest) and more concerned about how/why you're pandering. If you wanted to kiss ass in my opinion, send some donations or go make an online video telling people how "cool" Christianity or whoever is.

Well he's right; you certainly aren't going to convince him! In all honesty I've never seen a debate on facebook go anywhere so I just unfollow their posts.

Fixed.

edited 27th Apr '14 9:03:54 AM by Quag15

Oi now, fundamentalist isn't necessarily synonymous with dumb. Many of us are just as irritated with this movie as you are.

The slash I put between those words was meant to be "or", as in, "dumb or fundamentalist".

It came across as using them interchangeably. Sorry, it's a pet peeve of mine.

edited 27th Apr '14 10:25:11 AM by CorrTerek

No problem. Should've written "or" instead.