Exodus, Gods and Kings - New Trailer

[timpin]

From first learning of the Truth I was instructed that those movies were not conveying the Truth and they were not good to watch, therefore I don't.

It's as if reading/listening the lies that they tell.

Was I instructed wrongly?

Because from what this tread is about it's as it's okay to view such lies about the Truth. Might as well go sit in on a sermon at a church. IMO!

 

I strongly agree with this!  

 

Why are we wasting our time, money and assets on garbage like this?

 

These are time-wasting pursuits that can be devoted to much more productive activities to strengthen us as individuals, families and congregations. They also are subtle attacks on the faith we try so hard to build and defend.

 

They deteriorate our mental capacities (thinking abilities) It's no wonder why the GB continues to stress repeatedly the same direction, advice and counsel over and over again in print, audio and now video.  

 

It's 2015 friends, let's act like the end is tomorrow!  ....   no need to go on, I think I've exposed enough of my inner feelings.  

Edited December 14, 2014 by timpin

[Stavro]

http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/do-jehovahs-witnesses-ban-certain-entertainment/

 

The Bible does give some principles on acceptable entertainment, but the slave does not even hint at which specific movies or genres are unacceptable.

 

In following their lead, let's keep this conversation about the merits of the movie itself, not harshly degrading the choices of others.

[Tia]

Bro. Bob - Bro. Stavro

 

thank you!  I was really beating myself up!!!

[Life4u]

http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/do-jehovahs-witnesses-ban-certain-entertainment/

 

The Bible does give some principles on acceptable entertainment, but the slave does not even hint at which specific movies or genres are unacceptable.

 

In following their lead, let's keep this conversation about the merits of the movie itself, not harshly degrading the choices of others.

How do you know that this kind of stuff is not stumbling for others, even confusing!To some!

Follow the slave lead and put link about stumbling others with lies about the Truth.

Why when others speak their minds you pounce on them? It is about what is Truth!

This contents of the movie has to do with lies about the Truth. Maybe this discussion should have been keep private and not put out in public.

[Stavro]

(Galatians 6:4, 5) But let each one examine his own actions, and then he will have cause for rejoicing in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. For each one will carry his own load.

[Qapla]

If you listen to some, the only "entertainment" we should have is what is on tv.jw.org and the only music we should listen to are the Kingdom songs.

 

If you listen to others, one could watch pornography - because it is a "conscience" matter and there is no "real" definition as to what pornography is.

 

In reality, the Slave is not saying either - and the balance is somewhere in between.

 

The truth is, most people, though they "say" they are not imposing their consciences on others, tend to "judge" these things on how "they" individually view them - and this tends to show up in comments - from time-to-time.

 

I have not seen this movie.

 

However, in all fairness, many have watched some things on public TV when they make comments like "20,000 years of evolution has...." and find that most just "listen past" those statements.

 

But, is there any real difference in this type of falsehood and the type in a Hollywood production of a Bible based story that they tell in their own way?

 

The same could be said of the news. We all know that various news agencies/outlets/networks put their own "slant" on what they report. In reality, isn't a "slant" a falsehood?

 

The question is, if the only thing we ever read, watch, listen to is on jw.org then how can we "keep up with current events" like we have been encouraged to do?

 

Balance is needed.

[Sallyforth]

I want Charleston Heston. No matter what you say about the "Ten Commandments", you can never question

he looked more like Moses than any actors since. And the parting of the Red Sea was nothing less than awe-

some. Call me prejudice. Maybe it was because my Mom and Dad took us kids to see it years ago at the drive

in theater. SO IT WILL BE WRITTEN, SO IT WILL BE DONE !

 

                                                                                                                                    GStorrs46

Yeah, the movie was pretty cheesy at times, but wow! The parting of the Red Sea was awesome for its time, and Heston had such a commanding voice. You felt like he believed in God, unlike these new actors who seem embarrassed to be playing Biblical roles.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Sallyforth

[Brother_Bliss]

Yeah, the movie was pretty cheesy at times, but wow! The parting of the Red Sea was awesome for its time, and Heston had such a commanding voice. You felt like he believed in God, unlike these new actors who seem embarrassed to be playing Biblical roles.

 

The Heston movie is a classic! And regarding the parting of the Red Sea, they actually made a sea of Jello and sliced it down the middle and separated it, and then filmed it forming back together while melting it with a hair dryer. To make the Red Sea part, they played the footage backwards

[Sallyforth]

The Heston movie is a classic! And regarding the parting of the Red Sea, they actually made a sea of Jello and sliced it down the middle and separated it, and then filmed it forming back together while melting it with a hair dryer. To make the Red Sea part, they played the footage backwards

Who needs CGI? Ha ha! I never heard that about the jello before.

[Life4u]

{{ Converted from ALL CAPS to Sentence Case using http://convertcase.net/because typing in ALL CAPS is consider rude netiquette. Please also take a moment to re-read all of Section D in the JWTalk Forum Membership Policy which you agreed to abide by upon becoming a registered member. - Bob }}

 

 

Bro. Morris said it plainly, "we  will have to face jehovah with our decisions",  don't be mad at him he was only the messenger of what the slave was speaking on!!!

 

You all can say what you want, quote what you want to too look as if you are doing the right thing, say all those remarks of this and that.

 

I still don't see any quotes from the slave about stumbling others just to have it our way. I don't know how to link articles that's why i don't. But to each it's own.

 

 

I will not be commenting anymore because woe to whomever differ from what is being spoken of.  Oh my, you can't disagree and speak your take on the matter without being pounced upon with statements as what has been stated.  Why! Don't tell me, i already know so don't say it! I will seek peace and leave it all alone, i am done with it, bye bye!

Edited December 15, 2014 by Dismal_Bliss
Converted to Sentence Case. Added important note to refresh ourselves with the Forum Membership Policy.

[Qapla]

It's not a matter of "not being able or disagree or speak your take" in these discussions.

 

It is a matter of it coming across as "This is MY view and if you don't agree YOU are wrong".

 

There is a difference between having a discussion and "proving a point".

 

Take for instance - watching violent sports. Just what is a violent sport? You will not find "in print" the naming of many sports that some view as violent in any of our literature. Why? Simple! There is a difference in a sport being violent and a sport being played in a violent fashion.

 

The same goes for what we listen to, watch and do.

 

Just because WE think something is clearly wrong does not mean that if others do not see it that way WE are right and They are wrong - just as it does not mean WE are wrong and THEY are right - it just means we see it differently ...... that is what "a matter of conscience" means.

 

Yes, we will all have to face Jehovah for our own decisions. And chances are, many of the choices we will make will be wrong - after all, we are imperfect. Does that mean we can do anything we want and blame it on imperfection? No. It means we all have to continually make sure that WE do what WE see WE need to do to bring our lives in line with Jehovah's standards.

 

Ever come across one of those people who tell you about the music you listen to, the shows you watch, or many of those things .... and then ride with them (perhaps even in service) and notice how they tend to drive 5 mph over the posted limit? Well, isn't speeding just as wrong as viewing something that is a lie?

 

I will add one more comment and then let this go ..... it does not really help when we are at the door to get into a "shouting match" with the householder so that we cn "prove our point" - the same holds here. Shouting at everyone is not the way to make our point - and that is how ALL CAPS and BOLD is viewed.

 

If your CAPS key was stuck on and you didn't notice that and the bold print, I understand .... but, if you intended it to be that way (ALL CAPS BOLD), and considering your last paragraph, it is kind of like saying "if we can't play by my rules, I will take my bat and ball and go home."

 

I hope that was not the case and we can have this thread come back to a "discussion" and not an "argument" - and that you will continue to join in with us.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Qapla

[Rajan]

 I am grateful to this forum and I should really thank the brothers/sisters who first watched this movie and shared the contents. Otherwise how we could have known how such films turning into garbage, everyone would be rushing to watch such movies due to our eagerness to see the biblical accounts.   Thanks very much friends.

 

About Exodus Gods and Kings -  when the trailer was released, I knew though they may really not adopt all the biblical accounts, ,  I thought at least with today's movie technics, I would be able to see the dividing  of red sea in 3D , better than the "Ten Commandments"   So absurd, I read the review in news paper that the parting of red sea was picturised as the sea became a river  and the water gradually flowing down  and people crossing the river with   water till kneejoint..

[AH173]

I wish to thank the reviews of this movie. It's a little hilarious to think what Satan's entertainment conglomerate does to a nice biblical account. ☺

[carlos]

From first learning of the Truth I was instructed that those movies were not conveying the Truth and they were not good to watch, therefore I don't.

It's as if reading/listening the lies that they tell.

Was I instructed wrongly?

Because from what this tread is about it's as it's okay to view such lies about the Truth. Might as well go sit in on a sermon at a church. IMO!

 

Hi Charlotte. I don't think you were instructed wrongly, much the opposite. We all need to be careful with the kind of movies we watch. But in the end, deciding which movies are acceptable for us and our family is a very personal question. Everyone must obey their conscience when it says a particular movie is not acceptable.

 

All Biblical movies are inaccurate to some point, and all are made by Satan's world. That includes The Ten Commandments and The Prince of Egypt, which some here obviously enjoyed (me too!). Even in those movies there are some inaccuracies and misinterpretations of the scriptural account. But nobody thinks they were made to teach lies about the Bible, it's simply that worldly people cannot portrait accurately what the Bible means. But with all their shortcomings, I still think watching those movies is acceptable and even beneficial for me personally, since they help me visualize the things the Bible describes.

 

That was my intention when I went to watch Exodus. I don't think the movie was made with the intention of teaching lies. I didn't expect it to be very accurate, but still I hoped it would be exciting to see the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. In the end, it wasn't worth it.

[jpcook]

You can't beat that old classic!

[Poly Ester]

Anything made in Hollywood is not going to stick to Bible facts, they use 'poetic licence '

I was going to see it (it's not released in Ireland until Friday) just for the special effects, I watched a documentary about the film and effects last night...so by now I think I've seen them all !!

[Tcvancoops]

All I can say is....

Christian Bale as Noah.....really?  REALLY?  Meh, whatever

[ChocoBro]

Well we watched it last night.

 

Wasn't the worst of biblical adaptations, I suppose, but it was quite a stretch.

 

First, the positive aspects: I have never seen more stunning 3D FX, props, costumes and scenery. The imagery in this film is simply amazing. The 9 plagues (the gadfly and the gnats are sort of crammed together into one plague with flies and mosquitos) are made in a breathtaking way.

 

What I also liked is that the orientals of that age are portrayed in a historically accurate way. I never liked how the publications of the faithful slave always portrayed people like Zippora so spic and span like you might have expected of the later Israelites after the mosaic law... in the film, Zippora has tattoos on her chin and forehead

 

 

SPOILER ALERT!

 

When it comes to the plague of the firstborn struck down, Pharao asks "What kind of god causes children to die?", Moses replies "No Hebrew child died this night!" and Pharao lets the children go. Ironically, Pharao's final threat before the tenth plague in the movie was to murder every single Hebrew child yet unable to walk. Therefore, I do think they dealt with this subject in a somewhat fair way, even if in human terms of justice.

 

Ironically, the movie mocks today's scientific approach of explaining away the ten plagues by making Pharao's magic-practising priests speak about them in a scientific type of manner ("Well, all the tossing and turning of the crocodiles in the Nile has caused the frogs to leave the Nile, where they didn't find any food, so they died, and that caused the flies to come about") but at the same time, sort of tries to compromise the plagues and miracles by changing them around a bit: for example the Nile turns to blood because the creatures in it go crazy and start killing everyone and each other, the parting of the sea is a Tsunami induced by a falling star.

 

Now to the negative aspects:

First and foremost, "I AM THAT I AM" is portrayed as a 8-year-old brat... not an uncommon symbol Satan likes to use for Jehovah in his entertainment. Funnily, the boy does not appear to be an angry and wrathful little brat but seems to know what he is doing, so I do not understand AT ALL why they had to portray the Almighty in such a fashion. Moses struggles with God's commands at times and yet they generally agree on how to go about things. To keep seeing Jehovah portrayed as a little boy just makes you feel awkward all through the movie. I guess that the man of the flesh has no idea of how to portray a holy apparition. But any divine appearance in this film is more eery than inspiring.

 

The burning bush and the appearance of this boy is a vision Moses gets when he gets hit by a stone on his head after a mudslide during a storm.

 

Moses does not know that he is a Hebrew, but finds out after he is exiled because he confronts Pharao when Pharao tries to chop Miriams arm off. Oh, actually, Nun had already told Moses this when he visited "Pithom". But Moses didn't wanna believe that. Angry about this Hebrew insult, he murders two guards out of pure spontaneous wrath... and not because they had mistreated a Hebrew fellow.

 

The struggle between the gods is hinted at, but never really made clear. Pharao is seen touching idols at one point in order to get their protection, the magic practising priests are repeatedly shown giving Pharao advice and later killed for their incompetence, and Moses hints that this is not about the struggle between Pharao and Moses personally... but somehow the powerful message of the Exodus, of Jehovah sanctifying his name, is somewhat wishy-washy.

 

For some awkward reason, they have added a massive element of seditious, Hebrew revolt, led by the warlord Moses, into this movie. They actually practise horseback-archery in one scene in the land of "Pithom". Slave-drivers everywhere but let's go out into the outback to practise some archery.... Total pointless waste of time that could have been used for more important subjects, like Jehovah's warnings.

 

Jehovah never gives a proper warning to Pharao through Moses. The miracle of the snakes for example, is completely removed from the story. Moses does not appear before Pharao to warn him except before the last plague... but how could he? After all, even before the very first plague, he made it impossible to appear before the Pharao (considered a god) by starting a Hebrew rebellion and sneaking into the palace like a ninja in order to stick his sword at Pharao's throat in order to force him to let the Hebrews go.... ridiculously, in one scene, Moses sends a white horse with a message inscribed in blood in which he urges Pharao to let his people go.. Stupid, just stupid!! To me, this is just slander. I suppose, however, that this was omitted to keep the film below three hours length. It would have been interesting to see that some Egyptians actually listened to Moses and their lives and livestock were saved.

 

The matter golden calf is dealt with within 30 seconds, I kid you not! Moses goes up a mountain path, I-AM-BOY looks across his shoulder, Moses turns around, sees Hebrews dancing around golden calf, looks back at "I AM", God shakes his head in a "tut-tut" sort of way, they both continue walking up the mountain, I-AM-BOY gives Moses the ten commandments (which Moses chisels himself). Let's not talk about severe punishment for implementing a pagan "festival to Jehovah" on Christmas Day, please!

 

So, the film is visually breathtaking, but unfortunately takes too many creative liberties, while at the same time not attaining by far the level of evil that the movie "NOAH" apparently did.

 

As a bible fan I give it a 4 out of 10, which isn't too bad for a worldly adaptation of a biblical epic. 

Edited December 26, 2014 by ChocoboRider

[SacramentoBrother]

First and foremost, "I AM THAT I AM" is portrayed as a 8-year-old brat... not an uncommon symbol Satan likes to use for Jehovah in his entertainment. Funnily, the boy does not appear to be an angry and wrathful little brat but seems to know what he is doing, so I do not understand AT ALL why they had to portray the Almighty in such a fashion.

 

God is portrayed this way because a god-child is a pagan motif who's origins go back to Nimrod and his mother Semiramis. This is where Mother-Child worship originated. God is portrayed as a child.

 

Semiramis and baby Nimrod

 

And it continue all through time... 

 

Isis and baby Horrus

 

Indrani and son

 

1. Ankh Nes Meryre and Son Pepi

2. Cyprus

3. Madonna Guanyin, Goddess of mercy

4. Matrika from Tanesara of India

5. Yasoda and Krishna

6. Mother and son 2000-1850 B.C.

7. Mexico, Jalisco 200 B.C.- 500 A.D.

8. Maya

9. Mexico, Colima 200 B.C.- 500A.D.

10. Mykene, Greece

11. Sun Goddess, Arinna

12. Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus

 

From a biblical standpoint the film conveys pagan and apostate views and thoughts. It insults the very essence of who Jehovah is. It portrays Moses as feckless, arrogant, combative and clueless. What is Apostate? It is defined as "abandoning a religious or political belief or principle." Exodus definitely does this. So it is totally okay to call the film apostate.

 

However purely from an entertainment standpoint each person must decide for themselves if they wish to see the film. Those of us who have seen the film are simply letting you know what the film truly is so that you can make an educated decision.

Edited December 26, 2014 by SacramentoBrother

[Brother_Bliss]

Thanks for the detailed review, Ruben

[feather]

Now to the negative aspects:

First and foremost, "I AM THAT I AM" is portrayed as a 8-year-old brat... 

 

  appreciate your detailed analysis & review.

 

  this statement is enough for me to avoid it.

  makes me angry just reading it. 

 

  thanks again

[AH173]

appreciate your detailed analysis & review.

 

  this statement is enough for me to avoid it.

  makes me angry just reading it. 

 

  thanks again

I'm glad for the review. I'm going to avoid it also.

I'd rather clean my dogs stall than watch that farce.

[Tcvancoops]

Oh shoot I just saw Ryan's review. My bad. Never mind what I said. I kinda skipped the spoilers. *crawls back into hole*

[AH173]

 

What I also liked is that the orientals of that age are portrayed in a historically accurate way. I never liked how the publications of the faithful slave always portrayed people like Zippora so spic and span like you might have expected of the later Israelites after the mosaic law... in the film, Zippora has tattoos on her chin and forehead

 

Insight

MIDIAN

Apparently both men and women adorned themselves with gold ornaments, including nose rings and earrings. Midianite kings were arrayed in “garments of wool dyed reddish purple,” and even their camels had necklaces, evidently with moon-shaped ornaments attached.​—Nu 31:50; Jg 8:21, 26.

From what I gather from Wtlib publications I will assume that Zipporah, being a decendant of Abraham, and familiar with the circumcision issue, she had some knowledge of Jehovah. I also would like to assume that Moses, who knew/familiar of the good examples of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Bad example of Esau marrying non followers of Jehovah), Joseph in the choosing of marriage mates, she didn't have a shocking appearance as is portrayed by your picture.

It's my opinion, I don't know it's a fact, so I'll hope in the positive good aspects of Zipporah's character /appearance. ☺

[carlos]

From a biblical standpoint the film conveys pagan and apostate views and thoughts. It insults the very essence of who Jehovah is. It portrays Moses as feckless, arrogant, combative and clueless. What is Apostate? It is defined as "abandoning a religious or political belief or principle." Exodus definitely does this. So it is totally okay to call the film apostate.

 

However purely from an entertainment standpoint each person must decide for themselves if they wish to see the film. Those of us who have seen the film are simply letting you know what the film truly is so that you can make an educated decision.

 

Ryan, I didn't like the movie either, but I think calling it apostate is exaggerate. Maybe it is correct from some technical viewpoint, but for a Witness "apostate" is a very strong word with a very specific meaning, and that movie has not been made by apostates nor promotes apostate ideas in my opinion, as several understood when that comment about being an "apostate movie" was first made in this thread.

 

It's a Hollywood movie loosely inspired in the Biblical story of the Exodus and that doesn't portray accurately the true facts. So far we all agree.