The odyssey

[halfspanishlee]

Hi all just wondering if anyone has read the odyssey by homer or seen the movie?

[Qapla]

I have never read the book - I also did not know Homer made a movie ...

[Jim Jam]

I watched this cartoon as a kid if that counts

 

 

[Brother NM]

13 hours ago, halfspanishlee said:

Hi all just wondering if anyone has read the odyssey by homer or seen the movie?

I studied The Odyssey as one of my A levels in school as part of Classical Civilisation. That and the Aeneid and the Iliad. 

[Brother NM]

13 hours ago, halfspanishlee said:

Hi all just wondering if anyone has read the odyssey by homer or seen the movie?

It’s rated R for violence and profanity so I won’t be watching the movie. 

[Jim Jam]

I won't be watching it because it's woke

[Ludwika]

I read some of the reviews and they said it's full of violence, which is to be expected, so no, I won't be watching it.

[Hope]

1 hour ago, Jim Jam said:

I won't be watching it because it's woke

 

I struggle to understand what this means.. 🤔

 

What do you think "woke" means?

Edited Wednesday at 09:15 PM by Hope

[LeolaRootStew]

4 hours ago, Hope said:

 

I struggle to understand what this means.. 🤔

 

What do you think "woke" means?

 

👍 Positive use

• “Woke” = aware, compassionate, informed
• Used by people who value social awareness

👎 Negative/critical use

• “Woke” = overly political, performative, or extreme
• Used by critics who feel it goes too far or is forced

[Hope]

I wonder if our considering something "woke" or not edges towards non-neutrality? 🤔

[dljbsp]

A Christian should be on neither side of the woke argument. They need to be neutral. Woke is either social or political. We take no side. John 17:16

 

[Dages]

1 hour ago, Hope said:

I wonder if our considering something "woke" or not edges towards non-neutrality? 🤔

Yeah, so a production that is "woke" = has a social/political agenda, so given our neutrality, we would not feed/entertain with such content

[Hope]

3 minutes ago, Dages said:

Yeah, so a production that is "woke" = has a social/political agenda, so given our neutrality, we would not feed/entertain with such content

 

🤔  It never occurred to me that this film *was* "woke" until @Jim Jam mentioned it.

 

Perhaps making such a determination says more about our own personal thought process than the production? For me "woke" is not a descriptor for anything unless someone else brings it up. And even then, I probably wouldn't agree or be concerned. It's a non-issue for me 🤷🏽‍♀️ 

 

I don't care what racial background any actor is- that usually has little bearing on the character they are playing. My only concern is if they are good in the role. That's why it's called, "acting".

[Beggar for the Spirit]

Here are some other factors we could consider as Christians in evaluating whether or not Jehovah would approve of our entertainment choice of reading or watching the "The Odyssey" 

 

The "divinities" or gods in the the Odyssey

(Info from Encyclopedia Britannica and Stanford University)

 

The “divine” means the Greek immortals (gods/goddesses and other supernatural divine figures) who intervene in human lives—sometimes helping Odysseus, sometimes blocking him, and sometimes demanding punishment/revenge after wrongs.

• Athena — protector/strategic counselor; supports Odysseus and Telemachus
• Poseidon — sea god; Odysseus’s main divine antagonist (especially because of Polyphemus) 
• Zeus — chief god; supreme authority; intervenes to allow Odysseus’s release and later sends storms after appeals 
• Hermes — messenger/facilitator; helps in crisis situations (e.g., mediating for Odysseus’s release) 
• Helios — sun god; avenges his cattle being harmed by sending catastrophic consequences (via Zeus’s storm) 
• Ino (Leucothea) — a sea goddess/supernatural helper who rescues Odysseus at sea

Other immortals/supernatural powers (important in the plot)

• Aeolus — “master of the winds” (a supernatural power who provides winds that are mishandled) 
• Circe — enchantress/different divine-sorceress power who transforms men (clearly a supernatural “immortal-level” figure in the story) 
• Calypso — nymph who keeps Odysseus captive for years; release is secured through divine intervention 

Edited Thursday at 04:06 AM by Beggar for the Spirit

[Michał]

I read Oddesey (or rather a good summary) because it was one of the set books in primary school. I don’t regret it because I understand better Greek/Roman culture. However I wouldn’t watch a movie (woke or not woke) because I don’t want to feel emotional attachment to the (godless) stories. 

[trottigy]

On 7/19/2026 at 4:33 AM, halfspanishlee said:

Hi all just wondering if anyone has read the odyssey by homer or seen the movie?

 

I, as many here have stated, won't see the movie. The R rating makes it a no go for me.

 

But I have read it. It is a fascinating read. This gives you a real idea of how the Greeks felt about these gods during that time period. In fact, we are reading Jeremiah and you can see how even God's people were sidetracked into worshipping what some called powerful deities. Even today, there are many who believe in superstition, astrology, saints, etc.

 

One would think with the advance in technology and scientific discovery that these things would go away, but nope. Sadly, the devil has powerful weapons at his disposal.

[Jim Jam]

On 7/22/2026 at 11:14 PM, Hope said:

 

I struggle to understand what this means.. 🤔

 

What do you think "woke" means?

 

Wokeness is a secular cult which teaches that society is systemically oppressive towards certain supposedly marginalized groups.

The cult believes that institutions were built expressly with the purpose of oppressing these groups, and the only way to combat the oppression is to tear down the institutions and restructure them according to the doctrines of the cult.

Nothing can exist for its own sake. No institution can have any purpose above or beyond the enforcement of those doctrines.

The ultimate goal, according to the cult, is equity. And equity simply means that the imagined oppression of their favored groups has been counteracted by policies that artificially elevate those same groups.

And in the woke religion, the Satan figure is the heterosexual white male, and each member of this group inherits the collective guilt of the oppressor.

Edited 23 hours ago by Jim Jam

[Hope]

That is wild... that's all I can say about that wee rant. Oh, except that equity is a very nice thing. 

 

I fail to see how any film would or could promote such a "cult", but carry on, man.. 👀😒

Edited 3 hours ago by Hope

[Dages]

10 minutes ago, Hope said:

That is wild... that's all I can say about that wee rant. Oh, except that equity is a very nice thing. 

 

I fail to see how any film would or could promote such a "cult", but carry on, man.. 👀😒

the typical reverse exemple would be Shaka Zulu biopic played by Ryan Gosling on purpose

So, imagine a "woke" Jesus movie, you could have apostles that are from many races for diversity/equity purposes, and of all LGBTQ genders too, for the same reason.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Dages

[Hope]

42 minutes ago, Dages said:

the typical reverse exemple would be Shaka Zulu biopic played by Ryan Gosling on purpose

So, imagine a "woke" Jesus movie, you could have apostles that are from many races for diversity/equity purposes, and of all LGBTQ genders too, for the same reason.

 

 

Those examples are not equal. 😐 The Odyssey is an epic poem based on some historical places and events and many mythological creatures, not a biopic. Odysseus was not a real person, nor was anyone else. Helen of Troy, for instance, was half god-swan. What should she look like? 😏 

 

"Woke" as in "stay woke" originally meant- for over a hundred years- a caution to stay awake, be aware of where systemic prejudice and social injustice were happening... don't sleep. It's been remarkable to see the expression co-opted, twisted, and redefined in a way that seems to try to mock or dismiss being aware of those things.

 

It's sad to hear fellow Witnesses use that expression in the same twisted, political way. 😔 It is not neutral... and it can be uncomfortable to many "supposedly marginalized, oppressed groups". 🤨

 

It would be better, I think, for you brothers to stop imagining "woke" anythings- it is not a safe mindspace for a Christian. Get woke to that..

Edited 2 hours ago by Hope

[Dages]

25 minutes ago, Hope said:

Those examples are not equal. 😐 The Odyssey is an epic poem based on some historical places and events and many mythological creatures, not a biopic. Odysseus was not a real person. Helen of Troy was half swan.. 😏 

That's still considered linked with real places and culture that is north of mediteranean sea, with people described in a way that isn't representated in the movie.

many people like a bit of accuracy.

 

Sometimes, you don't have the choice (we couldn't easily use full israeli/middle-eastern brothers and sisters for our Jesus movies, and tbf that Aussie accent is quite something , but anyway, we do not have a social/political agenda)

 

Sometimes people habve the choice and ressources but still do it on purpose, so of course some would find this a bit tiresome/disappointing.

There the "right" person isn't the culturally/visually accurate, but the gender/race quota to check all the cases in the form. a shame

Edited 1 hour ago by Dages