"Life of Pi" Will atheists get it?

[ukcanuck]

I'm not one of those Christians who feels the need to recruit for Christ (yes I know, We are supposed to...)
My belief is that if God calls its up to you to answer. However, I'm definitely not above a good debate with non believers.
This usually starts with a rational discussion about the origins of the universe and physics and devolves from there to religion is the scourge of humanity and more wars have started over blah blah, yada yada...ad nauseum
Eventually, it comes down to faith and that's just such a nebulous thing that its usually where I put out my hands and give up.

Well along comes this book turned film and without spoiling the ending it strikes me as a beautifully obvious statement, so obvious I wonder if atheists will get it.

[Corneliousrooster]

Well along comes this book turned film and without spoiling the ending it strikes me as a beautifully obvious statement, so obvious I wonder if atheists will get it.

Thats kinda like saying you would have to be from the Soviet Union or a politician to "get" Animal Farm.

Atheists with sufficient mental marbles will "get it" just fine, just won't strike the same depth of feelings within themselves that needs to be attached to a deity and a belief system that it has apparantly struck in you (kinda like the bible ....)

[ukcanuck]

Thats kinda like saying you would have to be from the Soviet Union or a politician to "get" Animal Farm.

Atheists with sufficient mental marbles will "get it" just fine, just won't strike the same depth of feelings within themselves that needs to be attached to a deity and a belief system that it has apparantly struck in you (kinda like the bible ....)

I suppose, but you don't need faith to critique the risks and shortfalls of revolutionary soviet style communism in the same way. After watching this film, I wondered how some of the atheists I know would have answer the question the protagonist asks at the end... I'm sure I know some people would have answered differently, and that answer might betray a fundamental difference in the way we see the world.

[Nebula]

Life of Pi, which has obvious spiritual overtones, was directed by Ang Lee, who also directed Brokeback Mountain. I wonder if Christians will get it?

[warden]

I don't know why you think an atheist couldn't 'get' this movie. Pi isn't exclusively Christian - the whole first act of the story is him telling how he was raised both Hindu and a realist, then how he found Catholicism, then Islam. He is all these things at once. The theme is spiritual not religious. Just because one doesn't believe in god doesn't mean they're incapable of understanding spirituality.

[ukcanuck]

I don't know why you think an atheist couldn't 'get' this movie. Pi isn't exclusively Christian - the whole first act of the story is him telling how he was raised both Hindu and a realist, then how he found Catholicism, then Islam. He is all these things at once. The theme is spiritual not religious. Just because one doesn't believe in god doesn't mean they're incapable of understanding spirituality.

I should be more specific:
In the beginning of the film a claim is made that once one hears Pi's story one will be moved to see the existence of God.
At the end I clearly saw why that claim was made, but as a Christian I believe in God so it wasn't much of a leap for me. I just wonder how one who doesn't believe that there is a creator beyond what science can prove would see it.
Btw I didn't mean to insinuate that it was an exclusively Christian movie, I have I idea what religion the producers and directors are ..

[-fluffy-]

I've neither read the book nor seen the movie but I have to wonder what sort of ideas are being proposed so as to be unfathomable to non-Christians? Belief in a Christian God is not a gift given only to some, it is a choice available to all. That some choose not to partake in the belief is not an indication that one does not "understand", but rather a disagreement with the concept.

[cliffy1]

I've neither read the book nor seen the movie but I have to wonder what sort of ideas are being proposed so as to be unfathomable to non-Christians? Belief in a Christian God is not a gift given only to some, it is a choice available to all. That some choose not to partake in the belief is not an indication that one does not "understand", but rather a disagreement with the concept.

It is difficult to fathom the mind of someone who believes. It must be true because they believe, so those that don't are incapable of understanding the truth of their belief. "It must be so because we say so. Why can't anybody understand our simple logic?"
Believers can't seem to fathom that people are not all robotic automatons. They don't all think alike, act alike or believe alike. There is no one truth that fits for everybody. We are not the Borg... Yet!

[steven lloyd]

Life of Pi, which has obvious spiritual overtones, was directed by Ang Lee, who also directed Brokeback Mountain. I wonder if Christians will get it?

:coffeecanuck: Maybe 5VP can advise us.

[ukcanuck]

Life of Pi, which has obvious spiritual overtones, was directed by Ang Lee, who also directed Brokeback Mountain. I wonder if Christians will get it?

That is a good attempt at a jab, but I think you are tarring all christians with the gay bashing intolerance brush.

I am Christian, I am male and most definitely straight, but I thought Brokeback Mountain was a great love story, though I got a little squeemish during the tent scene... :137:

BTW apparently, it turns out Lee is not religious but does appear to be spiritual.

"To me, faith can be elusive, but... As a Taoist would say, 'That's the apple's truth.'

[Nebula]

Yes, I should have stated "all Christians".

[-fluffy-]

Well along comes this book turned film and without spoiling the ending it strikes me as a beautifully obvious statement, so obvious I wonder if atheists will get it.

So, without giving away anything to someone who has yet to read the book/see the movie is it possible to put this discussion into a form we can all share?

[-fluffy-]

Tough question I guess?

[normaM]

Tiger tries to eat him, he blows up Tiger ( F/X galore) then he's rescued from the boat by Bruce Willis.
They establish a new colony on an Island, loads of product placement and everyone lives happily ever after.

[ukcanuck]

Tough question I guess?

actually it is and I've been trying to figure a way of answering it without blowing the ending.. people hate that :)