I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with, since I'm not aware that I alluded to stripping the world of Divine anger. I rather alluded to the fact that dehumanisation of anthropomorphic figures is a universal prelude to atrocity, and is perhaps one of the most dangerous mental steps that we can take, whether as a group or in individual action.
"It is as if to say: This is all that I, as Savìour, have come to do." If those were the words used, I would certainly condemn them. But they were not, and I do not share that interpretation of the actual dialogue. I suspect that that difference in our interpretations is key.
The line you quote from "We are the World" prevented me from liking the song. I understand your misgivings with regard to the movie, but again do not quite share them. You sound fairly firm in your conviction that the changed stemmed from ignorance- what is the basis of that conviction?
I think that my major problem with your thesis is that I think that your argument is well-founded, but fundamentally subjective, personal, and interpretative. As such, I have problems in taking it to be more widely definitive, and I am certainly reluctant to speculate as to the mindset of the film-makers on that basis.
Yes, I do not say anything more than that. I was sharing a doubt I had, not intending to hammer anyone over the head with facts. Nor did I intend to imply that you wanted to strip the faith of Divine anger - if anything, I was trying to say that I was not! I agree with you about dehumanizing others, too, and I find that bit in Lewis a bit too close to the overt racism of his Catholic friend Tolkien (and, incidentally, I love Tolkien too, though I find some aspects of his views disquieting). It is not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing, in general, so much as of trying to clarify a feeling I had.
However, as for "We are the world", I do disagree. With or without the incriminated line, nothing will change my view that it is a dreadful piece of sentimentality and disguised egotism. Compared to "Do they know it's Christmas?", it comes across, to me, as wholly self-regarding and deprived of any genuine emotion; the great line, "Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you!" has more to say to me than the whole of "We are the world". If you disagree, that is your privilege, but this is my view.
YOu said: The line you quote from "We are the World" prevented me from liking the song. To me, this implied "if it had not been there, I might have liked it." I, on the other hand, would have disliked it with or without that line. If I misunderstood what you said, I apologize.
If you're going to continue this discussion do you mind taking it somewhere else, as it hasn't really got anything to do with the post any more and seems to be just between the two of you? Thanks.
"It is as if to say: This is all that I, as Savìour, have come to do."
If those were the words used, I would certainly condemn them. But they were not, and I do not share that interpretation of the actual dialogue. I suspect that that difference in our interpretations is key.
The line you quote from "We are the World" prevented me from liking the song. I understand your misgivings with regard to the movie, but again do not quite share them. You sound fairly firm in your conviction that the changed stemmed from ignorance- what is the basis of that conviction?
I think that my major problem with your thesis is that I think that your argument is well-founded, but fundamentally subjective, personal, and interpretative. As such, I have problems in taking it to be more widely definitive, and I am certainly reluctant to speculate as to the mindset of the film-makers on that basis.
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However, as for "We are the world", I do disagree. With or without the incriminated line, nothing will change my view that it is a dreadful piece of sentimentality and disguised egotism. Compared to "Do they know it's Christmas?", it comes across, to me, as wholly self-regarding and deprived of any genuine emotion; the great line, "Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you!" has more to say to me than the whole of "We are the world". If you disagree, that is your privilege, but this is my view.
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What do you think I am saying about the song?
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