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Post by Dil Bert on Dec 28, 2014 11:34:09 GMT
How movies embraced Hinduism (without you even noticing)From Interstellar to Batman and Star Wars the venerable religion has been the driving philosophy behind many hit movies. Why? www.theguardian.com/film/2014/dec/25/movies-embraced-hinduism(not saying I agree with the article, but interesting enough to post)
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Post by dariya on Jan 5, 2015 23:25:16 GMT
What an interesting article, thanks for sharing! I don't know the extent to which I agree with the general argument, but hopefully writers and directors aren't knowingly passing off ancient established concepts as their own ideas... I think it's great to be inspired but they could also discuss the source of their inspiration more openly to help their fans broaden their horizons. But again, I wouldn't assume that every film discussing metaphysics is directly getting its ideas from Hinduism. Also I can't help but roll my eyes at white people who convert to hinduism.
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Post by emily on Jan 5, 2015 23:32:33 GMT
Nice article. I always thought Star Wars felt more Taoist though...a life force running through everything and all that.
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Post by Prem Rogue on Jan 6, 2015 19:17:18 GMT
I think the links to Eastern philosophy in Hollywood blockbusters are tenuous at best, mostly using pop versions of spirituality (and science) as a way to make something kind of exotic. To say that Hollywood has "embraced Hinduism" is a bit much.
"Groundhog Day" has a pretty strong link to Buddhism.
"The Legend of Bagger Vance" was directly inspired by the Bhagavad Gita. I haven't seen the movie in a long time so I don't remember particulars, except that Baggar Vance (Bhagavan, or God) is a caddy to golfer R. Junuh (Arjuna).
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realist
Dancing in the chorus
Posts: 3
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Post by realist on Jan 8, 2015 9:45:47 GMT
May 19, 2014 1:06:04 GMT -8 dariya said: Apparently my grandfather has friends around the South [of India] from back when he went as a missionary (-_-). Jan 5, 2015 15:25:16 GMT -8 dariya said: Also I can't help but roll my eyes at white people who convert to hinduism. The above comment seems rather inappropriate. So it's okay for Indians to convert to Christianity, but if white people convert to Hinduism it's something to roll your eyes at? Sounds hypocritical to me! Anyway, the article was good but more interviews with stars and film makers would've been nice.
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Post by dariya on Jan 9, 2015 1:09:41 GMT
The above comment seems rather inappropriate. So it's okay for Indians to convert to Christianity, but if white people convert to Hinduism it's something to roll your eyes at? Sounds hypocritical to me! Realist, I didn't mean for my comment to offend. I'm not against conversion in general (anyone converting to Buddhism, for example, doesn't make my "eyes roll" although that's also an Eastern religion). My issue lies more in the fact that Hinduism in particular is very much tied up with the indigenous culture from which it arose. It begs the sudden embrace of a host of deities with very specific attributes that converts have presumably not grown up with - that never quite sat well with me, as I feel that unlike other major world religions which attract converts, one absolutely needs to be schooled in the philosophy and the stories of the various gods and goddesses from childhood in order to truly form a connection with them. Anything less seems, to me, a shallow grab at Eastern cure-all spirituality. This could very well be a product of my own ignorance - I don't claim to be an expert on any religion, and certainly Hinduism doesn't discourage conversion (although a few of my Hindu friends maintain that one can only be born a Hindu*). Seeing as my comment struck a nerve with you, I'll try to keep my judgments out of forum posts, or at least explain them better in the future! *ETA: I'm only speaking for myself and what a small number of friends have said. The general consensus among Hindus seems to be that one's religion is one's own business.
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realist
Dancing in the chorus
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Post by realist on Jan 9, 2015 2:22:56 GMT
The above comment seems rather inappropriate. So it's okay for Indians to convert to Christianity, but if white people convert to Hinduism it's something to roll your eyes at? Sounds hypocritical to me! Realist, I didn't mean for my comment to offend. I'm not against conversion in general (anyone converting to Buddhism, for example, doesn't make my "eyes roll" although that's also an Eastern religion). My issue lies more in the fact that Hinduism in particular is very much tied up with the indigenous culture from which it arose. It begs the sudden embrace of a host of deities with very specific attributes that converts have presumably not grown up with - that never quite sat well with me, as I feel that unlike other major world religions which attract converts, one absolutely needs to be schooled in the philosophy and the stories of the various gods and goddesses from childhood in order to truly form a connection with them. Anything less seems, to me, a shallow grab at Eastern cure-all spirituality. This could very well be a product of my own ignorance - I don't claim to be an expert on any religion, and certainly Hinduism doesn't discourage conversion (although a few of my Hindu friends maintain that one can only be born a Hindu*). Seeing as my comment struck a nerve with you, I'll try to keep my judgments out of forum posts, or at least explain them better in the future! *ETA: I'm only speaking for myself and what a small number of friends have said. The general consensus among Hindus seems to be that one's religion is one's own business. Any religion may seem "foreign" or "alien" or tied up in a different culture to potential converts before they learn about it and embrace it. Those converting to Hinduism have studied the religion and like its features, and that's the process a convert to any religion goes through. So I disagree with your assessment that one absolutely needs to be schooled in the philosophy and stories of Hinduism more so than the converts to other religions. The same criteria applies to everyone. Hinduism is not restricted to just one culture. I also disagree with your friends who state that one can only be born a Hindu. There are many examples to prove them wrong. As you noted, Hinduism doesn't discourage conversions. I appreciate that you're willing to take those steps for the future.
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Post by corbie on Feb 12, 2015 18:57:06 GMT
The above comment seems rather inappropriate. So it's okay for Indians to convert to Christianity, but if white people convert to Hinduism it's something to roll your eyes at? Sounds hypocritical to me! I just noticed the ETA at the bottom. As a Pagan/Wiccan and raised Christian, and at 11 wanted nothing to do with it anymore due to a LOT of reasons, who says we have to stay with the religion we were born with? The only thing I am judgmental about is someone being judgmental. Seeing as my comment struck a nerve with you, I'll try to keep my judgments out of forum posts, or at least explain them better in the future! *ETA: I'm only speaking for myself and what a small number of friends have said. The general consensus among Hindus seems to be that one's religion is one's own business.
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sunset
Dancing in the chorus
Posts: 42
Favorite actor: Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan
Favorite actress: Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala, Karishma Kapoor
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Post by sunset on Apr 1, 2015 0:39:29 GMT
Also (Star Wars geek here) the prequel trilogy's Episode 1: The Phantom Menace has theme music called The Duel of Fates. According to a behind the scenes feature I saw, John Williams used Sanskrit for the lyrics thus it's sung that way.
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