Malone calls on fellow bishops to oppose ‘Fifty Shades’ film

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Well, I too have skimmed this thread and I must say that while I understand your point, I don’t understand your insistence that one has to read the books to make an intellectually honest comment about them. One is always better off, when writing a critique, having read the publication being discussed.
Agreed.
However, when the content of that book is well known, actual reading isn’t necessary for criticism. In the case of this trilogy, the subject of the books is well known and, I must say, celebrated. I don’t have to read the books to know that they are about sado-masochism; therefore, I can comment, intelligently, on the books.
And what, exactly, is your comment about the book? You say it is about sad-masochism. What does that mean? Do you even truly know about BDSM? The objection of those people into BDSM is that this book is a total misrepresentation of what they do. How, then can we comment on it intelligently if we haven’t read it?
One doesn’t have to experience something to have a well-formed opinion. I have never experienced S/M, but it is something that is clearly disordered. I have never read Mein Kampf, but I know that it promotes an evil that the world is still suffering from. I have never read St. Augustine’s “City of God”, but I know that it is a great and important book about the faith.
With all due respect, your summation of Mein Kempf and City of God doesn’t tell us anything about them. I have read parts of Mein Kempf and it is just socialistic political rambling. No where will you find allusions to world war, deportations and gas chambers. The City of God, true, is a “great and important book about the faith” but that could be said for a great many books. My question is, what would be your reply to a protestant or atheist who, without reading it, simply dismissed The City of God as “garbage,” or “claptrap,” or even “pig’s food.” Would you simply accept their critique knowing that they are personally unfamiliar with it or challenge them for not being able to make an intellectual statement about it?
 
May God bless him for speaking up.

Peace,
Ed
Ed,

You’re in the book business. How would you guys react to a review of one of your books that was written by a reviewer who based their opinion, not on actually reading the book, but by relying on what third parties had to say about it, especially if it negatively impacted sales?
 
Because deciding to read or not read a book and editing are the same thing. :rolleyes:
:rolleyes: No, because our poster is of such literary fortitude that he can simply read a couple of extracts of a book and make a final determination whether said book is worthy of attention.

One could take excerpts from the book A Clockwork Orange and think it the most idiotic, nonsensical thing ever written. So what does that prove?
 
And what, exactly, is your comment about the book? You say it is about sad-masochism. What does that mean? Do you even truly know about BDSM? The objection of those people into BDSM is that this book is a total misrepresentation of what they do. How, then can we comment on it intelligently if we haven’t read it?
I know what BDSM is. I think that I can comment on that without having experienced it just as I can comment on child molestation without having either been a molester or having been molested.

Regarding comments from people who are into BDSM, so what? Is BDSM only one thing? If there is a variation from what those who commented practice, is it still BDSM? Does the use of gags, clips, flogs, etc… qualify as BDSM?

You see, you seem to be saying that the AUTHOR of the books cannot comment on BDSM because her vision of the act is different than the people you refer to. Nonsense, and this is where you push your point too far.
With all due respect, your summation of Mein Kempf and City of God doesn’t tell us anything about them.
I didn’t give a summary of either. I made a statement about both. I cannot summarize, but I understand what each book is about.
I have read parts of Mein Kempf and it is just socialistic political rambling. No where will you find allusions to world war, deportations and gas chambers.
How about the “Jewish peril”? Can I claim that Mein Kampf blames much of post-WWI Germany’s problems on Jews?
The City of God, true, is a “great and important book about the faith” but that could be said for a great many books.
So?
My question is, what would be your reply to a protestant or atheist who, without reading it, simply dismissed The City of God as “garbage,” or “claptrap,” or even “pig’s food.” Would you simply accept their critique knowing that they are personally unfamiliar with it or challenge them for not being able to make an intellectual statement about it?
Here is the problem I have with your argument and I think the problem that others have as well. Do we need to be able to defend FSOG? Or are you simply saying that we should be silent on the books/film because we haven’t read/seen it? Or are you saying that you reject all of our concerns because we have not read/seen it?

Peace

Tim
 
:rolleyes: No, because our poster is of such literary fortitude that he can simply read a couple of extracts of a book and make a final determination whether said book is worthy of attention.

One could take excerpts from the book A Clockwork Orange and think it the most idiotic, nonsensical thing ever written. So what does that prove?
It’s nothing about which to to get your grunders bunched up. It’s a gift. Not everyone has it. What can I say? 🤷
 
Or are you simply saying that we should be silent on the books/film because we haven’t read/seen it? Or are you saying that you reject all of our concerns because we have not read/seen it?
I would say a little of both.

A fundamental process in a court of law is that evidence be presented in order to pass judgement on a person or a legal situation. I happen to be of the opinion that the same applies to legitimate criticism of anything. If one is to pass judgement, then one must be knowledgable of the subject. It is one thing to have a personal opinion about something but to dismiss it as “trash” or “garbage” or, my new favorite, " pigs food" without experiencing it smacks of immaturity to me. The great translator Sir Richard Francis Burton translated the entire Arabian Nights into a popular English version, complete with all the “naughty” parts. About the Marquis de Sade’s novel Juliette, though, he said he wouldn’t walk across the room for it. His was a knowledgeable, informed opinion, much different than the near blind hysteria we see here. But in the end it is what it is and people will think what they think, so I concur with King Solomon when he said that there is nothing new under the sun.
 
I would say a little of both.

(…) His was a knowledgeable, informed opinion, much different than the near blind hysteria we see here. (…)
Where do you see hysteria? You seem more passionate or invested about your position than everyone else on the thread combined. The articles that have been linked seemed earnest (a pet peeve) but not hysterical. “Blind” hysteria is so far off the mark it’s not worth commenting.
 
Hahahahahaha the chosen one!!! 😃
You made my day. 😃

“Into every generation a slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight banal characters, poor punctuation and grammar, and boring reading lists and assignments; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer.”
 
You made my day. 😃

“Into every generation a slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight banal characters, poor punctuation and grammar, and boring reading lists and assignments; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer.”
You forgot the part about how she makes sure people don’t get their grunders bunched up!!!
 
I would say a little of both.

A fundamental process in a court of law is that evidence be presented in order to pass judgement on a person or a legal situation. I happen to be of the opinion that the same applies to legitimate criticism of anything. If one is to pass judgement, then one must be knowledgable of the subject. It is one thing to have a personal opinion about something but to dismiss it as “trash” or “garbage” or, my new favorite, " pigs food" without experiencing it smacks of immaturity to me. The great translator Sir Richard Francis Burton translated the entire Arabian Nights into a popular English version, complete with all the “naughty” parts. About the Marquis de Sade’s novel Juliette, though, he said he wouldn’t walk across the room for it. His was a knowledgeable, informed opinion, much different than the near blind hysteria we see here. But in the end it is what it is and people will think what they think, so I concur with King Solomon when he said that there is nothing new under the sun.
Do you need to watch every porn film made before calling it all pig’s food, or can you generalize at some point?
 
And then we have…

Really? So you can’t defend murder, rape, incest and killing in the Bible? Or are you saying that one needs to look at things in the whole in order to make an accurate assessment about it?
Are you intentionally keeping this thread open as practice for debate team?If so,your in big trouble winning any points here.😉
 
This has evolved into a very banal debate.I see no point in continuing it.
One last comment…
And yet, it still continues…
Are you intentionally keeping this thread open as practice for debate team?If so,your in big trouble winning any points here.😉
If you can’t accurately post your own thoughts about whether or not to continue in this thread, then how is anyone to take your thoughts on the topic seriously?
 
And yet, it still continues…

If you can’t accurately post your own thoughts about whether or not to continue in this thread, then how is anyone to take your thoughts on the topic seriously?
impulse control,I guess…😉
 
Then where does The Arabian Nights fall on your strata of academic literature?

And erotica and porn are two very different things. If they were the same, then many a world museum would be deemed to be an exhibit for porn.
You seem to hold to some kind solipsism. If someone hasn’t experienced a book or even some work of erotica (I admit the distinction from pornography, but it is a very narrow distinction and still presents obvious dangers from the perspective of Catholic morality), you cannot speak on it. What you’re saying though seems to be akin to saying “if you haven’t gone to antarctica, you can’t say it is cold because you haven’t experienced it”. This position seems to be based on the premise that the individual is his/her own epistemological authority. The only thing the self knows is itself and what it experiences. This kind of thinking rules out faith and reason entirely because the only person that can be trusted is oneself.

I understand that someone can’t critique a book’s literary style without reading it but why not its moral content?

Also, is 50 shades of grey academic literature?
 
You seem to hold to some kind solipsism. If someone hasn’t experienced a book or even some work of erotica (I admit the distinction from pornography, but it is a very narrow distinction and still presents obvious dangers from the perspective of Catholic morality), you cannot speak on it. What you’re saying though seems to be akin to saying “if you haven’t gone to antarctica, you can’t say it is cold because you haven’t experienced it”. This position seems to be based on the premise that the individual is his/her own epistemological authority. The only thing the self knows is itself and what it experiences. This kind of thinking rules out faith and reason entirely because the only person that can be trusted is oneself.

I understand that someone can’t critique a book’s literary style without reading it but why not its moral content?

Also, is 50 shades of grey academic literature?
Nailed it!👍
 
I’m worried that “boycotting” will backfire and attract more attention to it. Many in Hollywood view any publicity as good publicity. Because people often go see a controversial movie just to see what the fuss is.

I think just quietly ignoring the movie is best. But if a friend tells you their going to see it, you could recommend something else. Or to try to keep it from dominating the box office you could go see something else on the day it comes out.
 
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