An interesting thing occurred to me while watching Hook--the Robin Williams version of Peter Pan with my daughter. That movie is completely engulfed with fantasy--which of course, is a fun thing for children.
One thing was common throughout the movie: the children (and a few adults) kept fantasizing and speaking of myths, and the dad (Robin Williams) was viewed negatively for correcting them and telling them truth about these silly myths.
It suddenly occurred to me that a common theme among fantasy-type movies, is that it's always the 'bad guy' or the 'mean one' or even the 'stupid one' that doesn't believe. Not believing is seen as ignorance or negativity.
And that's the key in all these movies--to believe. The one (or ones) that don't believe are either bad, stupid, completely miss out on everything wonderful, or eventually become convinced and believe as well.
Subconsciously, this must be teaching children a positive association with belief and a negative association with challenging belief. This must also play a role in the way adults view the hope of their own beliefs, and their negative views of Atheists for doubting those beliefs.
But, that's just one blogger's observation.
7 comments:
Oh, but belief is a power that all children and adults should have. Too believe in something, anything is what makes it real. Without belief you remain stagnant and achieve nothing.
Henry Ford was correct when he said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t – you are right.”
Belief creates, belief achieves, belief in yourself and the impossible is what makes greatness happen.
Its not about religion at all, its about belief in the impossible, as Alice in Wonderland said, "I think of six impossible things before breakfast" its about a belief in yourself and what you can do with it.
It is your belief or non belief in any given thing that is the determining factor in whether you achieve it or not.
Santosh Sachdeva wrote,
"No belief is right or wrong. It is either empowering or limiting
Ever heard the story of the four-minute mile? For years people believed that it is impossible for a human being to run a mile in less than four minutes until Roger Banister proved it wrong in 1954. Within one year, 37 runners broke the belief barrier. And the year after that, 300 other runners did the same thing.
There is no other more powerful directing force in human behavior than belief. Your beliefs have the power to create and to destroy. A belief delivers a direct command to your nervous system."
The placebo effect is a perfect example of belief creating reality.
To teach children to believe is a positive and empowering force in their lives. I hope that your children do believe in the impossible because that belief is what will make it a reality.
Again--taken out of context instead of addressing the actual issue. Why does that seem to happen over and over on this site?
Of course believing and trusting in one's self is important. Yes, my children strive to achieve goals, even one's some think are impossible. But they don't climb up into a tree and jump out because they 'believe' they can fly like Peter Pan!
There is a difference in self-confidence and belief in magic. Surely you know which form of belief I'm referring to.
My point in this blog is that 'believers' are portrayed in media and movies as the good guys, while anyone who doubts a belief is instantly either bad or stupid, and typically loses everything or starts to believe.
The overall point is, this is yet another reason children grow up and are afraid to challenge beliefs, and hold on to the ability to discriminate openly against nonbelievers of religion in our society.
I disagree completely that these movies stifle curiousity or instill fear to challenge beliefs. On the contrary I think they encourage kids to open their minds and think of things that society would tell them is nonsense.
Kids know the difference between fantasy and reality. If they didn't, the news would be filled with kids jumping from apartment windows daily, or making magic potions from backyard weeds in their bedrooms or searching for real mermaids in the lake. You are not giving kids enough credit here, they are not that stupid and can see the idea underneath the fantasy. The fantasy is there to make it fun for kids and even adults. The idea is there to open there minds.
In reality all I see is a lesson in belief in yourself and the impossible, it has nothing to do with a belief in a God. I think you are inferring your own bias and insecurities, and seeing something that is not there.
It is about self-confidence, self expression and the idea that the impossible can be accomplished even though the nay sayers say you can't, if you believe then you can. It is an absolutely beautiful message to teach children. They will be faced with those who tell them they can't (the non-believers) all of their lives. It is a good thing for them to believe otherwise. That is what these movies are about.
And what about the negative opinions and poor treatment of those that doubt belief?
That gets it in the kids' heads that if they challenge a belief, they will be looked upon poorly by others, therefore they just toe the line and go along with everyone else.
That mentality creates fearful sheep. It does not open minds.
It is clearly done for the story's sake. It would not be a very good movie if the myth was not true.
Look my friend if the whole world believes in one thing we wont have our uniqueness as the ants are'nt so u believe whatever u do and i believe i do and we will be a perfect people in harmony with good and evil whatever morality and ethics there is to uphold or discard.What is the point in telling the kid Santa is a mirage? Be whatever u want. you said there are about 10thousand religions in the world and i think Atheism saids the clamour for social power through religion is occupied all society therefore to make an in roll we must take the non-existence of deities and be sure to have like-mindedness to propagate whatever agenda they have just like the religionists,
NIXON
It expands the imaginination! It tells kids to look outside the box, cause you'll never know what you might find.
You could say the same thing for people that grew up in a non-religious home, and become a Christian. Then they are the crazy ones that don't believe something(like there is no God).
It tells kids that you can believe what you want to believe and with that belief you can go further(could be a believe in a lack of God, or a belief in God). But in reality no one suffers from these kinds of movies. Its like going out of your way to find someone that is unintintually talking down to you. Now this is starting to get into a selfpitty mode.
Lindsey
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