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God's Not Dead

grip

grip

Slow 🅖 Hand
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Present-day college freshman and devout Christian, Josh Wheaton, finds his faith challenged on his first day of Philosophy class by the dogmatic and argumentative Professor Radisson. Radisson begins class by informing students that they will need to disavow, in writing, the existence of God on that first day, or face a failing grade. As other students in the class begin scribbling the words "God Is Dead" on pieces of paper as instructed, Josh find himself at a crossroads, having to choose between his faith and his future. Josh offers a nervous refusal, provoking an irate reaction from his smug professor. Radisson assigns him a daunting task: if Josh will not admit that "God Is Dead," he must prove God's existence by presenting well-researched, intellectual arguments and evidence over the course of the semester, and engage Radisson in a head-to-head debate in front of the class. If Josh fails to convince his classmates of God's existence, he will fail the course and hinder his lofty academic goals. With almost no one in his corner, Josh wonders if he can really fight for what he believes. Can he actually prove the existence of God?
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Would you watch this movie, even if you're an Atheist?

Are you ready to be converted into a Belieber, a Duck Dynasty brethren?



 
The teacher should be fired. The student needs to go to the authorities.
 
joG said:
Is it a public school?
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I presume so. Otherwise, what right does the student have to complain? If it's a private school (which advocates the class exercise), then the story is just a whiny pile of crap.
 
grip said:
Would you watch this movie, even if you're an Atheist?

Are you ready to be converted into a Belieber, a Duck Dynasty brethren?



Click to expand...


I believe in God, but I refuse to be a Belieber. I will never like Justin Bieber...
 
ecofarm said:
The teacher should be fired. The student needs to go to the authorities.
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It's a trailer for a movie. Fiction. May be based on true stories, but it's fictional.

On the other hand, a lot of philosophy classes start with the premise that there is a God. I know, I've taken them. Why should that be allowed, but starting from the premise that there is not result in anyone being fired? Why should a philosophy class have to start with a premise you like?
 
Uh, hello folks. This is a drama, not a documentary.

17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I think I'll pass.
 
grip said:
Would you watch this movie, even if you're an Atheist?

Are you ready to be converted into a Belieber, a Duck Dynasty brethren?
Click to expand...

What reason would I have to watch this? Do they present any evidence that god does actually exist? Or is it as predictable as it is cheesy and the atheist professor confesses at the end that he resented god but needs him in his life all along?
 
Why watch a staged debate when you can watch a real one?

There are plenty of honest debates on whether god exists or not. This would just be a lopsided affair where the 'professor' falls into a bunch of common fallacies making it appear as if he loses.
 
grip said:
Would you watch this movie, even if you're an Atheist?

Are you ready to be converted into a Belieber, a Duck Dynasty brethren?



Click to expand...


Is this a bad reality TV show?
 
RabidAlpaca said:
What reason would I have to watch this? Do they present any evidence that god does actually exist? Or is it as predictable as it is cheesy and the atheist professor confesses at the end that he resented god but needs him in his life all along?
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I was kind of being cheeky from the OP or did you miss that part? ;)

I personally don't want to interfere with peoples beliefs, only in as much as having serious, intellectual and rational discussions on the possibilities with agnostics. Bible thumpers, dogmatic believers and diehard atheists are a road block to serious debate for me.


TheNextEra said:
I'm not an atheist, but I wouldn't watch the movie.
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The trailer was enough for me to see where it was going.
 
Nope.

Not watchin' any of Kirk Cameron's garbage either.
 
As an atheist I would have given the teacher a proper intellectual blasting.

The statement God is dead is automatically drivel. Assuming that we are talking about the Christian God.

To be dead it has to have been alive.

If God was once omnipotent etc. and whatever then God is strong enough that he can't be killed or die in any way.

If God never existed then he can't be dead having never been alive.

Easy. And if you didn't see this immediately you should take a philosophy class because you need it. It will be traumatic for your brain.
 
Of course "God" is not dead, it was never alive to begin with. At least not in a religious sense of an old white haired man watching over people.
 
Some people need to re-read their Nietsche. The idea that "God is dead" does not imply that God ever existed. People who use that phrase expect you to recognize its origins in Nietsche.
 
rocket88 said:
It's a trailer for a movie. Fiction. May be based on true stories, but it's fictional.

On the other hand, a lot of philosophy classes start with the premise that there is a God. I know, I've taken them. Why should that be allowed, but starting from the premise that there is not result in anyone being fired? Why should a philosophy class have to start with a premise you like?
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Why should any philosophy class start with any premises? Isn't the whole purpose of philosophy to argue for or against such ideas? If you're starting out with inviolable premises, you're doing it wrong.
 
Cephus said:
Why should any philosophy class start with any premises? Isn't the whole purpose of philosophy to argue for or against such ideas? If you're starting out with inviolable premises, you're doing it wrong.
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I agree. My point was why should this guy be fired (if it was real), and not someone who starts with the opposite premise? I do think that philosophy should be open to any answer.
 
Tim the plumber said:
The statement God is dead is automatically drivel. Assuming that we are talking about the Christian God.
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I guess it depends on the context of it being said. If a philosophy professor is starting with quoting Nietzche, that could be a great jumping off point for a discussion.
 
Philosophy professors should get real jobs.

Philosophy final: "Using everything you have learned in this class this semester, prove that this chair doesn't exist."

Correct answer: "What chair?"

What a waste of time.
 
rocket88 said:
I agree. My point was why should this guy be fired (if it was real), and not someone who starts with the opposite premise? I do think that philosophy should be open to any answer.
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Anyone who starts with either premise should be fired because neither of them understand philosophy and have no business teaching it.
 
Thorgasm said:
Philosophy professors should get real jobs.

Philosophy final: "Using everything you have learned in this class this semester, prove that this chair doesn't exist."

Correct answer: "What chair?"

What a waste of time.
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Unfortunately, a lot of modern philosophy really is a waste of time, it doesn't actually get you anywhere.
 
Cephus said:
Anyone who starts with either premise should be fired because neither of them understand philosophy and have no business teaching it.
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Sure, but this wasn't real. It's a fictional movie intended to make Christians feel good about themselves, so the guy's mostly a caricature.
 
CrabCake said:
Some people need to re-read their Nietsche. The idea that "God is dead" does not imply that God ever existed. People who use that phrase expect you to recognize its origins in Nietsche.
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You can see why I don't rate philosophers much if they go around making stupid statements like that and get respected for it. That's why science is better than philosophy. Clarity of thinking.
 
rocket88 said:
Sure, but this wasn't real. It's a fictional movie intended to make Christians feel good about themselves, so the guy's mostly a caricature.
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Oh, I agree, but you will note that this exact same story goes around as a "just so" story, told not only by Christians but other religious groups as well. Lots of Christians think it is really true, not the movie, although they might think that's true too, but the story.
 
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