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James Bond movie as a metaphor for Christian life?

mirandafrostmirandafrost
edited May 2014 in Skyfall Posts: 368
Hey everyone,
I don't know who of you is religious. Well I am and today I found a very interesting article.
The title of the text buffled me: "James Bond and God"
I didn't know what Bond should have to do with God and I really didn't understand when I read that a James Bond movie could be a metaphor for Christian life...
Here is the article if you want to read it: James Bond and God.
Regards,
Miranda

Comments

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited May 2014 Posts: 17,788

    For anyone that may be interested, you can also have a read of my paper here on The Bondologist Blog, 'Musings on James Bond and Religion':

    http://thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/musings-on-james-bond-and-religion.html
  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    Posts: 2,782
  • SoundofthesinnersSoundofthesinners
    Posts: 3,236
    @BeatlesSansEarmuffs had a thread a little like this one on Christian imagery in Skyfall. It went downhill fast, but the basic idea is sound.
  • mirandafrostmirandafrost
    Posts: 368
    Yes I just found it. Thanks for the tip.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 14,816
    I also started a similar thread. Will send you the link when I'm home. I mentioned that Silva was a Lucifer figure.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,530
    I'm worried every time we try to discuss religion here. Sure, it's okay to do so in non-Bond related threads (and even those tend to explode pretty fast) but to bring religion into Bond-related discussions is known to make this forum tremble. So my finger is on the 'close' button for when the name-calling starts... [-X
  • WillyGaloreWillyGalore
    Posts: 6,396
    DarthDimi wrote:
    I'm worried every time we try to discuss religion here. Sure, it's okay to do so in non-Bond related threads (and even those tend to explode pretty fast) but to bring religion into Bond-related discussions is known to make this forum tremble. So my finger is on the 'close' button for when the name-calling starts... [-X

    Poo head. ;-)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Dragonpol wrote:
    For anyone that may be interested, you can also have a read of my paper here on The Bondologist Blog, 'Musings on James Bond and Religion':

    http://thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/musings-on-james-bond-and-religion.html

    Just read this.No controversy, and intelligent as always. Dragons do not have reptilian brains.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,459
    I just read that article, @Dragonpol. Very well written and thought-provoking, great work as always. I suggest everyone go through his blog and take a look at his work, it really is something special.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 14,816
    Here is one that was never locked: http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/6613/god-and-ian-fleming/p1
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Ludovico wrote:
    Here is one that was never locked: http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/6613/god-and-ian-fleming/p1

    I have read Ian Fleming, but never God Fleming, so thanks for that. Are they related?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,788
    Thank you very much for reading that article of mine and enjoying it too. Much appreciated. I think Bond and religion should be discussed and can be discussed sensibly without any need for controversy. I suspect that severe trolling was what took things astray in previous threads. I've been meaning to do an updated companion piece on Bond and religion on the blog at some point.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,530
    Obviously they can be discussed together, and in a civilised manner too. But it's a dangerous topic nonetheless. You see, Bond is about escapism and fun. Bringing too serious a subject into it, can spoil the fun big time. Also, I think that people sometimes start hunting for hidden symbolism and whatnot, just for the sake of it. No screenwriter I'm aware of has ever intended to stuff secret references to religion in any Bond film. So whatever can be read as refering to religion, is at best coincidental.
  • CrabKeyCrabKey
    Posts: 1,514
    I don't believe Christianity has the market cornered on doing what's right. Many atheists are inclined to do the right thing without the guidance or judgment of a god. Metaphors are quite pliable.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    edited June 2014 Posts: 14,816
    I said it in a different thread that got closed down, I will say it here, James Bond in his personal life takes actions that are be considered sinful by Christianity (and other religions). he has pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex (as he is the lover of married women), he also drinks, is gluttonous, etc. Maybe more importantly, he is not repenting.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,459
    Ludovico wrote:
    I said it in a different thread that got closed down, I will say it here, James Bond in his personal life takes actions that are be considered sinful by Christianity (and other religions). he has pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex (as he is the lover of married women), he also drinks, is gluttonous, etc. Maybe more importantly, he is not repenting.

    Well he did go to church in FYEO. ;-)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    James Bond is but an instrument of the most high.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    chrisisall wrote:
    James Bond is but an instrument of the most high.

    Let me guess. @Birdleson?
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    That's Rastafarian for God. ;)
  • LudovicoLudovico
    edited June 2014 Posts: 14,816
    Creasy47 wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    I said it in a different thread that got closed down, I will say it here, James Bond in his personal life takes actions that are be considered sinful by Christianity (and other religions). he has pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex (as he is the lover of married women), he also drinks, is gluttonous, etc. Maybe more importantly, he is not repenting.

    Well he did go to church in FYEO. ;-)

    He didn't seem very repentant;-).
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 13,901
    Ludovico wrote:
    Creasy47 wrote:
    Well he did go to church in FYEO. ;-)
    He didn't seem very repentant;-).
    I'm sure he would've confessed to everything had Q not mocked him ;)
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 14,816
    Something else as well: Bond's manicheism prevents him and his universe to be truly Christian. There is little room for repentance, atonement and forgiveness in his world. Although Vesper redeems herself by committing suicide, suicide itself is of course a big no no in Christian ideology.
  • CrabKeyCrabKey
    Posts: 1,514
    So let's try this one. Bond kills Silva with a knife in a chapel. Now where are we?
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 14,816
    CrabKey wrote:
    So let's try this one. Bond kills Silva with a knife in a chapel. Now where are we?

    There is a lot of Christian imagery in the Bond novels and movies, in SF among others. Silva is practically a fallen angel, both loving and hating God/M. But I am not convinced that it can go beyond the imagery and the symbolism. In morality, one could say that Bond is anything but Christian. Christian iconography without Christian morality, so to speak.
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    Posts: 5,767
    Fleming used expressions or elements of all kinds of beliefs to bring something supernatural to his stories, but he did so very superficially, and purely for entertainment. Like adding a few dashes of a certain color to a painting. Not to give it more meaning, but to make the painting more colorful.

    The Bond filmmakers are too market-oriented to restrict themselves to one religion. Pictures, statues, or symbols always look good in a film.
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