Does anyone feel that this film offends the Buddhist religion? This pop star who claims to be a Buddhist is up there shaking her a**, flaunting her body, and using a statue of the Buddha as a stage decoration. I am a Buddhist, and I understand that this film was just supposed to highlight the rediculousness of the singer, but I couldn't help feeling uneasy, seeing her appear out of a Buddhist monument. I liked the film, but I do feel a little offended.
shareYou shouldn't, they were doing it to point out how pop stars today abuse stuff like that and are so completely ridiculous, not to offend Buddhists.
† How'd it taste? †
I'm one too, but no, I'm not offended.
It's fine, not much of a great deal. They didn't INSULT the religion or anything.
That's what I think, too. It reminds me of the entire Madonna on a crucifix thing.
shareWas gonna say that. :)
Serik-Berik
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Hi Brian,
you wrote "That's what I think, too. It reminds me of the entire Madonna on a crucifix thing."
I do not agree with you.
Madonna is Roman Catholic (at least she was). She wanted to become a nun when she was little.
To me all Christian symbols in her videos have real purpose and meaning. She does not use or abuse them at all.
Andrea
I agree, it's like the whole Madanna thinking she's Jewish with the Kabbala.
shareThat was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the bid buddhist statue on the stage and her moaning and dancing the way she was. I asked my friend, "why didn't Buddhist complain about this?" I was really disgusted by it.
"Adam was God's 1st draft. He got it right with Eve."
The Constant Gardner
I think Buddhists didn't complain about it because it would just make them look like morons and make their religion look like a joke, because EVERYONE understands when watching this film that the film isn't making a negative statement about Buddhism, it's making a negative statement about pop stars and "insta-religion."
It has nothing to do with Buddhism per se, but with this flakey little tart shaking her butt on a stage. I've got a friend who is Buddhist, and I found the song Buddha's Delight hilarious for the fact that she was taking all the concepts completely out of context.
I think if people waste their time getting all indignant and offended over things like this, it says more about them than it does about the film. I mean it's just a movie. And I seriously seriously doubt anyone would watch it and get a bad view of Buddhism. I mean, unless their idea of someone to follow is a pop star with no sense of reality.
No, it is not offending Buddhist religion. It is making fun of Shakira, Madonna, and all the other pop stars who have "found" Eastern religions and have incorporated them rather tastelessly into their music. Or rather, they have exploited Buddhism and Hinduism to their own end. As the opening sequence in the movie made fun of bad MTV 80's videos/music, so does the final scene with the pop diva in the Buddha statue make fun of current pop music.
shareWhat was she singing about right before Grant's performance? You know, when Sophie (I think it was her) and her sister looked at each other in disbelief or shock. The lyrics were hard to make out. Plus I got distracted by the Bulgarian subtitles we had on, and what I got from them was kind of... naughty (I speak Russian, not Bulgarian). :)
Serik-Berik
They weren't shocked about the lyrics, they've heard all the songs before since they already have the CD. They were apalled by her barebones clothes, because that isn't the sort of image you should be projecting onto children.
The blokes didn't mind though.
The whole point of the "ass shaking" Buddhist was to show how stupid pop stars who try to fake their religion are. i.e. Britney and Kabbalah. Don't soil the world with more over-sensitive *beep* whining. Seriously, it's getting out of hand.
"While the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power."
Pardon me, but I never meant to offend anyone and don't believe I have. I'm sorry if you misinterpreted it that way. I was simply posing a question for discussion. Read carefully and you will see that I already understood the point of the display. I was not whining, though perhaps you should consider the fact that you are "soiling the world" with your own whining.
“If you know anything that is hurtful and untrue, don’t say it. If you know anything that is helpful and untrue, don’t say it. If you know anything that is hurtful and true, don’t say it. If you know anything that is helpful and true, find the right time to say it.”
- Buddha
"If you can't control your mouth, there's no way you can hope to control your mind."
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Words of wisdom and the concept of respect seems to be lost on you. Take care.
shareas far as respect goes, i agree that anthoy's comment lacked a little respect, but as far as religion goes.. well, each to his own. i can be respectful and what not, but don't need any religion for that, for it just feeds you prefabricated ideas.
although i like many buddhist ideas, i think the above citation is pretty useless, because it all depends on the situation and the content of what you wanna say.. so hurtful but true can be the best solution sometimes. so.. words of wisdom.. i don't know.. wisdom might be subjective sometimes..
but this has nothing to do with this thread, so i quit it right here.
"i have a problem with depth-perception!" -turanga leela
Wow, I guess self-righteous behavior exists in all religions. And here I thought it was just the Christians who were annoying. Nice job making Buddhists look like Tards.
share"Don't preach the words of Buddha to me, because I don't care. I'd listen to him as much as I'd listen to Moses, Jesus, Allah, etc. . . which is never.
I'm far too intelligent for that."
considering there are (and have been) many intellectually gifted people who *do* believe in such things I find your statement, "I'm far too intelligent for that" incredibly ignorant
Francis Collins, Louis Pasteur, Isaac Newton, René Descartes, George Washington Carver, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis;
to name a few intellects who were deeply devoted to their faith
Yeah, and look what happened to Newton after his little finding.
Did his religion & society take the news very well?
-AP3-"If I had a heart, it might be breaking right now." (Dexter Morgan)
Well, he was knighted, became a member of parliament, and then became in charge of the British mint. So yeah, they hated him.
share
Your first and last sentence contradict each other.... you may consider yourself intelligent but you are also unfortunately ignorant.... at least attempt to gain a basic understanding of what buddhist teachings entail before writing them off completely. I can understand your problems with religious institutions as a whole maybe but if you actually do some reading you will find that buddhism is entirely different in many ways than "western" religions... that and just because the institutions and the politics etc... of a church may be corrupt to varying degrees doesn't discredit the wisdom found within the actual teachings themselves.
There is no teacher but the Enemy.- Ender
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My husband is Buddhist and when this scene with the huge Buddha and the half-naked girl in front came on, my hubby said: "Buddha is crying!"... *laugh*
My mother is a Buddhist and I used to be one too, but I wasn't offended and neither was my mother. I actually found it hilarious how Cora came out of Buddha's butt.
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Violets are #0000FF
All my base
Are belong to you
Its just more or less to make fun of how celebrities abuse stuff like that. Granted, if the movie made fun of Cora believing in Christianity and she came out of Jesus' butt, I think more people would be up in arms about that.
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Meg (2008)
I agree with the previous posts, the movie was just making fun of how so many current pop stars seem to "find" religion, but really not understand the religion at all.
"Look. There's a rhythmic ceremonial ritual coming up!"
Honestly when I first saw it I was speechless..for like the first 5 secs. Then me and friend started laughing simultaneously. I think everyone in the cinema must've thought we were nutz! And as we walked out...no one seemed insulted, just amused.
We're Buddhists and it was pretty entertaining to see other ppl's perception of the religion. But...to each his own! Just like how some ppl were waayy offended by Madonna and Jesus Christ Superstar...I take it at face value! Peace n love! LoLz!