First off, I’m a fan of the graphic novel. I read it before I saw the movie and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was layered far deeper than what was able to be contained in the movie. The classic “the book was better” line applies. However, I did like Zach Snyder’s adaptation. His personal fandom kept him true to the graphic novel and I appreciated it. The “non-squid/fake alien” ending was alright with me. It worked and made sense bringing the world together out of fear that Dr. Manhattan would strike again. 

I did not like the artistic license to make the movie more graphic in terms of sex and violence. The story contained enough already and the message was strong enough without that excessive display. 

Obviously, on moral grounds, there was so much wrong in the story. It displayed “heroes” who allow the end to justify the means. This is becomes true for all vigilantes who don’t submit to the civilizations code of laws (flawed though it may be), but is really driven home in the Watchmen story. That is the message, “Who watches the watchmen?” These watchmen and our own law enforcement and armed forces are all flawed, sinful human beings. And as more power is given to them, those flaws are even more evident. Therefore the nobel cause of Justice is perverted because sinful man can’t truly dispense it. Even other superheroes who have their own personal code of crimefighting fall into this trap because the nobility of the cause of Justice is overwhelming in the face of the great need. Violence and death usually results and becomes the Comedian’s joke as he embodies cruelty with the license to end cruelty. Ironic humor. Yet, when he faces it on the scale of Ozymandias’ design, he is overwhelmed.

Where’s the redemption in a story like this. The nihilism and the corruption of man is hopeless without a Savior. Someone must redeem man from his own destruction. It is not found in the classic philosophers (ala Ozymandias) for that would lead to the murder of 15 million people–an unacceptable price for peace. It can only be found in God himself. The Just One. Yet his plan to bring peace involved self-sacrifice. And it is that display of Love that draws us back to God and allows us to be transformed from the earthly man with his corrupt desires and sinful ways to the godly man who loves his enemies; enemies who still bear the image of God despite how hidden it has become. It is only in this environment where people are transformed that hate turns to love, vengence turns to mercy, revenge turns to forgiveness, and war turns to peace.

• Ghost Town
• Slumdog Millionaire
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Synechdoche, NY
• Juno
• American Splendor
• Trade
• Amelie

The belief that some cosmic Jewish Zombie can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him that you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree.

In geek-speak in sounds crazy, yet it is close to the truth. Here’s the translation from geek-speak to Christianese:

cosmic: from beyond earth, outside our galaxy/universe, transcendent God

zombie: body returned to life, resurrection

cosmic Jewish zombie: Jesus Christ, 2nd Person of the Trinity

live forever: eternal life in heaven

symbolically eat-flesh: eucharist, communion, Lord’s Supper

telepathy: prayer

accept as master: accept Jesus as Lord & Savior

evil force in soul: original sin

rib-woman: Eve

talking snake: Satan

magical tree: Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

Complete Translation to Christianese:

The belief that the transcendent God, incarnate in Jesus Christ, was raised from the dead can give you eternal life in heaven if you remember his sacrifice in partaking of the Lord’s Supper and pray, telling him that you accept him as your Lord and Savior, so he can remove original sin from your soul that is present in humanity because Eve was convinced by Satan to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

“Several research reports, both recently published and not yet published, provide evidence of the limits of multitasking. The findings, according to neuroscientists, psychologists and management professors, suggest that many people would be wise to curb their multitasking behavior when working in an office, studying or driving a car….When humans attempt to perform two tasks at once, execution of the first task usually leads to postponement of the second one.”

I think we all know this, though we act like it isn’t so.

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MOM: Pass the wine, please. I want to become crazy.

DAD: O.K.

GRANDMOTHER: Did you see the politics? It made me angry.

DAD: Me, too. When it was over, I had sex.

UNCLE: I’m having sex right now.

DAD: We all are.

MOM: Let’s talk about which kid I like the best.

DAD: (laughing) You know, but you won’t tell.

MOM: If they ask me again, I might tell.

FRIEND FROM WORK: Hey, guess what! My voice is pretty loud!

DAD: (laughing) There are actual monsters in the world, but when my kids ask I pretend like there aren’t.

MOM: I’m angry! I’m angry all of a sudden!

DAD: I’m angry, too! We’re angry at each other!

MOM: Now everything is fine.

DAD: We just saw the PG-13 movie. It was so good.

MOM: There was a big sex.

FRIEND FROM WORK: I am the loudest! I am the loudest!

(Everybody laughs.)

MOM: I had a lot of wine, and now I’m crazy!

GRANDFATHER: Hey, do you guys know what God looks like?

ALL: Yes.

GRANDFATHER: Don’t tell the kids.

Why do I choose to get my news this way? Well, instead of a network news producer telling me what I should know about world events, a group of 325,000 users decide. Very democratically every person has a vote and decides if a story is good or bad. The more times a story is ‘dugg’ the greater the influence it has on society. Granted this is all affected by the users who tend to be more techno savvy (aka geeks) so some stories may be irrelevant. Thus, the need for more people to give their imput.

For awhile, I have read the stories, submitting myself to everyone else’s opinion on the most newsworthy events and most helpful information of the day. While I enjoyed benefiting from the top stories, I have come to realize my responsibility to lend my voice to the crowd, which at times can be anti-God. The simplest way is to digg or bury stories by voting. Next is to submit stories you think others should hear. Whether network or grassroots (blogs), bringing opinions and ideas to the masses that will start to change thinking is part of bringing light to a dark world. Lastly, joining the people around the digital watercooler and commenting on stories.

Do You Digg?

The Old Mouse 

There was an old mouse who went for a walk every day. The old mouse did not like children. When he saw them on the street he would shout, “Go away, horrid things!”

One day the old mouse was taking his walk. All at once, his suspenders broke, and his pants fell down. Some ladies came by. “Help, help!” cried the old mouse. But the ladies screamed, “Your pants have fallen down!” And they ran away.

The old mouse ran home and cried, “Help me!” But his wife only said, “You look silly in your underwear.,” and gave him a hit on the head.
The old mouse began to cry. Some children passed by. “Poor old mouse,” they said, “we will help you. Here is some chewing gum. It will hold your pants up very well.”

“Look!” cried the old mouse. “My pants are up! This chewing gum is great. These pants will never fall down again!”

Those pants never did fall down again. And after that, the old mouse was always kind to children when he went for his walk.

Who would have thought to use chewing gum to keep their pants up.  Children are so resourceful.