Question
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Performing Arts
*Clip taken out of the episode The Midterms from the the tv The West Wing*
Quotes taken from IMDB.com (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0745700/quotes):
"President Josiah Bartlet: You're Dr. Jenna Jacobs, right?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: Yes, Sir.
President Josiah Bartlet: Forgive me, Dr. Jacobs. Are you an M.D.?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: A Ph.D.
President Josiah Bartlet: A Ph.D.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: Yes, Sir.
President Josiah Bartlet: Psychology?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: No, Sir.
President Josiah Bartlet: Theology?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: No.
President Josiah Bartlet: Social work?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I have a Ph.D. in English literature.
President Josiah Bartlet: I'm asking 'cause on your show, people call in for advice and you go by the name Dr. Jacobs on your show, and I didn't know if maybe your listeners were confused by that and assumed you had advanced training in psychology, theology or health care.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I don't believe they are confused. No, Sir."
"President Josiah Bartlet: Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I don't say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.
President Josiah Bartlet: Yes it does. Leviticus.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: 18:22.
President Josiah Bartlet: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I have you here. I'm interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She's a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff Leo McGarry insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here's one that's really important because we've got a lot of sports fans in this town: touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you? One last thing: while you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits."
Quotes taken from IMDB.com (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0745700/quotes):
"President Josiah Bartlet: You're Dr. Jenna Jacobs, right?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: Yes, Sir.
President Josiah Bartlet: Forgive me, Dr. Jacobs. Are you an M.D.?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: A Ph.D.
President Josiah Bartlet: A Ph.D.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: Yes, Sir.
President Josiah Bartlet: Psychology?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: No, Sir.
President Josiah Bartlet: Theology?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: No.
President Josiah Bartlet: Social work?
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I have a Ph.D. in English literature.
President Josiah Bartlet: I'm asking 'cause on your show, people call in for advice and you go by the name Dr. Jacobs on your show, and I didn't know if maybe your listeners were confused by that and assumed you had advanced training in psychology, theology or health care.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I don't believe they are confused. No, Sir."
"President Josiah Bartlet: Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I don't say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.
President Josiah Bartlet: Yes it does. Leviticus.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: 18:22.
President Josiah Bartlet: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I have you here. I'm interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She's a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff Leo McGarry insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here's one that's really important because we've got a lot of sports fans in this town: touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you? One last thing: while you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tight-Ass Club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits."
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Answered I think...
I saw this episode when it aired and was impressed by the writing then. It's interesting to see this message is still resonating with people.
That message, I think, is that holy and historic books hold great wisdom, but it is still up to us to use our own mind to separate the wheat from the chaff. I am not a Christian, but recognize the value of some of its teachings. What I believe is that we should focus on the lessons that show how to treat each other in a way that promotes harmony and not worry about what happens when we're dead. -
Answered I think...
The West Wing was one of the most intelligent, current, and entertaining programs on tv. For those of you who missed it when it was on in prime time, it can usually be found in reruns on some channel somewhere on the cable line up (Bravo, or A&E, etc). Watch it, you won't regret it.
What I liked best about the show was that Martin Sheen's character - the President- was a moderate-liberal-democrat (and NOT ashamed to admit it!) and at the same time he was thoughtful, honest, intelligent, considerate and patriotic to America and what it stands/stood for.
This is something you rarely see or hear anymore in our overtly christianized -conservative-republican dominated media today.
Today liberals -and to some extent all democrats- are called names like "wingnuts" "lunatics" "stupid" and "uninformed" by right-wing conservative talking puppet heads on "news" shows like Foxnews, and on radio by shills like Limbaugh and Dr. Laura (the fake doctor).
Those who are not of the Christian persuasion or don't believe in Christianizing America's politics, schools, etc are called "ungodly", "sinful" and worse...
There is a time and place for everything. Even religion.
Religion -in general- can be the glue that pulls people together and holds humanity to a higher standard on the whole. But religion, when used to manipulate, dominate, enslave, or degrade others is not conducive to harmony or humanity among us.
Religion also has no place AT ALL in politics or our government....The West Wing was one of the most intelligent, current, and entertaining programs on tv. For those of you who missed it when it was on in prime time, it can usually be found in reruns on some channel somewhere on the cable line up (Bravo, or A&E, etc). Watch it, you won't regret it.
What I liked best about the show was that Martin Sheen's character - the President- was a moderate-liberal-democrat (and NOT ashamed to admit it!) and at the same time he was thoughtful, honest, intelligent, considerate and patriotic to America and what it stands/stood for.
This is something you rarely see or hear anymore in our overtly christianized -conservative-republican dominated media today.
Today liberals -and to some extent all democrats- are called names like "wingnuts" "lunatics" "stupid" and "uninformed" by right-wing conservative talking puppet heads on "news" shows like Foxnews, and on radio by shills like Limbaugh and Dr. Laura (the fake doctor).
Those who are not of the Christian persuasion or don't believe in Christianizing America's politics, schools, etc are called "ungodly", "sinful" and worse...
There is a time and place for everything. Even religion.
Religion -in general- can be the glue that pulls people together and holds humanity to a higher standard on the whole. But religion, when used to manipulate, dominate, enslave, or degrade others is not conducive to harmony or humanity among us.
Religion also has no place AT ALL in politics or our government. None. Ever. No matter what religion, politics should be a secular place of fairness, not an arena for any single religion to dominate or dictate morals or values to others...
That's my 2 cents...(less) -
Answered My thoughts are...
Well I've heard it argue that there are two types of laws set back in the old testament... ritualistic laws and moralistic laws. The argument is that its the ritualistic laws that were made to be discarded with the coming of Christ, but all of the moralistic laws are still in place. My personal thoughts are that all of the laws of moses changed, but that human ethics and conscious maintained a certain understanding with regards to what is not okay and what is... i.e. Killing someone else is not okay... loving them is. I believe when Jesus came to earth he gave us the choice to create our own system of ethics and to judge for ourselves what is good and bad. We, as a massive group, choose to continue to make killing bad because there is a certain value to life. Some choose to make homosexuality bad, although besides the Jewish doctrine and Paul, I'm not sure what other value they are upholding while doing so. -
Answered I think...
As I writer, I'd like to meet the person who wrote this episode and particularly that scene. It gives people a lot to think about - blatantly pointing out hypocrisy. Why is it all right to follow one line of scripture to the letter of the verse, while ignoring others? Like so many things, culture has changed and so certain aspects are ignored in favor of modern society.
Honestly, I wish people would let go of Lev. 18. I am a person of faith and frankly detest that people use the Bible as a justification for hatred and bigotry. It seems to me that if you're going to ignore a passage in the Bible (like obviously so many people do), it should be those that are harsh and promote intolerance, and remember those that promote the love and unification of man kind. God is love, and that love applies to every person regardless of race, color, gender, sexuality or whatever else people think divides the human race. -
Answered My thoughts are...
Speaking for the character that was dumbfounded. Punishment was not only harsh in the Middle East in the days that the Bible was written. These were the days when laws were being established amongst chaotic ancient nations everywhere. Laws have changed to fit the times in case you haven't noticed with the exception of the Ten Commandments (for religious folk they are eternal). Re: biblical times: other nations were just as harsh on their citizens & some remain so even today. Why are you homing in on the Bible? Does the accountability it teaches make you that uncomfortable? FYI: The type of individuals that possessed the irresponsible attitude, "if it feels good do it," had a devastating effect on society in ancient times due to lack of modern interventions. An example: Re: Stoning adulterers to death. The spread of STD in those days could easily wipe out many people if there hadn't been for harsh laws to protect the masses--they didn't have the medicine to cure VD back then--they had to deal harshly with any action that could have had a devastating effect on others. Our country does not have the same laws as mid eastern nations because life style is different. Even so you are basing your dialog for an entirely different way of life in ancient times and comparing them with today and our western society and counting on it to shock and sway people to your way of thinking to discredit the Bible--You do not seem to have much knowledge regarding the material discussed. I must qu...Speaking for the character that was dumbfounded. Punishment was not only harsh in the Middle East in the days that the Bible was written. These were the days when laws were being established amongst chaotic ancient nations everywhere. Laws have changed to fit the times in case you haven't noticed with the exception of the Ten Commandments (for religious folk they are eternal). Re: biblical times: other nations were just as harsh on their citizens & some remain so even today. Why are you homing in on the Bible? Does the accountability it teaches make you that uncomfortable? FYI: The type of individuals that possessed the irresponsible attitude, "if it feels good do it," had a devastating effect on society in ancient times due to lack of modern interventions. An example: Re: Stoning adulterers to death. The spread of STD in those days could easily wipe out many people if there hadn't been for harsh laws to protect the masses--they didn't have the medicine to cure VD back then--they had to deal harshly with any action that could have had a devastating effect on others. Our country does not have the same laws as mid eastern nations because life style is different. Even so you are basing your dialog for an entirely different way of life in ancient times and comparing them with today and our western society and counting on it to shock and sway people to your way of thinking to discredit the Bible--You do not seem to have much knowledge regarding the material discussed. I must question your judgement as you have not done your homework before sending out your point of views via a TV program. Testimonial propaganda ruins a show that is supposed to be for entertainment. Punishments were different in the old world and were designed to have a lasting impression on criminals to change their ways. Unlike many countries that are not tolerant of criminal activity western civilization rewards their criminals with color TV's, free education, free medical care, etc. while many law abiding citizens, elderly & disabled individuals lose their homes and starve & or die because they can't afford food and or their medications. Western civilization has begun to put citizens to death because of illness & lack of ability to communicate as most people do. Self absorbed people don't care to help them, but they do champion causes that benefits themselves as one can clearly see the type of causes they speak out for. Go get 'em President Josiah Bartlet--if it feels good do it, eh? Never mind about the long term effects it will have on society. Thank goodness you're not a real president.(less) -
Answered I think...
you have really picked out something that a whole lot a people will not understand...bravo for your Marianne...regardless the President yields the power and he or she at the snap of two fingers can make or break a politician or critic...and the present President whether good or bad is still our President until January 20, 2009 unless some unforseen action takes place that prevents a turnover of the goverment.
Answered My thoughts are...
This episode is reciting the Bile to make a point that not only does it say that homosexuality is an abomination, but Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threadsI think think this episode made a good point.. If that is they way they want to live how does it hurt the rest of us...