Seeker196

At some point in a Christian bleating session we usually come to the idea that God can create evil, inflict evil, etc. because he is like a potter who can make some pots for being useful, and others for breaking.

In otherwords, creation of a life gives ownership of that life.

In the novel 'Frankenstein' Mary Shelley's distorted vision of science is berated for daring to 'play God' (i.e., to create life...with Christians assuming that creating life is the same as owning it).

Another parallel is that Victor Frankenstein creates his monster with a 'criminal brain', a clear O S reference. Vic seems to hope that 'Adam' will be able to overcome his nature and be perfect...


Question:
Why is it bad for Victor Frankenstein to 'play God', but it isn't bad for God to 'play God'?

BigJim

God works in mysterious ways.

It's not our place to question God.

God has the qualifications to play God, nobody else does. You wouldn't want a non-trained person to play Doctor would you? But it's fine when an MD does it.

IvanK

I'm confused. So is it good or bad for God to play Doctor?

bonduca

If he/she/it has an M.D., I don't see why not.

[ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: bonduca ]</p>

karlvonl

Depends on how cute she is.

Wizardry

So who trained God and gave him his degree? Looking at his work, his credentials are highly suspect.

Peace out.

sighhswolf

What I found amazing about the novel was it's basis in Jewish mythology and mysticism.
The practice of "Kabbal" by Jewish mystics contains a design and formula for the bringing forth of a life for the purposes the mystic assigns it, revenge/retribution being the main
causation. The lifeform is called the "GOLEM", and can be summoned by the practice of Kabbal. This form of mysticism was denounced by mainstream Jews, as it was thought to be an abomination for man to create life, by unnatural
means.
It is widely believed that Mary Shelley based her novel in part on this ancient form of Jewish mysticism.

Wolf

tronvillain

Seeker196, have you even read the book? There is no mention of Frankenstein using a "criminal brain" - he did not simply sew together dead human body parts and animate them. It appears that he constructed a new lifeform from near the bottom up:

It's hard to see how people could say the things they generally say about the story if they had read it themselves.

[ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: tronvillain ]</p>

ju'iblex

God playing God. Thats got to be one of the most boring games ever, pretending to be yourself.

Although it would explain him creating evil, hes got to get his kicks somewhere.

Femme Savante

This wonderful myth has been retold several times in popular culture.

In 1915, during the German Expressionist film period, Henrik Galeen & Paul Wegener wrote and directed Der Golem. One viewer wrote of it, "The cinematography in this movie is STUNNING. One feels as though one were a captive in an alternate dimension of reality; an almost Lovecraftian world where the very geometry of the buildings seems to writhe and come to life. The atmosphere of Budapest in the Middle Ages seems to be captured perfectly.

"After Jews were ousted from the town by royal decree, the leader of the Jewish community crafts the Golem out of clay and brings him to life in a black magical ceremony (interesting to note that among the crimes accused of the Jews in the edict, one was witchcraft). The Golem then is brought before the king and results in the Jews being allowed to remain. But the Golem falls in love(!) with a young lady and runs amok. The story is a classic and there is a considerable amount of drama here, but the real gem of this movie are the incredible visuals and the atmosphere. One of the greatest expressionist classics ever made. Far superior to The Cabinet of Dr Caligari in my opinion."

In 1936 Julien Duvivier wrote and directed Le Golem, of which a viewer wrote, "A Golem is an old Czech fairy tale that Mary Shelly stole and rewrote as a film called -- Frankenstein. Yes, that is right Frankenstein is a rip-off -- A fake, a fraud.

"So now it is your duty to go a find out what the Czech fairy tale is about. Watch this film. It is about the Golem, (a story that has been passed from generation to generation), a creature that was created by a Jewish Rabbi . . . and if you have seen Frankenstein then you [know] what else I am about to tell you.

"Go watch this real Frankenstein movie."

In the '90s, an episode of The X-Files entitled "Kaddish" retold the Golem story. A young Hassidic Jew shopkeeper was killed by some skinheads before his wedding day ; his fiancee fashioned a Golem out of mud from his gravesite and engraved the Hebrew characters for "EMET" (meaning "life", I believe) on the back of his hand. While ghosts are described as spirits without bodies, the Golem is described as flesh without a soul. The Golem -- who is a doppelganger for her fiance -- goes about avengeing the deaths of those who killed him. . . . Eventually the Golem comes to the synagogue on his wedding day and begins to cause harm to the fiance's father. There's a rather shadowy hunt-and-seek for the Golem by Scully and Mulder, but neither of them subdue the creature. Instead, the fiancee resolves the Golem's anguish by allowing him to place the wedding ring on her finger ; then she rubs out the "E" from "EMET" on the back of his hand, changing the word to "MET" or "dust", and the creature dissolves.

One of my favorite X-Files.

M.L.