A Lack of Faith?

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ArnoldtheRubberDucky
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A Lack of Faith?

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This topic is basically a continuation of one of my comments in Debating Emily. I told T.S. (Myself) that I had noticed an apparent lack of faith in AIO characters, particularly the new kids. Think about it. Do you ever hear Emily talking about church? Or Camilla reciting a Bible verse? This isn't to say that the Odyssey kids should be talking about God every second of the day, but remember Lucy? Remember Jimmy and Donna? The old kids actually talked about God. You could tell that they were Christians. Apparently, AIO is resorting to only the adults talking about God, in order to appeal to kids. If any one else has an opinion on this topic, post it!
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CreativeThinker101 wrote:This topic is basically a continuation of one of my comments in Debating Emily. I told T.S. (Myself) that I had noticed an apparent lack of faith in AIO characters, particularly the new kids. Think about it. Do you ever hear Emily talking about church? Or Camilla reciting a Bible verse? This isn't to say that the Odyssey kids should be talking about God every second of the day, but remember Lucy? Remember Seth? The old kids actually talked about God. You could tell that they were Christians. Apparently, AIO is resorting to only the adults talking about God, in order to appeal to kids. If any one else has an opinion on this topic, post it!
I would have to agree. I seem to find that whenever there at Whits End it's not really like the old. It's like there like some Christians today who are Christians but like never talk about there Faith. Sad it is.
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My short answer: Heck, no.
Here's my long, wise, The Great Pound Foolish answer.
Olivia mentions, in Opposite Day, she likes going to church. Matthew, in Fast as I Can, helps Whit with an addition to the Bible room, and then goes a step even farther by asking questions, and then even volunteering to fast, and works hard to stick to it. The children of AIO still hold Christianity in their hearts.
In a sense, you and T.S. are so right, Mr. Thinker. There's not quite as much didactic talk now. The theme is conveyed more through talk at the END, rather than talk throughOUT. But is that bad? Is there anything wrong with being swept along with The Mystery of the Clock Tower, left breathless, and then listen in fascination as Eugene and Whit round it off with two brief comments? That is more thought provoking than being spoon-fed talk about not quitting (The Defining Moment) or honesty (The Prodigal Jimmy) or what have you. In Wooton Knows Best, Olivia memorizes a Bible verse for selfish reasons, and is given a talking to by her Dad at the END of the show. We are drawn in by humor and family drama, and then hit us with the morals. I'd say this is a wise system.
Today's characters certainly don't talk about Christianity much. For one thing, that's how most Christians really ARE. For another, there really wasn't as much talking about Christianity as you make out. Sure, characters like Issac brought such things up. And one of your own examples, Seth, was only into Christianity for the sake of comedy. His over zealousness and complete confusion of priorities made him hilarious, not a role-model. More popular characters, like Jared, never really brought up God. Even Mandy, who is one of AIO's most gentle, admirable and loveable role models, didn't bring up God or Christianity in all the episodes she appeared in, or even most of them.
Does this mean they are lacking in their Christian faith as well!?.....
Is being a Christian chit-chatting about Christianity? I'd say it's more of an attitude.
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True, PF. Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to talk about God all the time, but I don't think the AIO team should jam-pack a story with comedy and action and then add a disjointed moral at the end. So in a sense, you are right, but I don't agree with the 'insert a random moral at the end of an episode' belief. Thank you for the long, thought-out comment. I nos agrée with almost all your points. Almost all of them.
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Very well, Mr. Thinker. If something disconcerts you as you listen, something disconcerts you.
But, as an author, may I say there's zilch wrong with having the moral at the end. If the situation fails to convey the situation's moral meaning, the moral clearly isn't there. If it's there, preaching about it through the episode is obviously superfluous.
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Pound Foolish wrote:Very well, Mr. Thinker. If something disconcerts you as you listen, something disconcerts you.
But, as an author, may I say there's zilch wrong with having the moral at the end. If the situation fails to convey the situation's moral meaning, the moral clearly isn't there. If it's there, preaching about it through the episode is obviously superfluous.
As an author? You're an author? Or were you talking about author of SS comments? And I don't mean you have to preach about it through the episode, but don't you think it should be conveyed in other parts of the episode, not just the end?
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Nope, by author I meant I've been published in different minor print forms. And please allow me to say you appear to not be addressing my point. My point is that a theme/moral can be conveyed through a story. Actual talk about the theme is unnecessary, even dull and overly simple. In which case, saving the moral-spelling-out for last makes sense.
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Pound Foolish wrote:Nope, by author I meant I've been published in different minor print forms. And please allow me to say you appear to not be addressing my point. My point is that a theme/moral can be conveyed through a story. Actual talk about the theme is unnecessary, even dull and overly simple. In which case, saving the moral-spelling-out for last makes sense.
In a way, it does. I'm just saying that I don't like just action and laughs and then a moral at the end. As long as the moral is conveyed throughout the story, I'm fine with having the moral be more exaggerated at the end. But what about multi-Patrters? In The Labyrinth, the moral was only completeley conveyed in Pt. 3, not in the other episodes. That, to me, is a bit of a problem.
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Well put. I believe I'll have to rethink my position...
“I absolutely demand of you and everyone I know that they be widely read in every [censored] field there is: in every religion and every art form and don’t tell me you haven’t got time! There’s plenty of time.”~ Ray Bradbury
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