Suspended reality
Many years ago, I took a course on movie appreciation. It was the time when “Midnight Cowboy,” the original X-rated version, came out. It was quite a heady time. The old movie censorship guidelines were falling away. I learned to look for symbolism in movie shots, how to spot mistakes in a movie, even to note commercialism in a shot. After every movie, I also learned to ask questions about what a movie was all about.
Among the many things I learned in that class was how a movie can draw one so far into its perspective that you are forced to suspend your sense of reality and believe what is being presented. A movie is a great medium for taking a small, insignificant item and making it much larger than what it is. A movie is great for propagandist stories. The Nazis were very good at it. I remember reviewing “Triumph des Willens” (“Triumph of the Will”) and “Der Zerbrochene Krug” (“The Broken Jug”). Nazi films glorified the Fuehrer and duty to country over pursuit of self-interest. Depending on one’s view point, the films were masterpieces presenting the big truth, or the big lie.
I would say “2000 Mules” is just such a movie. Depending on one’s biases, it confirms how the election was stolen, or it is a falsification of what really happened. (Letter writer) Lois Johnston obviously believes the film confirms her belief Trump was defrauded. For me, the obvious mistake was the placement of one ballot box, supposedly in Georgia, but located on a map of Moscow, Russia. Lois Johnston also overlooks the producer of the firm, Dinesh D’Sousa, was convicted of election fraud and later pardoned by Herr — I mean — Mr. Trump.
Wayne Beebe
Pullman
The Bible and science
A recent letter writer stated, “What is the relevance of the Bible to science? None. Let’s appreciate the achievements of science without invoking the divine.” I submit that the author of this quote has it exactly backwards. God created this universe based on his logic and consistency. Consequently, science and math work and are trustworthy. Science is, however, being constantly revised to better reflect reality, another term for God’s truth. At one time, archeologists dismissed the history presented in the Bible. Now archeologists often use the Bible when working in the Bible lands because it has proven to be consistently true. A straightforward reading of the Bible suggests a young earth, which many geologists and evolutions claim is untrue. The billions of years claimed since the proposed big bang is challenged by a variety of opposing scientific evidence suggesting a young earth and probably a young universe. Scientists are finding C14 in coal seams, diamonds and ancient wood and soft tissue in dinosaur bones suggesting these are much younger than evolution science is claiming. The geology of the Earth is best explained by the biblical flood of Noah, which occurred about 4,500 years ago. Human lineage from nuclear DNA and Y chromosome differences also points back to the three offspring of Noah. Science has not substantiated evolution, even though it is taught as if factual. Science has no factual support for the origin of life apart from God creating it. The lack of a factual basis for the origin of death strongly supports God as the cause. There is significant scientific support for continued existence after death, which the Bible clearly supports. Biblical prophecy has historically been 100 percent correct.
To those who disagree, please present your case based on scientific facts, not suppositions without a verifiable factual basis.
Larry Kirkland
Moscow
