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Seriously? So who do you believe wrote the Gospel of John? John certainly didn’t write it? Do you believe Noah built an Ark? What about Moses and the Red Sea? Don’t you believe in the power of God? In “miracles”? The whole point is Eli was “called upon by a ‘voice’ to find the Book and deliver it “West”. Don’t you believe if God were to call upon Eli to deliver the Book and protect him, He could also inspire Eli to miraculously memorize it? Suspend your disbelief for a moment and enjoy the film as a “story”. After all, it’s just fiction. I don’t think it’s an attack on Christianity or the Bible.
Another couple of interesting comments from the film. Eli, when locked in his cell mysteriously escapes while an armed guard stands outside and then continues walking “west.” When they enter the cell, the bars on the window are still locked closed. This is reminiscent of Peter’s famous escape the night before his execution which is echoed throughout history with other miraculous escapes by other devout Christians like John of the Cross, for example.
Then, there is the issue that the last Bible, when in the hands of evil ironically is in a language inaccessible to the unbeliever —in this case Braille, a coded language which requires translation (a Divine gift?) just like the original ancient Greek texts requires translation into English. The Apostles spoke Aramaic and were not literate. The Gospels were written in Greek who supposedly heard the Apostle speak and give “testament” (an eye witness account) as to what they saw and experienced. Thus, from the beginning when discussing the Gospels we are working with a translation (Aramaic to Greek). We read our Bibles in English however. Again, a translation of a translation of someone who spoke Aramaic over 2000 years ago —and that’s a best case scenario. We don’t have the original texts or translations of the Gospels, only copies of copies that are in most cases incomplete. The earliest manuscript of a New Testament text is a business-card-sized fragment from the Gospel of John, Rylands Library Papyrus P52, which may be as early as the first half of the 2nd century.
Finally, there is the issue of Eli’s companion and her mother who is also blind like Eli. It should be noted that prophets in the Old Testament and in Greek mythology are traditionally blind and as a result they are the only ones who can truely “see.” Solara —meaning ‘sun’ in Latin— is similar to the Biblical “Mary” figures. When Eli is shot, abandoned and left to die it is Solara who returns to help. Why? Because she prayed with Eli and she felt something. She too is now a “believer.”
And why “West”? Because the Bible and Christianity are fundamental basis for all of western civilization. Without Christianity there would be no Humanism, no Renaissance, no Enlightenment, no Descartes, no Cartesian split, no concept of the individual, no concept of personal freedom or liberty. So it only make sense that Eli must go “west” because that is where “western civilization ” starts and must be reborn... (yea, I know this is very Eurocentric thinking...).
You don’t have to like the film. I only responded because you brought it up.
Another couple of interesting comments from the film. Eli, when locked in his cell mysteriously escapes while an armed guard stands outside and then continues walking “west.” When they enter the cell, the bars on the window are still locked closed. This is reminiscent of Peter’s famous escape the night before his execution which is echoed throughout history with other miraculous escapes by other devout Christians like John of the Cross, for example.
Then, there is the issue that the last Bible, when in the hands of evil ironically is in a language inaccessible to the unbeliever —in this case Braille, a coded language which requires translation (a Divine gift?) just like the original ancient Greek texts requires translation into English. The Apostles spoke Aramaic and were not literate. The Gospels were written in Greek who supposedly heard the Apostle speak and give “testament” (an eye witness account) as to what they saw and experienced. Thus, from the beginning when discussing the Gospels we are working with a translation (Aramaic to Greek). We read our Bibles in English however. Again, a translation of a translation of someone who spoke Aramaic over 2000 years ago —and that’s a best case scenario. We don’t have the original texts or translations of the Gospels, only copies of copies that are in most cases incomplete. The earliest manuscript of a New Testament text is a business-card-sized fragment from the Gospel of John, Rylands Library Papyrus P52, which may be as early as the first half of the 2nd century.
Finally, there is the issue of Eli’s companion and her mother who is also blind like Eli. It should be noted that prophets in the Old Testament and in Greek mythology are traditionally blind and as a result they are the only ones who can truely “see.” Solara —meaning ‘sun’ in Latin— is similar to the Biblical “Mary” figures. When Eli is shot, abandoned and left to die it is Solara who returns to help. Why? Because she prayed with Eli and she felt something. She too is now a “believer.”
And why “West”? Because the Bible and Christianity are fundamental basis for all of western civilization. Without Christianity there would be no Humanism, no Renaissance, no Enlightenment, no Descartes, no Cartesian split, no concept of the individual, no concept of personal freedom or liberty. So it only make sense that Eli must go “west” because that is where “western civilization ” starts and must be reborn... (yea, I know this is very Eurocentric thinking...).
You don’t have to like the film. I only responded because you brought it up.
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Auto-correct. Thank-you for pointing it out, fixed it
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