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Post by FilmFlaneur on Mar 28, 2017 10:31:59 GMT
Anybody seen the new Netflix original movie 'The Most Hated Woman in America' yet? It is a dramatization of the life and kidnapping of America's most prominent atheist of a generation ago, Madalyn Murray O'Hair founder of the organization American Atheist, who held the position of president within the organization for 23 years. The intelligent, combative and acerbic O'Hair was a high profile, if flawed, figure who was directly responsible for the landmark Supreme Court decision banning prayer in American schools as unconstitutional as well as other related fights at a local and national level. Her final abduction, along with other members of her immediate family and gruesome end capped a troubled personal life but her influence is still felt today. Arguably O'Hair prefigured the growth of the militant atheist movement by raising the profile of atheism in American society and fighting her corner with intelligence and tenacity as well as supporting other radical social agendas - at one point she even tried to defect to the Soviets! The new movie (which I have yet to watch) seems well mounted, has been fairly if not glowingly received by critics, and, on suspects works well as a follow up to the BBC documentary of a few years ago 'Godless in America'. (This and other material related to this important atheist can be found on YouTube)
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Post by CoolJGS☺ on Mar 28, 2017 10:43:13 GMT
I saw her plenty on Phil Donahue back in the day as a kid.
She was a mean old bitty and was a pioneer primarily in how to monetize her dislike of religion. She set the model for Dawkins to follow.
There's probably about a thousand other shows to watch on netflix first, but then I might catch it.
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Post by FilmFlaneur on Mar 28, 2017 11:16:42 GMT
I saw her plenty on Phil Donahue back in the day as a kid. She was a mean old bitty and was a pioneer primarily in how to monetize her dislike of religion. She set the model for Dawkins to follow. There's probably about a thousand other shows to watch on netflix first, but then I might catch it. In the documentary the Catholic Donohue is fairly complimentary about her, seeing O'Hair's worth at least partly in balancing out the sanctimoniousness of society as well as the overweening influence of religion in all areas of American public life. I would agree that in some ways she sets the model for the more pugnacious form of atheism we see from some today, but whereas Dawkins bases a fair bit of his most effective atheism on the understandings of evolutionary biology, O'Hair took as her foundation social libertarianism. |
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Post by CoolJGS☺ on Mar 28, 2017 11:27:36 GMT
I saw her plenty on Phil Donahue back in the day as a kid. She was a mean old bitty and was a pioneer primarily in how to monetize her dislike of religion. She set the model for Dawkins to follow. There's probably about a thousand other shows to watch on netflix first, but then I might catch it. In the documentary the Catholic Donohue is fairly complimentary about her, seeing O'Hair's worth at least partly in balancing out the sanctimoniousness of society as well as the overweening influence of religion in all areas of American public life. I would agree that in some ways she sets the model for the more pugnacious form of atheism we see from some today, but whereas Dawkins bases a fair bit of his most effective atheism on the understandings of evolutionary biology, O'Hair took as her foundation social libertarianism. Donahue never painted me as religious, so he may have been catholic largely out of tradition. He was always a big fan of hers because he was always a free speech champion. He basically was neutral and let the audience and her rail against each other or he would have her on to explain her victory. I remember one time they discussed how Jehovah's Witnesses paved the way when they won against pledging allegiance in school. Again, she wasn't nice and both her and Dawkins follow the same script. Create their own immortality by being spokesmen for people not articulate enough to explain their stance themselves. |
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Post by FilmFlaneur on Mar 28, 2017 11:34:52 GMT
This is arguably part of the function of the church hierarchy, at least in some of the more traditional parts of Christianity: providing a middle man for entry into heaven. I seem to remember quite a bit of strife from those who rejected such a bureaucratic and autocratic structure down the years, especially back in the day when scripture was banned from appearing in the vernacular!
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chasallnut
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Post by chasallnut on Mar 28, 2017 11:35:55 GMT
Anybody seen the new Netflix original movie 'The Most Hated Woman in America' yet? It is a dramatization of the life and kidnapping of America's most prominent atheist of a generation ago, Madalyn Murray O'Hair founder of the organization American Atheist, who held the position of president within the organization for 23 years. The intelligent, combative and acerbic O'Hair was a high profile, if flawed, figure who was directly responsible for the landmark Supreme Court decision banning prayer in American schools as unconstitutional as well as other related fights at a local and national level. Her final abduction, along with other members of her immediate family and gruesome end capped a troubled personal life but her influence is still felt today. Arguably O'Hair prefigured the growth of the militant atheist movement by raising the profile of atheism in American society and fighting her corner with intelligence and tenacity as well as supporting other radical social agendas - at one point she even tried to defect to the Soviets! The new movie (which I have yet to watch) seems well mounted, has been fairly if not glowingly received by critics, and, on suspects works well as a follow up to the BBC documentary of a few years ago 'Godless in America'. (This and other material related to this important atheist can be found on YouTube) I watched the first ten minutes before some visitors arrived, so turned it off. I'll get round to seeing it in its entirety in due course. |
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Post by OldSamVimes on Mar 28, 2017 11:37:21 GMT
This is arguably part of the function of the church hierarchy, at least in some of the more traditional parts of Christianity: providing a middle man for entry into heaven. Organized religion: The art of selling water to fish. |
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Post by Vegas on Mar 28, 2017 12:14:46 GMT
Organized religion: The art of selling water to fish.  |
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fatpaul
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Post by fatpaul on Mar 28, 2017 12:16:22 GMT
Watched it last week. It doesn't dwell too much on her atheism or her politics and was a story about her kidnapping with the police's apathy in dealing with her disappearance. Stories in her life are told retrospectively whilst being kidnapped.
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Post by Marv on Mar 28, 2017 12:26:21 GMT
Haven't yet. Didn't actually even know what it was supposed to. E about. The title reminded me of a Black mirror episode tho.
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Post by CoolJGS☺ on Mar 28, 2017 13:24:24 GMT
This is arguably part of the function of the church hierarchy, at least in some of the more traditional parts of Christianity: providing a middle man for entry into heaven. I seem to remember quite a bit of strife from those who rejected such a bureaucratic and autocratic structure down the years, especially back in the day when scripture was banned from appearing in the vernacular! So they are following church hierarchy script? Must work I guess.
I wouldn't know.
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Post by FilmFlaneur on Mar 28, 2017 13:46:08 GMT
This is arguably part of the function of the church hierarchy, at least in some of the more traditional parts of Christianity: providing a middle man for entry into heaven. I seem to remember quite a bit of strife from those who rejected such a bureaucratic and autocratic structure down the years, especially back in the day when scripture was banned from appearing in the vernacular! So they are following church hierarchy script? Must work I guess.
I wouldn't know.
Well the Bible always seems to work for them. |
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Post by FilmFlaneur on Apr 3, 2017 12:23:46 GMT
Ok, have seen this now - I agree with those who see it as just another made-for-TV movie, albeit based on a particularly colourful subject and bizarre train of events. The central impersonation at least was well done - I'd watched O'Hair's memorable interview on Donahue before I saw the film and felt the recreation was spot on. The main problem is the script and, not least, the tone which, to be frank, is all over the place, ranging from some near-parody to the abrupt ultimate depiction of horrifying events. I was reminded a few times of how much better the Coen brothers can be with such darkly-comic material, making the most of ironies and the idiocyncracies of individuals. Worth watching though, especially for those with a particular interest in the subject matter and as a reminder of a corner of American social (and criminal) history.
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