Zeitgeist Movie: conspriacy BS for the iPod generation
Firstly, if you haven’t watched Zeitgeist, do it now. It’s a low-budget, controversial movie that explores Jesus Christ, Christianity, 9/11, US banking, war and so on. You can find torrents for it all over the Internet.
Zeitgeist was released in 2007, but it’s only in the past few months that the movie has received massive attention from the online community. The movie is, apparently, “The Truth”, and its purpose is to open our eyes to a world that we are all ignorant of thanks to television and the global media.
Jesus Christ did not exist, his character is based on mythological elements that have been around for thousands of years, 9/11 was a US-government concocted conspiracy, the banks control the world, wars are waged for profit and we are heading to a one-world government and currency – unless we open our eyes.
The claims of the movie are bold, but ultimately they all fall down. The great irony of Zeitgeist is that by applying those same principles to the movie that we are told to apply to our own lives, we uncover a whole new truth within – that the movie is based on lies, misquotes, half-truths, misinterpretations.
What first struck me about the movie is the very basic approach taken to proving that Jesus did not exist. I have no problem with the concept that Jesus did not exist, but it’s impossible to take Zeigeist seriously when the movie constantly tries to mislead its audience. On a very basic level, the movie makes a connection between the Son of God actually being the “sun” of God, meaning that the Jesus character is a personification of the sun, whose traits can be found in the traits of other characters before him. Sure, in English, “son” and “sun” sounds similar and saying the two words in a certain tone is amusing, but what’s the point?
It is nonsense. The literature cited as sources for the section on Jesus is about as credible as a conspiracy theory website. There are so many holes in the movie. People have gone to great lengths to debunk the claims made in Zeitgeist and there is some extremely interesting reading out there.
The sad fact is that a great numbers of the movie’s claims can only be attributed to conspiracy theorist website and not scholarly works. The ideas about 9/11 are captivating to an extent, but ultimately hold little weight. And this is treading old ground.
Zeitgeist is nothing more than an extension of the claims found on ill-informed conspiracy theory websites. But the movie makes people think and in that respect it is worth watching. The film lacks academic credibility, however, and therefore it cannot be taken seriously. Many of the film’s claims have already been discussed and disproved.
There is further reading all over the Internet. Go here and here.
What are people’s thought on this movie? Has anybody seen it?
April 8th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Interestingly, someone recently recommended that movie to me, although I am hardly of the iPod generation. The thing is that the factual inaccuracies would be a deal breaker. I likewise have no problem with the possibility that Jesus didn’t exist - except that he did. He was mentioned by Josephus, an objective historian. Perhaps the real question is whether he claimed to be who and what others claimed he was.
April 8th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
I haven’t seen it yet, but I love conspiracy theories so I’ll go watch it.
Funny enough, as being an atheïst, the figure of Jezus is one of the few things in the bible I believe. So interesting movie I think.
And that banks rule the world… indirect they do. In America all banks are in big trouble and see what happens to the world economy.
April 9th, 2008 at 3:40 am
Oh don’t get me wrong. It’s really interesting, but in the same way as I find the X-files interesting.
April 9th, 2008 at 7:53 am
I think the start of the movie is trying to show how the bible took alot of the ideas from sun worship. The new testament was written by Consantine the great, who was a famous Pagan (who was only baptised in 312AD on his deathbed) and was commisioned by James I. I think anything that questions the Bible or Religion is a good thing!
April 9th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I do too, but the way the film questions the bible is with lies and absurd claims that in most cases can’t be backed up. That’s not the way to disprove religion. That’s the way to mislead people.
April 9th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Only one thing missing from the good book, which makes me question the whole of christianity. Dinosaurs…….
For more mind blowing analysis on 9/11 check Loose Change 2nd Edition, if you havent seen it already, its on youtube. or google video.
April 9th, 2008 at 9:52 am
I think a large portion of Zeigeist is borrowed from Loose Change 2nd Edition.
April 9th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
“Zeitgeist” is a German name and it means “Timegohst”!
April 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
The Bible starts with: God made Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel, but where did Cain and Abels wives come from? All falls apart there for me……
April 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Well, saw the movie now and I must admit it raises enough questions I cannot answer. For example, 9/11 has many unanswered questions and some very strange incidents, like disappearing planes etc.
But an interesting movie to watch, as long as you don’t consider each claim to be “the truth”.
September 14th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
If you paid attention to the movie, The makers of the movie didnt make “GOD’S” relation to the Sun up. Its on the walls in egypt. Hyrogliphics that stated these beleifs 15 centeries before the story of Jesus Christ was plagerised. But of course Christians say “The devil wrote those things 15 centuries before to mislead them. SUUURE. Just like dinosour fossils. I grew up catholic and was an alter-server and i feel so betrayed by my family for feeding me these “FACTS”