God Against Us: Alien Spaceman Jesus, the World Trade Center Attack and More

GOD AGAINST US: ALIEN SPACEMAN JESUS, THE				sense of wonder possessed by the infant, and
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ATTACK AND MORE				inhabits fantasy mental worlds in preference
				to the real world. Again, I ask, what has
Alvin Miller				this to do with the Messiah?

(1986)				I took a brief look in the preceding chapter
				at some of what I felt were candidate
My second, newest article:				messiahs being put forward by the movie
				industry. I wonder if we might be getting
At my site: TABLE				practice for recognizing the actual Messiah
OF CONTENTS				when He returns. I feel such practice may
				well be a good idea, since; for one thing,
PREFACE				the Messiah won't be riding the White Horse
				this time (that was done in A.D. 70).
CHAPTER ONE: A PLAUSIBLE TIMETABLE				Neither do I expect to see a flying saucer
				descending from the skies to a world capital.
CHAPTER TWO: A FIRST LOOK AT NORMAN O. BROWN
				I suspect it will be an Incarnation in the
CHAPTER THREE: THE MEDIA MESSIAH, OR LOOKING				manner that occurred at Bethlehem. At that
FOR JESUS ON				time, only the Wise Men and a handful of
				others could discern the Messiah. One
TV				dictionary definition of blasphemy is for a
				mortal to name himself a god. I feel there
CHAPTER FOUR: THE MESSIAH RETURNS				could well be an early period when the Chosen
				One is accused as a blasphemer or the
APPENDIX: THE SECRET RAPTURE				Antichrist. A considerable period of time
				may elapse before He is acclaimed Lord of
BIBLIOGRAPHY				lords and King of kings.

FILM LIST BY DATE				At any rate, once the Messiah is actually
				recognized, it will then become a situation
FILM LIST				of "when the saints go marching in". In
				whichever country He first appears, the
FILM SERIALS				Messiah and a motley crew of followers will
				walk into the capital city and take power.
PREFACE				You say you want to be in that number? I
				suggest you think carefully about it. To the
What do you call a crazy spaceman? - - An				secular eye this will be a Fool's Parade or
Astronut.				Goon Squad made up of Snake People (Marching
				Morons) - the actual 'meek' who will then
What follows is a nearly word for word online				inherit the earth. I repeat - do you want to
version of my Ã‚Â©1986 booklet WEIRD				be in that number?
ESCHATOLOGY: AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW OF THE
SECOND COMING (ISBN 0-9616435-0-1; Library of				How, you may object, will a mere handful of
Congress Call Number BT823.M55 1986). By the				such people be able to take over a major
time you finish this, you may conclude that				capital city? The context is important here.
this particular peculiar interpretation of				We are dealing at this point in time with a
the Book of Revelation should be relegated to				nation under siege internally and externally,
the teachings of self-appointed cranks,				soon to fall. Numerous other portentous dire
crackpots, prophets of doom and various other				events will be occurring simultaneously that
assorted fanatics. But perhaps, even so, your				will dilute the significance of the central
own view may be clarified when you read this.				event. The World Trade Center attack, 9-11,
The first chapter deals with theology and				was just the inaugural event of a coming
may be slightly dull, but fasten your				series of catastrophes. We are on an
seatbelt, as I will get more and more weird				accelerating descending slope. God is
ahead (in terms of any interpretation you				against us now for our Godless Wicked ways.
have seen before). Note that I make use of				This will be confirmed by the disasters
mostly unobtainable texts and obscure films.				coming ahead predicted here.
Lack of access to these sources should not
impede your understanding of what follows.				Initially the Messiah will assume actual
Also, to emphasize the ostensibly momentous				secular political power in order to obtain
issues I am dealing with here, I capitalize				the objective of reinstating theocracy - an
the subject phrases I discuss.				archaic form of government long abandoned and
				forgotten by Western nations. Looking again
CHAPTER ONE				with secular eyes, whether considered from
				the political left or from the political
A PLAUSIBLE TIMETABLE				right, the government will be a de facto
				fascist government - no matter what label is
Are you a Christian? Do you believe in the				ostensibly applied to it. To provide an
Second Coming at some future date? Is it				example of the type of events that will be
legitimate to construct timetables for these				taking place, if, and I cannot overemphasize
future events?				the hypothetical, if this occurs in
				Washington, DC, the Constitution and the Bill
Rhetorical questions such as these right off				of Rights will be abolished and both Houses
the bat may well put you off. A major				of Congress dissolved. I find this idea
difficulty is that no consensus as to when				unpalatable, and I feel none of the sources I
and in what sequence these predicted events				have mentioned would find this palatable, nor
must take place. This topic has always been				would you. I do not believe these events
a particular source of schism and polemic. I				will occur in the actual Jerusalem, but, as I
will be proposing specific dates as numerous				have indicated, one of the major Western
have in each generation before me. And as				capitals, which will then become a platform
many have been before me, I can be refuted by				for world domination.
the mere passage of time.
				W. Reich in the forties prior to even the
The majority view espoused by most				advent of national TV took a look at popular
evangelicals is pretribulational				culture in THE MURDER OF CHRIST. He was
premillennalism, which I only partially agree				acutely aware of the possibility of fascism,
with. I will point out that part of this				having had direct experience with the mass
view is in fact based on a historical novelty				movements of the twentieth century of both
that only traces back to the nineteenth				the left and the right. What would be his
century. What I mean here is that in terms				verdict now, some sixty years later? Many
of the glacially slow movement of theology				science fiction films have dramatized a
(remember that the canon was finalized some				fascist takeover. Are they a prototype for
two thousand years ago), the majority view is				future real events?
a relatively recent innovation.
				The evolutionary stages the government will
I prefer a distinctly minority position,				undergo can be expressed in the Marxist
which would be called multiple-rapture				schemata. The first phase corresponds to the
postmillennialism. The postmillennial				dictatorship of the proletariat (rule by the
position holds that many of the predictions				meek). Then begins the transition period to
made in the New Testament, including those of				the withering away of the state and the
the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24, Mk 13, Luke				classless society or New Jerusalem.
21), were accomplished in the early Christian				Theologians have previously published
era, and their past fulfillment limit's the				outlines of the analogies between Marxist
future events to be expected. There exists				mythology and Christian eschatology. And the
one school, represented by, for example, Max				return of the Messiah will actually fulfill
King and Timothy James, which holds that each				Marx's predictions, as well as those of John
and every prophecy of the entire New				of Patmos simultaneously. During the
Testament was accomplished during the early				transition period, it will be a matter of
Church age. However, I feel this view				being forced to do without various items we
neglects proper consideration of the Book of				now take for granted. The entire
Revelation.				entertainment industry will be dispensed with
				- television broadcasts, movies, rock music,
Postmillennialism is also sometimes referred				etc. Much of the high technology of the West
to as preterism, which implies that the text				will be abandoned. We will cease
is allowed to speak without exegesis. Thus,				constructing aircraft, rockets and probably
when Jesus repeatedly predicts the Kingdom				even automobiles (do only angels have wings?)
within a generation, I do not write off the				This will be accomplished with only a
statement as a mistake or excess of				minimum of objection because the Messiah will
enthusiasm. Instead, I draw up a timetable				rule with a Rod of Iron as the Book of
that shows the Kingdom beginning a generation				Revelation predicts. He will be a
after the Crucifixion. Then, when John of				combination Joe Stalin, Jim Jones, Adolph
Patmos says the Millennium starts at this				Hitler and Ayatollah Khomeni rolled into one.
date of the beginning of the Kingdom, I duly				Amos in the Old Testament correctly
go to my chart (at the end of this chapter)				prophecied the gnashing of teeth and
and set the Thousand Year Clock ticking.				tribulation that would come with the Day of
There was in fact a specific date a				the Lord.
generation after the Crucifixion - the
pivotal date of A.D. 70. This was the				Is Western Civilization about to officially
historical date of the Fall of Jerusalem,				end? Are we and our descendants to become
which is not a particularly prominent date in				almost exclusively concerned with physical
more mainstream discussions. This is the				survival, staying alive? Don't go outside to
date of the First Resurrection in the				watch the skies for the Advent. Merely stay
terminology of John of Patmos that begins the				tuned to your TV set and start paying more
Millennium.				attention. Have I seen one too many science
				fiction movies? Or is the show you never
What happened in A.D. 70? After a lengthy				expected to see ABOUT TO BEGIN?!APPENDIX
siege by the Roman legions, Jerusalem was
ransacked and leveled. To the secular eye,				Brief excerpts from Margaret MacDonald's 1830
as detailed by Josephus in THE JEWISH WAR in				Secret Rapture prophecy:
gory detail, the scene was one of mass
destruction in which not even the Temple was				It was first the awful state of the land that
spared. But to the spiritual eye, as				was pressed upon me. I saw the blindness and
Russell's PAROUSIA demonstrated more than a				infatuation of the people to be very great.
century ago, these events were the				I felt the cry of Liberty to be just the hiss
fulfillment of the Olivet Discourse and the				of the serpent to drown them in perdition.
return of Jesus and His conquering armies in				It was just 'no God', ----
the clouds to inaugurate the spiritual reign
with the saints and martyrs. Other sources				I saw the people of God in an awfully
listed in the bibliography including				dangerous situation, surrounded by nets and
Chilton's PARADISE RESTORED espouse this				entanglements, about to be tried, and many
view. Chilton nominated Jerusalem as the				about to be deceived and fall. Now will THE
Whore of Babylon and Rome as the Beast.				WICKED be revealed, with all power and signs
(Note added 2006: In my 1986 Timetable I				and lying wonders, so that if it were
followed Chilton. I have since reversed my				possible the very elect will be deceived.
opinion. I now see Rome as the Whore and
Jerusalem as the Beast.)				PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

I need to stop for a moment to consider the				Chapter One.
question of the dating of the Book of
Revelation. The presently accepted date for				The following titles are examples of
the appearance of the Book of Revelation is				conservative postmillennial and amillennial
A.D. 95. If this is the correct date, the				views as opposed to the standard
fulfillment of the predictions made so far				premillennial view.
would be merely a matter of hindsight. I
recommend John A. T. Robinson's examination				Bray, John L., THE MILLENNIUM - THE BIG
of this question in REDATING THE NEW				QUESTION?
TESTAMENT. Robinson cites extensive internal
and external evidence for moving the date of				Chilton, David, PARADISE RESTORED: A
the Book of Revelation back to the A.D. 70				BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF
timeframe. Further, he traces the standard				DOMINION.
A.D. 95 view back to a single source. This
source is a statement by Irenaeus that the				Brunner, Constantin, OUR CHRIST: THE REVOLT
Apocalypse first appeared "toward the end of				OF THE MYSTICAL GENIUS (1921 - published
Domitian's reign." This statement is				1990).
ambiguous and may even be merely mistaken.
Other sources listed in the bibliography				James, Timothy A. THE MESSIAH'S RETURN:
(including Chilton and James) accept an				DELAYED? FULFILLED? OR DOUBLE-FULFILLMENT?
earlier date.
				Jones, R Bradley, THE GREAT
The Book of Revelation represents a				TRIBULATON.
significant amplification of the preceding
Gospels and Epistles. Here the concept of				Kik, J. Marcellus, AN ESCHATOLOGY OF
the Millennium is introduced for the first				VICTORY.
and only time. The timetable presented by
John of Patmos extends forward to the future				Kimball, William R., THE RAPTURE: A
Judgment Day and the establishment of the New				QUESTION OF TIMING.
Jerusalem, thereby completing the New
Testament Canon.				King, Max, THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.

Turning to the time period of the Millennium,				Lewis, Arthur H., THE DARK SIDE OF THE
lasting approximately from A.D. 70 to A.D.				MILLENNIUM.
1070, the starting point was the spiritual
event, the Parousia, as detailed by Russell				Logston, Robert, THE END-TIMES BLOODBATH.
and Chilton. But secular historians looking				MacPherson, Dave, THE
back at this time period as a whole have				GREAT RAPTURE HOAX.
labeled it the Dark Ages. More recently this
verdict has been tempered by the				Robinson, John A. T., REDATING THE NEW
demonstration of the development and				TESTAMENT.
technical progress that occurred in the
Middle and Far East during these years. But				J. Stuart, THE PAROUSIA (1887).
it does remain true that for Western
Civilization, primarily Western Europe for				Stevens, Ed, WHAT HAPPENED IN 70 A.D.
these years, these were times of
unprecedented barbarism and ignorance.				Terry, Milton, BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS.
During these times the blood of countless
martyrs was spilled in belatedly laying down				Chapters Two-Four.
the Roman Empire and establishing the Church.
Violence was the order of the day and				Brown, Noman O., CLOSING TIME (1973).
sugarcoating or rose-colored glasses are
unnecessary. The First Resurrection was an				______________, LOVE'S BODY (1966).
event of mass destruction and the Kingdom or
Millennium was an era of barbarism. In other				Campbell, Joseph and Robinson, H., A
words, it is not an accident or coincidence				SKELETON KEY TO FINNEGANS WAKE (1944).
that the fulfillment of the prophecies was
apocalyptic. Instead, there is an important				Gutkind,
principle to remember here, since I will				Eric, THE BODY OF GOD: FIRST STEPS TOWARD
point out that Judgment Day will also be mass				AN ANTI-THEOLOGY (1966-Horizon Press).
destruction and the New Jerusalem to follow
will appear to secular eyes again be relative				Harrington, M. THE POLITICS AT GOD'S
barbarism. I will take up these thoughts				FUNERAL: THE SPIRITUAL CRISIS OF WESTERN
again in later chapters.				CIVILIZATION (1983)

Why didn't Judgment Day begin about A.D.1070				Hyde, Lewis, TRICKSTER MAKES THIS WORLD
with the end of the Millennium?				(1988).
Historically, many of the people living then
did expect to see the Messiah return. I				Joyce, James, FINNEGANS WAKE (1939).
answer instead that this was the date when
Satan was unbound for his season. Here I				Reich, Wilhelm, THE MURDER OF CHRIST: THE
part company with many of the sources listed				EMOTIONAL PLAGUE OF MANKIND (1966).
in the bibliography. They prefer to see the
Millennium as an indeterminate period
extending potentially thousands of years with				Robinson, Paul A., THE FREUDIAN LEFT:
Satan loosed for his season only shortly				WILHELM REICH, GEZA ROHEIM, HERBERT MARCUSE
prior to the Second Coming. They see the				(1969).
Church still in the Millennial period				Roheim, Geza, MAGIC AND SCHIZOPHRENIA
expanding and consolidating its gains to				(1955). ____________,
ultimately convert the entire world				ANIMISM, MAGIC AND THE DIVINE KING (1930).
immediately prior to the Advent. On the				Sontag, Susan, "The imagination of
contrary, I hold that John of Patmos really				disaster." AGAINST INTERPRETATION AND OTHER
meant a time period of approximately one				ESSAYS (1966).
thousand years, and that Satan has been at				Tausk, Victor, "On the origin of
work sowing his evil. I admit that the				the 'Influencing Machine' in schizophrenia"
season has now lasted nearly a thousand years				(1933).
in its own right. One consolation is that
this extended period is finally about to come				Tindall, W., A READER'S GUIDE TO FINNEGANS
to a close. Satan has been quite busy from				WAKE (1969).
my point of view during the last centuries.
Examples of his infamous work would be such				Verene, D., KNOWLEDGE OF THINGS HUMAN AND
events as the Renaissance, the Reformation,				DIVINE: VICO'S NEW SCIENCE AND FINNEGANS
the Counter-Reformation, the Inquisition, the				WAKE (2003).
Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution on
down to the contemporary horrific mass				FILM LIST BY DATE (PRIMARILY SCIENCE
movements. I could be accused of being a				FICTION)
feudalist or an obscurantist here. However,
I do not look back to the Kingdom so much as				A partial list of relevant and valuable film
forward to the approaching New Jerusalem. At				titles. No studios are given. Especially
this point in time I feel we are reaching the				significant films are preceeded by an *
low point of the curve descending to Hell,
immediately prior to the Messiah's return.				*EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007) (sequel to BRUCE
				ALMIGHTY. God commands Evan to build an Ark)
Thus, I teach hellfire and damnation, as do
most of the right wing evangelists who hold				THE INVISIBLE (2007) AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
the premillennial view. But, as I have said,				(1996) CLICK (2006)
the postmillennialists of the bibliography,
who are also uniformly conservative for the				STRANGER THAN FICTION (2006)
most part, place much less emphasis on this
aspect.				BEWITCHED (2005)

I am also in agreement with the				CHICKEN LITTLE (2005) ('The sky is falling!)
premillennialists with respect to the
Rapture. Historically, for eighteen				*CONSTANTINE (2005)
centuries the Rapture was taken as
essentially simultaneous with the Advent.				V FOR VENDETTA (2005) THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW
This is detailed by, among others, MacPherson				(2004)
in THE GREAT RAPTURE HOAX and Kimball in THE
RAPTURE: A QUESTION OF TIMING. MacPherson				ELLA ENCHANTED (2004)
demonstrates that the nineteenth century
so-called Scotch seer Margaret MacDonald in				FAHRENHEIT 9/11 (2004)
1830 introduced the pretribulational Rapture
- a temporal separation of a Secret Rapture				THE FINAL CUT (2004) (madman must die to save
from the Second Coming. This introduction				others)
was a theological novelty or innovation.
MacPherson traces the concept from its				THE FORGOTTEN (2004)
introduction through the nineteenth century
figures Darby and Scofield to the mainstream				THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA (2004)
electronic evangelists of today. I have said
that I accept the multiple-Rapture view,				THE MACHINIST (2004)
which is a variation of the pretribulational
Rapture. I agree, based on the work of my				THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (2004)
sources, that this view had its origins only
in the nineteenth century. I will indicate				*SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMMOROW (2004)
why I hold that view in the last part of
Chapter Three.				WHAT THE #$*! DO WE KNOW!? (2004)

I should note that because I take a preterist				*BRUCE ALMIGHTY (2003) ('Armageddon outta
perspective, I place less emphasis on seeing				here!')
the events that occurred with the First
Resurrection exactly duplicated on Judgment				*NORTHFORK (2003) (has an Ark,a Flood and
Day. For example, Nero was clearly the				recording angels)
Antichrist for A.D. 70, but I don't
necessarily expect to see a new Antichrist				SPIDER (2003) (madman)
prior to the Second Coming. If forced to,
one could select from many twentieth century				CLOCKSTOPPERS (2002) (mass psychosis)
candidates for this post. Similarly, I don't
expect to see the coming events occurring at				DON'T SAY A WORD (2002)
the actual Jerusalem this time. I predict in
Chapter Four they will more likely begin in				FINAL (2002)
one of the advanced Western nations.
				FRAILTY (2002)
Beginning with the next chapter, I will be
using apparently incongruous sources, such as				HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2002)
left wing sources from the sixties. I will
delve into films and the media in general.				THE IMPOSTER (2002)
These sources I will bring up are relevant to
the issues of this chapter. So far I have				K-PAX (2002)
outlined a plausible but not mainstream view
of Christian eschatology. From this point				LILO AND STITCH (2002)
forward, as promised, expect the view
presented to be 'weird'.				NO SUCH THING (2002)

CHAPTER TWO				THE RING (2002)

A FIRST LOOK AT NORMAN O. BROWN				SIGNS (2002)

It is a tale				ZOOLANDER (2002)

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury				A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001)

Signifying nothing.				CHICKEN RUN (2000)

-Shakespeare				END OF DAYS (1999)

There is a good possibility you have never				GLADIATOR (1998)
heard of Norman O. Brown or come across any
of his writings. His books are now a				THE MATRIX (1998)
generation old and partly out of print.
Perhaps certain of the issues he raised have				*THE SIXTH SENSE (1998)
become moot with the passage of time.
				WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (1998)
I think when his books originally came out
Brown was taken as merely a sexual radical.				MEN IN BLACK (1997)
I say merely here in the sense that Brown
would not be under discussion if I felt that				INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996)
was solely what he was about. A superficial
reading of his cryptic, aphoristic style				MARS ATTACKS! (1996)
indeed does give this impression. However,
the actual subject of two of his books,				*PLEASANTVILLE (1996)
LOVE'S BODY (1966) and CLOSING TIME (1973)
was religion. Of the two books, CLOSING TIME				FORREST GUMP (1994)
is currently out of print but necessary for a
complete picture. With these two books Brown				*STARGATE (1994)
actually solved the mysteries of religion.
Am I here claiming that if you comprehend				DROP DEAD FRED (1991) THE RAPTURE (1991)
these books you will have all your questions
answered on religion? Yes, that is indeed				THE FISHER KING (1990)
what I am claiming. Brown did get all the
way to the inner sanctum. If you are able to				THE HANDMAIDS TALE (1990)
solve Brown's puzzles, you will
simultaneously solve the mysteries of				LOOSE CANNONS (1990)
religion. I say this fully aware that
Brown's erudition makes this a monumental				SPACED INVADERS (1990)
task.
				EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (1988)
If I have piqued your curiosity, and you
decide to take a look at Brown, the best				BEETLEJUICE (1988)
procedure might be to look at some other
sources as a preliminary. It's all there in				BIG (1988)
Brown in plain English, you understand, but
you may have more success by circling in from				RAINMAN (1988)
the periphery. One good out of print source
from the same time period is Eric Gutkind's				THEY LIVE (1988)
THE BODY OF GOD: FIRST STEPS TOWARD AN
ANTI-THEOLOGY. This book is also written in				*WINGS OF DESIRE (1988) (angels)
an aphoristic style. Comparing the title of
this book with LOVE'S BODY will give you a				FIELD OF DREAMS (1987)
clue to start you on the road to solving
Brown. Looking from the philosophical side,				*MAKING MR. RIGHT (1987)
Michael Harrington's THE POLITICS AT GOD'S
FUNERAL astutely asks all the right				PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987)
questions. The best book ever written on
Jesus is Constantin Brunner's OUR CHRIST:				REAL MEN (1987)
THE REVOLT OF THE MYSTICAL GENIUS (1921).
Here's an interesting sentence from the book:				THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986)
"There he hung, the blasphemer of God and
slander of the most noble men, the poor				FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (1986)
malicious fool, the incorrigble wretch, the
whoreson and whore monger, the swindler, the				RIDERS OF THE STORM (1986)
liar, the secucer." The so-called radical
Freudians, in general, such as Marcuse, Reich				BETTER OFF DEAD (1985)
and Roheim in addition to Brown, are
pertinent.				CREATOR (1985)

There isn't space for an exegesis of Brown.				LIFEFORCE (1985)
Instead I'll outline a central idea - the
importance of the Primal Scene. For the				*LEGEND (1985)
uninitiated, the Primal Scene is what Dad and
Mom did in the bedroom. Now even Freud's				MORONS FROM OUTER SPACE (1985)
disciples had difficulty seeing the
significance of the Oedipal Primal Scene and				MASS APPEAL (1985)
repeatedly attempted to revise their master.
Perhaps the best way to get an inking of its				MY SCIENCE PROJECT (1985)
significance is to set up a confrontation
between the Joker (the little 'castrated'				THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (1985)
clown portrayed by Brown) and you. Put
yourself in the following scene as a male:				REANIMATOR (1985)

You are standing on the outskirts of the big,				REAL GENIUS (1985)
modern city where you live as the Joker
approaches.				STARMAN (1985)

The Joker begins, "You know, stranger, I've				WEIRD SCIENCE (1985)
been doing a lot of traveling lately and have
seen several cities, including this one. I				BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET (1984)
must say I don't like what I've been seeing
at all. In every town the residents use				THE DEAD ZONE (1984)
elaborate locks on their doors and seen to be
afraid to get outside on their own sidewalks				DREAMSCAPE (1984)
at night. One minute they use each other's
bodies as pleasure objects, and the next they				GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
sue each other at the slightest provocation.
I see noise, confusion, mayhem and worse at				THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)
each turn. I can't think of a thing that
happened in Sodom that hasn't happened here				THE LONELY GUY (1984)
many times over. Tell me, when you first
came here was the city the same as it is				THE NATURAL (1984)
now?"
				NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984)
You reply, "More or less it was, indeed."
				RED DAWN (1984)
The Joker says, "This town is a hard place
to try to make a living in. Life is so				REVENGE OF THE NERDS (1984)
hectic, there is such a constant rush and
din, that I sometimes believe I'm really				SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1984)
caught in a nightmare and will wake up at any
moment. This is no place to try to start a				TERMINATOR (1984)
family or to raise a child. There's no place
for the kids to play here. You know,				TESTAMENT (1984)
although I've had plenty of opportunities to
unzip my pants and pull out my gun here, I				*ZELIG (1984)
just haven't felt right about it and so far
decided to keep my pants zipped up. But I				KRULL (1983)
see by the ring on your finger that the
situation here apparently didn't deter you.				THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS (1983)
You had the same opportunity, after all, to
look around and see what was going on. But I				VIDEODROME (1983)
see that no matter what you saw, you weren't
about to stay away. You had to have it. I				*ROCK AND RULE (1982)
admit that I am only a Fool. But I ask you -
who's the better man?"				THE SENDER (1982)

You: (Speechless).				ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)

The Joker resumes, " Because I care about				SCANNERS (1981)
the evil I see and you don't particularly
care, you end up with a child to carry on				*THE LATHE OF HEAVEN (1980-PBS)
your line, and I don't. I ask you, which man
has the greater love?"				ALIEN (1979)

You finally speak, "Before I punch you out,				*BEING THERE (1979)
do you have anything more to say? - Any last
words?"				CAPRICORN ONE (1979)

The Joker ignores this and pauses a moment to				THE LAST WAVE (1979)
scan the distant skyline. He then points a
finger at the tallest skyscraper, rising in				*SIMON (1979)
the mists - a source of civic pride known to
all residents (and an indisputable phallic				HOLOCAUST 2000 (1978)
symbol). The Joker turns and asks, "How? -
that building there - Tell me how that modern				STAR WARS (1977)
Tower of Babel was constructed? No, let me
answer the question. It was constructed by				CARRIE (1976)
men who at some time or other unzipped their
pants. Not that a single one of them was				THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976)
ever forced to you understand. It is after
all a voluntary act. Now I ask you to				THE OMEN (1976)
consider for a moment with me what would have
happened if not one of these same men had				A BOY AND HIS DOG (1975)
ever unzipped their pants at all - not even
one single time. How much of what you see				*THE DEVIL'S RAIN (1975)
around here now would still be here? I'll
answer - not a bit of it would here,				THE STEPFORD WIVES (1975)
including the building I just pointed to.
I've been wondering these days why we put up				WIZARDS (1975)
with the perpetual nightmares here that we go
through to get these massive monuments				FLESH GORDON (1974-X)
constructed. If we could just get all the
women under control, we could sit around all				YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)
day and drink beer and play cards."
				THE EXORCIST (1973)
You reply, "Leave it to a shiftless
ne'er-do-well to --"				THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (1973)

The Joker interrupts, "What we really need				HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973)
here is a King - the absolute biggest Fool we
can find with the largest member. I think				JESUS CHRIST, SUPERSTAR (1973)
you may agree that I am the perfect candidate
for this job, as I'm absolutely no good for				SOYLENT GREEN (1973)
anything else."
				THE SPOOK WHO SAT BESIDE THE DOOR (1973) THE
The pair glare at each other, ready to fight.				WICKER MAN (1973)

Let me make the important point about this				WESTWORLD (1973)
tale that the 'you" of the dialogue could
just as well be the Joker's father as anyone				ZARDOZ (1973)
else - not a single line of the preceding
would need to be changed. (In the original				A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
tale of Oedipus meeting his father at the
crossroads, the pair had been separated and				FOOLS' PARADE (1971)
there was a disguise and neither seemed to
recognize the other, at least consciously.)				THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
If the 'you' of the narrative were indeed the
Joker's father, the Joker would then				THE OMEGA MAN (1971)
literally be a son of a gun. This would also
make the Joker on his mother's side literally				*THE RULING CLASS (1971)
an S.O.B.
				THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS (1971)
In the dialogue that took place at the
Temptation of Christ (Matt. 4:1-11, Mk. 2:13,				WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (1971)
Luke 4:1-13), Jesus rejected Satan's offer of
the kingdoms of this world. Brown says we				CAPTAIN NEMO AND THE UNDERWATER CITY (1970)
are indeed in Satan's kingdom, i.e., Hell,
especially in the big cities. Jesus will one				*THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (1970)
day accept dominion over the earthly
kingdoms, but only on Judgment Day when His				THIS STUFF'LL KILL YA! (1970)
enemies have been made into footstools. When
He does return, He will bring the keys to				THE RAIN PEOPLE (1969)
Hell and to Death. This implies that a
massive restructuring of present urban life -				CHARLY (1968)
our man-made Hell - will begin at this point.
				MARS NEEDS WOMEN (1968)
To change the subject, if you have an
interest in James Joyce, you should examine				NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
the excerpts Brown has collected in CLOSING
TIME. Joyce either imitates (or himself				PLANET OF THE APES (1968)
actually is) the insane. The WAKE is from
start to finish nothing but the gibberings of				THE POWER (1968)
a madman. FINNEGANS WAKE is a textual
Rorschach test, by which I mean that in its				FAHRENHEIT 451 (1967)
voluminous pages, any phrase you are looking
for before you open the book can likely be				THE FLIM FLAM MAN (1967)
found. But all the excerpts Brown has
assembled taken together conclusively				DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE GIRL BOMBS (1966)
demonstrate that Joyce 'cracked' religion,
i.e., that all the answers were set down in				KING OF HEARTS (1966)
the WAKE. In other words, Brown demonstrates
that Joyce earlier pioneered the same trail				DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE (1965)
in that Brown found. I don't want to go
beyond fair use and start quoting text, so				A THOUSAND CLOWNS (1965)
I'll stop.
				*CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1964)
CHAPTER THREE
				DR. STRANGELOVE: OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP
THE MEDIA MESSIAH: LOOKING FOR JESUS ON TV				WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964)

Let me start with a lengthy list:				THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964)

PURPLE RAIN COLORED RAIN GREEN RAIN				SEVEN DAYS IN MAY (1964)
FAIRY RAIN INVISIBLE RAIN BLOWING
THE WIND REAPING THE WHIRLWIND IDIOT				THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
WIND WEATHER WAR REICHIAN ORGONE
RADAR LOVE THE CALL LONDON CALLING				LORD OF THE FLIES (1963)
THE BIG BROADCAST WEIRD RADIO PLANET
WAVES BLOWING THE HORN SOUNDING THE				THE NUTTY PROFESSOR (1963)
TRUMPET MIND WAR FAIRY GOLD FAIRY
BLIGHT FAIRY BASEBALL FAIRY BOWLING				THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
WALLS TUMBLING DOWN BALLOON GOES UP
THE LONG GOODBYE THE BIG SHOOTOUT				THE MUSIC MAN (1962)
THE LAST ROUNDUP DROPPING THE VIALS
THE POWER AND THE GLORY FIRE AND				REPTILICUS (1962)
BRIMSTONE THE FLOOD TWINKLING OF AN
EYE THE RAPTURE THE SECRET RAPTURE				WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND (1962)
MARCHING MORONS DROPPING THE BIG ONE
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL THE MACHINE				ATLANTIS, THE LOST CONTINENT (1961)
STOPS THE FINAL SOLUTION THE ELEPHANT
BURIAL GROUNDS THE ROAD TO HOLOCAUST				MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961)
TIMEBOMB TICKING OVER SODOM LAYING THE
DEVIL DOWN RADIO SILENCE LIGHTS OUT				ON THE BEACH (1960)
SHUTTING IT DOWN TURNING IT OFF
PULLING THE PLUG PUNCHING THE DELETE				PSYCHO (1960)
BUTTON THE SCREEN GOES DARK CLOSING
TIME JUDGMENT DAY SIGNING OFF				*VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)
NIGHTFALL THE BIG SLEEP
				THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL (1959)
"Whom the gods would destroy, they first
drive mad"				ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMAN (1958)
I'll ask some questions about this list to
clarify it. At first sight, looking over				*THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958)
this by no means exhaustive list, it appears
we need to get out our umbrellas (or perhaps				HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1958)
a degree in meteorology). The first question
to ask is: How many of these phrases have				I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1958)
you ever come across before? Try to think
where, if anywhere, any of these phrases can				THE MAGICIAN (1958)
be found. After thinking it over, you might
decide that some show up in literature, some				NOT OF THIS EARTH (1957)
may be from the Bible, but many of them come
from the media.				THE COURT JESTER (1956)

The next question about the list would be:				FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)
by grouping all these phrases together as I
did, did I thus intend to imply that each				GIANT (1956)
phrase is identical or synonymous with each
other phrase in the list? No, they are				GODZILLA (1956)
interchangeable in only a few cases, but they
are interrelated. What then do the phrases				INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
have in common? My answer is that all bear a
direct relationship to a single phrase:				THIS ISLAND EARTH (1955)

MASS PSYCHOSIS				GOG (1954)

This particular phrase, Mass Psychosis, you				INVADERS FROM MARS (1954)
are probably less likely to have come across.
Mass Psychosis is the actual meaning of the				IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953)
Fundamentalist doctrine of the Secret
Rapture.				THE LOST PLANET (1953)

Now I'm sure if one had the opportunity to				*MEET MR. LUCIFER (1953)
interview rock star Prince and ask him what
he meant by Purple Rain that he would not				THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953)
immediately reply, "a codeword for mass
psychosis." Similarly, Bob Dylan wouldn't be				MY SON JOHN (1952)
inclined to say, "When I sang about Idiot
Wind, I meant mass psychosis." I would				RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON (1952)
instead expect convoluted explanations
involving literary metaphors, etc., if I				RED PLANET MARS (1952)
received any reply at all.
				ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE (1952)
Incidentally, I mentioned Prince deliberately
since there was controversy about his				CAPTAIN VIDEO, MASTER OF THE STRATOSPHERE
'explicit ' lyrics when his songs came out.				(1951)
I note that his critics had nothing at all to
say about the other dimension of his songs I				*THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)
am pointing to here - Judgment Day by 1999,
etc.				THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951)

Here I want to stop discussion of the list				WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951)
and return at the end of this chapter with
more comments. Let me briefly return to the				D.O.A. (1950)
general topic of the media. By media I mean
all the conduits by which paid entertainment				*THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR (1950)
reaches us - film, radio, television, etc.
Because television has such a voracious				ROCKETSHIP X-M (1950)
appetite, I will be using the term media and
TV more or less interchangeably. Think of				THE INSPECTOR GENERAL (1949)
how TV, in order to fill each and every hour,
gobbles up the output of the other media,				KING OF THE ROCKETMEN (1949)
from films to stage plays to even rock music
in the form of music videos. Some of us are				THE THIRD MAN (1949)
logging in nearly a third of our lives glued
to out sets these days. As a baby boomer, I				NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947)
teethed on TV and took its pervasive
influence for granted. But, after decades of				THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1947)
exposure we have now had, I feel it is time
we should begin a serious examination of the				THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (1945)
media. Its influence is probably
considerably greater than literary sources				COBRA WOMAN (1944)
today.
				THE LODGER (1944)
Already by the sixties we had the
McLuhanesque dictum that the medium is the				NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART (1944)
message. This idea is that the content is
not particularly important, but rather the				I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)
existence and ubiquitousness of the medium
itself is the most significant fact.				DON WINSLOW OF THE NAVY (1942)

Let me look at media criticism in terms of				I MARRIED A WITCH (1942) THE DEVIL COMMANDS
increasing level of profundity. At the				(1941)
lowest, most abysmal level, the media are
seen as providing harmless entertainment.				THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)
But the billions of dollars we dump into the
media demonstrate that much more is going on.				*FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE (1940)
Slightly better is the extreme right wing
evangelical view that TV and films are the				BUCK ROGERS (1939)
devil's picture book and rock music is the
devil's music. This approach has the virtue				DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE (1939)
of being factually correct, but has fallen on
increasingly hard times as all but the				THE PHANTOM CREEPS (1939)
diehards have capitulated and joined in the
media cacophony themselves. Massive blocks				*THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
of radio broadcast time and entire cable
networks are devoted to selling Jesus				FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS (1938)
sandwiched in between the ads for soap and
used cars.				FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (1937)

Slightly more discriminating is the idea that				THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (1937)
TV is a boob tube and rock music is
subversive trash, and exposure to one or both				TIM TYLER'S LUCK (1937)
may permanently warp your brain. Is the
ultimate objective to produce a race of				TOPPER (1937)
mindless, godless, zombie giants (the return
of the "men of renown" of Genesis as				THE DEVIL DOLL (1936)
described by Brown in CLOSING TIME)?
				FLASH GORDON (1936)
What indeed keeps us mesmerized by the
flickering images hour after hour? Why are				THE INVISIBLE RAY (1936)
so many of us couch potatoes - practically
frozen into stone statues? What are we				THINGS TO COME (1936)
really watching? The answer from Norman O.
Brown is that we are seeing the Oedipal				UNDERSEA KINGDOM (1936)
Primal Scene reenacted night after night in
endless repetition with slight variations.				THE LOST CITY (1935)
You object, "I beg your pardon. I watched a
game show followed by a situation comedy last				MURDER BY TELEVISION (1935)
night." What we are really doing here is
paying performers to put on the only show we				*THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (1935)
want to see.
				GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE (1933)
Finally, at the highest level of criticism,
we also simultaneously get the final verdict				THE INVISIVIBLE MAN (1933)
on the media. We are watching Jesus get
crucified night after night in excruciating				KING KONG (1933)
detail, although we may not be consciously
aware of it. After decades of this, I think				FRANKENSTEIN (1932)
it is likely to catch up with us some day.
In other words, the lurid violence and evil				ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)
we see depicted in the media may eventually
come to us in real life.				M (1931)

In spite of the blanket condemnation of the				BLUE ANGEL (1930)
last paragraph, I'm going to turn around and
list some movies. Ideally you should stay				METROPOLIS (1926)
away. But the payoff is going to come to us
all, whether or not we individually may or				THE LAST LAUGH (1924)
may not have watched. In the meantime,
perhaps we can use the opportunity to study				*THE CRAZY RAY (aka PARIS QUI DORT)
both the overt and the subtle techniques				(1923-Fr.)
being employed.
				THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1919)
The primary genre to keep an eye on is
science fiction. As Susan Sontag said in the				FILM LIST
sixties, this is the genre of apocalypse and
mass destruction. Typically, as in the				ALIEN (1979)
prototype FRANKENSTEIN (1932), a man attempts
to appropriate the prerogatives of God				ATLANTIS, THE LOST CONTINENT (1961)
(technically blasphemy) and reaps madness and
disaster. These are rigidly moral parables				ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMAN (1958)
where retribution is swift and sure.
				A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001)
Look, for example, at Rene Clair's THE CRAZY
RAY (1923) from the infancy of the industry.				BEETLEJUICE (1988)
The elements that were to become cliches with
decades of continuous repetition were already				BEING THERE (1979)
present. A mad scientist invents a ray
machine he constructs inside the Eiffel Tower				BETTER OFF DEAD (1985)
that turns the inhabitants of Paris into
stone statues. An aircraft initially out of				BEWITCHED (2005)
range of the ray lands, and the passengers
are astonished when they disembark. One				BIG (1988)
worthwhile principle of criticism is to pay
particular attention to the message of film				BLUE ANGEL (1930)
titles. In this example, the title might
bring to mind such questions as: "did the				A BOY AND HIS DOG (1975)
title mean the inventor was crazy? Or did the
ray have crazy effects? Or did the ray drive				THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986)
people crazy, implying that to turn people to
stone is to drive them mad?"				THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958)

A quite similar theme is presented in THE				BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET (1984)
VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960) and its sequel
THE CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1964) (what				BRUCE ALMIGHTY (2003)
questions do these titles bring to mind?).
This time a mysterious influence seals off an				THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1919)
entire village, the perpetrators in this case
being invading aliens. Here, as in THE CRAZY				CAPRICORN ONE (1979)
RAY, a geographic area is temporarily
circumscribed. The females are impregnated				CAPTAIN NEMO AND THE UNDERWATER CITY (1970)
by the aliens and subsequently bear children
with glowing eyes and mysterious powers.				CARRIE (1976)
This aspect of the film echoes the tale in
the Book of Enoch of the fallen angels who				CHARLY (1968)
descended to earth to mate with the women and
to teach forbidden arts.				CHICKEN LITTLE (2005)

Let me quickly note a few relevant				CHICKEN RUN (2000)
characteristics of paranoid schizophrenia as
described by, for example, Norman O. Brown,				CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1964)
Geza Roheim or Victor Tausk. The patient
believes evil entities such as aliens from				CLICK (2006)
another world are secretly conspiring to do
him harm. The patient may believe his				CLOCKSTOPPERS (2002)
enemies are employing physical equipment such
as beam projectors against him. He is				A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
subject to seeing hallucinations or hearing
voices attempting to guide his actions				COBRA WOMAN (1944)
against his will. In THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR
(1950) normal radio broadcasts are				CONSTANTINE (2005)
interrupted for short periods each night, and
the cast seems to hear a message. This				THE COURT JESTER (1956)
message seems to be more or less the Sermon
on the Mount. Was this the voice of God? If				THE CRAZY RAY (aka PARIS QUI DORT) (1923-Fr.)
not, what was it?
				CREATOR (1985)
Another frequent theme in science fiction is
the nomination of candidate (false) messiahs.				THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (2004)
I say false, since we are merely watching
actors playing a fictional role. A real life				THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)
prototype of these characters if found would
not automatically thereby be a messiah. An				THE DEAD ZONE (1984)
example is THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951),
which has an alien who is trapped and needs				THE DEVIL COMMANDS (1941)
earthly assistance.
				THE DEVIL DOLL (1936)
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951) (note
the title) offers another false messiah. An				THE DEVIL'S RAIN (1975)
alien descends in a saucer, takes on the
interesting name of Mr. Carpenter, is killed				D.O.A. (1950)
and resurrected three days later, etc. In
the case of this film, the extensive				DON'T SAY A WORD (2002)
analogies were conscious on the part of some
of the production people and were taken from				DROP DEAD FRED (1991) DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE
the novel on which the film is based.				BIKINI MACHINE (1965)

In the BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958) an				DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE GIRL BOMBS (1966)
alienpossesses a scientist, who then embarks
on a mad quest to rule the world. It's my				DR. STRANGELOVE: OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP
all time favorite movie. He has the power to				WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964)
shoot airliners out of the sky with his eyes
while lauging maniacally. He causes megaton				DREAMSCAPE (1984)
exposions with no visible weapons in his
scheme for world domination. He's also a sex				EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (1988)
fiend. Ingmar Bergman's THE MAGICIAN (1958)
presents a rather dyspeptic false messiah				ELLA ENCHANTED (2004)
from a traveling carnival show. The messiah
of WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND (1962) (note the				END OF DAYS (1999)
title) is a fugitive mistaken for Jesus when
discovered in their barn. When apprehended				ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)
and frisked, he stretches his arms to form a
cross. THE FLIM FLAM MAN (1967) is a petty				EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007)
con artist living by his wits. CHARLY (1968)
is mentally retarded until chemically				THE EXORCIST (1973)
transformed into a supermind. In THE RULING
CLASS (1971), the candidate is an apparent				FAHRENHEIT 451 (1967)
psychopath. THE OMEGA MAN (1971), a remake
of THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964), (note the				FAHRENHEIT 9/11 (2004)
titles) offers another ersatz messiah. In
ZARDOZ (1973), the messiah figure is a				FIELD OF DREAMS (1987)
barbarian.
				FINAL (2002)
SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (2004)
has as the villan a man in his grave named				THE FINAL CUT (2004)
German Toden Kopf (Death's Head). He has
arranged to have a new Noah's ark built. As				THE FISHER KING (1990)
so often, the villan is the secret hero,
because here Sky Captain actually destroys				FLESH GORDON (1974-X)
the Ark! HOLOCAUST 2000 (1978) (note the
prediction in the title) presents the				FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (1986)
spectacle of Kirk Douglas wildly running up
and down the Middle Eastern oilfields				THE FLIM FLAM MAN (1967)
proclaiming the Ten Horns, etc. from the Book
of Revelation. The messiah of THE LAST WAVE				FOOLS' PARADE (1971)
(1979) is an aboriginal witch doctor. In
BEING THERE (1979), a simple-minded gardener				FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)
who can barely tie his bootlaces and happens
to be named Mr. Gardiner impresses the				THE FORGOTTEN (2004)
President as a sage. At the end of the film
he walks on water since no one has told him				FORREST GUMP (1994)
this is impossible. A not very bright
academic in SIMON (1979) is prevailed upon to				FRAILTY (2002)
impersonate a spaceman. After a period of
rigorous mental brainwashing and physical				FRANKENSTEIN (1932)
conditioning, Simon comes to believe that he
actually is an alien. He uses equipment that				GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE (1933)
interrupts regular television broadcasts when
he periodically wants to deliver messages.				GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
Similarly, in RIDERS OF THE STORM (1986),
riders on a bomber interrupt TV broadcasts.				GIANT (1956)

Woody Allen's ZELIG (1984) features a				GLADIATOR (1998)
schizophrenic chameleon who supposedly
hobnobbed with the leading political figures				GODZILLA (1956)
of the thirties. In the PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO
(1985), also by Woody Allen, a larger than				GOG (1954)
life hero steps out of the screen in a movie
theater and into the squalid life of a New				THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
Jersey housewife. CREATOR (1985) has a loony
college professor who is attempting to				THE HANDMAID'S TALE (1990)
resurrect his dead wife. The students he
recruits for the project are lectured on the				HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2002)
Big Picture.
				HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973)
Numerous other films with similar themes are
listed in the bibliography, but, due to space				HOLOCAUST 2000 (1978)
limitations, I won't give further examples
here. Men play god in the movies, but do				THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (1973)
they in real life? I point to such research
as genetic engineering, or the 'star wars'				HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1958)
project (laser weapons, beam projectors,
etc.) These devices were first predicted in				I MARRIED A WITCH (1942) I MARRIED A MONSTER
science fiction, but always accompanied by				FROM OUTER SPACE (1958)
warnings we conveniently ignored that to
develop them would be to court disaster.				I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)
Further, I will shortly point out that while
these films depict physical devices, such				THE IMPOSTER (2002)
actual equipment is unnecessary to produce
the effects depicted.				AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (2006) INDEPENDENCE
				DAY (1996)
As for the entertainment industry, we pour
multiple billions into it year in and year				THE INSPECTOR GENERAL (1949)
out. For what we pay we get back
entertainment, but additionally, we also get				INVADERS FROM MARS (1953)
back social engineering that we didn't
necessarily ask for. I am by no means				INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
suggesting a conscious conspiracy or
deliberate plot by Hollywood. The				THE INVISIBLE (2007) THE INVISIBLE MAN
fundamental problem is again expressed by				(1933)
McLuhan - the medium is the message. In
other words, inherent in the nature of the				THE INVISIBLE RAY (1936)
images produced by the media is a latent
potential for subversion and ultimately				ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)
destruction.
				IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953)
From this point to the end of the chapter, I
will again take up the list with which I				JESUS CHRIST, SUPERSTAR (1973)
began this chapter. Upon completing the
listing, I said each term was related to the				KING KONG (1933)
term Mass Psychosis. I now claim we have
already had several actual episodes. The				KING OF HEARTS (1966)
first, in late August 1973, lasted nearly two
weeks. It occurred during the Watergate				K-PAX (2002)
period and was done primarily by the
'hippies'. The April 1983 event occurred				KRULL (1983)
during the time of the American embassy
bombing in Lebanon. The October 1983 event				THE LAST LAUGH (1924)
occurred during the time of the Marine
barracks bombing in Lebanon. The most recent				THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964)
event was the broadcast made while the Tower
of Babel 9-11 attack (World Trade Center) was				THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
simultaneously taking place. These
broadcasts lasted only a day or so each and				THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)
were done by a remnant handful of people.
				THE LAST WAVE (1979)
What is the Invisible Rain like when it is
falling? A person walking down the street				THE LATHE OF HEAVEN (1980-PBS)
may stop for a second, look around
quizzically (what the #$*!), perhaps sniff				LEGEND (1985)
the air, and then continue on. You've lived
through it - you tell me what it's like.				LIFEFORCE (1985)

A few comments to wrap up the chapter. These				LILO AND STITCH (2002)
events should not be referred to as a Flood,
because of God's promise in Genesis that				THE LODGER (1944)
there would be no more Flood. The New
Testament imagery is always fire. I hold				THE LONELY GUY (1984)
Margaret MacDonald's Secret Rapture
innovation of the nineteenth century correct,				LOOSE CANNONS (1990)
since we now have hindsight on these
(multiple) events. There may or may not be				LORD OF THE FLIES (1963)
more before the Messiah returns. After all,
no one can predict the weather.				THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA (2004)

CHAPTER FOUR				M (1931)

THE MESSIAH RETURNS				THE MACHINIST (2004)

I'll begin with another list:				THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (1970)

THE SPACE COWBOY THE SKY MARSHAL OF THE				THE MAGICIAN (1958)
UNIVERSE SKY KING KING OF THE ROCKET
MEN STARMAN THE LOST PLANET AIRMAN				MAKING MR. RIGHT (1987)
THE MAN FROM INNER SPACE THE MORON FROM
OUTER SPACE THE DIVINE IDIOT THE MAN				THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)
WITH A THOUSAND FACES THE MIRROR MAN
THE INVISIBLE MAN THE THIN MAN THE				THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951)
OMEGA MAN THE MYSTERY MAN THE MAN
WITH THE POWER THE MAN WITH THE POISON				THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS (1983)
MIND THE MEDICINE MAN THE RAINMAKER
THE FERTILITY KING WILD-EYED CHAMELEON				THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (1937)
THE JOKER THE DEMOLITION MAN BIG
BROTHER				THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976)

Let me ask a few rhetorical questions. Are				THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
we perhaps involved in a real life version of
the children's game King of the Mountain in				MARS ATTACKS (1996)
order to pick out the Messiah? Consider the
paranoid schizophrenic with delusions of				MARS NEEDS WOMEN (1968)
grandeur or possibly what is diagnosed as a
messianic complex. What has this to do with				MASS APPEAL (1985)
the Messiah? Am I suggesting the Messiah
will be merely a madman? Let me define a				MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961)
fairy or Peter Pan. A fairy is
chronologically and physiologically an adult				THE MATRIX (1998)
but has refused to assume an adult identity
(ego) and has refused to take on adult				MEN IN BLACK (1997)
responsibility. A fairy more or less never
outgrows the omniscience, omnipotence and				MEET MR.

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