Parrot - Short film

[rayne]

Now available to view online: the atheist short film "Parrot" which premiered at the 2012 Global Atheist Convention.

http://parrotshortfilm.com/

In the wake of his brother's untimely death a young atheist scrambles for emotional support as the relationship with his deeply religious parents crumbles.

Enjoy

[Keith_W]

I watched it at the GAC. IMO, portraying the atheist protagonist as an angry young man who disrespects his parents, and who lacks the self-control to completely ruin the funeral of his brother does us no favours.

[two dogs]

Originally Posted by Keith_W

I watched it at the GAC. IMO, portraying the atheist protagonist as an angry young man who disrespects his parents, and who lacks the self-control to completely ruin the funeral of his brother does us no favours.

Disrespect of his parents? Like hiding his atheism from them?

Was his mother's lack of self-control at blaming him for his brother's death OK?

[dilbadoon]

As two dogs says, I find it interesting that you focus on his lack of self control, when to me there were much more blatant examples from his religious parents. I saw it as a call to challenge the status quo that religion currently enjoys. The fact that he was "disrespectful and lacking self control" while apparently the parents were ok is a good example.

[Fearless]

Originally Posted by Keith_W

I watched it at the GAC. IMO, portraying the atheist protagonist as an angry young man who disrespects his parents, and who lacks the self-control to completely ruin the funeral of his brother does us no favours.

You are obviously free to have your opinion, but I didn't quite see it the same way funny enough, I saw a young man seeking support for his loss and being treated almost as if he was the one driving the other vehicle that killed his brother, then being cast out due to his lack of faith. I didn't see him ruin the funeral either, he was upset responding to a fabrication in the eulogy that was most likely put together with the assistance of his parents, even after being told he was an atheist. In the end his father asked him to come back to the funeral which he did and then the credits rolled.

I remember the time when my mother and I came to a head over my lack of belief. I was angry because she would not listen and treated me with contempt, pushing and pushing until I had run out of cool. She stood in the room refusing to move until she talked some sense in to me. I reached the point of rage as I felt I was cornered and the only way out at the time was to fight. So came a barrage of obscene language, a flying bottle of coke that exploded in the lounge room () and shouting until she got the f out of my space. Religious parents like these can push young people too far sometimes, especially when they are meant to be supportive. I felt rejected, alone and angry for some time too and was prone to blow outs for some time afterwards.

[Annie]

I didn't read the film that way Keith. I saw parents who treated their son very badly because of their religion and the expectations that come from their religion. I would think there are some who would focus on apparent disrespect of the son, for example religious people who are just the ilk of the parents portrayed in the film. However many viewers such as secularists, atheists and agnostics are more likely to see the damage done by the parents in the film as they are not likely to be influenced by confirmation bias.


Sent from my iPad, using my iBrain, & iEyes.

[Keith_W]

Originally Posted by two dogs

Disrespect of his parents? Like hiding his atheism from them?

No, like yelling at his parents and speaking to them as if he is an equal. Perhaps it is my Asian upbringing, but you never speak to your parents like that. You tolerate all sorts of shit they throw at you, and your job is to grin and bear it. You don't have to agree with what they are saying, nor do you even have to comply. But you do have to keep the peace in your family, and you do that by giving way to your seniors.

Was his mother's lack of self-control at blaming him for his brother's death OK?

Of course it's not OK, and in fact it is ridiculous. But again (different culture here) - it is worse to speak back to your parents than anything ridiculous your parents might say.

[dilbadoon]

Originally Posted by Keith_W

No, like yelling at his parents and speaking to them as if he is an equal. Perhaps it is my Asian upbringing, but you never speak to your parents like that. You tolerate all sorts of shit they throw at you, and your job is to grin and bear it. You don't have to agree with what they are saying, nor do you even have to comply. But you do have to keep the peace in your family, and you do that by giving way to your seniors.



Of course it's not OK, and in fact it is ridiculous. But again (different culture here) - it is worse to speak back to your parents than anything ridiculous your parents might say.

Do you treat anyone older than you in that way, or just seniors you are related to?

[rayne]

Originally Posted by Keith_W

No, like yelling at his parents and speaking to them as if he is an equal. Perhaps it is my Asian upbringing, but you never speak to your parents like that. You tolerate all sorts of shit they throw at you, and your job is to grin and bear it. You don't have to agree with what they are saying, nor do you even have to comply. But you do have to keep the peace in your family, and you do that by giving way to your seniors.

Of course it's not OK, and in fact it is ridiculous. But again (different culture here) - it is worse to speak back to your parents than anything ridiculous your parents might say.

I recognise that your culture is quite different Keith but I've been taught that respect is earned not giving away freely and that it isn't the role of someone's parents to abuse their higher position as the authorative parent and treat their children like dirt. Just because someone is older than you doesn't mean they automatically know better or are doing what's in their child's best interests.

[Fearless]

Originally Posted by Keith_W

No, like yelling at his parents and speaking to them as if he is an equal. Perhaps it is my Asian upbringing, but you never speak to your parents like that. You tolerate all sorts of shit they throw at you, and your job is to grin and bear it. You don't have to agree with what they are saying, nor do you even have to comply. But you do have to keep the peace in your family, and you do that by giving way to your seniors.

I agree it is probably more of a cultural thing.

Ordinarily I would not have gone off at my mother the way I did, in fact I had never sworn in front of her until that day, but I am my own person and I will not have anyone stand there telling me that I have been influenced by the devil and his games, that I was not intelligent enough to realise that I am wrong about my views and that I am some sort of embarrassment just because I don't believe.

Up until that day the grin and bear it approach was my general response, but in my case on that day my mother was there with the sole intention to break me. I do not regret my behaviour, it was my frustration at the nonsense I had been enduring for some time. After that point she knew if she pushed religion at me I would disconnect from her (as in relationship) and I was prepared to cut my ties if I had to.

In the end losing me was too much of a sacrifice for her so she has slowly come around and made a fair effort. We are now in a much better relationship with each other given there is a degree of mutual respect and understanding.