Anyone see a parallel between religious belief through fear of hell/dying and V for Vendetta?

Question

I saw this the other day and was thinking about how the entire population was in fear of their government and thinking this was much the same way that people call themselves one faith or another because of fear of reprisal from dying. That if we could somehow get those people who take a belief simply because they are "insuring their soul" could be woken up and convince to live their lives the way Evie did in the movie. What do you think?

Fortunato, I still love the movie and haven't had a chance to read the comic. I disagree that it seemed to sell out to the action series genre because there were all of three fight scenes in the whole movie. (The alley, the TV station, the train tunnel at the end)

I also agree with your view on subjecting Evie to the torture and saying it was the only way she was going to wake up. However, I don't think that this is a good comparison between us/Evie and God/V.

V was a revolutionary trying to wake up all other's minds to change their future. He took a special case with Evie, and brought her about in a different manner. I don't think of God as a revolutionary personally.

Still, it's a great answer you had.

Answer 1

I think the scene with Evie's "awakening" is the most beautifully done part of the movie and was also the one thing from the actual book (i.e., the original) that was carried out accurately.

I think that level of transformation and the sense of freedom frightening to anyone, just as Evie found it. It's terrifying to realize that we can think for ourselves and that there are some things more important than living and our own comfort -- and that we can willingly lay survival aside in order to embrace our freedom.

I think you've also made a good point about how many people have bought into a faith just to "insure their soul" against damnation. That's not the reason to come to a faith, and strong believers (I can only speak for Christianity) don't approach their faith as a means of self-survival.

[You can recognize those people because of the way they treat other people, how fearless in a good sense they seem to be, willing to embrace suffering if necessary instead of looking for comfort or convenience or their own interests. Their own survival and ease is not the most important thing in the world to them. People who come to religion to insure their souls often act in an opposite manner -- reactive, aggressive, touchy, self-seeking.]

It's just very difficult to get to the point Evie did without going mad. It's a careful, arduous, dangerous process, and even Evie was almost destroyed by it. In some ways, V's actions were abusive, and yet the sheer importance of what he did for Evie leaves us unable to pass a judgment -- it was terrible and overwhelming, yet was there any other way? I don't think so.

[Hmm... Makes me wonder about suffering and pain in our own lives: We long for an "easy" way to become spiritually strong and often rage at God for the pain and injustice we go through and see the world go through, but in the end... is there any other way? I don't know if there is. ]

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Note: I found it disturbing that the movie changed the book (which ended with Evie being the "creation" aspect to V's "destruction" -- she was a woman of creativity and peace, NOT a revolutionary in the violent sense). Is resorting to blind violence against established authority what it actually means to "awaken?"

I encourage you to read the graphic novel, if you haven't; I found it more inspiring and real than the movie, which seemed to partly sell out to the "action pic" genre and overplayed some of its hand as well.

Answer 2

The Wachowski Bros. are good for that. Yes, V does have that parallel, but I thibnk the Matrix is a better analogy. People that are born into bondage and don't even realize it... and eventually, some people reject the illogic and try hard to "wake others up"

Classic!!

Answer 3

I think it has much more to do with government than religion.

Though, clearly, it does reference the hypocrisy of religion - ie the priest who almost rapes Evie.

Answer 4

Not all people r like that i think... some people have been exposed to their religion since birth, and gotten used to believing in their God...

there are also people who really believe in their religion and don't bother about whether or not he/she goes to hell....

and then there r people like the ones you mentioned....

Answer 5

what's vendetta? A girl's name? I have research to do....
hell isn't nothing to fear because love casteth it away. It you have love: the good attitude of value towards life, you won't get deleted from existance by hellfire from heaven.


minutes later....

I found out you were refering to a comic series...

Answer 6

Umm No!