Prometheus has Christian symbolics, what about others religions - Islam, Hinduis

Most of the other world's religions like Shinto, Taoism, Buddhism ect, work in harmony with science and knowledge. It's mostly the Christian ones in today's age that are diametrically opposed to science. I found this film mostly to be about the yin and yang of science and western Christianity-based faith rather than just all religions in general. There is an ongoing allegory in Bladerunner that deals with the meeting of east and west cultures and religions, Bladrunner 2 will probably deal more with what you specifically were hoping for. If Prometheus 2 is called "Paradise" it will probably continue to deal with heaven and hell found mostly in western religions only.

Ridley's not interested in those religions, he didn't grow up with them, can't fault him for his upbringing, can you? It's not that he's narrowminded, he's not into those, that doesnt make him hostile to them.

@Jett, actually he IS into those religions, just not in Prometheus.

Agreed, Shaw, and I was referring to Prometheus religous themes specifically. Ridley did an outstanding job of balance in Kingdom of Heaven, very high praise from the Muslim world there.

Yeah there was alot of Christian symbolism in the movie. Most people didn´t even get them. I think the only other religious stuff that could be taken out of the film would be ancient religions, like for example mayan and perhaps egyptian religion.

[quote][i]Its now agreed that most of the things in Prometheus does draw its symbols from Christianity.[/i][/quote] Agreed by whom? I'd have to disagree with that. Ridley Scott himself said that he based the Engineers on Sumerian and Persian myths. For the Persian, that would be Gnosticism and Zoroastraism. That would make the tall, bald, pale Engineers equivalent to Archons or Grigori. And for the Sumerian, that's the Annunaki. The seven worlds in the pictographs Shaw and Holloway find are probably the seven realms in Gnosticism. As the Prometheus approached to land, you could see Nasca-style lines on the ground. The Giant Head was common in South America and the South Pacific. There were only a couple symbols I saw that were related to Christianity: Shaw's necklace and the wall sculpture with a Xenomorph with it's arms outstretched like Jesus on the cross (or was that Michelangelo's David?). And possibly the Father/Son relationship between Weylund and David. Also, a film adaptation of [u]At The Mountains of Madness[/u] by H.P. Lovecraft has been pulled from pre-production because of Prometheus. When Guillermo Del Toro was asked about Prometheus and ATMOM, he responded: "Same premise. Scenes that would be almost identical. Both movies seem to share identical set pieces and the exact same BIG REVELATION (twist) at the end" and that ALIEN was heavily influenced by Lovecraft and his novella. I don't remember Cthulu anywhere in Christianity.

Really? [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/l.jpg[/img]

and Cuddles is also a God [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/internet-memes-tim-tebow-vs-the-flying-spaghetti-monster.jpg[/img]

@ Cry Havoc *Prometheus lands on Christmas. *Elizabeth having an impossible baby, just like the virgin mary. In some twisted way you could say she was having the son of "god" *Engineers wanted to wipe out humanity 2000 years ago. *LV 223- Leviticus 22:3 (From the bible) "Say to them: 'For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the LORD.” *Janek and his crew sacrificing themselves in the Prometheus. Before they died they raised their hands, like if the were being crucified. Interesting that they were 3, just like when Jesus was crucified. *David washing Weylands feet. Those are a couple of examples. Want me to keep going?

[img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/funny-God-painting-finger-real-life.jpg[/img]

VARIOUS INSPIRATIONS MAYBE Space Jockey suit? [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/dancing-ganesha.gif[/img] Engineer? [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/imhotep_gf.jpg[/img] Space Jockey flute? [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/KRISHNA_BLUE_CLOUDS_by_VISHNU108_deviantartcom.png[/img] The chair? [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/img_Reyes25_01.jpg[/img] [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/palenque.jpg[/img] [img]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj636/skybeast3/tumblr_m53ulxMGEY1qc8b0ao1_1280.jpg[/img]

It's what she chooses to believe.

[quote][i]*Prometheus lands on Christmas.[/i][/quote] E.T. the Extraterrestrial was on Hallowe'en. OMG! You've discovered the Secret Code of Movie Holidays! [quote][i]*Elizabeth having an impossible baby, just like the virgin mary. In some twisted way you could say she was having the son of "god"[/i][/quote] Wow, does that mean that the baby Huggoth was Jesus? I wonder how they could get all of those tentacles nailed to one cross. Big difference between a woman who can't have a baby and another woman who had a baby by a deadbeat Dad, that Joseph had to raise. [quote][i]*Engineers wanted to wipe out humanity 2000 years ago.[/i][/quote] Really, so the crucifixion of Jesus was the ONLY thing that happened AROUND 2000 years ago? I know our current carbon dating is plus or minus 1000 years. I think you're reaching with this one. Or are you saying that the Engineers were going to go wipe out the Jews for crucifying Jesus? So, the Engineers are Space Nazis then? [quote][i]*LV 223- Leviticus 22:3 (From the bible) "Say to them: 'For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the LORD.”[/i][/quote] I didn't see anyone getting cut off from Jesus' presence in the movie. In fact, it made Shaw's faith stronger. [quote][i]*Janek and his crew sacrificing themselves in the Prometheus. Before they died they raised their hands, like if the were being crucified. Interesting that they were 3, just like when Jesus was crucified.[/i][/quote] And I've read that many people think this is the dumbest part of the movie. [quote][i]*David washing Weylands feet.[/i][/quote] Holy crap! A robot doing menial labor. I've never seen that in a movie before. [quote][i]Those are a couple of examples. Want me to keep going?[/i][/quote] Keep 'em coming...

Do you even know the meaning of symbolism? Cause apparently from your post, you don´t. Also please don´t come and tell me anything could have happened 2000 years ago when the christian symbolism in the movie is clear and who the fuck even said jews when it was clear that the engineers were gonna kill everyone. Ill post more later right now im a little bit busy.

You the fuck said Jews. Or at least implied Jews. If you are saying that the Engineer was pissed off 2000 years before because of Jesus being crucified, then the Engineer would be angry at the people who crucified Jesus. [quote][i]The Jews crucified Jesus through the Romans. At the time of Jesus' crucifixion, the Romans had conquered all the area in which Jesus lived and taught. The Romans allowed the Jews to continue with their Sanhedrin (their government), but the Romans took away capital punishment from the Jews. In order to have Jesus crucified, the Jewish leaders had to manipulate Rome into doing it. First, the Jewish leaders had to lie - make up charges (Luke 23: 2, 3). The Jewish leaders persisted in their demands for crucifixion (vss. 5-19). New Testament writers charged the Jews with having crucified Jesus (Acts 2: 36, 3: 13-17).[/i][/quote] I think you are missing the implications of your own reading of the symbolism (or possibly the point of Christianity). Engineer = angry white guy that wants to commit genocide against Earth people he considers inferior. There's some serious symbolism there. As I said, I think you're reaching in a couple of those points you raised. Or maybe I should clarify: I don't think there is the symbolism you believe exists in the parts of the movie you referenced. The symbolism isn't as clear as you make it out to be. I think you are seeing what you want to see. But maybe that's the point of making a movie like that.

[i]Or maybe I should clarify: [b]I[/b] don't think there is the symbolism you believe exists in the parts of the movie you referenced. The symbolism isn't as clear as you make it out to be. I think you are seeing what you want to see.[/i] Good so if you say so then it means it is true. Second, don´t put words in my text where they don´t exist. Never said jews, never implied jews. Using your own words and logic, "I think you are seeing what you want to see". Again, I recommend you to read what symbolism means. It does not have to mimick the scenes perfectly to the last detail to symbolize something. Based on this, there is no use in arguing with you since you seem to think that what you think is right and everything else is wrong, even with clear evidence. This site surprises me more with each passing day.

@ Ridley's Alien... the intent of the thread, as evidenced by its title, is a good, promising one. Not so, though, your own comments after it. Why would you lash at Mr.Scott for making [i]his[/i] movie? Why 'narrow-mind' him for what you perceive to have been his intent, or moreover, a flaw on his intent, thus failing to see that this is simply your perception, or mis-perception?, of the movie? Even if the symbolism you propose happens to be right (there is certainly some truth to it, in my opinion) does the director of the movie not have the license to, ah, direct it as he deems it most fitting? It is up to the public to like the movie or not, to accept it or not. But, to label him 'narrow-minded'? I think that's a little harsh. Prometheus is a good movie. It plays with many concepts, touches on more than one religious theme, flirts with myths and conspiracy theories, and falls short on building the kind of suspense achieved by its predecessors. (or should I say, successors?) Mind you, it is a good movie, though. Its main purpose is to entertain and, in my opinion, it definitely accomplishes a decent level of entertainment. Visually, performance-wise, philosophy-wise, it compels the viewer, drags the audience in. Of course, I respect everyone else's opinion on it. Many appear to have attended the show with, how to put it?, extraterrestrial expectations on finding 'life-changing revelations' about the origin of the human species. Well, if that was the real purpose of the film, I guess I missed the point. I'm glad I did, I may add. For movie-watching is, first and foremost, in my opinion, an art for sensorial enjoyment. A vision-and-sound banquet that, as a plus, not as a goal, will invest us into a certain line of thought, or spoon-feed us a certain stream of ideas. Well, Prometheus has certainly accomplished as much. I've browsed over at least a dozen Forums dedicated to the potential foundations of the premise in the film. Most agree Christianity is at its center. Others propose Annunaki and the Sumerian scripts. Still others see Greek influence, as hinted by the very title. I see a hint at all of them. It's not too difficult, really, since most of these religions share key elements in their depiction of events. So, yes, the story of Jesus, or of other key characters in the bible, is suspiciously similar to that of Krishna, or Zarathustra, or Mohammed, or Buddha...or even Prometheus stealing the [i]Fire[/i] of the gods to share it with us, puny humans, easily compares to the Fallen Angels, who could be, why not?, the father of the Nephilim, etc., who taught us their dark magics, or even Eve, after giving in to the hissing of the snake, who decides to show Adam her voluptuousness and heat, thus sinning for the first time. Scott treks on all of this with his traditional sense of eeriness and grandeur, but, as mentioned before, maybe lacking the element of surprise (and the fact that we are no longer 'virgin' in terms of Sci-Fi, horror, thrilling, jump moments) does not manage to scare us, not even stir inside with the visuals. It does, however opposed many may be, stir the audience at a psychological, conceptual level.

I think the movie shows that man-made religions are insignificant, When compared to things on a galactic-scale.

As a born again atheist I should perhaps not comment. There are some religous references in the film though, I believe. The very opening of the film is an act of sacrifice, giving life to a virgin world. Others have pointed out the crucifix like symbol aboard the alien vessel. There was also the scene in which David washes Weyland's feet. Work that one out ..... Beyond this. there are several references to the afterlife in the film. Perhaps meaning that there is more to us than merely flesh. According to Gnosticism, nature, our flesh, and everything physical was made by satan. Only our soul, or consciousness comes from the true creator. Are the engineers Satan ? Arthur C Clarke made his aliens giants with horns. Are the Illuminati trying to tell us something ?

In the movies, they travel very far to find an answer. They curious about what happens as we die. We need to know where we come from. What the meaning of life is. What kind of life we're supposed to lead. Allah states in the Quran that He created man to be His Khalefah, His trustee on earth (Quran 2:30). Mankind’s basic trust, our responsibility, is to believe in and worship Allah: And I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me… (Quran, 51:56-58) Very simple! The purpose for man’s creation is to worship the Creator. For the life after death, the Quran already stated Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned. (Quran, 21:35) Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned? (Quran, 23:115) And We did not create the heavens and the earth and that between them in play. We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know. Indeed, the Day of Judgment is the appointed time for them all. (Quran, 44:38-40). See more at http://www.islam-guide.com/purpose-of-life.htm

Everything in the movie is symbolic after all it is a worldwide movie. Since I only know what I have experienced it would be useful to have other interpertations of the images that probably escaped my eyes and mind. Two people can look at the same thing and understand it in different ways, To a good example is the use of the flamethrower, It may be a practical tool for this voyage,but with the story of Prometheus and Fire RS may have select this item because of the base story. Please post some more symbolic references religious or otherwise.

It's funny because the movie has clear religious values, good and evil, heaven and hell, God and Satan. Symbols such as the cross and the Satanic pentagram sign. Analyzing these facts, first at aLL, the common roots to the Hebrew hell, to the Christian and to the Muslim, in the Persian formulations, and in I make concrete in the mazdaism and the over-simplification. Taking a look at these Iranian elaborations illustrates wide and surprisingly than Western Christianity has believed for so many centuries. Secondly, the Christian hell, as it has been effective in the Western world, and it comes mainly from Augustinian manufacturing. it is necessary to place them spatially. Because geography and cosmology have had always something that to say on beyond (farther). Do not the modern geography and the cosmology allow that topic of Hell and Paradise, because of it in the modernity there is outlined the traffic of the cosmological conception to the anthropologic conception of hell and heaven.