I’ve started to convert on of my friends in North Carolina to the Browncoat movement. And she has watched and liked it up until War Stories, where she saw the scene that resulted in Jayne’s: “I’ll be in my bunk!” line. Since then, she can’t bring herself to watch any further.
So i wanna ask you. Are her and her families religious belief simply too uptight about such topics as the Inara/female client scene or is my view of the scene too liberal and I can laugh about it? Did anyone of you have similar experiences?
And most importantly, do you know how we can get her to continue watching the series. Cause, you know as I do: We see many things on TV which we don’t agree with, but we won’t let that direct us, if we continue watching a series or not. Sometime we just go with it and that’s it.
well, if she also refuses to watch Friends which has loads of girl kiss girl action, then i guess to each their own…
if she is ok with friends or other shows/movies with guy²/girl² kissing, and simply dislike the context of a fantasy world that is pure imaginary containing companions who choose their clients which can be man or woman… well it is after all a fantasy world…
i have no idea. maybe introducing her to DS9 season 4 episode 6, Rejoined might do wonders… fight fire with fire sort of thing… that episode was after all contains the first lesbian kiss ever on network TV. Which is done with great taste, and important to the story that will make people rethink their stance on the issue.
The movie ‘Ghost’ helped some people overcome certain taboos…
I am just a little puzzled, if she is very religious I find it amusing that she was fine with the idea of a ‘Hooker’ flying with the crew. One that routinely ‘serviced’ clients along the way, one of them turns out to be female. And then that is the part she objected to… not the occupation itself. Curious.
Was she repulsed by it? Or uncomfortable? If merely uncomfortable she needs her horizons expanded, by ‘baby steps’ of course. Slowly expose her to new thoughts and ideas via different cultures and societies, Scifi is good at that. Science Fiction forces people to rethink ‘normal’.
My guess: she is from a very conservative/repressed background and, sadly, would love to be in her bunk with either of those women and is not ready to admit that to herself or others.
I think your only real option here is to let it go until she is ready to admit that about herself.
If I am wrong, that is also your only real option.
This quote by Aristotle has always helped me when trying to wrap my mind around a difficult or uncomfortable idea: “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
Your friend should not give up on the show just because her personal beliefs don’t mesh with what she sees on screen. Good television/movies/books make you think, and even challenge your beliefs.
Yeah, she and her family are after their own words “Follower/Believer in Jesus Christ, which isn’t a religion, but the truth”
We haven’t talked how she felt about Inara’s profession. Maybe she was uncomfortable seeing it and the girls-on-girls kissing gave her the rest.
I know that Sci-Fi is a good way to expand our horizons. I guess she wasn’t really comfortably even with Inaras profession, cause she fast forwarded through all the sexual parts of Firefly.
Funny and sad post by you. Looks like she really can’t admit that to herself.
Is it different that she is 17 years old and she should be “protected” seeing that things in the American way of thinking? Cause you know that we Europeans aren’t that prude.:p;)
Awesome quote you have there. I explained it to her in similar words. “You don’t have to agree with it, just go with it.” Found that thoughtful post about Aristotle’s quote: Massage Your Mind!: How to Entertain a Thought
Hopefully when she gets older, my friend can let herself be entertained by Firefly. That will make her mighty!
BTW welcome to the community, Reg!
If your friend was able to “overlook” the other sexy bits but continue to watch the show, but, the same sex scene made her run for cover…Perhaps it’s Shakespeare who got it right…“me thinks, she does protest to much.”
One other question however. After reading your post, Was it in fact the Girl/Girl scene, or Jaynes “i’ll be in my bunk” that turned her off?
It is easy to be virtuous when you are of the world but not in the world, if you get my meaning. If your friend thinks its wrong to enjoy parts of the show and she is fast forwarding through it I dont see there is much hope. That kind of rigid indoctrination is difficult to overcome when you can simply opt not to engage in the reality the rest of us live in. Frankly, I dont understand how this young woman enjoys any form of visual entertainment at all. Even television programs and movies for children tend to have adult references. Wish I had advice that would help, but I dont think you can force her to swallow the medicine you want to give her. She is going to have to come to it on her own or not at all.
I don’t think the issue is her ability to admit her repressed homosexuality. The problem is that homosexuality is considered a heinous sin in Conservative Christian circles. So according to what she’s been taught about her faith, she needs to distance herself from anything associated with that sin. It is an affront to God and upsets her relationship with God. For her, she can no longer watch the program.
That’s how I read what’s going on.
If this is the case, there is not much you can do. You’re going up against a strong belief system that has probably been taught since childhood.
Your best approach is not to try and sell Firefly (that is a closed door at this point) but to understand her feelings about what bothered her in the show. Get her to talk about it and what she has been told. Then share your own experience with gay friends. Express how people are people and sexual preferences does not make the person evil.
this is such a loaded gun. i come from a christian home though i am not one myself, and my best friend in high school was a very strict christian and pastor’s son. i have listend to whatever music i like my whole life and sometimes it was hard for him to accept that there was good other music out there. but even he eventually admitted that there was some good quality to be found in other kinds of music beyond religious genres, and that sometimes there were parts he didn’t like, and that’s fine, too. he can enjoy the rest of the song or just not listen to that song that offends him.
i don’t think it’s fair to pick on this 17 year-old girl; she appears to be simply the product of her upbringing. while we all hope that children can grow up to be open-minded and tolerant individuals, obviously not all do, since some raise children to think that anything that doesn’t strictly adhere to the bible is evil or must be avoided at all costs.
i like the aristotle quote and note that it does apply quite well to a clash of religious beliefs in the face of conflicting ideologies. you don’t have to agree with it to accept that it exists. and hopefuly that wil help this person get just a bit of light into the world as it is and not as she has been taught, with no room for shades of gray or the humanity of others who do not live by the same rigid moral code.
Yeah, I’ve come to accept that this are the two choices. Of course I don’t wanna force her to continue to watch it, but to maybe see it from another point of view and someday enjoy the rest of the series.
You hit that nail square on the head!
See that as well, that her education influenced her a lot how to view and to react to certain topics. And I can respect her beliefs, just at the first moment hearing her response, I was very confused about how that scene can make anybody stop watching Firefly. Over time, I might be able to get her talk to what she has been told. As far I can remember, I didn’t have had experiences with openly gay friends, only suspected.
I think that in her belief system, it’s not evil, but simply wrong in the eyes of God to have such sexual preferences.
Have asked another friend who knows her better and pretty much beliefs in the same things like her, but hasn’t had that strong reaction. It really must have come from the parental home. Thanks, Man.
Exactly. At this point I’m happy that after my successful LOST conversion of her (and her family BTW) they haven’t taken my advise to start watching BSG. half
At least our friendship shouldn’t suffer because of that morale differences and that’s the most important point.
Any comments I have made were not intended to put her down. I feel really bad for her and realize she is is a very tough place. I hope she finds what she needs whatever it is.
I wonder how she and her family would react to BSG? The multiple gods and Kara reveal might be much, but it had Baltar and the cylons preaching about the one true god as well. They may be ok with the zodiac and Greek god references? Religious people I know tend to give shows involving apocalypse a chance.
SGU might be ok with them, but I don’t think it has enough to addict non-sci fi fans.
You could always explode their heads with Dollhouse. ^^
I don’t think its an American thing vs a European thing. It sounds like she has been raised in an environment where she has been told to think certain lifestyles are bad and should be avoided. She’s also only 17 and doesnt have the life experience to fall back on to take a more balanced view of things. I would think the best thing you can do is not confront her on it and try to be understanding, even if you dont agree with it. Hopefully in time she will come to her own decisions about morality and whats right and wrong through her own life experience.
I speak as someone that has struggled with the same issues she has. I was born into a very strict Christian family of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In my own experience it was very much like being indoctrinated: you grow up not knowing anyone that doesn’t believe the same things you’re told to believe. When you are told not to associate with ‘worldly people and worldly habits’ it kinda stunts your emotional growth. It wasn’t until I got out from under my parents influence that I became my own person.
The fact that she has a friend like you is fantastic.
What is even more important than viewing a thought provoking SF movie or series, is discussing the ideas presented.
A open and honest discussion will not only expand her views on certain subjects but it will allow you to understand where she is coming from, and for her to understand your perceptions on things. It could be a very good bonding experience for you both!
And if you show honest respect for her views I believe it will bump you up very high in the TRUST arena. Which will go a long way toward helping her to lower certain barriers, and allowing new ideas in.
And welcome.
