If you've ever read George Weigel's biography of John Paul the Great, you know that he made attempts but was, ultimately, unsuccessful in reaching out to the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Alexei II. Part of this had to do with the Russian Orthodox occupation by the Soviets. When they were freed from that burden, there was a natural desire to get people back to church not watch the Catholics sweep in and steal everyone. Of course, it's more complicated than that too complete with, with the little that I understand it, a bit of a power struggle in the Orthodox church between Moscow and Istanbul.
I would never have thought, therefore, that Alexei would see the return of the Latin Mass as a great sign of hope for reunification...never until I read this article that is.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Heroes unaired pilot
I'm obsessed with the television show heroes. It keeps my attention in many ways. I stopped in Waterloo on my drive back from Dubuque on Tuesday to purchase season one on DVD. I have never bought a television show before on DVD and I can only imagine myself doing it for this one. I really like this show.
But, they made a different pilot episode in three parts that was altered and made into the first two and a half shows, basically, that had some great things part of it. What really upset me was that a part involving an Arab stealing plutonium to make a bomb was replaced by a white guy. I'm pretty sure it was NBC's idea not creator Tim Kring's idea but it was still upsetting that this change was made and it meant that another part where Claire runs through a burning train didn't have it's original context. I'm afraid it all took place because of fear of offending Arabs.
Another disappointment was that the villain was supposed to be Christian, like crazy Christian (please refrain from any cheap comparison's to the author), which would have made so much more sense when there was this whole scene where he had painted "forgive me" on the walls of a hidden room.
On a positive note, the changes to the character of Matt were good. His wife is better in the re-shoot than in the early version. But, Matt seemed more of an opportunist. Maybe I'm reading it with hindsight being 20/20 but who knows?
Nonetheless, I can't wait to hear endless hours of commentary and re-viewing first season before the new ones come out and I have to start VHS taping them. I'm not upset at all, maybe a little disappointed but still coming back for more.
But, they made a different pilot episode in three parts that was altered and made into the first two and a half shows, basically, that had some great things part of it. What really upset me was that a part involving an Arab stealing plutonium to make a bomb was replaced by a white guy. I'm pretty sure it was NBC's idea not creator Tim Kring's idea but it was still upsetting that this change was made and it meant that another part where Claire runs through a burning train didn't have it's original context. I'm afraid it all took place because of fear of offending Arabs.
Another disappointment was that the villain was supposed to be Christian, like crazy Christian (please refrain from any cheap comparison's to the author), which would have made so much more sense when there was this whole scene where he had painted "forgive me" on the walls of a hidden room.
On a positive note, the changes to the character of Matt were good. His wife is better in the re-shoot than in the early version. But, Matt seemed more of an opportunist. Maybe I'm reading it with hindsight being 20/20 but who knows?
Nonetheless, I can't wait to hear endless hours of commentary and re-viewing first season before the new ones come out and I have to start VHS taping them. I'm not upset at all, maybe a little disappointed but still coming back for more.
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