Mariposa De La Luna
July 19th, 2001, 02:14 PM
http://cultureandfamily.org/report/2001-07-18/m_mists-avalon.shtml
Ted Turner Presents the `Myths' of Avalon
By Martha Kleder
Ted Turner's TNT cable network has launched an open assault on
Christianity with a made-for-TV miniseries depicting witchcraft as a
compassionate alternative.
"I fully expect controversy; I welcome it," said Mark Wompler,
executive producer of TNT's "The Mists of Avalon," part one of which
debuted on Sunday (July 15). Part Two aired Monday.
"We made a conscious effort to represent paganism as a warm, earthy
religion and Christianity as a harsh religion," Wolper told TV Data
Features Syndicate.
Network owner Ted Turner, an avowed atheist, has made numerous
statements critical of Christianity and Christians in recent years.
His former wife, actress Jane Fonda, reportedly converted to
Christianity, which some observers say contributed to the couple's
subsequent divorce.
The miniseries, based on the 1984 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley,
centers on King Arthur's Camelot and the land of Avalon, the center
of mysticism. However, "Mists" turns traditional Arthurian legend on
its head. This story is told from the view of Morgaine LeFay, played
by Julianna Margulies, a pagan priestess and villain in the original
tale.
The book has developed an extensive following. Numerous, sometimes
cult-like, Web sites are dedicated to it.
"A person cannot read this book and not question his or her faith,"
said Robin on one such site, titled Avalon Metaphysical.
"Nothing I've ever read before has made me feel accepted and
understood. (My family is extremely Catholic.) There were many times
in the book when I just wanted to shout aloud `yes, that's how it
should be!'" said Jennifer on the same Web site.
Many of those praising the book mention reading it when they were
young teen-agers, while others praise it for introducing them to a
new, feminist-humanistic religion.
"That's why this is another side of Arthurian legend," says executive
producer Wolper. "It's not about two guys fighting over a girl they
love. It's about two religions fighting over a world they love, and
that's much bigger."
In "Mists," the pagan priestesses launch a plot to "save" the throne
of Camelot from Christianity.
"It's really not a revival," said Dr. Janice Crouse, senior fellow at
the Beverly LaHaye Institute. "It's a rebellion—a rebellion against
orthodox Christian beliefs and practice."
Dr. Crouse told C&F Report that the miniseries will bring a higher
profile to ongoing efforts to revive goddess religions.
Feminists are already actively promoting the "Re-imagining movement"
within mainstream Christian denominations, particularly among United
Methodists. Their goal is to inject pagan, feminist, goddess worship.
"We cannot remain quiet while radical feminists undermine the
traditional Judeo-Christian teachings that form the moral foundation
of our society," Crouse said. "When everyone is free to `imagine'
their own theology, the question `What's God got to do with it?'
becomes moot, the church becomes irrelevant, and the religious basis
of culture disintegrates."
The new paganism as presented by "Mists" is especially attractive to
those who are unchurched and ignorant of paganism's real heritage.
"Religion doesn't play a part in my life today," actress Julianna
Margulies told TV Data. "But for me, what this story represents truly
is the power of religion. You know, when the Christians came to
power, women were no longer important. I think that's a real strong
message, and we're trying to regain that back in some way in today's
world."
The "empowerment" of paganism includes the sexual celebration of
Beltane, now known as May Day. According to pagan traditions, it
commemorates the time that the "god of heaven" and the "goddess of
earth" conceived a child.
Other legacies of paganism, in many cultures around the world,
include human sacrifice, rape in the name of religion, and temple
prostitutes—not exactly "empowering" practices for women. All of
these practices ended only after the introduction of a Christian
ethic to primitive societies around the world.
In the TNT story, Margulies' own character, Morgaine, is offered
sexually to an anonymous young man who killed a stag.
"The messages of paganism and wicca are a tapestry of theological
tomfoolery," said Crouse.
"The Mists of Avalon," will re-air throughout the month of July on
TNT.
Ted Turner Presents the `Myths' of Avalon
By Martha Kleder
Ted Turner's TNT cable network has launched an open assault on
Christianity with a made-for-TV miniseries depicting witchcraft as a
compassionate alternative.
"I fully expect controversy; I welcome it," said Mark Wompler,
executive producer of TNT's "The Mists of Avalon," part one of which
debuted on Sunday (July 15). Part Two aired Monday.
"We made a conscious effort to represent paganism as a warm, earthy
religion and Christianity as a harsh religion," Wolper told TV Data
Features Syndicate.
Network owner Ted Turner, an avowed atheist, has made numerous
statements critical of Christianity and Christians in recent years.
His former wife, actress Jane Fonda, reportedly converted to
Christianity, which some observers say contributed to the couple's
subsequent divorce.
The miniseries, based on the 1984 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley,
centers on King Arthur's Camelot and the land of Avalon, the center
of mysticism. However, "Mists" turns traditional Arthurian legend on
its head. This story is told from the view of Morgaine LeFay, played
by Julianna Margulies, a pagan priestess and villain in the original
tale.
The book has developed an extensive following. Numerous, sometimes
cult-like, Web sites are dedicated to it.
"A person cannot read this book and not question his or her faith,"
said Robin on one such site, titled Avalon Metaphysical.
"Nothing I've ever read before has made me feel accepted and
understood. (My family is extremely Catholic.) There were many times
in the book when I just wanted to shout aloud `yes, that's how it
should be!'" said Jennifer on the same Web site.
Many of those praising the book mention reading it when they were
young teen-agers, while others praise it for introducing them to a
new, feminist-humanistic religion.
"That's why this is another side of Arthurian legend," says executive
producer Wolper. "It's not about two guys fighting over a girl they
love. It's about two religions fighting over a world they love, and
that's much bigger."
In "Mists," the pagan priestesses launch a plot to "save" the throne
of Camelot from Christianity.
"It's really not a revival," said Dr. Janice Crouse, senior fellow at
the Beverly LaHaye Institute. "It's a rebellion—a rebellion against
orthodox Christian beliefs and practice."
Dr. Crouse told C&F Report that the miniseries will bring a higher
profile to ongoing efforts to revive goddess religions.
Feminists are already actively promoting the "Re-imagining movement"
within mainstream Christian denominations, particularly among United
Methodists. Their goal is to inject pagan, feminist, goddess worship.
"We cannot remain quiet while radical feminists undermine the
traditional Judeo-Christian teachings that form the moral foundation
of our society," Crouse said. "When everyone is free to `imagine'
their own theology, the question `What's God got to do with it?'
becomes moot, the church becomes irrelevant, and the religious basis
of culture disintegrates."
The new paganism as presented by "Mists" is especially attractive to
those who are unchurched and ignorant of paganism's real heritage.
"Religion doesn't play a part in my life today," actress Julianna
Margulies told TV Data. "But for me, what this story represents truly
is the power of religion. You know, when the Christians came to
power, women were no longer important. I think that's a real strong
message, and we're trying to regain that back in some way in today's
world."
The "empowerment" of paganism includes the sexual celebration of
Beltane, now known as May Day. According to pagan traditions, it
commemorates the time that the "god of heaven" and the "goddess of
earth" conceived a child.
Other legacies of paganism, in many cultures around the world,
include human sacrifice, rape in the name of religion, and temple
prostitutes—not exactly "empowering" practices for women. All of
these practices ended only after the introduction of a Christian
ethic to primitive societies around the world.
In the TNT story, Margulies' own character, Morgaine, is offered
sexually to an anonymous young man who killed a stag.
"The messages of paganism and wicca are a tapestry of theological
tomfoolery," said Crouse.
"The Mists of Avalon," will re-air throughout the month of July on
TNT.