So my boss said something pretty stupid yesterday

[User192021]

Yesterday I'm at work and people are discussing movies, and I hear my boss say the following:

"I don't mind watching horror movies, but I can't watch horror movies that have religious references in them, like the Exorcist, because I think to myself 'That could actually happen!'."

Idiot.

[bitter_sweet_symphony]

"I don't mind watching horror movies, but I can't watch horror movies that have religious references in them, like the Exorcist, because I think to myself 'That could actually happen!'."

Now that's setting new limits for stupidity. But when you think about it, it isn't odd, is it? If a person believes in Satan and demons, there isn't much that s/he will not believe.

[tacoma_kyle]

That is the only move I have bought that I feel was a complete waste of money.

But butter_sweet, they only believe in god/satan because they are real. The easter bunny isnt real. See the difference?

[Will]

We've just found your next halloween costume:

[Mister Joy]

I don't understand how anyone can think the Exorcist is scary, Christian or not. It's monumentally tacky. Along with the Omen, of course... why on Earth were people so terrified of a small child who rams people over balconies on a pedal-scooter? Actually, I quite like the Omen (original, at least) just because it's naff to the point of being quite funny. It's got a macabre-slapstick Final Destination thing going on, made better by the fact that it expects you to take it seriously.

[McQ]

I guess with movies it's just a matter of opinion of what is and isn't "scary". although I obviously don't believe in demons, I thought the Exorcist was scary.

And in the OP, as far as the boss's comment being stupid...maybe. Don't forget that even though many atheists scoff at religious beliefs, most of the world still believes. Part of the christian belief system is all about angels, demons, saints, hell, satan, etc. While we don't find any reason to believe in this stuff, because it defies "reason", that's the whole thing with faith and religion. It defies logic and reason.

So while I think that believers are wasting time, money and effort in their beliefs, I find it hard to call them "stupid". Lots of very smart believers out there. It's just that they throw away their ability to be reasonable when it comes to their one specific fantasy belief system.

It's still frustrating to me that people hang onto these things, but I once did too, and I understand where they're coming from.

[User192021]

I don't think she's a stupid person for being religious, I just thought her comment was particularly stupid.  Imagine watching the scenes of the exorcist, the little girl's head spinning around and then vomiting pea soup, etc.. and thinking to yourself "Oh my goodness...this could really happen."  Come to think of it, I remember renting the movie when I lived with my parents and my father saying he couldn't watch it because it had religious references in it and therefore freaked him out.  Maybe this is common amongst religious folk and could be the reason the Exorcist was so successful, because it hit that nerve with viewers (the majority of whom were likely religious).

Trust me, when I heard my boss say that it took all my willpower to not blurt out "No it couldn't", which would almost certainly take things down a road I don't want them to go when I'm at work.

[McQ]

I don't think she's a stupid person for being religious, I just thought her comment was particularly stupid.  Imagine watching the scenes of the exorcist, the little girl's head spinning around and then vomiting pea soup, etc.. and thinking to yourself "Oh my goodness...this could really happen."  Come to think of it, I remember renting the movie when I lived with my parents and my father saying he couldn't watch it because it had religious references in it and therefore freaked him out.  Maybe this is common amongst religious folk and could be the reason the Exorcist was so successful, because it hit that nerve with viewers (the majority of whom were likely religious).

Trust me, when I heard my boss say that it took all my willpower to not blurt out "No it couldn't", which would almost certainly take things down a road I don't want them to go when I'm at work.

Yeah, I understand. Even if you're right, you lose when it's your boss.

[Kona]

I get a good chuckle when I hear about stuff like this.  I mean I remember when I was a kid watching "The Exorcist" and getting scared, too.  But, hell, I was a kid then and wtf did I know about the world?  A good imagination is a double-edged sword....good for thinking 'outside the box' for novel solutions to a particular problem, but also bad when unreasonably creating fear from a purely fictitious situation.

[Steve Reason]

We've just found your next halloween costume:

Yeah, but that creature turned into a seriously sexy woman. Man what a body!

[Sophie]

Ewww!  She's creepy!!!  Maybe it's a guy/girl thing, or just a personality thing.  I dunno.  I think just her appearance and the images from scary movies in general make it scary.  I was never allowed to watch the Exorcist (even as a teen because I'm a very visual person and still occasionally have nightmares).  When I was out from under parental care, I just didn't have an interest to see it.  The funny thing is, for the hell of it I watched "Amityville Horror," last week.  It's not scary to me now, but it was pretty creepy while I was watching it.  For me, the biggest thing is when they jump out at you.  I guess that means that I startle easily in general.  UGH!  I think too much.  :-P

I saw an interview once of whatshername from The Exorcist, and she said during and after filming the movie, she had terrible nightmares.  I think she ended up having to go to therapy.

So yeah, the plot can be pretty lame but still be scary because of people looking hideous and jumping out of nowhere.  Oh!  And when they do that weird, fast head shake thing and move all unnatural...  hard to describe.  It's fun to get creeped out by stuff like that.  Isn't that strange?

[Mister Joy]

I dunno. I need a convincing plot and good characters in order to find that stuff scary. I get that with films like Friday the Thirteenth and Nightmare on Elm Street: "I hate all of these nauseatingly thick teenagers with their two-dimensionally scripted personalities... YAY, the mask wearing psycho agrees! Go Jason!" It isn't scary when the film creates such irritating protagonists that you end up rooting for whatever supernatural beasty is trying to despatch them.

[Bella]

I think we just found your next "sick day" excuse.

[Smarmy Of One]

Yesterday I'm at work and people are discussing movies, and I hear my boss say the following:

"I don't mind watching horror movies, but I can't watch horror movies that have religious references in them, like the Exorcist, because I think to myself 'That could actually happen!'."

Idiot.

HA HA! That's great!

I was going to make that same joke, but Bella beat me to it.

[Sarah]

"I don't mind watching horror movies, but I can't watch horror movies that have religious references in them, like the Exorcist, because I think to myself 'That could actually happen!'."

Yeah! Because being possessed and spewing green slime is more probable than being stabbed to death by a mad man...hmmm