Patrick,

In the last two posts you've written absolutely nothing of content; only, rather,  to whine that I should take my theology and psychology elsewhere, and that I should cease with smarmy inferences that you are for child-murder--ritual or otherwise. Well, my suggestion is to quit whining, and to say something... of content! This would put to bed  the necessity of others to put words in your mouth--Mencken, Aquinas and enfant terrible not withstanding.

My words of content are as follows, to which you're free to comment upon, content-wise. Even if film doesn't interest you, please feel free to comment on the other subjects as such.

(1) Bronze-Age child killing among the Semites is interesting with respect to how these guys  are portrayed in film. Gosh, with enough gooshy music and just the right "heroic" camera angle, imagine how inspired these sheep-huggersmust appear to the popcorn munchers!

(2) Regarding Abe, theology is all about imparting symbolic, metaphoric and mythic dimensions to what is prima facie something that the civilized among us simply don't accept.

(3) As for theology per se, I could care less. My two PHD's are in philosophy and anthropology-- not glorified superstition. Perhaps this distinction is "enlightening" enough.

(4) Theo-ethics begins by asking what god wants us to do. In this particular, he/she got off to a bad start. This is not to exclude the possibility of Theologians from developing ethics.

(5) For wonderfully great filmic theo-ethics, I recommend Kieslowski's Decalogue. No ur-points of reference here: just a text with ten precepts (not Commandments!), and people searching for a state of grace. Then go see Veronique (Amber) Red, White and Blue for good measure. Agapion de-mecho, outhern emi. Opps, I forgot. Aquinas knew no Koinic.

(6) In Psycho, The Hitch was putting us on with that psychobabble ending.

(7) Can we, too, have a cinema of psychological questions? or do we have to go to Europe?

(8) Philosophy is supposed to be, critically, about understanding conceptual boxes as simple agencements, and nothing more. Abe has always been  immune from criticism because his behavior is considered "Inspired" by god. On the other hand, Bates is put away without our deriving a true sense of who he might be. Errors both, in not understanding their similarity. So the massacres continue.

Bill Harris