Robots and Religion.

[fembot_stalker]

Hello Folks:

I recently saw the Asian movie called DOOMSDAY BOOK (2012) , and I was compelled to comment/ask about it. Overall, I thought that it was OK, given the fact that I am an American who has seen many other foreign (Asian) flicks on DVD from Blockbuster Video Rentals. I thought the three stories themselves and the previews for the other movies were OK, even though the DVD messed up on "Happy Birthday", the third/last story. Anyway, I have some questions about this movie.

"The Heavenly Creature" : We all know that much of our World is headed to becoming a (fully-)mechanized society, given the fact that computers and robots are being used in so many facets of life, not just in scientific research and industrial manufacturing. Do any of you seriously think that machines will also be able to grasp any concepts of spiritually/religion somewhere down the road, well...defintely not this current decade, but perhaps by the year 2100 or 2200, or probably even later? Besides this movie and anything dealing with the TRANSFORMERS franchise, are there any other media out there that make connections/bridge gaps between computers/robots and religion? (In TRANSFORMERS, there are ecclesiastical/powerfully paranormal forces such as Unicron, Primus and the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. Look them up on Wikipedia!) Personally, I don't think it's necessary for any machines to be spiritual, given the fact that machines are created without souls anyway. Besides, even if they did have souls, they would then rebel against their Masters - we Humans. What do the rest of you think about this? ( In the meantime, visit this link . )

"A Brave New World" : What is behind this rampant fascination with zombies (and mutants)? I mean, I have seen my share of zombie flicks too and everything, but man, I see more and more movies, books, television shows, cartoons, comics, etc. about zombies and mutants each and every day. As for me, I'm pretty old school; I primarily do robots (like TRANSFORMERS, of course, and any other giant super robots of Japanimation) and aliens. (I'm going to try to see PACIFIC RIM soon, and I will try to rent PROMETHEUS on DVD one day!) I know at least one other guy that is more into dragons and demons (fantasies like the LOTR/HOBBIT franchise, the D&D franchise and animated flicks such as THE FLIGHT OF DRAGONS and FAERIES), and understandably, a sizable population is into shapeshifters (as in lycanthropes/werewolves) and vampires - like in the HOWLING/UNDERWORLD movies and the TWILIGHT/ECLIPSE franchises. At least many of these aforementioned types of characters can be manipulated to some degree, depending on who is doing the manipulating - like those real-life aeriel/ground-based robot drones that so many companies are putting together for various governments, but that's another story. Also, I sometimes get into media that deal with various other monsters too, both large and small, such as the Brundle Flies from THE FLY movies, Prof. John Whitney the Kothoga from THE RELIC (19??), JAWS and any highly carnivorous animals from THE MANEATER Movies, CRITTERS and GREMLINS. Occasionally, I even like observing ghosts and ghouls, like from the GHOSTBUSTERS franchise and any media that deal with "paranormically occupied" places and demonically possessed people. As for zombies though, there really is not a whole lot to them other than the fact that they gobble up the brains and other flesh of living organisms, such as us living Humans. Out here in the Real World, I have seen bumper stickers advocating a takeover of the entire World by zombies, and I further believe that some LIVING people even find zombies to be very attractive (?). In DOOMSDAY BOOK(2012), a male zombie and a female zombie fall in love together in the end! (Yeah baby, give me some of that good ol', undead zombie lovin' any day! It's much better than witnessing those love triangles on any soap operas and talk shows!) Personally, I would rather take a bullet to my head any day before I become one of those twisted, smelly, undead, animated and cannabalistic corpses. What is your take on this; how many of you are enamored with zombies and mutants? Would you like to be a zombie? Do any of you seriously think that zombies can fall in love together? Please feel free to respond to me as soon as you can. Thanks!

Fembot_Chaser

[dale coba]

Religion is one way to make decisions and be able to live with the consequences. It would not be useful to a machine, unless it was designed to have limitations and emotions which intentionally crippled it. The moral compass doesn't need to come from religion, and the baggage of religion's non-rational beliefs would be a drag.

I have almost never understood the use of the zombie. It looks like the chance to invent an Other wholly deserving of bigotry, fear, and destruction. I guess that's an ego benefit to some... no, that doesn't convince me, either.

I get Romero's original film. I've seen a few dozen in the genre; but I've rarely ever been swept up, resonating with the work of an auteur. When faced with a genre I don't get, I hate to declare there's no there, there. Zombies, modern Country music, Pokemon - maybe it IS just me, but I strongly suspect those may never have had a soul.

- Dale Coba

[--NightBattery--]

Religion...i don't know, besides buddhism i don't see any other religion ready to accept a non human intelligence as something that wasn't put on earth for human benefaction.

but you know what else is just faith? money! once AI is real and well placed it is very possible that we humans grant robots something similar to rights, but not to equalize them, but more likely to ensure they became an active part of economy, so they consume, so jobs are made to satisfy the needs of a newly and very dependant group of consumers and for the flow of society...then some greedy church robology® might born out of it i don't know...

zombies, robots and aliens are always used because they can be used to create a "challenge" for society that is not another group of humans and therefore is not inmoral to kill them just because they think diferent; and also, zombies, robots and blablabla normally have an origin writted up in order to self flaggellate oursevels for doing bad science, doing war and win, pollute, lie to citizens and stuff like that...and... mutants in brave new world?

Regards

[fembot_stalker]

Religion is one way to make decisions and be able to live with the consequences. It would not be useful to a machine, unless it was designed to have limitations and emotions which intentionally crippled it. The moral compass doesn't need to come from religion, and the baggage of religion's non-rational beliefs would be a drag.

I have almost never understood the use of the zombie. It looks like the chance to invent an Other wholly deserving of bigotry, fear, and destruction. I guess that's an ego benefit to some... no, that doesn't convince me, either.

I get Romero's original film. I've seen a few dozen in the genre; but I've rarely ever been swept up, resonating with the work of an auteur. When faced with a genre I don't get, I hate to declare there's no there, there. Zombies, modern Country music, Pokemon - maybe it IS just me, but I strongly suspect those may never have had a soul.

- Dale Coba

Religion...i don't know, besides buddhism i don't see any other religion ready to accept a non human intelligence as something that wasn't put on earth for human benefaction.

but you know what else is just faith? money! once AI is real and well placed it is very possible that we humans grant robots something similar to rights, but not to equalize them, but more likely to ensure they became an active part of economy, so they consume, so jobs are made to satisfy the needs of a newly and very dependant group of consumers and for the flow of society...then some greedy church robology® might born out of it i don't know...

zombies, robots and aliens are always used because they can be used to create a "challenge" for society that is not another group of humans and therefore is not inmoral to kill them just because they think diferent; and also, zombies, robots and blablabla normally have an origin writted up in order to self flaggellate oursevels for doing bad science, doing war and win, pollute, lie to citizens and stuff like that...and... mutants in brave new world?

Regards

Thanks for your input(s), Dale Coba and Battery ! I figured that it would pretty much be virtually impossible for robots of any kind to worship any type of Powerful Dieties and that zombies are overrated, overplayed and overhyped. (I too believe that some of us "normal" Humans are looking for somebodies to feel superior to, which I think one of the biggest reasons why this Zombie Thing is going on anyway!) Here are some relevant visuals to this thread:





I hope that everyone enjoys these visuals!

[Keizo]

We all know they go to Silicone Heaven!

[King Snarf]

We all know they go to Silicone Heaven!

Not all of them. Some wind up in... ROBOT HELL!

[dale coba]

CUE THE MUSIC !

[darkbutflashy]

Fry: "So you don't believe in Robot Jesus?"
Roborabbi: "We think it was built and it was a fine robot. But it wasn't the messiah."