Braveheart

[Klaufi_Wodensson]

I wanted to talk about the movie Braveheart and it's Pagan underthemes. Now I absolutely love this movie, and normally when a movie that has to do with Christians and has a bunch of references to praising God, I don't like it. However, in my opinion, this movie is loaded with Paganism.

In the scene where the Scots are giving William's father a funeral ceremony, playing "outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes," there is proof of Paganism. The funeral ritual portrayed is most definitely a Pagan ceremony, because you also see the Christian funeral. Obviously this is because they wouldn't give up their Pagan roots just for a new religion, and they just incorporated them into Christianity. Much like Christmas and Easter.
Another scene is the wedding scene (Not William's wedding). They are dancing and singing and playing music, which is not part of the Christian wedding ceremonies.
Also, when William and his men ride into battle, they are wearing Warpaint, which was a very Pagan tradition. Now the famous freedom speech. If that isn't evidence of a truly Pagan spirit inside that man, there is no such thing. That is Paganism at its best. Never give up, and fight for freedom.

This is all just my opinion, and I know it's just a movie so obviously the real William Wallace and the occurrences of the battles were no-doubt different.

So what do you think about the Movie?





(P.S. I'm not sure if this belongs in the Paganism DIR, mainly because it's about a movie. But since I'm also relating it to Paganism and I'm not trying to debate my position, I think it fits. If not, feel free to move it haha)

 

[freethinker44]

I wanted to talk about the movie Braveheart and it's Pagan underthemes. Now I absolutely love this movie, and normally when a movie that has to do with Christians and has a bunch of references to praising God, I don't like it. However, in my opinion, this movie is loaded with Paganism.

It's hard to tell, christianity is loaded with paganism itself.

They are probably just using their old customs as a form of rebellion against england. Since that is kind of the theme of the movie, gaining freedom from england, it's doubtfull the filmakers were subtley trying to pass a message that they were using paganism to rebel against christianity. Also, it was a Mel Gibson film and I can't see him making a movie about good pagans fighting oppressive christians. Even if they were pagan, I doubt it had anything to do with the main plot of the movie.

Good movie though.

 

[Kathryn]

I love the movie Braveheart and I agree with you that there are many references to pagan practices. However, as a Christian, I am not "thrown" by what many think of as "pagan" practices - to me they are simply "religious" practices. What would be wrong with warpaint, or dancing at a wedding, or putting Christmas trees up or coloring Easter eggs? Most religions also light candles, meditate, many have various forms of baptism, talismans, prayer beads, bells, incense, bowing, fasting, etc.

Nothing threatening about that.

Have you seen the old movie "Excalibur?" Wow, I hope you have. If not - I think you will really like it.

In the movie, Merlin says this:

Movie Name: Excalibur (1981)
Quote:
Merlin: The days of our kind are numberèd. The one God comes to drive out the many gods. The spirits of wood and stream grow silent. Its the way of things. Yes... its a time for men, and their ways.Excalibur (1981) - IMDb