NationStates Jolt Archive

according to some nutbags in CO.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060202/ap_en_tv/faust_video

'Faust' Opera Video Stirs Angry Parents

Thu Feb 2, 2:38 PM ET

BENNETT, Colo. - Some parents in this prairie town are angry with an elementary school music teacher for showing pupils a video about the opera "Faust," whose title character sells his soul to the devil in exchange for being young again.
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"Any adult with common sense would not think that video was appropriate for a young person to see. I'm not sure it's appropriate for a high school student," Robby Warner said after two of her children saw the video.

Another parent, Casey Goodwin, said, "I think it glorifies Satan in some way."




Maybe it's time to introduce intelligence tests for voting again.

These kinds of idiots are the reason America's education system is in such bad shape.

An opera that glorifies Satan.. *hmmm* You'd think the kids would _actually_ be interested in opera after seeing that if their neighborhood is THat f*cked. whewww!

:headbang:

Casey Goodwin, said, "I think it glorifies Satan in some way."


That quotation made me laugh.

Utter bollocks.

Yep...... Good Christian folks wouldn't want their poor stupid children introduced to a morality play that relates to a case of short-term pleasure gained at the expense of a soul forever lost to Satan would they?


What sort of lesson would THAT teach them?

:rolleyes:

:headbang: and that is why I homeschool, I can show my kids whatever I think is educational, and not have any parents whining about it.

THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU! THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!

Seriously, what's going on in that kind of peoples heads? Oh no... Satan is involved, we're screwed, we're screwed! Game over man, game over!

Of course opera glorifies Satan. Every type of entertainment does.

The things that glorify Jesus are known for being boring. Christian music, Sunday school, church, we know all those things are godly and wholesome because they are boring as hell.

Yep...... Good Christian folks wouldn't want their poor stupid children introduced to a morality play that relates to a case of short-term pleasure gained at the expense of a soul forever lost to Satan would they?


What sort of lesson would THAT teach them?

:rolleyes:

So since I do go to opera's ( The Magic Flute by Mozart last week ) you think I'm no Christian?

Yep...... Good Christian folks wouldn't want their poor stupid children introduced to a morality play that relates to a case of short-term pleasure gained at the expense of a soul forever lost to Satan would they?


What sort of lesson would THAT teach them?

:rolleyes:

Now lets not get overambitious. We really shouldn't expect angry parent to temper their arguements with namby pamby facts now.

I've always heard about heavy metal being satanic, but this is the first time I've heard that accusation leveled against classical. Maybe the opera will improve the students' taste in music and wean them off bubblegum pop.

Of course opera glorifies Satan. Every type of entertainment does.

The things that glorify Jesus are known for being boring. Christian music, Sunday school, church, we know all those things are godly and wholesome because they are boring as hell.


Wouldn't that theory have made Kerry more Godly than GW?

:D

I've always heard about heavy metal being satanic, but this is the first time I've heard that accusation leveled against classical.

Try looking at the reaction to some of Beethoven's music, and other Romantics for that matter.

His Ode to Joy was banned in some places for being "morally corrupting" for example.

So since I do go to opera's ( The Magic Flute by Mozart last week ) you think I'm no Christian?

No... I might, however, at this point think that you have an underdeveloped appreciation for sarcasm though..... :p

Wouldn't that theory have made Kerry more Godly than GW?

:D
Why do you think I've never voted for Bush? He's Satan's candidate!

Why do you think I've never voted for Bush? He's Satan's candidate!


http://www.bushisantichrist.com/

Now lets not get overambitious. We really shouldn't expect angry parent to temper their arguements with namby pamby facts now.


Good lord no! Why should we let Facts get in the way of something as important as education? That's just ASKING for trouble!


:D

The things that glorify Jesus are known for being boring. Christian music, Sunday school, church, we know all those things are godly and wholesome because they are boring as hell.
This is why I do all my praying in a casino.

Try looking at the reaction to some of Beethoven's music, and other Romantics for that matter.

His Ode to Joy was banned in some places for being "morally corrupting" for example.

Ah, good point (isn't Wagner banned in Israel?). It's just strange, I have a mental image of a classical music CD with a parental advisory warning.

Try looking at the reaction to some of Beethoven's music, and other Romantics for that matter.

His Ode to Joy was banned in some places for being "morally corrupting" for example.
And what about that Mozart fellow, eh? He had people touching when dancing! TOUCHING!!!!

It's just a shame being alive doesn't "glorify satan". That would solve many problems.

Ah, good point (isn't Wagner banned in Israel?).

I honestly have no idea. Though if true, it might be for different reasons.

It's just strange, I have a mental image of a classical music CD with a parental advisory warning.

Now that would be a sight for sore eyes.

http://img335.imageshack.us/img335/3526/beethoven6nd.png

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

And what about that Mozart fellow, eh? He had people touching when dancing! TOUCHING!!!!

Aye, that brash young man sure has no morals.

His Ode to Joy was banned in some places for being "morally corrupting" for example.

I appear to have been slightly mistaken about this point.

It was his third symphony that was banned. By the Prague Conservatory for being "morally corrupting."

Though AFAIK "Ode to Joy" (and indeed the rest of the Ninth Symphony) was similarly cooly recieved in some quarters for similar reasons.

while i agree that kids as young as first-graders might not "get" what Faust was about (the principle said the teacher was supposed to show the video series to no one younger than fourth-graders), this quote stunned me:
"Any adult with common sense would not think that video was appropriate for a young person to see. I'm not sure it's appropriate for a high school student."

high school students?!? young adults that are on the verge if not already drinking, having sex, and about to head out on their own???

come on people... i'm somewhat conservative myself, but if anything with the word "devil" in it causes you to cover your ears and go "LA LA LA!"... *sigh*

Of course, some religions think music is inherently evil.

oh yeah - a link to the full article, as reported by Yahoo News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060202/ap_en_tv/faust_video;_ylt=AldcnxS0CKvajMh7pUfJfW6s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-:

Wow, banning Faust.
How could they?

This story is a classic, actually based (somewhat) on actual events.
Faust on Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Georg_Faust)


One of the most well known adaptations of this story (at least in Germany) is by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Some of its lines entered regular use in German ("Das also ist des Pudels Kern"), millions of people can quote lines of it easily.

If this would become a major story in German news media, people will take this as the proof, that all Americans are nuts.
And this is sad.

while i agree that kids as young as first-graders might not "get" what Faust was about (the principle said the teacher was supposed to show the video series to no one younger than fourth-graders), this quote stunned me:
"Any adult with common sense would not think that video was appropriate for a young person to see. I'm not sure it's appropriate for a high school student."

high school students?!? young adults that are on the verge if not already drinking, having sex, and about to head out on their own???

come on people... i'm somewhat conservative myself, but if anything with the word "devil" in it causes you to cover your ears and go "LA LA LA!"... *sigh*

Indeed. You would have thought that they would be very keen on their kiddies seeing the video. :confused: .

My guess, they didn't know how to enunciate F-A-U-S-T

Ah, good point (isn't Wagner banned in Israel?). It's just strange, I have a mental image of a classical music CD with a parental advisory warning.
My favorite apocryphal music banning story:

The National Opera House in Prague is decorated with busts of great composers. When the Nazis invaded that city, they ordered Czech workmen to take the bust of Mendelsohn off the building. The workers asked which one was Mendelsohn, and the Nazi officer in charge impatiently told them, "the Jewish-looking one." Following that instruction, they took down Wagner.

If Wagner is banned in Israel, it's either because they have a sense of humor or they have no sense of humor. Or it might be because Wagner sucks.

I'm glad this thread exists because when I read this news story about Faust, my head nearly fell off.
:eek: --> thunk (head falling sound)

The National Opera House in Prague is decorated with busts of great composers. When the Nazis invaded that city, they ordered Czech workmen to take the bust of Mendelsohn off the building. The workers asked which one was Mendelsohn, and the Nazi officer in charge impatiently told them, "the Jewish-looking one." Following that instruction, they took down Wagner.

Haha!

Another parent, Casey Goodwin, said, "I think it glorifies Satan in some way."
I bet she never read a book in her life, and knows nothing of this production.

Oh, it's about a guy making a pact with the devil! OH NOES!!! RUN 4 TEH HILLZ!!!11

The guy doesn't exactly win.

I bet she never read a book in her life, and knows nothing of this production.

Oh, it's about a guy making a pact with the devil! OH NOES!!! RUN 4 TEH HILLZ!!!11

The guy doesn't exactly win.

It was the "..in some way" part that got me.

It was the "..in some way" part that got me.
Yep, "I think . . . in some way" is the usual sentence construction of an individual who has no education to back up an opinion, but nonetheless feels entitled to have it heard.

:mad: wow....



Religious f**kwads is what they are.

Hmmmmm?

Well I know a couple people from Colorado so I am not surprised.....

Of course opera glorifies Satan. Every type of entertainment does.

The things that glorify Jesus are known for being boring. Christian music, Sunday school, church, we know all those things are godly and wholesome because they are boring as hell.

Sigged.

Her critics questioned the decision to show children a portrayal of the devil, Mephistopheles, along with a scene showing a man being killed by a sword and a reference to suicide.



Depending on how graphic the protrayal was, this is where the heart of the problem lies to me. Faust can be frightening to young viewers. It is a scary story and I've seen very gruesome protrayals of the devil in some productions. (It is also my favorite Opera.)


The whole relgious controversy seems to me like people that haven't even heard of the opera unil now, being led by someone who hasn't read the opera.

"I was definitely not sensitive to the conservative nature of the community, and I've learned that," Waggoner said in Sunday's editions of The Denver Post. "However, from what has been said about me, that I'm a Satan worshipper, my character, I can't believe all of this. My intention was just to expose the kids to opera."

Waggoner, who is in her first year teaching vocal music in Bennett, said she doesn't expect to stay in town.

"I know I'm not accepted here, that I'm not welcome here by the parents," she said. "It's a very uncomfortable position."



I wish her the best of luck in seeking employment in a much more enlightened community.

BTW:
When I first read the title of the thread, I thought it was "Teaching kids opera = satanism," not Teaching kids "opera = satanism."

Faust is a satanic opera. Anyone who is familiar with "The Phantom of the Opera" knows a phantom shows up during any performance of this opera and sends a chandalier down on top of the audience.

If my instructions are ignored a disaster beyond your imagination shall occur.

(I'm sorry, I'm a Phantom fan and had to point out that in the book the tragedy occurs during Faust.)

Andrew Lloyd Weber didn't use Faust in his version. He made up an opera named "Il Muto." I love how he made up that and "Hannibal" to make fun of the old style opera that his critics say he should emulate. He makes a good case about how dumb the critics are and why his modern opera is real art.

Oh and these people probably don't like "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." That song is based on this story as is "The Devil and Tom Walker."

I have gotta go to this place.I've been planing a trip to the states and I am making it a point to visit here.Rolling Stones, Sympathy for the Devil and Marlon Manson blaring out of the cd player.Do they still burn witches in these places?
Seriously some of these people need to get a grip on reality.Faust is a moral tale not to fcuk with the big red guy.Can't these people see that they are protesting against somthing they know nothing about.*jumps on bandwagon* I wanna protest against hindi music.Satans music.:rolleyes:
Wait till they hear the english version of Carl Orffs Carmina Burana

Depending on how graphic the protrayal was, this is where the heart of the problem lies to me. Faust can be frightening to young viewers. It is a scary story and I've seen very gruesome protrayals of the devil in some productions. (It is also my favorite Opera.)
<snip>
Actually, I think the heart of the problem is that this teacher apparently is the target of hate-speech, accusations and slurs against her character. These people aren't just idiots, they're hostile, witch-hunting idiots.

And idiots who don't know a good time when they see one. Faust is a blast.

I have gotta go to this place.I've been planing a trip to the states and I am making it a point to visit here.Rolling Stones, Sympathy for the Devil and Marlon Manson blaring out of the cd player.Do they still burn witches in these places?
Seriously some of these people need to get a grip on reality.Faust is a moral tale not to fcuk with the big red guy.Can't these people see that they are protesting against somthing they know nothing about.*jumps on bandwagon* I wanna protest against hindi music.Satans music.:rolleyes:
Wait till they hear the english version of Carl Orffs Carmina Burana
Probably. Drive fast.

Witch hunting is common to Christianity.

Witch hunting is common to Christianity.

Something like this?


CROWD:
A witch! A witch! A witch! A witch! We've found a witch! A witch! A witch! A witch! A witch! We've got a witch! A witch! A witch! Burn her! Burn her! Burn her! We've found a witch! We've found a witch! A witch! A witch! A witch!
VILLAGER #1:
We have found a witch. May we burn her?
CROWD:
Burn her! Burn! Burn her! Burn her!
BEDEVERE:
How do you know she is a witch?
VILLAGER #2:
She looks like one.
CROWD:
Right! Yeah! Yeah!
BEDEVERE:
Bring her forward.
WITCH:
I'm not a witch. I'm not a witch.
BEDEVERE:
Uh, but you are dressed as one.
WITCH:
They dressed me up like this.
CROWD:
Augh, we didn't! We didn't...
WITCH:
And this isn't my nose. It's a false one.
BEDEVERE:
Well?
VILLAGER #1:
Well, we did do the nose.
BEDEVERE:
The nose?
VILLAGER #1:
And the hat, but she is a witch!
VILLAGER #2:
Yeah!
CROWD:
We burn her! Right! Yeaaah! Yeaah!
BEDEVERE:
Did you dress her up like this?
VILLAGER #1:
No!
...
BEDEVERE:
What makes you think she is a witch?
VILLAGER #3:
Well, she turned me into a newt.
BEDEVERE:
A newt?
VILLAGER #3:
I got better.
VILLAGER #2:
Burn her anyway!
VILLAGER #1:
Burn!
CROWD:
Burn her! Burn! Burn her!...
BEDEVERE:
Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! There are ways of telling whether she is a witch.
VILLAGER #1:
Are there?
VILLAGER #2:
Ah?
VILLAGER #1:
What are they?
CROWD:
Tell us! Tell us!...
BEDEVERE:
Tell me. What do you do with witches?
VILLAGER #2:
Burn!
VILLAGER #1:
Burn!
CROWD:
Burn! Burn them up! Burn!...
BEDEVERE:
And what do you burn apart from witches?
VILLAGER #1:
More witches!
VILLAGER #3:
Shh!
VILLAGER #2:
Wood!
BEDEVERE:
So, why do witches burn?
[pause]
VILLAGER #3:
B--... 'cause they're made of... wood?
BEDEVERE:
Good! Heh heh.
CROWD:
Oh, yeah. Oh.
BEDEVERE:
So, how do we tell whether she is made of wood?
VILLAGER #1:
Build a bridge out of her.
BEDEVERE:
Ah, but can you not also make bridges out of stone?
VILLAGER #1:
Oh, yeah.
RANDOM:
Oh, yeah. True. Uhh...
BEDEVERE:
Does wood sink in water?
VILLAGER #1:
No. No.
VILLAGER #2:
No, it floats! It floats!
VILLAGER #1:
Throw her into the pond!
CROWD:
The pond! Throw her into the pond!
BEDEVERE:
What also floats in water?
VILLAGER #1:
Bread!
VILLAGER #2:
Apples!
VILLAGER #3:
Uh, very small rocks!
VILLAGER #1:
Cider!
VILLAGER #2:
Uh, gra-- gravy!
...
ARTHUR:
A duck!
CROWD:
Oooh.
BEDEVERE:
Exactly. So, logically...
VILLAGER #1:
If... she... weighs... the same as a duck,... she's made of wood.
BEDEVERE:
And therefore?
VILLAGER #2:
A witch!
VILLAGER #1:
A witch!
CROWD:
A witch! A witch!...
VILLAGER #4:
Here is a duck. Use this duck.
[quack quack quack]
...
CROWD:
A witch! A witch! A witch!
WITCH:
It's a fair cop.
VILLAGER #3:
Burn her!
CROWD:
Burn her! Burn her! Burn her! Burn! Burn!...