Sparlock vs the Magical Plane

by Listener 9 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Listener

  Sorry about the previous thread I posted. I was holidaying in Hong Kong and for some reason I couldn't post.

  What I find hypocritical is the depiction of the plane in the video. It appears as some sort of theme item throughout the video, flying through the air in the background as some sort of hidden message.

  In one chapter the plane is flying through the clouds with a pilot and drops to earth without the pilot. Caleb then picks up the plane and plays with it, pretending to make it fly. There is no remote control in sight and no indication that the plane is electronically controlled.

  The plane is seen to be magical with its flying ability and Caleb is allowed this toy. Whereas Sparlock, the magical warrior, shows absolutely no signs of being magical. It is only because he pretends that it has magical properties that he is banned from having it. The WTBTS has taken great efforts to show the plane's magical qualities and does nothing to differentiate between reality and imagination as far as this goes.

  On another point, I just saw the song on the DVD. In now way is this a jingle aimed at children but rather a sweet song that would attract some adults. Another very strange thing is that midway through the song is a picture of Sparlock in front of the WTBTS's icon - the Tower symbol.

  The most disturbing display in this DVD is the mother making her son throw the toy into the bin. Most loving parents would not even entertain the thought of doing that if their child was in posession of a dangerous toy, it would either mysteriously disappear (if the child was very young) or the parents would explain the danger and say they could not have it and descreetly throw it away out of sight if the item meant a lot to their child. Of course, if the item was given to them by another child they would attempt to return it to the parent and thoughtfully point out the dangers the item poses to their child (and this would also benefit the other parent who may not have considered the potential dangers).

  But what really is telling is how regimented the WTBTS has become in its grab for control as opposed to impressing on JWs to lovingly follow God's guidance. There is a glaring lack of demonstrating the benefits in doing so other than the few comments about making your parents proud and God happy.
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  cyberjesus

  the plane is not magical... its flying propelled by Calebs imagination.
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  Listener

  There is absolutely no indication in the dvd that it was Caleb's imagination, you are just imagining that it is.

  If it was Caleb's imagination that was making it fly then it could also be claimed that he thinks his plane is magical. The WTBTS has gone to great lengths to demonstrate how Caleb does believe it is magical. Whereas they do no such thing as far as Sparlock is concerned. There is no indication of any magical abilities that Sparlock possesses.

  The mother obviously believes Sparlock is in fact magical and this is demonstrated by the fact that she wanted it thrown out. If she thought it had no magical qualities then there would be no reason to throw it out. She even makes the point of saying 'Who likes magic, Jehovah or Satan?'. Therefore she has just taught her child a very bad lesson and that is that toys can be magical when in actuality there was no evidence of it.

  How is a JW able to determine whether an item is magical or not? It would seem in this instance that it is through a 'mob mentality' perception. That is, just because everyone says it does have magical qualities it is believed, even to the point that the JW believes it is.

  It is not surprising that this comes from the WTBTS as they have been teaching mixed messages for decades.

  I just had my daughter watch this video as she has just undertaken a certificate in child care. Her reaction was not surprising. She said that the video presents too many negatives and this is a very bad way of trying to teach children. Presenting lessons in a positive manner is what will encourage children to behave properly. The use of the words 'hate' and 'obey', in her opinion, were bad choices and instead like and teach are more age appropriate.
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  Disillusioned Lost-Lamb

  Maybe the plane is a subliminal message?

  Maybe it's the $ocieties sick twisted way of reminding us that jaybooger is always right there with us, watching and hanging over us?

  I wouldn't be surprised if this were true.
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  kurtbethel

  One notable thing I have noticed about Watchtower culture is that the leaders seem to get a pop out of getting the consent of their victims. They do not outright tell you what to do, or not to do. They dazzle you with loaded language to guide you to where they want you to be and then you go along with it like it was your idea. This video is consistent with that. Caleb is never ordered what to do, and the allegedly dangerous toy is never taken away from him. Instead, "Mother" leads him with manipulative statements and questions into him thinking up what to do with the toy, and she gets perverse delight as he takes Sparlock out and throws him in the bin. Thus, Watchtower culture is reinforced.

  Every way I look at this, it is an abomination.
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  Cacky

  I noticed the plane, at the end of the video, it ends with the plane flying in the sky again. The song video show a butterfly flying away, further and further until it is out of sight. Do you think this was subliminal, put in there by apostates making the video, as their way of saying, get the hell out of there!
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  kurtbethel

  I noticed the plane, at the end of the video, it ends with the plane flying in the sky again. The song video show a butterfly flying away, further and further until it is out of sight. Do you think this was subliminal, put in there by apostates making the video, as their way of saying, get the hell out of there!

  Yes. I really think someone inside had their hand in this to subtly warn people away, counting on the bigshots not noticing that because of their lack of imagination.
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  Chariklo

  The plane flying at the beginning is absolutely a child playing just as he should, running around in the garden and fully imagining himself flying the plane. It's right there at child level and is first class film making. Any child would immediately pay close attention, enjoying the story about to develop, as it seems.

  Then Caleb is running around playing in his garden. Any child will go right along with that in his mind. It's familiiar territory, like a child's story. THEN the film begins to turn into something very unpleasant, where parents who should be friendly and welcoming turn into disapproving monsters.

  Then there's the strange inclusion of the plane in the sky while Sparlock is dumped in the bin. I have to say I don't know what to make of that. Why is the plane there? Is it meant by the makers to be a symbol of happy play, which then becomes a "happy" bike ride with that ghastly mum?

  And finally, yes, I too had noticed the plane in the sky during the song at the end. It's there for barely a second, and then turns into a seagull. Very strange. The best answer I can come up with is that the Watchtower are indeed using the plane as a symbol of play, as distinct from Sparlock, but it is certainly odd.

  Since we can now await future episodes, we'll be able to see if the plane and/or Sparlock make a further appearance. I think the DVD is meant to be part of an attempt to make the Watchtower's approach small-child-friendly, alongside the "young" section in the public magazines, as someone said.

  Their big problem is that they simply don't understand that their whole attitude to bringing up children is warped and twisted. Far too many of you who have experienced JW childhood's have already given testimony to that for it to be ignored. My childhood was far from perfect but it was paradise in comparison.

  The WT attitude to children is the same as their attitude towards non-JW's. My own pioneer, elderette study conductor not only treated me often as a naughty child, pretty much as Caleb's mum spoke to Caleb, piling on the moral and emotional blackmail, but I know did the same to her own children and it continues down to the grandchildren. Her own daughter, who I got to know fairly well, is moulded into the same mentality.

  So, the Caleb DVD is truly chilling, but also transparent. It reveals the Watchtower making every effort to reach even children, but totally and completely missing the mark because the basic premise of its doctrines is that God is judgemental, jealous and vindictive and that human beings can only be in his favour by their own efforts to stay within the most restrictive of bounds.

  That teaching is just plain wrong, and so the whole thing, the whole edifice of the organisation, is skewed ffrom start to finish. It's like trying to make a loaf of bread from bad flour and stale yeast. The end result will be something nasty.
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  NomadSoul

  Well an airplane can actually fly, it's not magic.
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  Listener

  It acts magically as it turns from a real areoplane as it drops to the ground, into a toy areoplane.