Sorkin has to realise that if he does this all the time then it seems that his voice is behind this and that he has an agenda. At best, his research on this one is just lousy.
I think my situation is similar to Caz's in that I am not a 'religious' person so much as a 'spiritual' person; I certainly believe in the existence of something/someone greater than ourselves. My not being a part of an organized religious faith is likely why I didn't pick up on how Sorkin may have sounded to others. I did find that the ongoing battles between Matt and Harriet became rather one-note and tiring very quickly, and perhaps that speaks to Sorkin's lack of understanding as well.
But how does one adequately research a particular form of faith, and beyond that, how can one write about that faith without coloring it with one's own views? I'm not saying that Sorkin was right, or that anyone doesn't have the right to be put off by the way Harriet and her faith were portrayed, but that it is an immensely challenging thing to put aside one's biases, particularly with something as personal as religion and faith.
I think that's why it is a subject so often left untouched - it's almost like the third rail. I give Sorkin credit for attempting to tackle it in the first place, despite not doing such a good job with the execution.
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Date: 2007-07-04 04:21 pm (UTC)I think my situation is similar to Caz's in that I am not a 'religious' person so much as a 'spiritual' person; I certainly believe in the existence of something/someone greater than ourselves. My not being a part of an organized religious faith is likely why I didn't pick up on how Sorkin may have sounded to others. I did find that the ongoing battles between Matt and Harriet became rather one-note and tiring very quickly, and perhaps that speaks to Sorkin's lack of understanding as well.
But how does one adequately research a particular form of faith, and beyond that, how can one write about that faith without coloring it with one's own views? I'm not saying that Sorkin was right, or that anyone doesn't have the right to be put off by the way Harriet and her faith were portrayed, but that it is an immensely challenging thing to put aside one's biases, particularly with something as personal as religion and faith.
I think that's why it is a subject so often left untouched - it's almost like the third rail. I give Sorkin credit for attempting to tackle it in the first place, despite not doing such a good job with the execution.