Does DC's Bond believe in God?

2

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  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    'You made me, now end me!'
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    In Bond there is a sort of religious tie in ( apologies, in advance in caseanyone thinks
    This is bad taste ) M is the God figure, Bond the Son sent off to do his bidding with
    Q, as sort of holy ghost , sending things to help on the quest. :D and in the end evil
    Is defeated.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    In the Books, Bond sees M as something like a Father Figure. Someone he looks up to with some Admiration.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Rather like the membership if AJB do with me, :))
    Only I think I'm described as " One big Mother .... ". :p
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    I'm one of the younger Brothers :))
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Posted this eleswhere But was pointed to this thread ( as I couldn't find it :)) )
    I'm just re-reading Col Sun after many years and have just come upon a bit on the boat where
    Bond's mate makes a Greek prayer to get the engine going and Bond says something like
    " At times like this he wished he had something or someone to call on !",
    To me that's pretty obvious Bond is an Atheist, so yet another thing I have in common with him. :)) {[]
    it's like we were seperated at birth. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • superadosuperado Regent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,652MI6 Agent
    Posted this eleswhere But was pointed to this thread ( as I couldn't find it :)) )
    I'm just re-reading Col Sun after many years and have just come upon a bit on the boat where
    Bond's mate makes a Greek prayer to get the engine going and Bond says something like
    " At times like this he wished he had something or someone to call on !",
    To me that's pretty obvious Bond is an Atheist, so yet another thing I have in common with him. :)) {[]
    it's like we were seperated at birth. :))

    I wonder how fast Bond's worldview would change if after thinking that, a RN submarine suddenly surfaced from under him!
    "...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Maybe the Devil was helping him ? :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • superadosuperado Regent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,652MI6 Agent
    Maybe the Devil was helping him ? :))

    That would be logical for him, surviving to corrupt more innocents and to steal femine virtues :p
    "...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,292Chief of Staff
    This book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Devil-James-Bond-Boyd/dp/0837171822

    Full text: http://archive.org/stream/devilwithjamesbo008995mbp/devilwithjamesbo008995mbp_djvu.txt

    Not so much about Bond's religious beliefs, though they are touched on, more about Fleming's hiding religious themes in his works.
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    edited September 2014
    007 VS Elvis's Devilish Rock 'n' Roll :))
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • superadosuperado Regent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,652MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    This book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Devil-James-Bond-Boyd/dp/0837171822

    Full text: http://archive.org/stream/devilwithjamesbo008995mbp/devilwithjamesbo008995mbp_djvu.txt

    Not so much about Bond's religious beliefs, though they are touched on, more about Fleming's hiding religious themes in his works.

    Thanks for posting, Barbel. I'm also a student of Bonhoeffer and it's interesting to see a survey of his teachings appear in an analysis of Bond! Fleming definitely wove what rudimentary Christian beliefs he might have gained from his strict Calvinistic upbringing, into the Bond books, which reflect these themes and some of these owe their epic themes and feel to that mindset. Fleming wrote Bond as himself, a modern man trying to preserve the most basic, positive values of goodness in a fallen world. He and Bond were not saints, but it was their side that they lived and fought for.
    "...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,292Chief of Staff
    Exactly, supes, and thank you too. It's good to see that others appreciate that there's more to Bond/Fleming than initially meets the eye.
    The Boyd book is medium rare just now (though I wouldn't stake my life on that) which is why I included the link to the text. It gets a bit heavy in places for the casual reader, much like Bond And Beyond (Routledge, 1987) by Tony Bennett* and Janet Woolacott though in a different way.

    * no, not THAT Tony Bennett.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I agree it does get a bit heavy ( I couldn't get through it ;) ) so would be
    Grateful to anyone who has read the full article, if they could post a more
    Concise version, or something with just the jist of most of it ? Or a few
    Examples ? -{
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,292Chief of Staff
    Since you asked, Boyd posits that

    (1) Fleming was taking a very old tale (St George slays evil dragon, rescues beautiful princess) and dressing it up in (then) modern clothes that would appeal to a mass audience

    (2) The villains represent the Seven Deadly Sins (eg Goldfinger = Avarice)

    (3) There is a religious subtext present in Fleming's writing
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Thanks Barbel, I got the St George bit, if Goldfinger is Avarice, are the
    Any other examples of what the other villains represent ?or an example
    Of the religious subtext in Fleming's writing ?
    Also is there any evidence if this was done deliberately by Fleming or
    Whether it was done subconsciously, as we ( in the west at least) had
    A Christian upbringing, and even many schools are run by religious orders.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,292Chief of Staff
    Best read the book, TP!
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I'll try, but it's hard going, reminds me of those old school reference books. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,292Chief of Staff
    Well, the first parts of each chapter are the most straightforward if that's any help. And I do not 100% agree with Boyd's conclusions though I think she's heading in the right direction: there IS a basic morality to Bond's adventures but a religious subtext is stretching things a shade too far.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    It's an interesting take IMO nonetheless.

    Bond. Dragonslayer Bond.
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Like how in YOLT, Blofeld tells Bond that he is a Blunt Instrument welded by those in Power. Whilst not on an Assignment, he's put back on the Shelf.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • CmdrAtticusCmdrAtticus United StatesPosts: 1,102MI6 Agent
    Given that Craig reads the novels and uses them as reference for how Bond would exist today, he probably relies on what Fleming said when asked about Bond's faith and also when Bond talks to Tracy about getting married in a Scottish church. Fleming and his ancestors were Scottish Presbyterians. Though it is obvious that Fleming wasn't exactly a devout follower and he made Bond in the same mold. Though each had this foundation in their childhood, like many they strayed as they matured and suffered through life's hardships. They still kept the faith as far as believing in good and evil and the innocent needed to be protected by the sacrifice of good men - even if those men had feet of clay and carried many vices.
  • superadosuperado Regent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,652MI6 Agent
    Given that Craig reads the novels and uses them as reference for how Bond would exist today, he probably relies on what Fleming said when asked about Bond's faith and also when Bond talks to Tracy about getting married in a Scottish church. Fleming and his ancestors were Scottish Presbyterians. Though it is obvious that Fleming wasn't exactly a devout follower and he made Bond in the same mold. Though each had this foundation in their childhood, like many they strayed as they matured and suffered through life's hardships. They still kept the faith as far as believing in good and evil and the innocent needed to be protected by the sacrifice of good men - even if those men had feet of clay and carried many vices.

    ++++1, especially the last 2 sentences.

    On Craig, it would make a lot of sense if he drew heavily on Fleming's mythic/religious subtext because of the thick amount of soul in his portrayal. Since Dalton is typically grouped with Craig in how they approach Bond, I wonder if he also tapped into that subtext, though I would have to say that Craig has done a better job in channeling those themes; IMO the novel that dealt with that most heavily was YOLT and Craig to me has successfully tapped into that epic vibe.
    "...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
  • CmdrAtticusCmdrAtticus United StatesPosts: 1,102MI6 Agent
    +1. Yes, I think as a serious actor Craig approaches his roles with equal concern and certainly studied Fleming's last novels to get a handle on the character for SF. I think EON realized they could return to the literary character when they rebooted and it's another reason they were more concerned with someone who could bring out a more complex character rather than if they could do fashion modeling. If they were going to follow CR closely they didn't have a choice. It's a pity they didn't do this when Dalton came in, it may have made the writers do a better job on his films as well as Brosnan's.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    It's a pity they didn't do this when Dalton came in, it may have made the writers do a better job on his films as well as Brosnan's.
    Yes... :#
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    +1. Yes, I think as a serious actor Craig approaches his roles with equal concern and certainly studied Fleming's last novels to get a handle on the character for SF. I think EON realized they could return to the literary character when they rebooted and it's another reason they were more concerned with someone who could bring out a more complex character rather than if they could do fashion modeling. If they were going to follow CR closely they didn't have a choice. It's a pity they didn't do this when Dalton came in, it may have made the writers do a better job on his films as well as Brosnan's.

    ++1
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    I think the Dalton Scripts were fine -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    I think the Dalton Scripts were fine -{
    I thought they were pretty good, it's just that they could have been a bit more complex.
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Would that be ....
    Underground complex, space complex or underwater complex ! :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Or secret Complex in the Middle of the Jungle? :))
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
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