>the camera panning over the statues of Jesus and the serpent (a
>serpent, people!) in Alex's room. It's a classic Christian
>meditation on free will and the capacity to do evil
Last night I saw Amarcord on the big screen. I mention it because in a recent thread there was discussion about differences between "Classic Christian meditations" you were presenting, while others were saying they don't always jibe with individual experience of Christian/Catholic upbringing and teaching.
At one point you said people need to read more theology. I think if you want a better understanding of what your interlocutors were saying you should see Amarcord, especially the schoolroom and confession scenes.
There you see very funny disconnects between a teacher in religion class and sleepy eyed students aroused more by fart jokes and involved classroom pranks than by the mysteries of the trinity. In the confession scenes the priest asks a series of boys "do you touch yourself." One of them says no while we hear and see the fantasies he's keeping to himself, introducing each one with "what does he know about [insert fantasy].
Both these scenes are on youtube. There are no subtitles but it's Fellini so who needs them really?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCBlEE-kx7c&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMvGTiU1o0o&feature=related