http://www.jimmyakin.org/2006/05/thisll_be_good_.html



Gandalf, I hardly knew ye.
--Ann

No big surprise, Ian McKellen is a well known atheist, homosexual and left wing political activist. What IS surprising is that he agreed to appear in the Lord of the Rings, which is such an explicitly religious work. Of course, he vigorously denies that there is any religious imagery in LOTR at all, but anyone who knows anything knows about Tolkein and the origins of LOTR knows that McKellen's claims about the 'secular humanist' assumptions behind the story are all wet. What is an even bigger surprise is that in ROTK, he made a long speech about the afterlife (which he doesn't even believe in) and sounded convincing, which just goes to show that he is a really, really good actor.

Actually since we all know where he is coming from how can we be suprised?
Actually I do have more respect for the guy than Tom Hanks who continually tries to whitewash the issue and is obviously a lukewarm orthodox christian he actually said it would be good for christians as it would increase attendance if they had Davinci Seminars.

WIth McKekllan you know the where he stands he has a cold heart toward christianity and his statements are consistent with that. With Hanks his lukewarmeness towards the issue only reflects his wishy washy trying to be all things to all people kind of guy. We all know Jesus hates the lukewarm even worse the cold. Mr Hanks is a phoney I would have more respect for the guy if he just made a strong statement on where he stands on this whole issue but he won't make any. MCkellan doesn't give a rip about his popularity so he says what he beleives despite the horror of what he actually beleives he is at least honest and authentic in his exrpession of his beleifs.

I agree with you both. McKellan is, at least, not a wolf in sheep's clothing.

When a wolf presents himself as a wolf he is at least respecting our intelligence enough to show us his true colors. When wolf presents himself as a sheep thinking he is going to fool us, it is dangerous to some of us (who don't know better) and remarkably insulting to the rest of us(who do know better).

Dani

This is going to ruin LOTR for me . . . I had heard he was gay but had tried not to listen . . . now this!

I don't see why that should be the case, if you actually KNEW the truth about the actors you see in movies, you might never want to watch a movie. In the same way, if you actually knew the whole truth about your parish priest, and had full knowledged of all his sins, you might never want to go to Mass again. Neither response is rational.

Concur. And the "afterlife" scene was particularly compelling. Also the scene in Mordor when he was speaking to Frodo, just before Gollum is briefly seen. The man can act.

GKC

Its actually rather amusing that one who is so fundamentally opposed to the Church is so willing to act in such a deeply Catholic movie. LOTR is TEEMING with Catholic themes - it would appear that Gandalf the Gay thinks its simply a good yarn....

(Oh, pardon the freudian slip)

Seriously though, why should it it bother you that an actor in a movie you like has different beliefs to you, apart from hoping that one day he comes into a knowledge of the Truth?

Their private lives are nothing to do with the movie.