Mill Stone Revival II: A Good Villain

It is very important to be careful with the kinds of movies we let our children consume. Many family movies are written by people whose basic morals are reduced to empty maxims like "be yourself" or "believe in something greater". 

Many parents pat themselves in the back for not letting their kids watch movies with "woke indoctrination". Some of them sign petitions on Life Sites News or akin sites whenever Disney makes an attempt to include LGBT people. Many obsess over the skin colour of remake Disney princesses and the personality of their actresses. Others will try to decode hidden occult messages, often assuming that one of the characters is the antichrist.

However, I am yet to see "conservative" influencers actually attempting to dismantle the real problem with some of this films. Instead of focusing on fake moral panics and anti-woke slop you tubers, they should give to this movies a serious analysis. 

This would allow them to find whatever might be erroneous on this films, assess the extent of the damage and permit the viewers to find this questionable messages for themselves. So today, in the Turnout of Thinking, we will discuss a common family movie trope that should be  questioned and held accountable. 

What is a Good Villain?

Often a movie will tell it's story from the perspective of a protagonist we are to consider good, good willed, or mostly virtuous. Their personal defects are either problems they must solve or aren't significantly troublesome for the viewer. 

Other films, however, do the opposite; they tell the story from the perspective of an evil person. Most of this movies used to be for adults; Films like Casino and The Godfather tell the story of evil people but at least the audience is mature enough to understand that the protagonist is breaking the rules. 

For decades, family movies used to focus on a mostly good character and their problems with an evil antagonist. This started to change in the early 2000's. The film Shrek told the story of a fairly antisocial Ogre with poor manners in a sympathetic way. While Shrek wasn't a particularly malicious figure, ogres were never portrayed positively, as they were figures used to represent traits like gluttony and cruelty. 

As the decades progressed, many more characters like this started to appear. From misunderstood monsters to criminals with a redemption arc, the screens were full of characters we can only describe as good villains. 

What is Wrong with the Good Villain Trope? 

While there is nothing wrong with writing a redemption story, one should be very careful when introducing children to a morally questionable character. The risk of accidentally glorifying their behavior is very real. 

I believe the problem with good villain movies are the following: 

+ Using the trope for the introduction of a self acceptance message. Many films like this would suggest that the protagonist was discriminated against, which led them to engage in evil. As soon as the society starts to accept their differences, they leave their evil ways. 

+ A weak presentation of criminals. Just because a criminal has a tragic backstory doesn't mean they don't need punishment. 

Here in Mexico, many criminals think they get to steal and murder because they are poor. Their perspective is then shifted to privileged liberals who seethe whenever  someone suggests they need punishment. 

Many good villain movies give to their protagonist a sad backstory. As the story progresses, they redeem themselves with relative ease. However, many real-life villains aren't actually willing to redeem themselves and the writers of this films would do good keep this mind. 

+ Nihilism / Relativism. The viewer isn't going to engage in the behaviors seen on screen. Few turn into serial killers after watching slashers, and so your children will not become cartoon villains for watching Despicable Me once. 

Rather, the viewer often has their moral background shattered and start to question whether it is possible to find a distinction of good and evil. Horror movies might not turn you into a killer, but you are very likely to become a nihilist if they are part of your cultural upbringing. 

We need to keep in mind this conclusion doesn't come from the movies alone; it is part of the Contemporary Western belief system  which is expressed through this films. 

Case Studies 

The following case studies present three different ways in which the good villain trope has appeared in Family Movies. Some of them are to be outright condemned, while others introduce the message with more nuance and subtlety.

How to Train Your Dragon 

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) was loosely inspired by the novels of Cressida Cowell. It has spawned a massive franchise and a live-action remake in 2025. 

How to Train Your Dragon doesn't present to us a character that is villainous as protagonist. Instead, it uses a fantasy creature who represents evil and turns it into a cool and lovable pet. 

Dragon are often worshipped by pagan religions; but even among the pagans their role can be negative. In Chinese Mythology, the hero Ne Zha kills a family of dragons responsible for causing natural disasters. 

In the Christian world, dragons represent Satan himself. This is because in the Bible, the book of Apocalypse describes a dragon who represents Satan. Being reptiles, dragons can be considered the fantasy equivalent to serpents. 

In European fairy tales, dragons are evil monsters. They are often the representation of greed and pride, harass princesses and destroy villages. This is something that we can see in The Hobbit, which took inspiration from a mythical European hero named Beowulf. 

In How to Train Your Dragon, the story is quite different. We are introduced to Hiccup, a scrawny viking kid who struggles to prove himself before his father Stoic. Despite his mechanical abilities Hiccup is too weak to competently fight the dragons that  harass the viking town of Berk. 

One night, Hiccup brings down a legendary dragon with one of his artifacts. He is however attacked by a fierce drake who destroys the village and he is chastised by his father Stoic. 

The kid throws a temper tantrum in the forest and finds the legendary dragon he took down. He attempts to kill it but he gets touchy-feely and spares the beast, freeing it. The dragon is injured and can't fly, so it is trapped by the terrain around it. 

As the movie progresses, Hiccup becomes friendly with the dragon, and uses his mechanical skills to help him to fly again. They bond together very strongly, and show to the Vikings that dragons can be friendly. 

This movie shows us a symbol subversion. Something that represents evil is now used to represent something that has been misunderstood and can be useful to society. The dragons in HTTYD are not much different from animals. 

Now, to be fair, even if something is used to represent evil, that doesn't meant it can't also be used to represent something else. For example, the dragon is also a symbol of Wales. 

This means that even if a movie has a symbol subversion, it is never going to be as harmful as those movies were the protagonist is specifically portrayed as a villain. Nevertheless, we should treat them with skepticism, specially if the symbol they are subverting is barely ever used for something positive. 

Other Movies with Symbol Subversion: 

Shrek 

Monsters vs Aliens 

Where the Monsters Live 

Megamind 

Megamind was released in 2010, and it tells what I would call a Standard Good Villain movie. Our protagonist is given a redemption arc and a sympathetic backstory, as well as a character whose motivations aren't entirely black and white. 

We are presented with a blue alien named Megamind and his rival Metroman. When their planets were destroyed his parents sent him to earth. But while Metroman found a loving family, Megamind was raised in prison and given poor morals by the inmates. 

Envious of Metroman's popularity at school, Megamind decides to embrace evil and get, let's say, a different kind of attention. 

One day, Megamind finally kills Metroman, and gets to rule the entire city. This triggers an existential crisis on him, because he loses his purpose of defeating Metroman. 

A bored Megamind proceeds to give super-powers to a creepy camera guy, in hopes that he will be able to have a purpose again. He names him Tighten and pretends to be his "space-dad".

However, when Tighten decides to be a super-villain instead, Megamind discovers that he too can be a hero and finally receives the attention he craved. His acceptance arc has been accomplished. 

While Megamind has multiple traits that make it unique, I decided to qualify him as a standard-good-villain because of the following elements: 

+ Our main character is a villain who happens to be a protagonist. We are given a choice to sympathize with him without (necessarily) endorsing his actions. 

+ Our protagonist has a redemption arc and gains the love of others. 

+ The movie centers between the lines of good and evil. 

Other Standard Good Villain films: 

The Bad Guys

Despicable Me 

Nimona 

The Minions

Now we are into pure-bred discordian territory. Despicable Me 1 told an unrealistic but strangely moving redemption arc for it's main character, an arc that was respected for Despicable Me 2. 

This however shifted in 2016 when the spin-off movie Minions was released. Minions isn't a standard story about a criminal who was discriminated but learned that he could be good too. Minions isn't about a symbol for evil behaving in a wholesome manner. 

Minions is evil. Straight up. 

The movie starts by telling us that the Minions are not just the annoying sidekicks to Gru. Now they are cosmic horror entities who explore the world seeking for a villain to serve. However, their clumsiness often lead to the death of their masters. If it doesn't sound like something demons would do, you have been living in Candy Land. 

On the first movie, Minions serve a woman named Scarlet Overkill. They attempt to steal the jewels of the British crown but are betrayed by her. The movie focuses on them trying to, let's say, show her who is a better super-villain. 

In the second film (2022), the Minions help child Gru to find a mentor in a washed up villain and fight their enemies, one of which, by the way, wears the habit of a nun. 

I don't really have to explain why this films are discordian. They portray evil as "fun" and "quirky", don't attempt to give their characters a redemption arc, and fail to show some of the  consequences of being evil. It's a nihilist world were the only thing that matters is the LOL's. 

Conclusion 

In order to prevent the good villain trope from spreading it's erroneous beliefs systems, the following could help: 

+ Good theological formation, coming from a stable family were everyone is respected, will prevent kids from becoming nihilistic. 

+ Provide your children with plenty of wholesome entertainment. 

+ Teach children that a sad backstory doesn't justify engaging in criminal behavior, abusing others, or loving violence. Some people might do this because they think they have no choice, but those of true character will always try to stay above the circumstances. 

+ Stay away from the Minions. 

Mexican Novus Ordo Memories

The Young Church of FEF 

In 2014 my family moved from one Mexican state into another. After a relatively peaceful life, this was a fairly significant change for my life. We used to live close to a big city, in a suburban area. At that point in time everything was getting more expensive, and so we moved to a newer state, into a rural area.  

Many things were different there. For example, in the suburbs we had access to tennis courts, equestrian clubs, large malls, and plenty of supermarkets. The options in this new state were either more rustic or not present at all. 

One of the amenities that was missing was a place to learn catechism. At least one that my parents would approve off. We were already done with communion and confirmation, but my parents were still looking for a place were we could deepen the faith. 

The solution came in a teenager group named F.E.F (families in Faith, but in spanish). The local chapter was ruled by women and each age-group would learn, not form a cleric or learned catechist, but from another teenager. 

Every Thursday we would meet in a dilapidated hotel and gather in the dusty, rusty playground. The teenager organizer would have been given instructions on a different game or activity to play that would teach us a message. They would often be about generic novus ordo stuff like friendship and making community.

I also remember we prayed one decade of a rosary made of balloons and were given information about the Divine Mercy devotion. 

FEF was actually very fun, but there was nothing special about it. Being organized in the name of a false religion added many difficulties to it's quality, making it a glorified teenage social club. 

Retreat

One day we took a retreat. It was more like WYD without dancing bishops and loud concerts.

The place was the garden of some sort of warehouse, full of trees and mosquitos. After being done with the installation of sleeping tents, we played organized games with other kids and held conversations meant to be deep. Our mothers would be cooking multiple meals for us through the day. 

When the evening fell and the sky turned blue, all of us were gathered around a concrete area. A picture of our family was given to us, and we were told to always keep them close. Some people said emotional stuff and prayers. 

Then we roasted marshmallows. The conversations were great. It was indeed, a fun social club. The night, however, was long and harsh for a variety of reasons. From example, a light from the warehouse was blasting our tent from behind. 

Next morning we took breakfast and played for a while, but everyone was sleepy. At some point we were gathered below the trees. Sitting on plastic chairs we were given a conference on the Real Presence. The woman was emotional and heavily motivated. She repeated the apologist mantra of "scientifically proven" NO Eucharistic miracles, to an audience of sleeping teenagers.

It was Sunday, so we were going to the mass service. Well, actually, the mass service was coming to us. Lots of people suddenly arrived, including a cleric. Many of use were sitting on the ground as the service was being prepared, in the literal woods, over a plastic table. I didn't wanted to go to the service, so when my mother noticed I was tired we left. 

I do find it quite ironic, that after such a passionate defense of the real presence, we would offer mass in an horchard for literally no reason. 

Migrants

One of the most interesting anecdotes I got to tell about this group has to do with migrants. In the village were we lived in there was a railway, and many of them would often appear in the streets. Sun cooked, mutilated, and consumed, they would beg for food or money, only to be ignored or insulted. The majority of them were from central america (El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, etc) Some of them would show their identification cards, most would send you blessings if you gave them stuff. 

Close to the railway an organization for them was set. It would offer them food, water and showers, as well as a place to sleep. One day, we went to visit that locale with the FEF people. 

It was a chill November evening, yellow sun and orange skies. The railway was set in the hills, and besides it there was a small stone hut full of food. 

The guy responsible for the area told us multiple things, all of which are greatly interesting. 

He told us that his organization was given a white van from Germany for their migrant welfare mission. Many migrants from Africa or the Middle East would visit Mexico and then go to the United States. 

And for some reason he was really upset with migrants who wanted to stay in the village. He told us he would incite them to continue their travel to the US. 

On retrospective this makes me very angry. Manipulating them into continuing a dangerous trip. It feels like he helped them because he wanted Mexico to be free from their presence, all the while dumping them to the US. If they wanted to stay in the village, it was probably because they were tired of traveling and wanted to send money to their countries as soon as possible. Considering they knew their needs better than the "charity", why were they forced out? 

The possibility of this guy being involved into human trafficking should also be taken into consideration. 

While an excess of migrants could harm our village, i am pretty sure most of them would continue to the US anyway. 

The train approached, and a woman got a series of plastic bags and was ready to throw it to whichever poor soul was hiding on the metallic dragon. 

The train was rushing, so the travellers weren't able to descend and get the benefits themselves. I am kinda glad they didn't. Can you imagine being a migrant on a train, starved and in poor condition, only to be received by a bunch of rich novus ordo kids going to see you like one goes to see animals in a Safari? My brother  compares it with looking at them like they were monkeys getting fed on a zoo. 

The woman wasn't even able to aim correctly. The bag hit the train and it fell violently upon the gravel. 

When the visit was over I found it to be moving and emotional, but now I realize how uncomfortable it must have been for everyone involved. 

Mill Stone Revival I: The Be Yourself Message

It is very important to be careful with the kinds of movies we let our children consume. Excessive strictness leads to estrangement; while an overtly-permissive attitude opens the door to danger, scandal, and both. 

Many parents pat themselves in the back for not letting their kids watch movies with "woke indoctrination". Some of them sign petitions on Life Site News or akin sites whenever Disney makes an attempt to include LGBT people. Many obsess over the skin colour of remake Disney princesses and the personality of their actresses. Others will try to decode hidden occult messages, often assuming that one of the characters is a false Christ-figure.

However, I am yet to see "conservative" influencers actually attempting to dismantle the real problem with some of this films. Instead of focusing on fake moral panics and anti-woke slop you tubers, they should give to this movies a serious analysis. 

This would allow them to find whatever might be erroneous on this films, assess the extent of the damage and permit the viewers to find this questionable messages for themselves. So today, in the Pasture of Knowledge, we will discuss one of the most common family movie tropes that should be either questioned or held accountable. 

What is the "Self Acceptance" Message? 

The most prevalent moral that we can find in family movies is what I call the "Self Acceptance" message, or, alternatively, the be yourself message. 

"Be Yourself" is a rather ambiguous frase, but under closer examination I realized that it is a slogan for the following principles:

1: You are perfect just the way you are. Accepting yourself is virtuous. 

2: You shouldn't stop doing what gives you happiness / identity for the sake of others. 

3: Others should accept you just the way you are and you should accept others just the way they are

Another form of the "be yourself" message is present in those movies that preach acceptance. This is what we find in classic non-discrimination movies for families and adults alike.

The Acceptance message embodies the third principle above as well as the mandate of being kind to others. 

The acceptance message, on itself, it's not evil. The only problem is when "accepting" others is the only value we have, or when we are asked to accept evil. 

What is Wrong with the "Self Acceptance" Message? 

The be yourself message is wrong for the following reasons: 

1: Being yourself is evil if you are an evil person. One should never be encouraged to love their defects, but to cleanse them patiently and effectively. Whatever is evil within yourself, is not sanitized because it comes from yourself. 

2: It implies others aren't entitled to request a change in your attitude if there is something annoying / concerning about it. 

3: The message is repeated on and on until it is the only value people have. Many apply the be yourself message to defend themselves against good condemnations and constructive criticism. The typical example would be the rainbow people, however this can be used to justify any harmful activity. 

4: The be yourself message is pushed by the establishment as a way of promoting degeneracy; a degeneracy that they themselves practice and

that is used against us. 

Before we continue I would like to point out that the "self acceptance" message is also used to teach good values, such as: 

1: The value of not being a hypocrite (albeit to be fair some people are not hypocrites because they are just evil) 

2: The value of not obsessing over the opinions of others 

3: The value of accepting something about yourself that doesn't make you an evil person but still brings discrimination (like being ugly) 

The problem comes from false principles being taught together with true values, in a way in which the viewer accepts both the harmful principle and the truth. 

Case Studies

It is important for us to be able to find this message on movies. The following movies have the be yourself message and can be used to establish the main ways in which this dictate of modernity is presented to us. 

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid (1989) is a straight forward example of a "be yourself" movie.

It is what I would call a "self acceptance" movie about actions. Here our character isn't allowed to be themselves because they are forbidden from doing something they like. 

In the movie we are presented with princess Ariel, a mermaid who longs to visit human society & marry a prince.  She is however forbidden from this adventures, since her Father thinks humans are dangerous. 

This movies will often present a similar scenario: Our main character who wants to be themselves (by doing something that they like and it's therefore part of their identity), vs another character (often an entire society) who forbids their desires. The plot of the movie will resolve this conflict by allowing the protagonist to be freed from the prohibition and accepted by everyone else. 

Ariel makes a contract with a witch and loses her ability to speak for a pair of human legs. She has fun with the prince but fails to fulfill her part of the deal. The witch then uses this to steal the prince for herself. 

Later she captures the princess and trades her with the King: If Triton sells his kingdom, Ariel will be spared from becoming a depressed seaweed. 

Triton sells the kingdom, giving power to the witch who then proceeds to torment the mermaid. However,  Ariel is saved by the prince and everything returns to normal. Triton turns his daughter into a human and fulfills her dream. He accepts that his prejudice was rooted on fear and decides that maybe this random prince he barely knows is actually a good person. 

The typical ending of a be yourself movies is just like this. The protagonist gets their cake and eats it too. They are allowed to be themselves with little consequences, and with the praise of the people who once limited them. This oppressors  then proceed to recognize that they were mistaken, overzealous, or just didn't listen to the protagonist enough. 

In this case, the prohibition was partly justified and partly unjustified. It was justified, because the princess was being reckless and naive; and unjustified, because Triton assumed the worse about another species without caring to learn about them. 

Therefore, the viewer is given some nuance to partly justify the inner desire of the protagonist. This makes self-acceptance easier to take for audiences, because it's absurdity is not fully portrayed. 

Other Movies with "Self Acceptance" by action: 

Zootopia 

Brave 

Turning Red

Frozen 

Frozen (2013) is different from The Little Mermaid. We do have two characters that are forbidden from doing stuff, but one of them is forbidden from showing something about their identity to the world. 

This is what we can call a "self acceptance message" about being. The movie focuses more and who the character is rather than on what the character wants to do. 

Frozen tells the story of Elsa and Anna, two princesses of the magical world of Arendelle. Elsa is able to produce ice from her hands and loves using this ability to play with Anna. 

One day, Elsa injures Anna while playing. The princess is taken to a troll healer named Grand Pabby, who tells Elsa that her powers are dangerous. Elsa's parents lose their minds, socially isolate the princesses, and tell Elsa to keep her powers to herself. 

As a result Elsa develops a fearful personality and anxiously hides her ability. But as soon as the powers are exposed, she runs away into the mountains. Being finally free to do whatever she wants, Elsa sings Let It Go: 

The snow glows white in the mountains tonight 

Not a footprint to be seen

A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I'm the Queen  

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside

Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried 

Don't let them in, don't let them see

Be the good girl you always have to be 

Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know

Well, now they know

Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore 

Turn away and slam the door 

I don't care what they're going to say 

Let the storm rage on 

The cold never bothered me anyway 

It's funny how some distance 

Makes everything seems small

And the fears that once controlled me 

Can't get to me at all 

It's time to see what I can do 

To test the limits and break through 

No right, no wrongs, no rules for me 

I'm Free 

Let it go, let it go, I am one with the wind and sky 

Let it go, let it go, you'll never see me cry 

Here I stand, and here I'll stay, let the storm rage on 

My power flurries through the air into the ground 

My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around 

And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast 

I'm never going back, the past is in the past 

Let it go, let it go, and I will rise like the break of dawn 

Let it go, let it go, The perfect girl has gone 

Here I stand in the light of the day 

Let the storm rage on 

The cold never bothered me anyway 

The rest so of the movie resolves upon Elsa giving a chance to her sister and people to accept her for who she is. She also learns to handle her abilities without hurting anyone. 

This is the nuanced territory we talked about previously. It allows the message to be received by the masses without showing the negative conclusions of "being yourself" as an ultimate value. 

Other examples of "Self Acceptance" by being: 

Hotel Transylvania 

The Bad Guys 

Shrek 

Summary 

+ The "Self Acceptance" presents us with false principles (you're perfect just the way you are) with true principles (the opinion of others is of little value). It can be found on multiple movies. 

+ Some movies (like the Little Mermaid) present us a character who is forbidden from doing something they like & gives them identity. 

+ Some movies (like Frozen) present us a character who is told to hide something about themselves at all costs. 

+ Most movies will introduce the message with some nuance. This not only improves the storytelling aspects, but allows the message to be taken at face value without mention of the negative consequences.

Conclusion 

In order to prevent the harm from be yourself movies, the following principles should be applied: 

+ Explain to children what is the be yourself message, why it is wrong and the simple fact that it is often used to promote decent values, albeit from an erroneous and often deviant worldview. 

+ Try to justify all of the rules you give to children. This will make sure they understand why they are given certain instructions and prevent them from not following them whenever they infringe upon their desires. 

+ Explain how the protagonists of be yourself movies are able to have their cake and eat it too only because they are written by studios who believe in this messages. 

+ Give to your children plenty of wholesome entertainment. 

+ Don't shelter your kids beyond what is reasonable or else you are making a breeding ground for a real-life be yourself story. 

It is tough to be a parent but as soon as your children come to your life it is your responsibility and you have no choice but to follow it. May God bless you and guide you and your children.

 

Contraceptive Pollution

 

This blog post was made in 2020

There is a kind of pollution in which fishes and other sea animals from all over the world are being feminized. It is not caused by plastic bottles or factories or fertilizers. It is caused by the contraceptive pill, which women take when they do not want to get pregnant.

It is mentioned excessively now how woman have the "right to choose", be it either by taking these pills or by causing an abortion. I was told that reducing the number of births - one of the reasons some people take the contraceptive pills - was good for the environment, but it looks like in the end harm was done to the planet anyway. 

The feminization of fishes can in fact affect our fertility rates (our men) but also the fertility rates of whales, sharks and carnivore fishes. Mommy nature is going to be angry. 

Freedom of Conscience vs The Pro-Life Movement

(This article was originally written in 2021)

Satanists will use freedom of conscience to promote access to abortion. Reporting from Breitbart News: 

"In the letter addressed to the FDA, Lucien Greaves, the Temple’s spokesman and cofounder, argued that the abortion drugs Misoprostol and Mifepristone should be allowed under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) so as to be used in what the Temple referred to as their “Abortion Rituals.”

"I am sure Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — who famously spends a good deal of his time composing press releases about Religious Liberty issues in other states — will be proud to see that Texas’s robust Religious Liberty laws, which he so vociferously champions, will prevent future Abortion Rituals from being interrupted by superfluous government restrictions meant only to shame and harass those seeking an abortion.

The battle for abortion rights is largely a battle of competing religious viewpoints, and our viewpoint that the nonviable fetus is part of the impregnated host is fortunately protected under Religious Liberty laws.

The Satanic Temple previously cited the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to overturn a set of pro-life laws in Missouri, but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear it."

My Take: 

Not all satanists will use human sacrifices, since all denominations of satanism are different. But while the Satanic Temple might only be a mock religion led by secular humanists, their "abortion rituals" obviously involve the shedding of blood. 

But what will you tell them? Freedom of conscience implies that every time there is a difference in opinions, great atrocities can be committed. 

Differences in opinion does not restrict itself to religion, it spreads to all areas of society; including science, morals, the life of individuals and medicine. The people who claim that freedom of conscience excludes harm to others are deluding themselves because it is extremely easy to defend violence, specially in a topic like abortion where the question revolves around whether something is alive or not.

To people who truly uphold freedom of conscience with no exceptions the discussion as to whether the fetus is dead or alive is of little importance because it is more important to make sure everyone can believe whatever they want regarding abortion. 

Freedom of conscience implies that if you believe that something is a human right, government can't prevent you from acting on this belief. 

Freedom of conscience implies that if you believe some humans have no rights or are not humans at all, government can't prevent you from acting on this belief. 

Freedom of conscience implies that if your religion or ideology say that you need an abortion, the government shall not infringe that. 

And that's why pro-lifers who believe in freedom of conscience are so helpless in this scenarios where their own beliefs are turned against them. In a world where everyone believes whatever they want, truth quickly becomes a mystery, an idea of the ancient past which will never come back. 

The Animal Farm Movie

The Mormon company Angel Studios set the world on fire with their attempted adaptation of George Orwell's classical novel Animal Farm.

Directed by Andy Serkis, this adaptation has been attacked for ignoring the serious subject matter of the book for the sake of turning the story into a childish comedy. 

To be fair, Angel Studios has NEVER been known for treating serious topics with maturity. One only needs to remember this was the studio that wrote Jesus Christ (yes, Jesus Christ) into making farting noises TWICE!. 

So forgive me for not being shocked that Angel Studios would treat this book without respect. However, what could the message of this parody of itself be? Today, in the Pasture of Knowledge, I will offer my opinion on this upcoming movie. 

The Message of the Original Book

Some people work under the misconception that George Orwell was a fanatical anti-communist. This however couldn't be further from the truth. Orwell was a socialist who went to fight against Franco in Spain. The reason Orwell wrote Animal Farm was to attack the Soviet Union, because he believed their  communism was authoritarian and abusive. In other words, we only need to remember the mantra of western socialism: Stalin bad, Trotsky good. 

In Animal Farm we have a group of domestic critters who rebel against their owner (Mr. Jones) after an elderly pig calls for rebellion against mankind. The initial revolution is successful and the animals are happy to be free from their abusive master. However, two of the pigs start competing against each other for supremacy: Napoleon and Snowball.

Napoleon has a down to earth, dry approach to things, while Snowball is more idealistic and wants to modernize the farm with technology. Since Napoleon exiles his rival and erects an authoritarian farm were he kills rebels, everyone who knows a little bit of history identifies Napoleon as Stalin pig and Snowball as Trotsky pig. 

Through the book the revolution that the farm animals make against their owners is never explicitly condemned, and is actually portrayed positively in some instances. After all, the oppression of the pigs did not start as soon as Jones was expelled; this is the story of a revolution that degraded itself, not a revolution that was corrupt from the very beginning. While the novel is written in such a way that even the strongest anti-communist can relate to it, only those whose knowledge of the story is minimal would say that it was written by an enemy of communism. 

The reality is that Orwell isn't as subversive as many seem to believe. Stalin Bad, Trotsky Good isn't that offensive because the western establishment wanted people, at least for a while, to hate Stalin. 

If his writings are useful, we can study them, but we shouldn't lionize Orwell for something he was not. There is a reason why this books are mandatory reading in some High School programs. 

What do the Mormons want to Tell Us? 

It is very important to consider that remakes and reboots are often used to promote new messages by movie makers. For example, in an attempt to make the film more feminist, Aladdin 2019 had a musical number about Princess Jasmine empowering herself 

It is also very important to consider that Angel Studios is selling the movie to anti-communist evangelicals. The tagline of the movie is "A Cautionary Tail", suggesting to the audiences that a communist nation that "works" (ie., that keeps it's inhabitants happier than those in regular countries) is an impossibility and will always end up worse than it's neighbors. 

However, a closer examination of the trailer reveals that this movie might not be as anti-communist as it's promoters would like us to believe. There are multiple signs that it will just be a generic critique of capital greed. Let me explain: 

In the book, the problem for the animals was not that the farm "sold out" to an abusive human master, but rather, that the pigs learned to be abusive, using politics and propaganda for their exclusive benefit. The humans were never a direct cause for this.

However, the trailer suggests the movie is about Napoleon trying to sell the farm to a corporate tech lady, a plot not much different from other family movies. 

This not only takes away the creativity of the novel but also turns the story into a vacuous critique of capitalism when the book focused on Stalinism. While some stones are thrown to the regular economic system, the intent of the book is not the outside treat of anti-communists but the possibility of communists becoming what they swore to destroy. 

This disloyalty becomes infuriating when we consider that Angel Studios goes out of their way to make their movies acceptable to all audiences in an attempt to make more money. 

Another reason this movie isn't going to be pure-bred anti-communist starts with a simple reason: the slaughter truck at the beginning of the trailer. All the farm animals are stuck in the lorry and realize they will be killed, after which they rebel and install their own farm. 

The purpose of the animals being treated violently and abusively in the novel was to show Orwell's conviction that socialism was based on genuine grievances. But if Angel Studios wanted to attack communism itself as an intrinsically corrupt system, why preserve the slaughter of the animals? Of course they are going to rebel if they are going to die! If the original purpose of the analogy has been misunderstood, how are we supposed to expect the criticism towards communists will remain? 

Conclusion:  

As of today, I can only predict that this film will be bad even if it turns out to be better than the trailer shows. It is a childish comedy adapted from a serious novel. It is a critique of authoritarianism made by a company whose owners belong to a cult. It condemns those who sell out to the greed of foreigners which is precisely what Angel Studios has done with Jesus Christ in other properties. 

Hopefully it will not be as bad as it looks, but let us meditate on the following for a moment: Is this the price we are willing to pay for high-budget "christian" movies? 

5 Threats to Children that are IGNORED by Mainstream Conservatives

Over the years I have seen conservative media obsess over stuff that is either stupid or irrelevant. Many lost their minds with controversies like Bud Light's trans advertisements, remake movies like The Little Mermaid and Snow White, the weird behavior of certain celebrities, and the strange pronouns that transgenders give to themselves. 

Pundits like The Daily Wire, Libs of TikTok and The Quartening waste people's time with this issues. With hyperbolic headlines and endless drivel, they make sure their audience remains puerile, incompetent, and debilitated.  

Unfortunately the sensitive topic of child rearing and protection is infected by slop content too. For example: This outlets were outraged when Netflix had a non-binary cow in a show for toddlers, but then went to praise the same company for K-Pop Demon Hunters despite the fact that this movie is much worse than a bovine requesting special pronouns. 

I am yet to see ANY mainstream conservative slop factory warning their audience about threats to children that go beyond a non-binary cartoon cattle or an annoying Colombian actress playing Snow White. Out there we have threats to the body, soul and minds of millions of children, threats whose danger is immeasurable and whose presence is within our very own house. 

So I decided to take upon myself the responsibility that they have failed to fulfill. Today, in the Pasture of Knowledge, I will share with you the biggest threats to children that are ignored by mainstream conservatives. 

The Videos of Perdition

Some years ago, parents looked in horror as strange videos staring popular characters like Elsa and Spiderman appeared on the popular video platform Youtube.

This videos were everywhere. They were directly connected to, let's say, very evil people, and showed cartoon characters engaging in behaviors that can only be described as violently deviant. The name of this event is Elsagate. 

This was quickly recognized as a grooming strategy to familiarize children with obscure behavior. Others speculated that it was a government-sponsored MK-Ultra manoeuver. And who can blame them? Youtube was busy censoring swear words when a literal predatory underworld was being built under their very eyes. 

Eventually the scandal grew so powerful that the company had to take action. YouTube made their laws even stricter and many of this channels were banned. 

However, the company still struggles to prevent the flourishing of this content. Now we have Elsagate-style videos with other franchises like Minecraft, Super Mario, Poppy Playtime, Teen Titans Go and even the accursed Labubus. They have probably made it to social media too. 

A similar problem would be Brain rot content. Brain rot is defined as a surreal video whose stupidity is so great it makes you feel your brain is rotting. While brain rot videos are not necessarily inappropriate, I believe they sould be avoided since they might harm children in other ways. 

Despite the fact that this phenomenon has been going on for a while, I am yet to see people like Chaya Raichik speaking against this. Really says a lot about their character & competence.  

The Fandoms of Doom 

Many people all over the internet have a limitless passion for whatever it is that entertains them. Whether it is a game or a movie or a show, anyone can become a "fan", meet with other fans and create a community named Fandom.

Fandoms produce fan art, fan fiction, fan animations, fan songs and fan games about media franchises like SpongeBob, Marvel, Super Mario or How to Train Your Dragon. Many fans are unlikely to harm children through this communities, but there is always an exception to the rule, or fandoms were the exception becomes the rule. 

In particular, we know that multiple franchises whose products are specifically designed for children have extremely inappropriate fandoms. 

Some of them have disrespectful fanatics who can't tolerate a slightly different opinion (I am thinking of the show Steven Universe), while others struggle with highly deviant members who waste their time drawing / animating cartoon characters in, let's say, very uncomfortable scenarios. 

A particular set of concern would be the Furries, people who like to dress and imagine themselves as anthropomorphic animals. While not every furry is a pervert, the community itself is not family friendly and everyone would do good to stay away from them. 

Here is a list of toxic fandoms: 

The Loud House (specially this one!) 

Sonic the Hedgehog 

Five Nights at Freddy's 

Animal Crossing 

Paw Patrol 

Poppy Playtime 

101 Dalmatians (the show)

Zootopia 

The Abominable Games 

Recently the popular platform Roblox got under fire for banning a popular you tuber named Schlep. This individual hunts for pederast groomers in the game and seeks to expose them. The company forbid him access to the game despite the fact that very disturbing stuff has happened in Roblox for years. 

For your information, Roblox is a game where random people can make their own games. It also allows children of all ages to enter into conversation with total strangers. The fact that this was allowed in the first place is beyond me - it is clear that any videogame with children and a live chat is a bad idea -. No amount of regulation can permanently forbid groomers from the platform. 

Many adults/teenagers who play Roblox are not afraid of, well, role playing their weird fantasies on the videogame. And despite the fact that the Roblox default characters look like Lego figures, it is possible to find deviant or inappropriate games within the platform. This is also true about other games with similar features, like the  allegedly educational game Animal Jam. 

Another risk would be getting scammed or hacked - 6 year olds are not particularly capable of detecting red flags. 

In general, it shocks me that games like this would even exist. Other videogames like Minecraft allow online multiplayer too, but it's not necessary to be with strangers to have fun. This is not the case in Roblox or Animal Jam were the multiplayer experience is the game. The fact that so few have condemned this platforms and their main feature is beyond me. 

The Plague of Family Channels 

Family channels are disturbing accounts where creepy parents film their children's day to day life. With artificial smiles and uncanny special effects, this parents grab the attention of millions of minors all over the globe with videos of their children opening expensive toys, going to the zoo or just playing in their massive gardens.

This is a risk to children for a variety of reasons: They grow up with no privacy and eventually become money making assets for their parents. They are exposed to millions of people who can harass them or make harsh criticisms about them or their content. They are also exposed to creepy fans and predators. It's child endangerment with Hasbro sponsors. 

The same can be said about celebrity children from movies and tv shows.  

Furthermore, some of this blog parents have been exposed as practitioners of cruelty inside & outside of the cameras. One of such cases was Ruby Franke. She would strictly punish her children for dumb reasons and laugh while filming this for YouTube. As she would often refuse to give them food, the witch is currently observing a 30 year prison sentence. How unfortunate that her psycho husband is still free. 

Some people argue that this channels are a necessary evil, because in this way this people publicly expose themselves and it's easier for outside forces to intervene in behalf of the children. Other parents are also abusive but nobody knows it because they hid it well. 

This is a valid point, but it only applies to parents that are dumb enough to show their true colours on camera. Furthermore, that doesn't automatically make filming your child for YouTube a good thing. 

Many children probably grew up consumed with envy - how is it possible that they have fame and toys and travels and I am stuck with school!? - only to learn that their favorite Vloggers were dying inside and nobody cared. 

Other Children Can be a Risk Too

Far from me to encourage you to socially isolate your children. However, it is important to keep in mind that other children might be a gateway to some of this stuff. Few kids, for example would be tempted to play Roblox if it were not so popular and their friends wanted them to try it out. 

The solution in my opinion is to make confident, socially capable children who have values and know how to say *no*. Banning stuff isn't enough. Children are entitled to know why certain stuff is dangerous or a potential threat. Your child should be independent enough to know which friends actually like their company and which ones will reject them for superficial reasons. 

Furthermore, while the videos, fandoms and games mentioned above are dangerous, there is no need to lose your mind if they enter into contact with this things a little bit. 

I've heard of someone who watched Elsa Gate content out of spite after a particularly aggressive scolding only to grow up and realize for themselves why that content was inappropriate. In their case, an explanation as to why this things were wrong would have been more fruitful than their parent's reaction. 

Conclusion 

In order to protect children, it is important to: 

+ Avoid Unsupervised use of You Tube & the internet

+ Avoid Fandoms in general 

+ Avoid videogames where chatting with strangers is a main feature. 

+ Avoid ANY family channel 

+ Make the children appropriate this teachings as their own

In order to protect children, it is not important to:

+ Sign a petition in Life Site News for Netflix's deaf ears

+ Share a thousand memes about Disney's latest woke flop 

+ Subscribe to Libs of TikTok to see her cry at pro-palestine protestors

+ Obsess over Budweiser selling beer with a lesbian Clydesdale. 

+ Obsess over Cynthia Erivo's receding hairline 

+ Clap like a seal whenever Trump Tower makes more money than Disneyland 

And any "protect the children" figure that distracts you from real threats is either ignorant or evil and should be ignored for their own good.