"anamnesis" (2nd Season)

[hippyroo]

"Anamnesis certainly challenged church dogma about Mary Magdalene"

As someone already versed in gnosticism, I groaned when this episode was shown. It is interesting story telling, but it is often used by anti-Christians to undermine the Christian religion. Dan Brown has made nice money weaving these old stories into a Hollywood friendly books. It just saddens me that far too many people get their history from movies and novels rather than actual historians.

[Earthnut]

Even though no one has posted since 2006, I am hoping that someone will come back and start it up again.

Yes, Anamnesis is one of my favorite episodes, if not the favorite. It was awesome, and the first episode that I introduced to my girlfriend. She had never seen Millennium, and is interested in seeing more. Yeehaa.

Darlene

[Guest bluestocking]

I remember thinking this was mighty boring back when I saw it in 1997 or 1998. Frank wasn't in the episode and I had watched the show sporadically that season and didn't know much about Lara and Catherine was an annoying character. At the time I also knew nothing about Gnosticism and didn't think much about Mary Magdalene except when the Easter story was read in Mass at Easter.

Now I watch it again 10 years later and I see it with whole new eyes. I've read the Da Vinci Code and seen the movie, read various books about Mary Magdalene and the various Gnostic texts, including "Thunder, Perfect Mind" and am a lot more interested in the topic than I was back then. I understand the nuances of the episode. I don't think the casual viewer could possibly have understood all those nuances, particularly what Lara was thinking at the end. Clare is apparently supposed to be a modern-day incarnation of Sophia or Mary Magdalene, not a physical descendant of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ. That was what the teacher/Family member was trying to protect and invoke in her by teaching and protecting her. It's an interesting idea, far more interesting than the Da Vinci Code. The message and what she symbolizes is what is most important.

If Jesus and Mary Magdalene had had descendants, the whole world would be descended from them by now, anyway, and it's not as if a great-grandparent two thousand years back implies anything particularly special. The Da Vinci Code idea was always a lot of nonsense.

I also thought it was interesting that it was Catherine who had the image of Mary Magdalene with Jesus at the start. Did she have some psychic ability as well that she had suppressed? Jordan may have gotten it from both sides.

Edited March 2, 2009 by bluestocking

[Earthnut]

Sorry about the no one posting since the year 2006. I was replying to page one, not the last page. Still learning the site.

This show will always be one of my favorites, and maybe because I understand so much of it.

We all have psychic ability, but very few peole have actually tried to master or at least develop it. It's our spirit, because I believe a spirit is what we are, fathered by a spirit, in a flesh body to take care of, with a mind that's programmed, and a soul realm of emotions and feeling to learn to control. Some people are more open and receptive to the things of the spirit realm, while most people would be terrified, which comes from lack of knowledge.

Jesus, as one flesh body, wouldn't have had a physical relationship with a woman, nor take a wife. He now is the Holy Spirit with a spiritual Bride, and physical in the sense that we are His Bride.

Catherine was told she had a good insight, maybe instinct, so I have no doubts that Jordan did get her strong ability from both sides who have developed theirs more then most people.

Clare I believe was receptive, not actually a decendant or incarnation. She totally opened up her spirit and her being to allow Mary to speak through her

Naturally, the programmed minds by the organized system of religion, would cause someone to want to kill her. That's where a sacrifice came in to play here, just as Jesus was the lamb that was slain. And remember, it was the system of religion that crucified Christ in the first place. The church has it's place by keeping a lot of people off the streets, but so many churches and religions have become nothing more then storybook tellers. I am glad to see some are into the meat of the word.

Yes, I agree, this episode was far more interesting the the Di Vinci Code.

Earthnut

[model217]

Just finished listening to the Back To Frank Black podcast,and the one thing that stuck out to me was the reference to the upside down cross in the beginning of the episode. While I have no idea what the writers or the director was inferring to with that particular symbol, for me it was always The Cross of Saint Peter,since Peter was hung upside down. So I'm not sure if it was meant as a satanic or anti Catholic symbol.

Edited August 21, 2009 by model217

[Earthnut]

According to Wikipedia:

The cross is one of the most ancient human symbols, and is used by many religions, such as Christianity. It is frequently a representation of the division of the world into four elements (Chevalier, 1997) (or cardinal points), or alternately as the union of the concepts of divinity, the vertical line, and the world, the horizontal line (Koch, 1955). The word crosswas introduced to English in the 10th century as the term for theinstrument of the torturous execution of Christ (gradually replacingthe earlier word rood).

I counted 60 crosses on Wikipedia, with this count not including the crosses and their symbolism on flags. Some of the flags have the cross laying on it's side.

The meaning of the cross itself has been very distorted by man, and obviously there are many different designs and symbolisms. So we must be careful what design we wear until we know what it symbolizes. For example, the Egyptian "Ankh" symbolizes a mythical eternal life, rebirth, and the life-giving power of the sun, where some crosses represent power and supremacy.

The cross used to symbolize unimaginable torture, and now we wear it around our neck, wrist, ankle, finger, etc., as an emotional "feel good" trinket, or on our body for whatever the reason, possibly the same. With all due respect and reverence to my Lord, Jesus was crucified on the cross, and we must always remember His sacrifice and cherish Calvary, but the cross is empty now. Mankind needs to move on from the message of salvation, which most of the world has heard, and focus their attention on the risen and anointed savior, and share His, "Message of the Kingdom," a message few in the world have heard.

An inverted or upside-down Latin cross, based on a tradition, holds that Saint Peter was martyred by being crucified upside-down. Peter felt that he was unworthy to die in the same position as Christ, so many people today believe that it symbolizes their unworthiness.

The inverted cross is often associated with anti-Christian or Satanic groups. It is a blaspheme or mockery of the Christian cross. According to "Exposing Satanism," the upside-down cross symbolizes mockery and rejection of Jesus. Necklaces are worn by many satanists, and it can be seen on many rock singers and their album covers for whatever reasons they have chosen.

[model217]

I must live a sheltered life. Since I was a kid an upside down cross was The Cross of St. Peter. I believe it was actually in the background of the stained glass window that represented St. Peter in the church we attended.

I guess the reference in the episode is that what happens during the events that follow in the episode turn things upside down,since any satanic reference would not fit in the story, in my opinion.

[IHaveGoodInstincts]

I did not find this episode to be particularly offensive towards my Christian beliefs. It delves into spiritual issues that differ from mine, but seems to do so in repectable manner. I know I've said this in other posts, but one of the things that initally drew me to Millennium was a rather even-handed and fair approach to religious issues that does not seem to purposefully offend, unlike other television shows or mediums. Some of the Millennium stories seem to support religious issues in the family setting! Were the television censors too focused on the violence ?!?! Ahhh, just an interesting side comment...

There does not appear to be any "Haters" in the writing and production process, which is nice.

All in all, an intense episode. Another one of those "Thinking man's" episodes, where you have to do your homework!

(No offense intended toward the wonderful ladies here!)

[ethsnafu]

I was always under the impression that Millennium didn't have a mandate one way or another with regards to depicting religious beliefs be they Christian, Buddhist or other. They certainly weren't afraid to wade into potentially sensitive arenas when the writers felt there was a story to tell (Anamnesis, In Arcadia Ego eg.) but, as you say, it wasn't incendiary for the sake of it.

I think everyone knows this is by far one of my favourite episodes and, as you say, you can spend many an hour delving into the spaces between the words and uncovering the depth of the narrative. Kay and Erin dealt with mythology better than any other writer or writing team on the show IMHO. They would take a number of differing concepts (in this case The Merovingian Conspiracy, The Priory Of Sion, Gnosticism, the works of Simon Magus and so on) and wrap them up with a bow for the viewer.

Sterling work and considering it's a Frank-free episode that is no mean feat.

Eth

[Earthnut]

Anamnesis is also one of my favorites, and is was just on Chiller the other day.

I totally agree with you Andrew, that the show was never offensive to any beliefs. It always seemed to give us more questions then answers, and I believe that's the way God wants us to be, always with questions. Without them we would never grow to our full spiritual stature, we would never mature. As Andrew put it, "do your homework!"

Thank you for reviving this thread.