THE WAR PRAYER - Mark Twain
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Uploaded by ricshinn on Jun 26, 2008
Epilog to the Public Television 1981 production: A Private History of A Campaign That Failed. Edward Herrmann as the stranger.
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This tells you that how our human"s mind is controlled by systems(God concept) and can't see the truth. We all are fucked up. Would you do anything under the name of your GOD?
2 years ago 5
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@swilson2003 The interesting thing about this story is that Mr Twain requested that it not be published uuntil after his death, stating that "only dead men can tell the truth."
1 year ago 3
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@planetcoco Or maybe its telling us how easy it is to confuse the REAL God of the Universe with the false god of nationalism and war mongering. The most offensive thing about this scene is the fact that the pastor, who is supposed to be the protector of his flock, is instead leading them like sheep into a slaughter. The "stranger" character exposes the evil.
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Well, as long as we're discussing the word of God, let us not forget that the Old Testament Most High also commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy the Caananites. (Deuteronomy 20:17.) In other words, take the words of the War Prayer and apply it to the ancient Israelites. It was what they were told to do. Anti-war sentiment makes sense to us and sounds right, of course, but clearly, there are things we do not understand about the Creator.
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Mark Twain was always able to point out the hypocrisies of man! ( Even today.) Though war is sometimes unavoidable...it is never really glorius. But it seems to be an incurabel addiction of the human race.
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A friend of mine was one of the actors in the 1981 TV movie!
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love that 'amen' at the end, really finishes it off
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I've seen this twice during my life. Once, as a kid and once my junior year in high school. I really wish I could find the full film. It's very good.
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Sad......on 9600 hits
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@MuleKist According to Wikipedia (and its references) he wanted to publish it but his family was afraid it would be considered sacrilegious and his publisher also rejected it. Lew Rockwell has a somewhat different story where Twain did submit for publication and allegedly said: "I don't think the prayer will be published in my time. None but the dead are permitted to tell the truth." The truth is probably a combination of all these things but those words ring more true to his style of writing.
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Si; this video is great and Hermann is absolutely awesome.
They don't make stuff like this anymore; and that is not by coincidence.
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What would you do in the name of your country?
Where is there any truth? That seems a strange metaphysical concept.
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My dad was in this movie!! hes an extra though but i saw him!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
soccerryan53 2 years ago 2
That is really something! I wish Mark Twain could write something on our newly adopted 911 Torture Policies here in the United States. I am sure he would have come up with something even more powerful than this, only he would have had to have someone to make sure he was really dead, before he published it. Keep on fighting, and tell the children the truth.
ricshinn 2 years ago
Amazing performance, very moving How can I get a copy.
swilson2003 3 years ago
The last frames of this video have the title of the play: A Private History of A Campaign That Failed. There is someone on the web, if you search that title that will have it for sale.
The entire play is really as powerful.
ricshinn 3 years ago
I saw this back in '81 and was impressed by the powerful statement that Twain made. I'm now home schooling my kids and plan on having them read "The War Prayer". I'm so glad that you put this video on YouTube so that they can see how it was treated on film. Thanks!
rhaben 3 years ago
Right, it was the same powerful influence to me; the message is really important - in this world where economic wars masquerade as religious quests. Anyone involved in religious or political affiliations must be extremely careful not to follow blindly. It is through our group identifications that we can be most easy used by the powers of this world. How wise you are to home school!
ricshinn 3 years ago