Jared Free - Decalogue "No other god before Me"

As I was watching the film it was very difficult for me to find any religious themes, aside from the obvious efforts of Pawel's aunt. I viewed Decalogue I very literally; and did not interpret anything in the film to be symbolic of a more subtle message. During our class discussion however, the themes of the film became very obvious.
For Krzysztof, his world is scientific and empirical. He is a man without faith, and does not rely on prayer or a higher power for guidance. His "god" is his computer. We see this lack of faith in his answer to Pawel's questions about death. They are very "sour" and cold; perhaps Krysztof struggled with this question because the answer was one his computer could not give him.
Throughout the film we repeatedly see the visual of a homeless man. He is always observing He never interacts with the characters, but at the same time is always in a position for the characters to interact with him. I think a pivotal moment in the film comes when Krysztof goes out at night to check the strength of the ice. The computer has just told him that the ice would support Pawel's weight, but here he shows doubt in his "god" by going out to confirm it for himself. While standing on the ice he sees the homeless man sitting in the light of a fire, observing Krysztof's actions. To me this is an interesting interaction between the God Krystof has rejected altogether, and the one he is expressing doubt in.
Maybe that was Krysztof's last chance for redemption. Had he approached the homeless man, God, maybe He would have saved Krystof's son. Instead, he places his faith in a mechanical higher power and loses his son as the consequence.

Kara Walling & John Ligon-Decalogue

When John and I were talking about the second Decalogue film "Thou shall not kill" we both felt the theme was easier to understand, however both feel the same about capital punishment; when is taking another persons life ever justified?

Kara Walling & John Ligon-Decalogue

John and I were talking about the Decalogue films, first being "No other God's before me". I think in the first film we were struggling with the overall theme. We didn't realize until the end of the film that it was portraying science vs. God as a way to live or value life. Obviously b/c the father was a professor he was reliant on scientific reasoning and practical information, where the mother held a christian faith saying that God was love. Each parent was trying to teach their child what they felt was important, which made it a heart wrenching story when the boy dies in the end. Because of different perspectives of both parents, John and I had were posing questions for the outcome of the film. First off, the film allows an individual perspective/interpretation. For instance, in class John brought up the point where you never officially see the boys body, so from his point of view it could have been anybody. It may have pointed to that direction of the boy, but it was never technically proven. So depending on your own faith or lack there of, your conclusion may be different than others who perceived the film. We also talked about what is the right way to live your life? Both parents offer alternative methods of viewing life, and are steadfast in their beliefs, however they both feel the pain from the loss of their son. The loss made us wonder how this would effect each parent. For instance, do you think the father would become more religious b/c of his sons death or would he continue to believe his own scientific reasoning even though it failed him? Another aspect may be how the death affects the relationship between the father and mother. Will they be drawn apart b/c of the pain, or will they be able to reconcile their differences through the pain? We also talked about the "God figure" in the film. The bum on the street was the apparent representation, however he was silent, sharing no interaction, and just watched the outcome of a tragedy. How does this represent an all powerful, benevolent God when he allows a child to die? All of these things explore the argument of reason vs. faith.

Mary Kate Curry: Decalogue: "Thou shalt have no other gods..."

Does Khryztof lose Pavel because his god (rationality/science, represented in this film by his PC) has failed him? Or does he lose his son as a punishment, for honoring false gods, and not realizing the fallible nature of all things that are not truly God? And why, if God is a a loving God, take an only child from his abandoned father? Could this be parallel to the Son being taken?

I believe that Khryztof has created his own suffering because he has made the choice to believe in science completely, and to not allow quarter for other explanations. He makes no room for that which simply happens (nature and weather defy logical prediction time and time again) outside the realm of prediction and calculation. He has made the choice to side entirely with ration, and when reason (his child dying) defies him, he is left with nothing. He weeps, broken, across from an icon of the Mother, icy tears coating her cheeks and she clutches her own child. He has chosen his own comfort for himself--a PC bling I am Ready.

Are we slaves to logic? And do we, (oh us of the technologically enlightened ranks!) doubt God because we cannot comprehend that reason which defies our computations? If it is not reasonable, does that mean it does not exist?

Mary Kate Curry: Decalogue: "Thou shalt not kill."

This brief film explores one of man's enduring inheritances--murder (running perpendicular, I feel, to death.). The blood of that first murder, that stain on Cain's hands, has been passed on and repeated time and time again throughout human history ('O, my offence is rank it smells to heaven;It hath the primal eldest curse upon't, A brother's murder.' "Hamlet" (3.3.40). ) How is such a damning gift rejected? What stops the cycle of killing, what washes hands clean?

What is the point of Jacek murdering the cab driver, a man whom he had never met, nor had any logical reason to harm? But, what then, is the logic in death? Jacek's younger sister was cut down by a tractor driven by a drunken friend. Where is the logic in her death?

Is there reason behind capital punishment? The defense attorney vehemently denies any justification; the death penalty has not proved a deterrent to potential murderers, but in the failed attempt to keep a person alive, it manages to claim yet another life.

If there was no murder, would there no longer be free will? Cain killed Abel because he was jealous, and he acted upon his jealousy. If Jacek was stopped by the God-figure, would that have negated his free choice?

I agree with capital punishment. Not because I believe it deters a future criminal, but because I believe in vengeance, and punishing those who violate the reason of the law.

Elizabeth Henderson 10 Commandments

In the second movie we watched, it was about the 5th commandment- Thou shall not Kill. Here the director toyed with the idea that even though the boy killed and that was not right, also so did the law. Even though they killed him because of a crime he committed it still did not make it right. Here a debate can come into play- capital punishment. I tend to agree with it and if your crime was bad enough then maybe you should be killed. However, two wrongs in the sight of god never makes a right. As God sees this both the murder and the law killed somebody , and they both should be punished for breaking one of the ten commandments.

Elizabeth Henderson 10 Commandments

In the first movie we watched about the 1st commandment- Thou shall not have any other God above me, the professor had one. I think that the God figure in this movie was trying to show him that this other God would let down the professor. As you saw in the beginning of the movie "God" was crying when the aunt was crying, while she was watching the movie of Pavel. God is sad because the son only believed in him and his powers. However, the father realized this in the end when his calculations did not give him the answer that they were supposed to. And the son died anyway, the calculations did not add up like they were supposed to.