Shen Yun warning

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you don’t think the Kennedy Center should allow performances with a religious theme or you think that all shows that have a religious element should have a warning like - Atheists beware. Religious discussion contained in performance.

I never thought that I will ever hear on a Kennedy Center stage that atheism and evolution are devil's deceit. I have nothing against religious shows as long as they are advertised as such. I don't want to pay them to sit in the audience as they tell me that I am the tool of the devil.

I mean, do you really want to go there dictating what speech the Kennedy Center should allow?

If some moon-landing deniers would put up a show about their beliefs, do you think Kennedy Center should allow them on the stage in the name of freedom of speech? Where do you draw the line?

I mean, should it stage Jesus Christ Superstar?

It has.

Which was my point. Maybe OP would oppose that too?

I think I may be able to figure out that Jesus Christ Superstar has a religious theme and decide to support or not support the show. I have absolutely no issue with Kennedy Center allowing it on the stage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen the adds for years and I finally googled the name. Everything I read was positive and I decided to give it a shot. What can go wrong in a show presented in a prestigious cultural venue like Kennedy Center? Big mistake. Relatively early in the show you learn that "Between atheism and evolution, Satan lurks." Close to the end, they make sure to send the message again: "Atheism and evolution are the Devil's deceit." As atheist and scientist, I was shocked that I ended up supporting a fundamentalist religious group, while the show is advertised as a Chinese cultural experience. I am not sure what options I have at this point, but I don't want to just let it go.

How did you feel with a show like Wicked? Or The book or Mormon?

No issue with either of them as long as they are properly advertised. Assuming that I was a Mormon, I would hate it if I would be tricked by false advertisement into paying for tickets to Book of Mormon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I thought this was going to be a thread warning us not to give money to a cult.

You're literally just offended by religious content onstage? You need to research every event you attend much more closely! There are many religions and they inform a huge swatch of art and culture and aren't always explicitly called out in the advertising.

New poster. THIS, above.

Also: If OP is going to get into a twist over this show, well, where does that stop? If the Kennedy Center boots this show because of the statements OP cited as being made from the stage, that would mean the Kennedy Center would be overrun by people who object to many other shows on many other grounds. The venue would be mired in endless debate over whether to present this show or that show, to the point of institutional paralysis. Have no doubt, the Kennedy Center (and every other venue) already vet shows before giving them the green light, so within Kennedy Center artistic administration someone has long since checked Shen Yun's shows out and was perfectly aware of the entire script. Feel free to file your objection with them, as is your prerogative, but don't think they were ignorant of the content, OP.

If you don't like religious content you find offensive, you'd better steer clear of most theater, period. And yes, even many dance and music performances. I'm currently finding a lot of anti-religious content in TV and films and other media objectionable to me personally, but I don't pitch a fit, or pretend I don't know it's coming, or fuss that it shouldn't be on stage or on screen just because I object to it.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you don’t think the Kennedy Center should allow performances with a religious theme or you think that all shows that have a religious element should have a warning like - Atheists beware. Religious discussion contained in performance.

I never thought that I will ever hear on a Kennedy Center stage that atheism and evolution are devil's deceit. I have nothing against religious shows as long as they are advertised as such. I don't want to pay them to sit in the audience as they tell me that I am the tool of the devil.

I mean, do you really want to go there dictating what speech the Kennedy Center should allow?

Do you think Twitter can ban Donald Trump from their platform?

Pp here. Of course it can. What a completely bizarre whataboutism tangent. How is it relevant? Is Twitter also authorized by an Act of Congress? Does it also receive federal funding?

Please explain more how the Kennedy Center is like Twitter? I am genuinely curious to hear your explanation.

I was not really thinking about Twitter being authorized by an act of Congress or receiving federal funding. I was thinking that both can regulate the type of speech that they allow. Just because you have freedom of speech, it doesn't mean that you are allowed to say everything you want everywhere you want.

Well, no, the burdens of First Amendment are borne differently by private enterprise versus recipients of taxpayer money.

But you went in a strange direction by making this some sort of First Amendment discussion. I wasn’t making any sort of freedom of speech argument. Your suggestion that the Kennedy Center shouldn’t stage something because you disapprove of its content is just bizarre. Your opinions aren’t valid and it’s not like it’s incumbent on the KC to validate them. No one made your buy a ticket. It’s one thing to say you were a clueless dumbass who was caught be surprise about the content and are unhappy about it. It’s quite another to insist it shouldn’t be staged at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I thought this was going to be a thread warning us not to give money to a cult.

You're literally just offended by religious content onstage? You need to research every event you attend much more closely! There are many religions and they inform a huge swatch of art and culture and aren't always explicitly called out in the advertising.

New poster. THIS, above.

Also: If OP is going to get into a twist over this show, well, where does that stop? If the Kennedy Center boots this show because of the statements OP cited as being made from the stage, that would mean the Kennedy Center would be overrun by people who object to many other shows on many other grounds. The venue would be mired in endless debate over whether to present this show or that show, to the point of institutional paralysis. Have no doubt, the Kennedy Center (and every other venue) already vet shows before giving them the green light, so within Kennedy Center artistic administration someone has long since checked Shen Yun's shows out and was perfectly aware of the entire script. Feel free to file your objection with them, as is your prerogative, but don't think they were ignorant of the content, OP.

If you don't like religious content you find offensive, you'd better steer clear of most theater, period. And yes, even many dance and music performances. I'm currently finding a lot of anti-religious content in TV and films and other media objectionable to me personally, but I don't pitch a fit, or pretend I don't know it's coming, or fuss that it shouldn't be on stage or on screen just because I object to it.

How would OP "know that it's coming"?

Nowhere in Kennedy Center marketing does it indicate that the show is a performance by a religious cult.

Pretty sure the KC doesn’t issue any sort of trigger warnings about content. It’s just a venue. The show itself makes the religious content quite clear.

Are you some pro-China First nutter or something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I thought this was going to be a thread warning us not to give money to a cult.

You're literally just offended by religious content onstage? You need to research every event you attend much more closely! There are many religions and they inform a huge swatch of art and culture and aren't always explicitly called out in the advertising.

New poster. THIS, above.

Also: If OP is going to get into a twist over this show, well, where does that stop? If the Kennedy Center boots this show because of the statements OP cited as being made from the stage, that would mean the Kennedy Center would be overrun by people who object to many other shows on many other grounds. The venue would be mired in endless debate over whether to present this show or that show, to the point of institutional paralysis. Have no doubt, the Kennedy Center (and every other venue) already vet shows before giving them the green light, so within Kennedy Center artistic administration someone has long since checked Shen Yun's shows out and was perfectly aware of the entire script. Feel free to file your objection with them, as is your prerogative, but don't think they were ignorant of the content, OP.

If you don't like religious content you find offensive, you'd better steer clear of most theater, period. And yes, even many dance and music performances. I'm currently finding a lot of anti-religious content in TV and films and other media objectionable to me personally, but I don't pitch a fit, or pretend I don't know it's coming, or fuss that it shouldn't be on stage or on screen just because I object to it.

This is another misinterpretation of my concern. I am upset that I was tricked into supporting a cult by false advertisement. Kennedy Center should know that they rent their stage to a cult that advertises the show as a cultural experience, but tries to spread fundamentalist religious propaganda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I thought this was going to be a thread warning us not to give money to a cult.

You're literally just offended by religious content onstage? You need to research every event you attend much more closely! There are many religions and they inform a huge swatch of art and culture and aren't always explicitly called out in the advertising.

New poster. THIS, above.

Also: If OP is going to get into a twist over this show, well, where does that stop? If the Kennedy Center boots this show because of the statements OP cited as being made from the stage, that would mean the Kennedy Center would be overrun by people who object to many other shows on many other grounds. The venue would be mired in endless debate over whether to present this show or that show, to the point of institutional paralysis. Have no doubt, the Kennedy Center (and every other venue) already vet shows before giving them the green light, so within Kennedy Center artistic administration someone has long since checked Shen Yun's shows out and was perfectly aware of the entire script. Feel free to file your objection with them, as is your prerogative, but don't think they were ignorant of the content, OP.

If you don't like religious content you find offensive, you'd better steer clear of most theater, period. And yes, even many dance and music performances. I'm currently finding a lot of anti-religious content in TV and films and other media objectionable to me personally, but I don't pitch a fit, or pretend I don't know it's coming, or fuss that it shouldn't be on stage or on screen just because I object to it.

How would OP "know that it's coming"?

Nowhere in Kennedy Center marketing does it indicate that the show is a performance by a religious cult.

Thank you for pointing that out. I completely missed the part where I pretend not knowing what's coming.

[Anonymous]

OP wants Kennedy Center to start issuing trigger warnings. What a snowflake.

[Anonymous]

I mean 70 percent of what they say is true about Chinas government so what’s the big deal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows they're a cult OP. How did you not know, or not google beforehand?

And this isn't "religious discussion" - it's bigoted propaganda (they are vehemently against gay rights). I agree, the Kennedy Center shouldn't associate with Shen Yun.

And to pp: this is VASTLY different than opera. Carmen and other big operas are old stories told in art form. They're not preaching a message.

This. I am shocked every year the Kennedy Center continues to carry this performance. Clearly it’s a money grab and the Kennedy Center is not interested in human rights. Shining rainbow lights in “support” of pride is all a show/façade.

Tons of people obviously love Shen Yun.
Too bad for the haters.

Or tons of people who have no idea what it's about or who is performing.

I've seen ads for it for YEARS and seriously had thought about going. I had no idea that it's a cult performance based on the Kennedy Center advertising.

Thank you, OP, for sharing this. It will help me decide to skip it.

No problem, I am happy that quite a few people found this useful. I lost a ton of money and I will make sure to warn others about this show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you don’t think the Kennedy Center should allow performances with a religious theme or you think that all shows that have a religious element should have a warning like - Atheists beware. Religious discussion contained in performance.

I never thought that I will ever hear on a Kennedy Center stage that atheism and evolution are devil's deceit. I have nothing against religious shows as long as they are advertised as such. I don't want to pay them to sit in the audience as they tell me that I am the tool of the devil.

I mean, do you really want to go there dictating what speech the Kennedy Center should allow?

Do you think Twitter can ban Donald Trump from their platform?

Pp here. Of course it can. What a completely bizarre whataboutism tangent. How is it relevant? Is Twitter also authorized by an Act of Congress? Does it also receive federal funding?

Please explain more how the Kennedy Center is like Twitter? I am genuinely curious to hear your explanation.

I was not really thinking about Twitter being authorized by an act of Congress or receiving federal funding. I was thinking that both can regulate the type of speech that they allow. Just because you have freedom of speech, it doesn't mean that you are allowed to say everything you want everywhere you want.

Well, no, the burdens of First Amendment are borne differently by private enterprise versus recipients of taxpayer money.

But you went in a strange direction by making this some sort of First Amendment discussion. I wasn’t making any sort of freedom of speech argument. Your suggestion that the Kennedy Center shouldn’t stage something because you disapprove of its content is just bizarre. Your opinions aren’t valid and it’s not like it’s incumbent on the KC to validate them. No one made your buy a ticket. It’s one thing to say you were a clueless dumbass who was caught be surprise about the content and are unhappy about it. It’s quite another to insist it shouldn’t be staged at all.

I repeated over and over again that everyone can say whatever nonsense they want as long as they don't trick me into supporting their cause. You keep bringing up the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion, like that is what I have an axe with. I am aware that "the burdens of First Amendment are borne differently by private enterprise versus recipients of taxpayer money." At the same time, both can limit the type of speech going on on their platform / stage.

I intentionally brought up the idea of a group of moon-landing deniers staging a show about their belief and asked whether Kennedy Center should allow it on their stage. Given Kennedy's legacy, I doubt that the Kennedy Center would allow it on its stage. Would that offend your first amendment sensitivity?

By the way, you can look smarter if you use arguments instead of name calling. Name-calling is the last refuge of those who lost the argument and won't admit it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP wants Kennedy Center to start issuing trigger warnings. What a snowflake.

Your message was so heart warming that I almost melted. You must be a delight in real life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you don’t think the Kennedy Center should allow performances with a religious theme or you think that all shows that have a religious element should have a warning like - Atheists beware. Religious discussion contained in performance.

I never thought that I will ever hear on a Kennedy Center stage that atheism and evolution are devil's deceit. I have nothing against religious shows as long as they are advertised as such. I don't want to pay them to sit in the audience as they tell me that I am the tool of the devil.

I mean, do you really want to go there dictating what speech the Kennedy Center should allow?

Do you think Twitter can ban Donald Trump from their platform?

Pp here. Of course it can. What a completely bizarre whataboutism tangent. How is it relevant? Is Twitter also authorized by an Act of Congress? Does it also receive federal funding?

Please explain more how the Kennedy Center is like Twitter? I am genuinely curious to hear your explanation.

I was not really thinking about Twitter being authorized by an act of Congress or receiving federal funding. I was thinking that both can regulate the type of speech that they allow. Just because you have freedom of speech, it doesn't mean that you are allowed to say everything you want everywhere you want.

Well, no, the burdens of First Amendment are borne differently by private enterprise versus recipients of taxpayer money.

But you went in a strange direction by making this some sort of First Amendment discussion. I wasn’t making any sort of freedom of speech argument. Your suggestion that the Kennedy Center shouldn’t stage something because you disapprove of its content is just bizarre. Your opinions aren’t valid and it’s not like it’s incumbent on the KC to validate them. No one made your buy a ticket. It’s one thing to say you were a clueless dumbass who was caught be surprise about the content and are unhappy about it. It’s quite another to insist it shouldn’t be staged at all.

I repeated over and over again that everyone can say whatever nonsense they want as long as they don't trick me into supporting their cause. You keep bringing up the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion, like that is what I have an axe with. I am aware that "the burdens of First Amendment are borne differently by private enterprise versus recipients of taxpayer money." At the same time, both can limit the type of speech going on on their platform / stage.

I intentionally brought up the idea of a group of moon-landing deniers staging a show about their belief and asked whether Kennedy Center should allow it on their stage. Given Kennedy's legacy, I doubt that the Kennedy Center would allow it on its stage. Would that offend your first amendment sensitivity?

By the way, you can look smarter if you use arguments instead of name calling. Name-calling is the last refuge of those who lost the argument and won't admit it.

Oh, honey. I destroyed you already. Why are you coming back to more?

You are illogical, irrational and falling back on tropes. Yeah, I called you a name. Because it fits. Deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, I thought this was going to be a thread warning us not to give money to a cult.

You're literally just offended by religious content onstage? You need to research every event you attend much more closely! There are many religions and they inform a huge swatch of art and culture and aren't always explicitly called out in the advertising.

New poster. THIS, above.

Also: If OP is going to get into a twist over this show, well, where does that stop? If the Kennedy Center boots this show because of the statements OP cited as being made from the stage, that would mean the Kennedy Center would be overrun by people who object to many other shows on many other grounds. The venue would be mired in endless debate over whether to present this show or that show, to the point of institutional paralysis. Have no doubt, the Kennedy Center (and every other venue) already vet shows before giving them the green light, so within Kennedy Center artistic administration someone has long since checked Shen Yun's shows out and was perfectly aware of the entire script. Feel free to file your objection with them, as is your prerogative, but don't think they were ignorant of the content, OP.

If you don't like religious content you find offensive, you'd better steer clear of most theater, period. And yes, even many dance and music performances. I'm currently finding a lot of anti-religious content in TV and films and other media objectionable to me personally, but I don't pitch a fit, or pretend I don't know it's coming, or fuss that it shouldn't be on stage or on screen just because I object to it.

How would OP "know that it's coming"?

Nowhere in Kennedy Center marketing does it indicate that the show is a performance by a religious cult.

Pretty sure the KC doesn’t issue any sort of trigger warnings about content. It’s just a venue. The show itself makes the religious content quite clear.

Are you some pro-China First nutter or something?

What I bolded is an absolute lie. They advertise the show as a representation of thousands of years of Chinese culture. Is science denialism part of the thousands of years of Chinese culture? I seriously doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you don’t think the Kennedy Center should allow performances with a religious theme or you think that all shows that have a religious element should have a warning like - Atheists beware. Religious discussion contained in performance.

I never thought that I will ever hear on a Kennedy Center stage that atheism and evolution are devil's deceit. I have nothing against religious shows as long as they are advertised as such. I don't want to pay them to sit in the audience as they tell me that I am the tool of the devil.

I mean, do you really want to go there dictating what speech the Kennedy Center should allow?

Do you think Twitter can ban Donald Trump from their platform?

Pp here. Of course it can. What a completely bizarre whataboutism tangent. How is it relevant? Is Twitter also authorized by an Act of Congress? Does it also receive federal funding?

Please explain more how the Kennedy Center is like Twitter? I am genuinely curious to hear your explanation.

I was not really thinking about Twitter being authorized by an act of Congress or receiving federal funding. I was thinking that both can regulate the type of speech that they allow. Just because you have freedom of speech, it doesn't mean that you are allowed to say everything you want everywhere you want.

Well, no, the burdens of First Amendment are borne differently by private enterprise versus recipients of taxpayer money.

But you went in a strange direction by making this some sort of First Amendment discussion. I wasn’t making any sort of freedom of speech argument. Your suggestion that the Kennedy Center shouldn’t stage something because you disapprove of its content is just bizarre. Your opinions aren’t valid and it’s not like it’s incumbent on the KC to validate them. No one made your buy a ticket. It’s one thing to say you were a clueless dumbass who was caught be surprise about the content and are unhappy about it. It’s quite another to insist it shouldn’t be staged at all.

I repeated over and over again that everyone can say whatever nonsense they want as long as they don't trick me into supporting their cause. You keep bringing up the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion, like that is what I have an axe with. I am aware that "the burdens of First Amendment are borne differently by private enterprise versus recipients of taxpayer money." At the same time, both can limit the type of speech going on on their platform / stage.

I intentionally brought up the idea of a group of moon-landing deniers staging a show about their belief and asked whether Kennedy Center should allow it on their stage. Given Kennedy's legacy, I doubt that the Kennedy Center would allow it on its stage. Would that offend your first amendment sensitivity?

By the way, you can look smarter if you use arguments instead of name calling. Name-calling is the last refuge of those who lost the argument and won't admit it.

Oh, honey. I destroyed you already. Why are you coming back to more?

You are illogical, irrational and falling back on tropes. Yeah, I called you a name. Because it fits. Deal with it.

You are as confident as Trump when he claims that he won the election. You probably destroyed me in your mind, but the reality is completely different.