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I do not study religion, nor am I an expert in History. The MAtrix movies obviousely use references from religiouse texts and historical texts. An exampole of this is Zion. I would like to know what Zion is both in religion and history.

Zionism, was a movement in the 19th and 20th centuries whose sole purpose/desire was the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine, the original land of Canaan. there are also numerous sites, etc. named 'Zion'

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=zion

these are some of the religious similarities i can find (through characters):

Neo is like Jesus
Oracle is like God
Smith is like the Anti-Christ
The Architect is like Satan
The Crew of the Nebucadnezzar is like the Apostles

*Sigh*...

Ok, Neo is like jesus, yes, they are similar, but they are also very different. The Oracle and the Architect can be considered different aspects of God. The Merovingian is not Satan, but Hades. As for the crew being like the Apostles, yes, they were martyred, but not for Neo, just because Cypher was a turncoat.

Yes, I have Noticed many similarities between the MAtrix and Mythology. For instance, the Merovingian mentions the fates in Revelutions when speaking to Saraph. Isn't there an Oracle in mythology as well?

Y

Well, there actually were Oracles in history, the most prominant being the Oracle at Delphi, where a priestess would basically get high and 'talk' with Apollo, relaying his messages to the populace and answering their questions.

I saw a documentary about the Oracle of Delphi. It was fun to learn that the Oracle of Delphi actually had a sign that said "Know thy self"...

Are there any basic Religions in Zion such as Christianity, or Islam? It seems like they worship Neo as a God...

not that i know of...i mean, there is the temple at the base of the city, however, i have not seen anything resembling an organized religion except for the beads and such. I do not know if there is Christianity or another religion that is organized like we have, though.

Many of the characters say the name "Jesus" throught all of the films. At least they know of his existance. Unless Religion was a form of controll made by the machines...

yeah, but think of it this way...the matrix is a simulation of real life...so they took what we had from 1999 and kept it that way...there was most definately religion in the matrix, and so i think that the people that were free knew full well about Jesus and christianity and other religions...however, i dont think that them saying Jesus has anything to do with their religious affiliation. I know plenty of people who are of other religions and say "Jesus Christ" as a curse all the time...As for religion being a control- i doubt it...the machines would have no understanding of believing in an entity that is beyond human comprehension...so i dont think they'd try to harness it. However, they do use some aspects of religion for personal benefit. Some exiles choose the form of an angel (as stated by the oracle) so there are some matricized religious aspects.
i dont know if i made a point...but thats all i had to say

The machines don't have to comprehend religion in order use it as a form of control. They cannot comprehend the annomaly and yet they use it to there benefit...

but they do understand the anomaly...the architect explains it to Neo...

He explains to Neo how he uses the anomally as a form of control. He never explains what the anomally is. ..

by explaining how they use the anomaly as a form of control, the architect explains what the anomaly is. they are one and the same.

True, the Architect does understand Neo's purpose, but why that purpose exists, he does not know...

I have many articles about The Matrix and religion... But all in russian...

Find a russian to English Translator.

Translators are never any good

It would have to be an explosive one naughty

yeah

This doesnt stick to the topic but ohh well...

Most religioes peaple never watch Matrix... They dont know of it... Even if they do they will try to burn it in hell. Your question is probly why? Well.... Look the story explains how our world is a program... Were connected to the matrix, and the machines are using us as batteries. So no jesus or any other holy god in the matrix exept Neo(Lol) right? Religious peaple beileve in god, they know his alive, and that the movie Matrix of all of the series is a mock to their culture, that god/jesus doesnt exist. For instance, last new years when I went to Egypt, and I asked "Did you see the movie the Matrix?" the arab didnt say anything back. My guide gave me a shar look so I shuted up. When the tour was over and I went to my hotel, the guide came up to me and said "Peaple here hate matrix..." and he told me what I told you now.

<Tidus>, you say about Christianity and Islam. But what about Buddhism? If we consider "The Matrix and religion" theme, first of all we should mention, that The Matrix is based on Buddhist conception of existentialism.

You all might find it interesting to know that a religion has been created out of the movie the Matrix. This religion is called Matrixism. I'd post a link to it but I haven't been here long enough yet. If you do a google search for "matrixism" you should be able to find the website to that I am referring to.

I'm a believer so I'm biased but I think that Matrixism knocks the socks off of Jedi'ism.

...i think everyone has lost their minds...

I have recently noticed allot of Hinduis'm weaved through the plot of the Matrix itself. I have also noticed that those who watch the Matrix movies only associate it with there personal religion. Very few see that it is a mixture of them all. Ironically enough, there faith in there personal religion, blinds them from seeing the major similarities between them all.

I heard that the matricks's religon might be christen because of the meaning of each of the names and the word zion that apears in christen bibles.
Not sure through but thought it would be interesting to think about.JM

The MAtrix has all kind sof things in it. Even Greek Mythology

Exactly.

Which is why it rocks!JM

they divert the sentences

Probably because Cypher said 'don't hate me Trinity, I'm just the messenger'.