This is the first in a trilogy. The second film, "Zeitgeist: Addendum" was released about a year after this film, and focuses solely on the financial system. The third film (unreleased at the time of this review) is scheduled for release in January of 2011, entitled "Zeitgeist: Moving Forward". The culmination of the arguments put forward by these films have resulted in a community of semi-activists known as "The Zeitgeist Movement" which can easily be found via google.
If you are reading this review, then you're likely judging whether you should purchase this DVD or not. Let me put it plainly and tell you, no you should not buy this DVD. Why? Well, 2 reasons.
First, this film and the other two films are widely available for free online, as was the intention of the creator of the films (Peter Joseph). The films were never intended to be sold or generate any profits for the filmmaker, and hence you should hold on to your money and simply watch the film for free online ([...]).
Second reason, and perhaps more importantly, is that this first movie is really more like the first baby-steps in the origins of The Zeitgeist Movement [TZM]. This first film creates the impression that people who are members of TZM are anti-religious, and/or 9/11 conspiracy theorists... neither of which are true. The ultimate purpose of these films now is to present the argument that the financial sectors of the world and the monetary systems used by them are inherently destructive AND ultimately unsustainable. This argument is presented much more completely in the second film (Zeitgeist: Addendum).
At this time I can't comment on exactly what the third film covers (maybe I'll come back and edit this review in a few months) but my understanding is that it will present a possible solution as proposed by members of TZM.
This first film, while very interesting, should be approached critically (as any film that poses any arguments, always should be). There are some good points, a few subjective opinions, and a few areas that are still hotly debated and thus far from conclusive.
Basically, this first film is a good watch, but I strongly suggest before attacking the arguments made by Peter Joseph that watch his 2nd film, "Zeitgeist: Addendum".
Truth is found when one chooses to exercise responsibility for their own life.
THE PRODUCER:
Peter Joseph is not presenting any original concepts in this movie. Far from being propaganda, the movie is inspiring as a documentary that attempts to reveal a wealth of misinformation falsely promoted to society for as the basis of our belief systems that we use to make life decisions.
The only original thing in this movie is how the information is presented. Does that mean that Peter Joseph's is correct in all he states; probably not. But there is more truth and accuracy to what he says than what is reported by the Media, Educational and Governmental institutions of our country. Does this make him a conspiracy nut? Perhaps to those that have never questioned whether the story is true.
Part I: Christianity
From the perspective of Zeitgeist, the producer, Peter Joseph, correctly pointed out that Christianity replicates many of the same religious characteristics of Paganism. Jesus was a Jew; there was no immaculate conception in Judaism, nor was there any concept of having an intermediary to go to God.
Further, December 25th, the Immaculate Conception, the resurrection, the 12 disciples, and most of the miracles attributed to Christ are all traits of pagan traditions and Gods that long predated Christianity and have no Judaic roots.
If I am to believe Christianity, than I am must be given to the idea that Jesus the Jew suddenly turned tail on his religion and said I think the Pagan traditions are right let's incorporate those into a new religion called Christianity. NO! Jesus died a Jew at 33 years old and was likely killed with the full knowledge of the Jews who despised his teachings as a threat to their belief system and definitely killed by the Romans as a threat.
Christianity (the Bible) was made from a blend of Jesus' teachings, pagan traditions and politically motivated re-writes of his life by the council of Nicaea. There are no historical documents anywhere that record miracle healings, feeding thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fish, raising the dead, walking on water, Immaculate Conception, rising from the dead and the like DURING the life of Christ. However, there are plenty of doctrines that existed DURING the life of Christ that record lots of other Gods doing these very same things BEFORE Christ! I believe those accounts as much as I believe the Biblical accounts. Those writings don't exist DURING his lifetime because those events probably never happened. Which if it had, would have certainly been recorded during his lifetime. That is why posthumous historical documents are cited as proof, because these types of writings are the only basis for the Christian belief system.
If you were born in Iraq you would likely be a Moslem, in India likely a Hindu, in Israel a Jew. Most Americans would laugh at those religious traditions as ridiculous and fantasy. But being raised as a Christian there is no problem with walking on Water and being resurrected from the dead etc. After all, it says so in the Bible! Circular thinking, it is written in the book therefore it is true. How do you know it is true? Because it is written in the book!
Part II: 9/11
How can one argue that the government wasn't involved in 9/11 but took advantage of it? That is like a defendant saying I knew the money was stolen when I accepted it but I didn't steal it. The CIA knew what was happening and probably aided the effort but, probable did not DIRECTLY plan it.
Think of all the constitutional rights that have been lost since then; through the Patriot Act, illegal war, wire tapping, the right to home invasion, the right to forced searching based on "terrorist" suspicion and far more. I scratch my head when I see a 400 page Patriot Act written and ready to go 1 week after 9/11. To an objective person that watches Congress take months to decide on anything, it appears that USAPA had already been created and was waiting for publication PRIOR to 9/11.
Domestic Security, Surveillance, Border Security and Money Laundering and still Bin Laden is free, Mexicans and other illegal's cross the border at will. Drug trade is alive and well. Airport security doesn't consider meet the most basic of basic security measures for Cargo transfer. What purpose does this bill serve? And why does it have more impact on my taxpaying, surveillanced, American life?
In a cave or in a village, Bin Laden needs and gets dialysis. Americans are patted down, recorded at every stop sign/convenience store/ shopping plaza/place of employment/any other public place, monitored with the money they spend, health records traced and more ironic than anything asked to sign Privacy Notices when seeking treatment that simply gives permission to their providers to do what they want with the information with no repercussion.
Misinformation, missing information and lies; Zeitgeist does a wonderful job replaying how every national reporter heard loud explosions and believed that the WTC buildings were professionally demolished. Then, one day later, you never hear them mention it ever again, never! Is it just strange coincidence that every major network stopped reporting these two things in unison the very next day? No way! They were instructed/told to/demanded to not to say it!
In fact, even though every reporter stated on 9/11 that the WTCs collapses looked identical to professional demolition and that there were explosions in the buildings (which always precede an implosion) , demolition is never even considered by the Government as a plausible explanation or even as part of the "investigation". Of which there was none anyway! Not until the widows and families that lost loved ones demanded that the government completed one. Yes, that's right a 400 page anti-terror legislation document produced 1 week after 9/11 but no investigation into how it happened and no interest in who funded the terrorists.
M.I.T. sponsored a talk by the "Architects and Engineers for 9 11 truth". These men, who are structural steel engineers with many years of combined Architectural experience, refute the 9-11 Commission's findings that the buildings fell by fire. Are these men conspiracy nuts too? They travel the country giving lectures about the inner workings of a buildings structures and how buildings collapse given different sets of circumstances. They show how a building that collapses by fire falls and then how a collapse by demolition looks. Their conclusion, the WTC collapses all fit the demolition pattern exactly.
It does not take a lot of insight and simple observation to conclude that any one of the 9/11 events have an extremely low probability of happening on any ONE day; NORAD standing down, 19 uneducated me with box cutter hijacking planes, no warning given of terrorist attacks, Cheney in the NORAD bunker during the whole event, vaporized jet engines, 100+ story buildings collapsing at free fall speed due to fires. That they all happened the same day within hours of each other is impossible. Unless of course you choose to believe that people wearing towels on their heads and believe in 30 virgins are something less than men who believe in Christ walking on water and feeding thousands with 2 fish. Than these mysterious beings are easily capable of making this all happen.
One must draw their own conclusions as there is no report from the CIA stating that they planned or assisted this event even if the evidence clearly points in the direction of cover up and a government trying to dismiss logic in favor of fear. Hell fire, brimstone and terrorists!
Part III: The Federal Reserve
Year 2010, the housing bubble has burst, the Fed could not see the coming collapse, large banks have collapsed, the largest government agencies are insolvent and trillions of dollars in debt, the US economy cannot sustain itself, the US consumer is unable to sustain the economy, real unemployment is at 18% and the Federal Reserve has printed $3 trillion as part of their mandate to help "stabilize the value of the dollar" and "maintain a comfortable level of inflation". Err, what was that? A stable dollar and comfortable inflation?
Housing prices that grew at an annualized 30% rate for 4 years was considered a "comfortable" level of inflation and "stabilizing"? The value of the dollar has declined by 98% since 1913, which seems equally acceptable to the men that call for a "Strong dollar policy". Homes, gas, food, insurance, education and clothing have all continued higher in price every single year and inflation is not at a "comfortably" high enough level and so the Fed is printing more money to "stabilize the value of the dollar"! Even more unbelievable, most, if not all of this money went to the very same institutions that created the problem in the first place. Are these statements made to idiots? Or to people that are stated to be "not able to understand the intricacies of the Financial Systems workings"?
Is the "comfortable level of inflation" comment directed to me or you? Or is there another interested party that is involved in wanting asset inflation through a devalued dollar? What kind of business determines their current net worth and future ability to earn profits solely based on the value of the assets listed on their balance sheet? Let me think, I got it! Banks! And who runs the Federal Reserve System? Bankers! Now it makes sense to me, this message is for bankers!
Need a clearer picture of the corruption called the Federal Reserve, start with this. The Federal Reserve controls the US money supply and is a group of private bankers that are not responsible to a political party or directly to any Americans, they are not at all Federal but included this in their name to give the impression that they are governmental, they have the ability to make any decision with the American credit system they choose, came into existence in 1913 by a legislative act that they wrote, and have since amended a number of times since it became law, and is governed by a group of bankers whose strongest influence is the largest cabal of banks in the world. Who watches over the Federal Reserves transactions and business dealings? The Federal Reserve!
Clearly the founding fathers, who were adamantly against Central banking, understood the dangers of such a system.
Does this mean International bankers rule the world and desire control over everyone? Well, if the Federal Reserve is an "American" institution and they have managed to transfer 90% of America's wealth to 1% of the Americans and devalued the dollar by 98% since 1913, then why are the World Bank and IMF, which are the International versions of the Federal Reserve, any different? The principles are the same. Loan money (a.k.a. create debt) at interest and when it cannot be repaid accept ownership in the country in return; ala wealth transfer. Since the money that is loaned is nothing more than paper that is decreed legal tender by law, they get something for nothing. Legal tender ensures everyone is FORCED into using it. When money becomes tracked by a chip in your body or an RFID card, anything you do that is not approved will allow the powers to be to shut off your access to your money! Now that is control!
Wealth is power. It is not hard to conclude that the banks are transferring control of the world to themselves and continually take "legal" actions in the form of legislation and special interest lobbies to ensure that the process continues. International bankers ruling the world does not sound like the conclusion of a conspiratorial nutcase, in fact, I would argue those that refusal to see it that way makes the non-believers the real nutcases.
Those that control the money system make the laws to work in their favor. When events don't turn out as planned by this group, taxpayers get the bill via money printing in the form of Bonds, which is debt, that becomes the financial obligation of the citizens of the country where it is printed. Given the competitive devaluation of global currencies, it appears the world is becoming responsible for a whole lot of printed money and wage/tax slavery to feed the rich is now the norm.
Privatizing profits and socializing losses.
For more information about the Federal Reserve and their history of "Financial Stability" read the "Creature from Jekyll Island"; the truth is contained in those pages.
SUMMARY:
Like religion, those given to being told the truth, rather than seeing and learning the truth are likely to be captives of the story tellers and have neither truth nor Freedom. With free will comes responsibility. You can accept the spoon feeding of stories and go back to bed or be responsible for using your god given powers of reason and logic to understand the world you live in. One way may seem/feel easier than the other, but as more of your tax money goes to Government deficit spending, how many hours of your life's work and personal wealth are you willing to give away before being convinced that there is a clear choice.
Being raised by a government sponsored vision of freedom is not freedom at all. As Ben Franklin wrote; those who are willing to forego a little freedom to have more security deserve neither and will lose both. It's your decision!
This documentary further solidified my own personal religious belief of Humanism: a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. Religion is a man-made institution that proliferates intolerance and fuels violence and bloodshed. Overall an amazing documentary. Eye opening and life changing (for me). Watch it with an open mind and an open heart. Some things are hard to accept, but if you allow reason and logic to overpower traditional "wisdom" then you will be able to free yourself from you.
In 1970, Gil Scott-Heron wrote a poem/song called "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and it stands today not only as a strong statement, but one of the best political songs of our lifetime.
In this film, the Revolution is not only televised, but sold to you on DVD! If you are going into this film thinking its a movie with actors and special effects or something watered down...then you are wrong from out of the gate. This is not a movie, this is an EXPERIENCE. You watch this film and Ill be blunt honest with you, it is not a subject that many people can deal with viewing now or at all, but if you can...If you can find the courage to sit down and listen to what this documentary has to say, you just might come away learning at something new and how is that a bad thing?
There are critics of this type of documentary, but what those critics are missing is simply the point of the movie. When you watch Zeitgeist, you are watching a free flowing idea unfold in front of your eyes and wrap you up in a new experience learning and knowledge. Take the time out of your day, view this experience and realize that you just witness the start of a revolution that many people will be talking about for the near future.
I will start by saying many can not handle the truth and many can not accept the truth when its staring them right in the face. Some have their opinion about the Zeitgeist Series being inaccurate or it is simply built off conspiracies. I for one and many of my peers took it upon ourselves to research the information provided in these films and they can not be disputed. Facts can not be argued just opinions and some people mistaken their "opinions" for "facts". All in all this film is a great eye opener and forces you to think outside the box and to question everything( in which you should). Many have tried to prove Peter Joseph wrong.... and well they can't. Plain and simple. My review; short, sweet, honest and to the point. Don't forget to visit the official zeitgeist website... its worth the time... trust me.
Personally, I think this document is a comparatively well-done film. The only problem for those religious people to accept it is that they are wearing a judgmental veil over their own mind, and refuse to accept anything different from what they were trained in the past.
Here, my comments are mainly for the person named E. M. Hodge "Cuindless" whose comment is "Erroneous. Counterfactual. Illogical. Flawed". I think his/her comments itself is "Erroneous".
I was born and brought up in Asia, and studied Oriental Traditional Medicine, Asian philosophy and Asian religion in the past years all through my life. And when I read this person's comments that: "the earliest depictions of the zodiac do not have 12 signs." I found this comments are unfounded. Especially when this person mentioned that Early Japanese culture "only has 4 signs". Well, I have to say that this person is fundamentally wrong here. I wonder how much he/she knows about Ancient Japan or Ancient Asian culture at all. To make it easier to understand, there are many different calendar systems that were applied among all Asian region in the Ancient time (Lunar calendar, agricultural calendar and the calendar of the sun). And non of them are based on 4 signs!! And we do have 12 signs (which we also refer to as the 12 Earthly Branches); and besides this 12 Earthly Branches, we also have 10 Heavenly Stems. However, in practice the 12 Earthly Branches are used more widely in agriculture practice on a daily basis. And the calendar of the sun has 24 segments of periods all through the year, exactly can be paired up as 12 pairs that can be matched with the Western Zodiac 12 signs (both the beginning and ending dates are exactly the same). And this calendar is exactly the one that was widely practiced as a guidance for agriculture activities for over five thousand years all through Asia even until today. My comments for those people who make any easy judgement is to do more studies before you make any wrongful judgements.
