Author Topic: AI Update on Catholic Legion of Decency (Read 195 times)

Mat183 · « **on:** **Today** at 06:33:17 PM »

ChatGPT said:

Yes. It is possible to apply the Legion of Decency rating standards (A-I through C) to movies released after the Legion and its successors ceased operating.
Because the system is no longer official, the ratings would be historical reconstructions—i.e., “What would the Legion most likely have rated this film, based on their docuмented criteria from 1933–1966?”
Below is how such retroactive ratings can be meaningfully assigned, followed by examples.

How Retroactive Legion Ratings Can Be Assigned
The Legion’s categories were based on consistent criteria:
A-I
Completely wholesome, family-friendly, no problematic content.
A-II
Suitable for teens; mild mature themes but morally sound.
A-III
Intense or adult subject matter; no gravely objectionable elements.
A-IV
Morally complex works; ideologically challenging but serious; adults only.
B
“Morally Objectionable in Part”:
– sɛҳuąƖ content
– Suggestive dress
– Immorality treated lightly
– Excessive violence
– Ambiguous or problematic moral framing
C
Condemned for one or more of the following:
– Explicit sɛҳuąƖity or nudity
– Anti-religious content
– Immorality presented approvingly
– Sacrilege or blasphemy
– Graphic sɛҳuąƖ behavior
– Promoting moral relativism or hedonism
– Same-sex romance portrayed positively (by mid-20th-century standards this would have been “gravely objectionable”)
– Abortion portrayed positively
– Mockery of religion
– Criminal or “deviant” behavior glamorized
These can be systematically applied.

Examples of Retroactive Legion-Style Ratings for Post-1966 Films
Below are historically realistic assessments based on Legion criteria—not modern values.

A-I (Unobjectionable for children)

Toy Story
Finding Nemo
The Lion King
E.T.

A-II (Adults & adolescents)

Star Wars (1977)
Back to the Future
The Fellowship of the Ring
Hidden Figures

A-III (Adults)

Schindler’s List – graphic violence, mature themes
The Dark Knight – intensity, violence
Saving Private Ryan – extreme war imagery
A Beautiful Mind – mental illness themes

A-IV (Adults, with reservations)
Legion typically used A-IV for films they respected artistically but found troubling in outlook.
Likely examples:

Apocalypse Now
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Matrix
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men

B (Morally Objectionable in Part)
Would include movies with sɛҳuąƖ content, innuendo, permissive treatment of immorality, or glamorization of violence.
Examples:

Titanic – nudity
Pulp Fiction – profanity, violence, immoral lifestyles
Top Gun – premarital sex
The Godfather – glamorized criminality
Braveheart – brutality, sɛҳuąƖ elements

C (Condemned)
A mid-century Legion would most likely condemn films with pornography, explicit sex, positive portrayal of behavior they classified as gravely immoral, or strong anti-religious elements.
Examples (high probability):

The Exorcist (1973) – blasphemy, sacrilege, graphic content
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – depiction of Christ in sɛҳuąƖ temptation
Basic Instinct – explicit sɛҳuąƖ content
Brokeback Mountain – positive portrayal of same-sex relationships (the 1950s Legion would unquestionably have condemned it)
Blue Valentine – graphic sex
Eyes Wide Shut – orgies, adultery
The Wolf of Wall Street – explicit sɛҳuąƖ acts, hedonism

Films that would almost certainly be Class C under Legion standards also include:

Showgirls
Shortbus
Nymphomaniac
The Da Vinci Code (due to its portrayal of Catholic history and theology as fraudulent)

If you want, I can rate any film you name
I can assign a historically accurate Legion-style rating to:

Individual films
A list of films
A whole director’s filmography
A year or decade of releases
Oscar winners

Just give me the titles you want evaluated.

Mat183 · « **Reply #1 on:** **Today** at 06:49:46 PM »

The pledge Catholics recited—usually once a year at Sunday Mass (most commonly in December) at the direction of their pastors—was known as the Legion of Decency Pledge.
Several versions existed over the decades, but the standard and best-attested wording is the 1936 version:

Legion of Decency Pledge (1936 text)
“I wish to join the Legion of Decency, which condemns vile and unwholesome motion pictures.
I pledge myself to remain away from all motion pictures except those which do not offend decency and Christian morality.
I likewise pledge myself to stay away from places of amusement which feature objectionable motion pictures.
I make this pledge freely and without reservation, and ask the help of God to keep it faithfully.”

**********************************************************************************

The following part of the above pledge got dropped from later versions: "I likewise pledge myself to stay away from places of amusement which feature objectionable motion pictures."

WorldsAway · « **Reply #2 on:** **Today** at 06:50:10 PM »

Looks promising but I would probably try to tweak its standards a bit more, as something like Schindler's List would certainly have fallen under "Condemned" because it contains pornography.
It is also interesting that ChatGPT would say that the LoD would not condemn Schindler's List, because E Michael Jones has written about how the 'h0Ɩ0cαųst' was actually used as the vehicle to introduce "necessary" pornography into film, starting with The Pawnbroker.."It's a movie about a h0Ɩ0cαųst survivor, and you're going to condemn it for nudity? What are you, some kind of antisemite?"

..and then it became a free for all after that

Mat183 · « **Reply #3 on:** **Today** at 07:37:32 PM »

Quote from: WorldsAway on Today at 06:50:10 PM

Looks promising but I would probably try to tweak its standards a bit more, as something like Schindler's List would certainly have fallen under "Condemned" because it contains pornography.
It is also interesting that ChatGPT would say that the LoD would not condemn Schindler's List, because E Michael Jones has written about how the 'h0Ɩ0cαųst' was actually used as the vehicle to introduce "necessary" pornography into film, starting with The Pawnbroker.."It's a movie about a h0Ɩ0cαųst survivor, and you're going to condemn it for nudity? What are you, some kind of antisemite?" ..and then it became a free for all after that

Schindler’s List was condemned, censored, or banned in various countries, including the Philippines, largely on grounds of sɛҳuąƖ content.

Author Topic: AI Update on Catholic Legion of Decency (Read 195 times)

Mat183

AI Update on Catholic Legion of Decency

Mat183

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WorldsAway

Re: AI Update on Catholic Legion of Decency

Mat183

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