Reaction Paper of the Movie Agora

Wars, conflicts and deaths between the Christians, pagans and the Jews were not so strange for me anymore. Quite unfamiliar, however, was the story of Hystia and her great findings. I pictured women in the ancient times as submissive, simple-minded, gentle and defenceless that I was quite shocked when I first learned that Hystia was a philosopher and a great teacher. I regretted that idea in the end because it was like thinking so lowly of earlier women. But to think that a woman, found the answer on a long-debated question about the orbit of the earth, was quite a controversy.

Of course, many people believed that it was Keppler who discovered the elliptical shape of the orbit, but actually it was already answered way, way back in the time of great kings and not great scientists. It was just so sad because during that time people were not strong enough to accept philosophy and science. Instead they depend solely on their religion that they disregarded the essential questions of life and eventually even the scriptures of their own religion.

Even the Christians, whose main teachings are forgiveness, love and understanding, also killed other people for power and authority. I am a Christian, and it was quite disappointing for me to learn that my fore-fathers were hypocrites. They taught people to do the right thing, even though they themselves resort to death when their own security was threatened.

After I watched the movie, I am thankful and amused at the same time. I was amused because of the differences in the past and the present in accordance to our beliefs. And thankful because I lived here, at a time where we are not tied by our own differences. Discrimination may still be wide spread but more people began to learn that all of us are unique. Various philosophies, opinions and even religions are accepted and respected. Different people could already live in harmony with each other. And it was nice to think that people evolved in a good way where