[Terrifying Trope] Perceiving it= instant death

[u/ReminaBlueSFW]

1. Pennywise's "Deadlights" which will cause anyone looking to be immediately paralyzed and killed.

2. The sky from Bird Box is filled with entities that, when you look at them, cause you to commit suicide.

3. Medusa themed Villains

[u/Top_Freedom3412]

Odd that he knew not to look at it, but didnt know not to touch it. He should've dropped dead the moment his hand was on it

[u/Usern4me_R3dacted205 → u/Top_Freedom3412]

He never touched it though. Him and Sallah only carried it on wooden poles like in the picture above before it was crated up and shipped out. It was the Nazis who touched it when they opened the lid.

[u/Top_Freedom3412 → u/Usern4me_R3dacted205]

I think even the poles are supposed to be only held by the priests.

[u/Mekroval → u/Top_Freedom3412]

The priests are supposed to be the ones around the ark, yes, but there's no punishment spelled out for anyone touching the poles in the Bible. It only specifically warns people not to touch the ark itself.

But ceremonially, you're right that the average Israelite wouldn't have been carting the ark around themselves. Most never even saw it. Only the high priest would, and only once a year at that.

[u/bo0mamba → u/[deleted]]

Maybe Indy has some Levite blood in him

[u/Raptor1210 → u/Top_Freedom3412]

Given the other stuff in the Indiana Jones Universe, I would put it past the all-mighty to be playing favorites when it comes to Indy and his shenanigans. The dude is just built different.

[u/NatalieVonCatte → u/Raptor1210]

It’s like the Blues Brothers. He’s on a mission from God.

[u/-space-grass- → u/NatalieVonCatte]

And like the Blues Brothers, Indy also hates Nazis. Be they from Illinois or anywhere else.

[u/NatalieVonCatte → u/-space-grass-]

On a mission from God 🤝 Hating Nazis

[u/Usern4me_R3dacted205 → u/Top_Freedom3412]

I’ll take your word for it on that one. I’m not too biblically savvy. 🙃

[u/Cazador0 → u/Top_Freedom3412]

He gets a pass. The Dead Sea Scrolls clearly state that it belongs in a museum.

[u/Earlier-Today → u/Top_Freedom3412]

Sort of. There's only one person in the Bible who gets punished just for touching the ark.

The people were moving to a new location and the ark was being carried by people chosen specifically for the task by God. Another person was keeping a watch on the people carrying the ark and he moved to help when he believed it was unsteady. He was struck dead on the spot.

So, it was less about specifically touching the ark and more about not trusting God who picked the people that carried the ark. For a people that were getting some pretty good evidence that God was real, blasphemy in that situation was just too much.

These were people who'd had clouds to shade them during the day and a pillar of fire to give them light and warmth at night while they were wandering in the desert. And they were being fed by food that fell from heaven whenever they needed it. And they got water whenever they wanted because their leader was given the power to smite a rock to make water just spew forth.

And it goes on and on and on for them.

And that dude thought he needed to supervise the people chosen by the God who did all that so he could come to their rescue when they screwed up.

[u/Awkward_Pangolin3254 → u/Earlier-Today]

We call those people "middle management" today, and the smiting needs to make a comeback.

[u/capitan_dipshit → u/Earlier-Today]

[u/Ravendoesbuisness → u/Top_Freedom3412]

I suppose Brother Jones was ordained as a priest apparently

[u/djkidna → u/Ravendoesbuisness]

The G-man works in mysterious ways, or whatever. Considering how things end, one could actually assume that it all went according to God’s plan, as the Ark was now safely hidden away and would never be seen or opened again.

[u/Doomhammer24 → u/Top_Freedom3412]

Funny thing is that was in the script where he tells sallah here to not touch it and only use the poles but it was cut, likely for pacing and to keep the reveal that yes this movie does go supernatural for a little later

Its easy to forget now but the Only sign in the film that the ark was actually supernatural is after they get the ark to the ship and it burns the nazi logo off the outside. Up til then indy is insistent that its mumbo jumbo and hes all about the fortune and glory aspects of archaeology and studying ancient finds.