Wednesday, May 24, 2006
This Sums it Up.....
All the religious folks who have their knickers in a twist about The Da Vinci Code should read BobcatJH's diary entry from Daily Kos:
"The Da Vinci Code" is just a movie. There, I said it. Is that really so hard an idea to grasp? A movie that, in fact, I haven't yet seen. Nonetheless, "The Da Vinci Code" is just a movie, just like "Road House" and "Cannonball Run II" before it.
It's a successful film based on a best-selling book, just like "The Firm" or the "Harry Potter" series. It stars the guy from "Bachelor Party", the girl from "Amelie" and Magneto from "X-Men". A work of fiction intended to do one thing better than any other: Make money.
That so many people can't wrap their heads around so simple an idea is a testament to how stupid our society has become. That thousands, maybe millions, consider "The Da Vinci Code" a direct threat to their faith speaks to a paranoia beyond my comprehension. It's just a movie, folks. Get over yourselves.
Driving to an area bookstore Saturday, I was greeted with the sight of a man hammering signs into the ground on busy street corners. The signs, and I paraphrase, said something like, "I believe in Jesus Christ; Reject The Da Vinci Code". For now, I'm considering it a coincidence that I spotted another man leaving leaflets under patrons' windshield wipers at the bookstore that informed us that the Bible had disproved evolution. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't likely to find many converts to so stupid a notion in the parking lot of a bookstore.
Getting back to the movie, however, I've noticed anti-"Da Vinci Code" signs at local churches, too. And these aren't isolated incidents, either. You can't watch Fox News for five minutes without catching a host or commentator challenging the movie, much like the network made it a point to assault "Brokeback Mountain" at every turn. Or bash Mexicans.
Why do people behave so irrationally? Because they fear change. They fear that the face of the 21st Century in America won't be white. They fear that fewer people view two loving people who happen to share the same sex as a threat to democracy. And they fear that people may ask questions about the origins of their faith. Why think for ourselves when these people, these arbiters of wisdom, can do it for us?
As I wrote earlier when I referred to many of these same people as the Nuisance Generation, they can preach all they want about the ownership society and personal responsibility. But they don't practice what they preach. What's worse, they don't trust your sense of personal responsibility. They trust theirs better. And they want to impose it on you.
Think about it. They don't want you reading certain books. They don't want you watching certain movies. They don't want you listening to certain music. They don't want you to possess the knowledge needed to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. They don't want you to accept facts that have been conventional wisdom everywhere else for decades. They think a burning flag is an affront to America. They think a translated national anthem will tear the whole system down.
But these people, these turds in our collective punch bowl, fail to recognize the spectacular hypocrisy inherent in their outrage. The people who lecture everyone else about personal responsibility can't exercise it themselves. If they could only change the channel instead of filing a complaint, our lives would be so much easier. If they could only spend more time working for good than picketing a box office, the world would be a much better place. But they can't, because they realize that it's much easier to be against something than for anything.
You want to know what's a real threat to people's faith? Church sex abuse. And the longer some blame liberals for the blight instead of looking in the mirror, the more problems the church will have. Problems like the fact that some people consider it a good thing to physically assault those whose only crime is holding different viewpoints. Problems like the notion that Pat Robertson and others like him say things they'd spend a lifetime decrying if they came from a mullah. Problems far greater than "The Da Vinci Code".
It's just a movie.
Well said! It's just a frickin' movie.......what century are we living in? Here in Florida some pastor made the news by saying god told him who the next Governor would be......say, while you've got god on the horn, you might want to ask him about a cure for cancer. And Pat Robertson, while god's telling you that hurricanes are going to hit Florida (duh!), you might want to trouble him for the exact landfall and date!
All the religious folks who have their knickers in a twist about The Da Vinci Code should read BobcatJH's diary entry from Daily Kos:
"The Da Vinci Code" is just a movie. There, I said it. Is that really so hard an idea to grasp? A movie that, in fact, I haven't yet seen. Nonetheless, "The Da Vinci Code" is just a movie, just like "Road House" and "Cannonball Run II" before it.
It's a successful film based on a best-selling book, just like "The Firm" or the "Harry Potter" series. It stars the guy from "Bachelor Party", the girl from "Amelie" and Magneto from "X-Men". A work of fiction intended to do one thing better than any other: Make money.
That so many people can't wrap their heads around so simple an idea is a testament to how stupid our society has become. That thousands, maybe millions, consider "The Da Vinci Code" a direct threat to their faith speaks to a paranoia beyond my comprehension. It's just a movie, folks. Get over yourselves.
Driving to an area bookstore Saturday, I was greeted with the sight of a man hammering signs into the ground on busy street corners. The signs, and I paraphrase, said something like, "I believe in Jesus Christ; Reject The Da Vinci Code". For now, I'm considering it a coincidence that I spotted another man leaving leaflets under patrons' windshield wipers at the bookstore that informed us that the Bible had disproved evolution. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't likely to find many converts to so stupid a notion in the parking lot of a bookstore.
Getting back to the movie, however, I've noticed anti-"Da Vinci Code" signs at local churches, too. And these aren't isolated incidents, either. You can't watch Fox News for five minutes without catching a host or commentator challenging the movie, much like the network made it a point to assault "Brokeback Mountain" at every turn. Or bash Mexicans.
Why do people behave so irrationally? Because they fear change. They fear that the face of the 21st Century in America won't be white. They fear that fewer people view two loving people who happen to share the same sex as a threat to democracy. And they fear that people may ask questions about the origins of their faith. Why think for ourselves when these people, these arbiters of wisdom, can do it for us?
As I wrote earlier when I referred to many of these same people as the Nuisance Generation, they can preach all they want about the ownership society and personal responsibility. But they don't practice what they preach. What's worse, they don't trust your sense of personal responsibility. They trust theirs better. And they want to impose it on you.
Think about it. They don't want you reading certain books. They don't want you watching certain movies. They don't want you listening to certain music. They don't want you to possess the knowledge needed to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. They don't want you to accept facts that have been conventional wisdom everywhere else for decades. They think a burning flag is an affront to America. They think a translated national anthem will tear the whole system down.
But these people, these turds in our collective punch bowl, fail to recognize the spectacular hypocrisy inherent in their outrage. The people who lecture everyone else about personal responsibility can't exercise it themselves. If they could only change the channel instead of filing a complaint, our lives would be so much easier. If they could only spend more time working for good than picketing a box office, the world would be a much better place. But they can't, because they realize that it's much easier to be against something than for anything.
You want to know what's a real threat to people's faith? Church sex abuse. And the longer some blame liberals for the blight instead of looking in the mirror, the more problems the church will have. Problems like the fact that some people consider it a good thing to physically assault those whose only crime is holding different viewpoints. Problems like the notion that Pat Robertson and others like him say things they'd spend a lifetime decrying if they came from a mullah. Problems far greater than "The Da Vinci Code".
It's just a movie.
Well said! It's just a frickin' movie.......what century are we living in? Here in Florida some pastor made the news by saying god told him who the next Governor would be......say, while you've got god on the horn, you might want to ask him about a cure for cancer. And Pat Robertson, while god's telling you that hurricanes are going to hit Florida (duh!), you might want to trouble him for the exact landfall and date!
Monday, May 08, 2006
No, This Is Not From "The Onion"
How did "three US Presidents answer the question of "what was your best moment of your Presidency?"
First up, President Carter:
"I think the best time was probably dealing with the Middle East issue at Camp David," he said, "and even better I think was the peace treaty that came along six months later. I made a very difficult decision over the almost unanimous opposition of my cabinet and my staff to take the initiative and to go to Egypt and to go to Israel to try to get Begin and Sadat to agree on a peace treaty. And when they did sign-both of them signed the agreement-I guess that was probably my best moment."
Next, President Clinton:
JIM LEHRER: As we sit here right now, Mr. President, is this the best moment of your presidency?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Oh, no, I won't say that. I don't know. So many things have happened here at home that have been important to me; passing economic plan, passing the Brady Bill and assault weapons ban, so many things have happened internationally, the role that I was fortunate to be able to play in the peace process in the Middle East and in Northern Ireland, but this could have the biggest long-term positive consequences if we do it right. But frankly, I hadn't, you know -- Sometimes people say "do you feel vindicated?" The answer is no. I think America has been vindicated. I think what we stand for has been vindicated. But keep in mind that there have been times in the past where people win a conflict and then squander the peace. So a lot of our work is still ahead of us. We've gotta get the people home, get the land mines up, work out the details of who is involved in the peacekeeping mission. We have to get this -- We've got to organize police forces and civil government for the Kosovars. And then the really big thing over the long-run, our European friends want to take the lead in this but we ought to help them, we've got to get the World Bank and all these other people involved in a development plan for the Balkans that involves not just Kosovo, but Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and I hope someday Serbia if they have a government that respects freedom and democracy and human rights. So that these people have something pulling them together instead of these ancient ethnic troubles pulling them apart.
Now if we get all that done, it might be perhaps the most satisfying thing because it might prove that people can lay down their hatreds of people who are different. You know, I basically think free people will figure out a way to make the most of their lives and work out their problems if they can get the rules of engagement right. That's why I gave somewhat of an extended answer to what you said about the Republicans. Because, I think, you know, differences are good. Nobody's got the whole truth. But you gotta get the rules of engagement right. And I think what we did in Kosovo was profoundly important.
And now President Bush:
You know, I've experienced many great moments and it's hard to name the best," Bush told weekly Bild am Sonntag when asked about his high point since becoming president in January 2001.
"I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound (3.402 kilos) perch in my lake," he told the newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.
And there you go! You just can't make this stuff up........click on the highlighted section for the direct links to all three quotes.
How did "three US Presidents answer the question of "what was your best moment of your Presidency?"
First up, President Carter:
"I think the best time was probably dealing with the Middle East issue at Camp David," he said, "and even better I think was the peace treaty that came along six months later. I made a very difficult decision over the almost unanimous opposition of my cabinet and my staff to take the initiative and to go to Egypt and to go to Israel to try to get Begin and Sadat to agree on a peace treaty. And when they did sign-both of them signed the agreement-I guess that was probably my best moment."
Next, President Clinton:
JIM LEHRER: As we sit here right now, Mr. President, is this the best moment of your presidency?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Oh, no, I won't say that. I don't know. So many things have happened here at home that have been important to me; passing economic plan, passing the Brady Bill and assault weapons ban, so many things have happened internationally, the role that I was fortunate to be able to play in the peace process in the Middle East and in Northern Ireland, but this could have the biggest long-term positive consequences if we do it right. But frankly, I hadn't, you know -- Sometimes people say "do you feel vindicated?" The answer is no. I think America has been vindicated. I think what we stand for has been vindicated. But keep in mind that there have been times in the past where people win a conflict and then squander the peace. So a lot of our work is still ahead of us. We've gotta get the people home, get the land mines up, work out the details of who is involved in the peacekeeping mission. We have to get this -- We've got to organize police forces and civil government for the Kosovars. And then the really big thing over the long-run, our European friends want to take the lead in this but we ought to help them, we've got to get the World Bank and all these other people involved in a development plan for the Balkans that involves not just Kosovo, but Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and I hope someday Serbia if they have a government that respects freedom and democracy and human rights. So that these people have something pulling them together instead of these ancient ethnic troubles pulling them apart.
Now if we get all that done, it might be perhaps the most satisfying thing because it might prove that people can lay down their hatreds of people who are different. You know, I basically think free people will figure out a way to make the most of their lives and work out their problems if they can get the rules of engagement right. That's why I gave somewhat of an extended answer to what you said about the Republicans. Because, I think, you know, differences are good. Nobody's got the whole truth. But you gotta get the rules of engagement right. And I think what we did in Kosovo was profoundly important.
And now President Bush:
You know, I've experienced many great moments and it's hard to name the best," Bush told weekly Bild am Sonntag when asked about his high point since becoming president in January 2001.
"I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound (3.402 kilos) perch in my lake," he told the newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.
And there you go! You just can't make this stuff up........click on the highlighted section for the direct links to all three quotes.
