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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
On Tim Rice, John Rambo, and a statement on religion to kick off July!
I watched an unusual combination Monday. First, at YaYa's request she and a friend put on the 2000 Glenn Carter version of Jesus Christ Superstar.
I much prefer the light-hearted but spiritual Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and I will say it again: Tim Rice's lyrics are what made these musicals, not Webber's music. But after viewing Superstar for the first time since the early '80's, I have to say it wasn't half bad.
It was too secular at times for my taste, never expliciting showing his divinity, but unlike contemporary protests about the musical I don't object to Judas' portrayal. I've always thought that there must be a more complex reason than greed behind the betrayal of his friend and mentor. Not an excuse mind you, but a reason, and the fears expressed in the movie are certainly one option.
Still, it got me thinking. To a degree I feel that anger towards Judas, at least in the here and now, is meaningless. At the time, sure, and I'm not saying he shouldn't rot in hell. But in hindsight he had his role to play, a neccessary one, and he fufilled it.
Was it preordained? Was he chosen as an apostle with the knowledge that it would set in motion these events? Did his betrayal change the dynamic of the group to such an extent that Simon Peter was free to ascend to a leadership role as head of the church? How would the group and the church have evolved if another had been the betrayer? Was he acting of free will (my vote) or asa pawn of the drama that was to unfold? If the latter he must be absolved of the sin, for he was not acting of his own voltion. And on the cross, when Jesus asked his Father to forgive those who killed him, wouldn't that include Judas' soul?
As for the movie itself, I thought the actor who played Judas was superb, Glenn Carter's Jesus less so, and the actress playing Mary Magdalene (patron saint of the church where I was married) was both beautiful and gifted with an equally impressive voice.
* * * *
And then, in a 180 degree turnaround, I watched Rambo (alone). This time Rambo escorts a group of Christian missionaries into war torn Burma, and when they face enslavement and torture he does what he does best to get them out.
Allright: first off, Stallone is a heck of a director. Forget his writing (which can be great or poor, depending on the day) and his acting. As a director I think he staged this movie beautifully and artfully, and kudos to him on that.
On the other hand it was bloody as hell and featured 3x as many killings as the other Rambo flicks combined, at least according to an internet source.
I will go on record though as saying that it seems far less violent than its predecessors, in part because very little of the violence (none that I can think of actually) is for sh**'s and giggles.
The persecution of Burmese Christians is brutal and repressive, but CERTAINLY far gentler than the reality some of the people there face. The rescue attempt is matter of fact without excess gore, and the finale . . well there's not much you can say to soften the finale. It makes Saving Private Ryan seem like Toy Story, but it's a legitimate battle between two large groups, not a one man wrecking crew.
Rambo's character is changed by the events of the movie, as is the character of the missionaries.It's a shame the villian is never fleshed out, because it had the makings of a decent flick.
3 out of 4, 75 out of 100. MUCH better than I expected.
* * *
Let me say something else. I don't care what your religious beliefs are. I'm Catholic and I have friends and acquaintances who are Pentecostal, Atheist, Agnostic, Mormon, Muslim, Hindu, and Lutheran. Live and let live.
But not everyone feels that way, and time and again I'm struck by the naivety of good people. It's the old example of expecting someone to tell the truth just because you yourself would never lie in that situation. That's foolish, and just a fancy way of projecting your beliefs and mindset on someone else.
Our own tolerance of other religions in no way guarantees the same respect in return.
At the risk of sounding like a religious nut* I do feel Christianity is under attack and that the majority of believers sit by and let it happen. Across the globe Christians are persecuted and killed and we gloss over it, either because Christians were 'responsible' for such killings in centuries(!) past and we have a guilt complex, or because it isn't PC to just flat out say: Hey, Muslims are killing Christians in X and Communists are doing the same in Y. And heaven forbid we object when someone says "And, oh, by the way, don't you dare talk about Christ but um, I'm gonna wear my veil to work so, uh, tough."
Even here at home we suck it up, afraid of sounding like some old bitty that sends her pension check to the 700 Club. My favorite lurking ground over at Baseball Think Factory recently had a message board thread that wandered off into religious ground. Of the nearly 100 comments I read many were apathetic towards or slightly against Christianity . A vocal minority was VERY anti-Christian. Not anti-religion, but strictly and explicity anti-Christian. On a baseball site.
They listed many of the tired 'guilt' reasons of old, ranging from the Templars to the American West, but in the end it's all crap.**
It's just cool to bash Christianity because we roll over just swell, like a well trained doggie.
Ugh. Stand your ground. If one of my agnostic friends wanders off into anti-Christian statements, I won't back off a debate. When the Pentecostals get frisky and start tossing around 'Papist' I get frisky back. It doesn't mean you can't hang out and play XBox afterwards. There's nothing uncivil about civilized debate.
After all, what's the point of believing anything if you don't believe in it strongly enough to say so?
*Which a certain Pentecostal at work would say is crazy, because I playfully enjoy the role of agnostic questioner with her whenever we go on break together
** I have the sneaking suspicion that all those fervent guilt/hate spreaders had great-great-grand pappy's who were ever so eager to burn the local synagogue to the ground or toss around measles to the natives. Hate begets hate, it rides in your blood if you're not careful. Nowadays its just more acceptable to hate religion than the black guy down the road, that's all.
Friday, April 25, 2008
On Souls, karma, and a whiny monologue by St. Peter
I just thought about Nancy, a friend of my sister's who died in a car accident, God, it must be 15 years ago now.
I think of her every once in awhile. She was a genuinely nice person who would have made done right by the world if given the chance - I can imagine her with a house full of kids and maybe a job as a teacher.
It was a horrible waste - she was only in her teens - so that sticks with me. She also seemed to have a bit of a crush on me, one I never reciprocated, which makes me feel a bit of misplaced regret.
Anyhow, I mention her here because of one of my kooky maybe Christian/maybe not beliefs. I've felt for a long time that whenever a person is remembered after their passing, be it an everyday thought of my Grandma or some obscure well-digger who's name pops up when reading an archived document, well, it does . . . something. Call it my half-baked, inarticulate version of 'every time a bell rings an angel gets their wings'.
[Of course, by that theory, Hitler gets a whole lotta 'something' too. So I guess a caveat - only good or neutral thoughts count]
[And while we're on the subject, when did all this 'angel' stuff get so big? I object to this notion of angels being the recently deceased. So, 'some' people in Heaven rank higher than others? How does that conversation go?
St. Peter, coffee cup in hand: Yeeahhh, listen Frank. I know you lived a good life, and, well the proof's in the pudding right buddy? I mean, you bypassed purgatory and hell and jumped right to the Big Show. Do you know how rare that is in this day and age? You da man! [hits him on the shoulder]
But, uh, well . .listen bro. You know we have this 'angel' thing, and . . .hey, I just work here ya know? But there are some . . I don't want to say 'quotas' per se, but . let's say 'requirements'. And, no offense, but a guy who had a heart attack is a dime a dozen. Gladys over in Toledo, you know, the one who was cut in half by a cable car? That's the kind of applicant the big guy is looking for right now. Attractive, female, unusual death . . .
I know it's hard to swallow man, but there's always next millenia. Allright? Thatta boy! I knew you were a trooper! Talk to ya later!]
Anyhow, in no small part because I believe it does some karmic good with her soul (the online version of lighting a candle in church?) I just want to say that Nancy is remembered.
That's all. Enjoy your weekend!
Saturday, May 7, 2005
Clearing out my mailbox
When I find something interesting online I send myself an email to remind myself to eventually put it on the site.
Here's a site that'll give you the #1 song on the day you were born - in my case Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks.
The Wayback Machine is an internet archive. Punch in a url and see how the site looked in years past.
I saw this on another AOL Journal. It determines what religion or christian denomination best suits your individual beliefs about God and morality.
Despite answering honestly, even when I felt it was in opposition to the dogma I was taught, I got the following results:
1. Eastern Orthodox (100%)
2. Roman Catholic (100%)
3. Mainline - Conservative Christian Protestant (86%)
4. Orthodox Quaker (77%)
5. Seventh Day Adventist (77%)
6. Mainline - Liberal Christian Protestants (64%)
7. Orthodox Judaism (55%)
8. Islam (50%)
9. Hinduism (48%)
10. Sikhism (47%)
What a shocker.
Here's a neat little site with an obscure subject: Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary.
And finally, because I'm sick of seeing it in my mailbox, here's a potential opening line for a story idea of mine:
For the first time in his life, Calvin Elworthy felt something akin to hate.