On Dec 25, 2007, at 10:17 AM, authfriend wrote:
I just think we don't always realize that
weird stuff like ice lingams can actually be a
focus of sincere religious feeling.
It was a joke, Judy. And if it's so sincere, why do they make people
pay to see it?
I've been influenced by an article I read recently
on Slate.com which argued that Scientology wasn't
a cult but a genuine religion (the writer was not
a Scientologist)--that its beliefs were no more
bizarre than those of other religions:
http://www.slate.com/id/2171416/
I find far more offensive the Christmas campaign
commercial of Mike Huckabee, with its stealth
cross. I hope if I were a believing Christian I
would be outraged that he had turned the symbol
of my faith into something actively sinister.
I'd far rather a few rich people spend their money
to see a bunch of young men chanting over a piece
of ice than contribute it to such a campaign.
Why is it an either/or deal?
I think Huckabee should be run out of both
Christianity and politics on a rail for that
commercial. Have you seen it? It's really
disgraceful. What he says is openly religious,
but then he's sitting in front of this empty
bookcase that's been very carefully lit so that
the edges of the shelves and sides seem to glow,
and what you see is this subliminal white cross
floating behind him.
I wouldn't object if there were an actual
crucifix, complete with bloody Jesus, in the
picture. It's making the cross into something
sneaky that just disgusts me. It's intended to
go over the heads of nonbelievers while
reinforcing Huckabee's purported devoutness in
the eyes of his fellow Christians. Or, even
worse, lead them to think the Holy Spirit
led the makers of the commercial to film it so
the bookcase formed a cross without knowing
what they were doing, suggesting divine
approval of the candidate.
Huckabee denies the cross was intentional. He
lies. (There you go, Shemp.)
Haven't seen the ad, then again I haven't been watching much TV
lately either. But I do find your segue from the boys in VC or
Vlodrop, to a snake-oil salesman posing as a legitimate candidate
like Huckabee, interesting.
And what about TM not having any
religious overtones? My, how quickly we forget.
The *technique* doesn't have any religious overtones
unless you want it to. And if you do, you can give
it the overtones of any old religion you like.
So some TMO folks find Hindu/Vedic religious stuff
appealing. So what? Not my bag, but they're entitled.
Of course, I didn't hear anyone say they weren't.
Sal
