gibson pulls ahead
Nice work, Mel, we knew you could do it; and the line between reality and “South Park” blurs further and further.
My personal theory is that most people think that Mel Gibson is actually Sergeant Martin Riggs from “Lethal Weapon”, and thus actually believe him to be charmingly “funny-crazy”, instead of the less charming and less funny “actual-crazy”… which is probably more the case.
~jeff
Well, female Jews don’t have horns. We’re like goats that way. Rachel’s head is just bumpy, yes.
“You can believe what you believe, and reexamining the symbols of your religion to keep it in line with your moral structure is a perfectly valid way of practicing.”
That’s a little demeaning. Just because there have been antisemetic passion plays doesn’t mean they all are and that non-antisemetic people need to justify them.
I think justifying Israel’s recent actions has made your brain misfire.
I think the majority of followers of all religions are sheep. They have to be to some extent, but there are still those who can believe the tenets of a given religion and be rational about it. It’s really easy to Christian bash since there are so many ridiculous Christians out there, it’s also really fashionable in some circles, but judging all Christians by George Bush or Pat Robertson is like judging all comedians by Carrot Top.
Jon, passion plays were a propaganda tool used to incite violence against Jews. It’s what they were for.
It’s obviously not why Jill is interested in it. It’s got other purposes for her, and they’re noble causes.
The shofar was a war horn, blown like a bugle to signal troop movements and inspire fear in the enemies of Israel while it was conquoring Canaan. That’s not why we blow it now. Now it’s a symbol of the new year, a symbol of joy as well as awe.
But I’m not equivocating away the historical meaning of the shofar. The symbols’ meaning has evolved, like the Passion has for Jill.
To participate in the evolution of an ancient symbol is to practice a living religion.
Jon- I agree with what I hope Joshua meant to say- which is that (hopefully) all religions and morality evolve, and it’s a good thing that most Christians’ understanding of their own moral code have evolved beyond pogroms, etc. And it’s a hell of a good thing that most Christians’ Passion Plays have evolved, beyond that, too. I don’t think calling out the actions and intentions of those who have *failed* to evolve is equivalent to Christian bashing.
Yeah, that’s a good summary.
You guys know there’s no such thing as God, right?
Waitiminnit. . . oh, shit!
Waiiiit… I think Jeff is really God and is testing us.
I pray to Boognish.
I thought Jeff must be using all of that Marshmallow Fluff to make pure white wigs and beards when He works His wonders.
I pray to Crom.
Rachel,
I hope that’s what Josh meant to say also, because the way I read it was a little demeaning.
Anyway, you said: “I think Joshua will agree with me that it is not the telling of the story that is problematic or inciting to violence, it is the depiction of the Jews in the specific WAY the story is being told”
Well, that was exactly what I said – it was my point exactly.
That isn’t very funny, Jeff.
Re: my bumpy head. It’s called CURLY HAIR, for god’s sake. I’m so sick of having to explain that.
Also, Cauley wouldn’t have married me if Jews weren’t known for being sadistic. But that’s between him and me.
Good one, Evan.
Good one.
To add some grist to the mill, Olmert has restarted his rhetoric about withdrawal from the West Bank.
It’s pissed off Likud (surprise surprise) and the Right, but really, those guys have had a say for too long. It nice to hear some “Let’s sort this out together” rhetoric instead of the “We kick you ass!” rhetoric. I hope he has the oomph to make it happen.
I think that he’s trying to drive a wedge between Hezbullah and the Palestinian political wing of Hamas. One of the interesting things in the Frrreshairr link above is the tale about the political wing of Hamas being ready to talk and the militant wing going to Hezbullah to stir things up. It would be nice if people like that didn’t get their say every time.