Vince Prygoski - 2004-11-03 13:46:23
Ah, yes! Jack Chick tracts. Religious Reich propaganda at its most nauseating!
There is a Pagan named Pete Pathfinder who does Pagan parodies of these which are quite good!* * * * * * * * * * * *
I actually like the campy drawings in the Chick tracts.
I'd love to see one of Mr. Pathfinder's parodies; is any of his work online/for sale somewhere, Vince?* * * * * * * * * * * * Vince Prygoski - 2004-11-03 14:03:16
http://www.aquatabch.org/afwe/theotherpeople.php That link will give you some sample pages from "The Other People" which is the one that my spouse and I picked up many years back at a Pagan gathering in Wisconsin.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-03 14:09:16
Oh, my gosh--that is so well done! And clever! He hoisted them by their own petard, all right.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-03 14:21:13
The genesis of this post, by the way, is not to gratuitously mock fundies--not this time, anyways--but only because I was trying to pin down just how fundamentalist Christian our president is. Wondering if such things as abuse of the environment had anything to do with a possible personal belief in an afterlife--sounds silly, but I was just wondering. Pondering such things reminded me of these tracts.* * * * * * * * * * * * addiann - 2004-11-03 15:25:42
I've never seen either variety of these things - very interesting. Particularly the fervor involved in finding a way to MAKE us heathens look at their tracts. Laura - I apologize for heading you off in the direction of the WSJ last night - it's a subscription situation there and I had forgotten that. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-03 15:37:44
Addiann: no problem. I just figured it was too much stuff to easily download. Yes, the fervor bit is puzzling to me too. I don't feel the need to leave atheist literature around town, though I personally think we and the Earth would all be a whole lot better off if we were all atheist. I don't understand what motivates these people. Aren't they secure enough in their own beliefs? Don't they respect other people? The pushiness of it is what gets my hackles up.
There were grapevine stories of Ann Arbor children distributing plastic baggies with tracts mixed with candy to other kids, a few days ago on Hallowe'en.* * * * * * * * * * * * addiann - 2004-11-03 16:03:55
I'm doubting that "respect for other people" is ever considered at all. They seem to be well trained that their main goal in the whole of life is to spread the word as they have been taught it. On the order of brainwashing one might say.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-03 16:05:32
Yes; no one is born innately believing any faith, after all.* * * * * * * * * * * * Rev. brett - 2004-11-03 16:42:00
by far my favorite chick publication is 'Big Daddy', a delightful take on both evolution AND 'Liberal College Professors'. I suspect in the next few years we'll be seeing a lot more Jack Chick, and probably an increase in Thomas Kincaide prints as well.
I feel like one of the most important steps to be taken - and no, I'm not kidding- is for everyone to brush up on their scripture and start a barrage of agitprop to show one specific point: THERE IS NOTHING 'CHRISTIAN' ABOUT GEORGE W. BUSH.
If a few bible-thumpers had truly contemplated that fact (or 'prayed on it', as they say), we wouldn't be in this situation now. One would assume that the most dull-witted person in the world could at least connect the fact that "thou Shalt not Kill" doesn't quite mesh with 100,000 Iraqi deaths, but it might take some actual old-school preaching to convince them of it. I may have to dust off my subgenius ordainment again to add some much-needed credibility.* * * * * * * * * * * * Rev. brett - 2004-11-03 17:14:31
it also occurred to me that one could cover all the bush/anti-gay/pro-war stickers on SUV's with ones that just say "Jesus Hates You". That would at least serve the purpose of confusing a few people.* * * * * * * * * * * * Annarborcrat - 2004-11-03 21:54:36
I voted for Kerry and against Prop 2 and have been a political activist since 1964. However, I have some basic things I have concluded over the last 40 years...when we ridicule and belittle those who think other than we do we really become like them. The poeple who voted to support Bush and Porp 2 I think are motivated by fear. It is exactly the same fear that some posters here have demonstrated in their reactions to the election results. The "them vs. us" attitude makes it much more difficult to reach really workable solutions. Just one man's opinion...* * * * * * * * * * * * addiann - 2004-11-04 00:29:56
I like your thinking, annarborcrat.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 00:34:35
Annarborcrat, I agree with you and think that's a thoughtful comment. I listened to Bush's speech today in which he addressed the Kerry supporters like me and asked for their help and support and pledged to "earn their trust," I think he said. It was actually a rather graceful thing to say, I thought, but not knowing the future I don't know if it'll become reality.
The Bush victory made me wonder today how I could funnel my intense disappointment into a productive action in keeping with my own political beliefs. Make a larger than usual donation to the ACLU next time. That's about all I've come up with thus far.
An NPR story today on why people voted for either candidate revealed a wide range of nuanced responses from those who'd voted for Bush. Some were predictable and from his "base," but others were well-considered and thought-provoking, showing that it would be a mistake for me to stereotype Bush supporters, as I have been guilty of sometimes doing. Your point is well taken, Annarborcrat; thank you.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 00:54:25
(Brett: that's right, I forgot you are indeed a bona fide minister.)
The goodies that Brett mentioned:
The Big Daddy tract.
Thomas Kincaide images.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 01:51:28
(rant mode on)
The 'them vs. us' attitude is precisely the platform bush ran on, and was elected because of. The "51%" sent a clear message to the world by electing him, and domestically they sent a message to the 'other' 49% basically saying the same thing: "if you're poor, or non-white, or non-christian, or gay, or don't like the idea of killing people, then go fuck yourself."
I think it's important that we isolate the reason for the fear that caused this knee-jerk, "Daddy please protect me" reaction. I'm sure there's a thousand good reasons, many of which make me afraid too sometimes- but I have tried very hard to control the psychological strain of the modern techno-super-tribal system enough to keep a calm head and still try and be nice to people, accept the need for taking care of the weaker members of society, not solve problems with violence, etcetera. Now, it has come to pass that BECAUSE of my own self control, and the self-control of the rest of "my Half" of the country's populace, that we have been officially targeted and marginalized, mocked, and will possibly soon find ourselves observed, monitored, imprisoned, or even killed as Patriot Act II comes online.
We are now the clear philosophical minority, with the poll numbers to show it.
We are now "Them", to be grouped with Bin Laden and Hussein.
Repeat: Those that supported Bush have told millions of us in the United States, and Billions around the world, "Go Fuck Yourself". That is what Bush really meant in 2000 when he was babbling about being a 'uniter', and that's what he means when he asked (demanded) our support in his victory speech Wednesday.
I wanted to compromise. I wanted peace. That's why I voted the way I did. But now that I see what the result is, and see how the country is, I'm at a loss to feel anything but rage and abandonment, and a sense that the democracy experiment is truly threatened now, crushed by its own weight, and voted out of existence by a majority who will have blood on their hands forever.
Not to 'cross threads' here, but confronted with a similar philosophical split in the 1800's, Northern Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison said:
"The compact which exists between the North and the South is a covenant with death and an agreement with hell."
and then, when asked to 'compromise and be moderate' so as not to alienate his opponents, his response was:
"Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; but urge me not to use moderation. "* * * * * * * * * * * *
brett - 2004-11-04 12:14:22oops- i forgot-
(rant mode off)
There. I wondered why i kept tossing and turning all night. I guess i was sleep-ranting.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 12:27:48
Today's MoveOn news e-letter contained a story about someone so ticked off by the election that they've decided to start the long process of running for Congress. I was heartened by that story.
I hear what you're saying, Brett. Did you hear Bush's speech today? It was not very informative and seemed rather cliched to me. I didn't learn anything.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 12:44:32
after 2 days of listening to npr constantly, i've elected to put my cd of hawaiian chant recordings back on the stereo instead. So, if bush says anything newsworthy, i will probably read it, and have to just imagine his ivy league new england/fake texan accent myself.
Incidentally, that whole accent thing really confuses me. In the past, for various performances, I have faked both a new england and southern accent- but not simultaneously, nor could i imagine how to do so. (I admit my NE accent is a bad Kennedy rip-off, and my southern one is essentially an evil Foghorn Leghorn, but still-)* * * * * * * * * * * *
Laura - 2004-11-04 12:46:38It was a chuckle-filled, largely information-free "press conference." You didn't miss anything really.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 12:55:28
boy, what's that make it now? 4 press conferences in 4 years?
Incidentally, I'm going to be visiting ohio in the next few days- where I'm hoping the populace is in a neat row so i can run down the line slapping them three-stooges-like. If anyone has 'well-wishings' they'd like me to bring along, I'd be happy to. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Anna - 2004-11-04 13:07:35I decided to channel my anger into something useful, so I started writing a book today with chapters such as, "Hate and Intolerance are Not American Values, or How to Stop Fearing the Religious Right" and "Fear and Loathing: Gays and the Right-Wing", "The Political Spin Doctors Have it All Wrong: A Scientist's View of Persuasion."
I've been writing in a frenzy and already have a complete outline done, the foreward written, and notes for a bunch of the chapters.* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2004-11-04 13:08:55
er, WORD, not "ward"* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 13:14:37
That sounds like a constructive response: I'd certainly read it.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 13:17:15
anna- you channel away. I think a lot of people are going to be producing some very interesting works in the next four years, as now there's a sort of "Okay, Assholes, watch THIS" mentality we all share. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 13:19:12
Yes, I think you put your finger on the zeitgeist, Brett. * * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 13:41:08
unfortunately, i put my finger IN the zeitgeist, and it appears to have been a 'chinese finger-trap zeitgeist' and now i'm stuck. Gott im Himmel!* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 13:44:21
I never knew you had a Chinese finger.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 13:49:41
.....speaking of zeitgeist, AND Jack Chick:
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I've already been put in touch with a friend's literary agent and he's agreed to read and comment on the outline and first chapter. Fcuk Bush. * * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 14:36:24
yikes. so much for spreading the word of god by direct image linking, which i guess mr. chick doesn't like.
But this is precisely why I got a free photobucket account.:
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Paradise.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 14:40:17
Oops, both of you beat me to the comments while I was frittering around online looking for Heaven.
Good for you, Anna!
Brett: hmm, not sure what you mean, sorry. The 1st set of images loaded fine; the second set did not, at least on my comp.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 14:41:11
"Paradise is exactly like where you are right now- only much, much better."
-Laurie Anderson* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 14:42:14
:) Nice. I like that a lot.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 14:45:47
hopefully one (.gif) or the other (.bmp)will load for everyone. speaking of loading, is it just me or have the last two days seen the entire internet slow to a crawl? I realize my comments are contributing to it, but still.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 14:46:51
Noticed slowdown with Diaryland, seemingly regular speed on other sites.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-11-04 17:58:40
it's actually a chinese communist finger i got from reading comics.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-11-04 21:05:04
I doubt that's allowed under the PATRIOT Act. Check your local listings.* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: