Mar 15, 2011
jpfh commented on O They Will Know We Are Christians....
@71: I disagree, I think the best satire is that which is indistinguishable from reality. But at the same time I find her just as vile as you do, troll or not. The Japan video in particular was a low blow especially so soon after.
Mar 14, 2011
jpfh commented on O They Will Know We Are Christians....
I was having a conversation with my mother the other day about this. Her generation didn't grow up with the same relationship to church as mine did. I'm roughly the same age as the girl in the video, early twenties, and my mother is in her fifties.
She was schooled by conservative nuns and was taught to worship quietly, to be more stoic in her prayers. Faith was more of a private and personal thing. The mass was still in Latin, and there were no youth events to attend.
Not much longer after all this, my experience was very different. Like I said before, there is now a vibrant Christian youth subculture that is thriving. It has broken away from the somber mass. Now, being open and outspoken about your faith and your relationship to God is encouraged. Public displays of extreme emotion (from tears of joy to tears of sadness) are common. Body language has changed, youth groups will pray with their hands stretched up towards the ceiling and their eyes closed perhaps swaying back and forth or dancing. The music has changed and is no longer provided by a lone organist, some youth masses have full young christian rock bands next to the altar. Often there are images of Jesus, candles, or people praying being projected onto a big screen during the hymns. Youth fasts are often a weekend overnight event during which fun religious themed group activities pass the time. There is lots of hand holding (during prayer) and hugging, complete strangers or not. I distinctly remember people having "fits" or crying hysterically during a mass adoration of the Eucharist because they claimed to have seen the holy spirit. Once I was in a prayer circle with a girl who started talking gibberish in a fake trance, but I sincerely believe that she believed that she was actually touched by the holy spirit who allowed her to speak in tongues. The organizers of these events were enthusiastic devout young people as well, usually in their early thirties. My bible study mentor was a good looking guy who had the crucifixion wounds tattooed on his hands, feet, and torso to remind him of How Jesus suffered for him. All the girls, and some of the boys I'm sure, had a huge crush on him.
It's interesting how drastically the environment of Christian youth has changed in just a few short decades. Keep in mind that my parish and youth groups were quite liberal for Catholicism. The things I've talked about above I experienced in liberal Christian youth groups.
...I had a taste of fundamentalist youth when I traveled for that missionary work, and as far as public emotion and intensity goes it was pretty much the same, there was just a lot more ignorance and scripture quoting.
More...
She was schooled by conservative nuns and was taught to worship quietly, to be more stoic in her prayers. Faith was more of a private and personal thing. The mass was still in Latin, and there were no youth events to attend.
Not much longer after all this, my experience was very different. Like I said before, there is now a vibrant Christian youth subculture that is thriving. It has broken away from the somber mass. Now, being open and outspoken about your faith and your relationship to God is encouraged. Public displays of extreme emotion (from tears of joy to tears of sadness) are common. Body language has changed, youth groups will pray with their hands stretched up towards the ceiling and their eyes closed perhaps swaying back and forth or dancing. The music has changed and is no longer provided by a lone organist, some youth masses have full young christian rock bands next to the altar. Often there are images of Jesus, candles, or people praying being projected onto a big screen during the hymns. Youth fasts are often a weekend overnight event during which fun religious themed group activities pass the time. There is lots of hand holding (during prayer) and hugging, complete strangers or not. I distinctly remember people having "fits" or crying hysterically during a mass adoration of the Eucharist because they claimed to have seen the holy spirit. Once I was in a prayer circle with a girl who started talking gibberish in a fake trance, but I sincerely believe that she believed that she was actually touched by the holy spirit who allowed her to speak in tongues. The organizers of these events were enthusiastic devout young people as well, usually in their early thirties. My bible study mentor was a good looking guy who had the crucifixion wounds tattooed on his hands, feet, and torso to remind him of How Jesus suffered for him. All the girls, and some of the boys I'm sure, had a huge crush on him.
It's interesting how drastically the environment of Christian youth has changed in just a few short decades. Keep in mind that my parish and youth groups were quite liberal for Catholicism. The things I've talked about above I experienced in liberal Christian youth groups.
...I had a taste of fundamentalist youth when I traveled for that missionary work, and as far as public emotion and intensity goes it was pretty much the same, there was just a lot more ignorance and scripture quoting.
Mar 14, 2011
jpfh commented on O They Will Know We Are Christians....
Labeling this video as satire is grossly underestimating the misguided conviction and fervor of religious youth.
Mar 14, 2011
jpfh commented on O They Will Know We Are Christians....
As a former devout Catholic now atheist, I can confidently say that this girl is not trolling... she is sincere. This is not satire.
It's in the way she talks, and her facial expressions... I've seen and heard it so many times before from a thousand different devout religious teenagers.
I was surrounded by people like her throughout most of my teen years. Not so much in church, but at Catholic youth prayer groups, World Youth Day, Christian Rock Concerts, Pro Life youth meetings (yes, specifically for youth), and I even did missionary work for a year with a group of girls just like her.
When I look at her and listen to her, I see and hear who I used to be, and it makes me want to throw up...
Only people who have been part of the Christian youth subculture can truly understand just how batshit crazy and cultish it is.
It's in the way she talks, and her facial expressions... I've seen and heard it so many times before from a thousand different devout religious teenagers.
I was surrounded by people like her throughout most of my teen years. Not so much in church, but at Catholic youth prayer groups, World Youth Day, Christian Rock Concerts, Pro Life youth meetings (yes, specifically for youth), and I even did missionary work for a year with a group of girls just like her.
When I look at her and listen to her, I see and hear who I used to be, and it makes me want to throw up...
Only people who have been part of the Christian youth subculture can truly understand just how batshit crazy and cultish it is.
Mar 13, 2011
jpfh joined My Stranger Face
Mar 13, 2011
jpfh commented on Have You Ever Inspired This Kind of Vitriol, Brendan?.
Are you guys kidding? Tim Minchin is brilliant!
The funny thing is, all the criticisms made in this thread have already been made by him in his own songs, not to mention various interviews. Which makes me think that the people ragging on him havn't been familliar with his stuff for very long or haven't seen anything other than the Phil Daoust video. You just recently discovered him after his American debut on Conan didn't you? :P Silly Americans, he's been around longer than that!
He's been mocking himself and his own desire to be a serious musician for years (Rock and Roll Nerd), thus the eccentric stage persona and cabaret music juxtaposed with the tailcoats and the grand piano. Much like his song "Peace Anthem for Palestine" jumps back and forth from classical music to silly nursery rhyme music. "You don't eat pigs! We don't eat pigs!" :D
My personal favorites:
http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_u…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDiC5iStn…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATG…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0W7Jbc_V…
Tim Minchin is so rock!
More...
The funny thing is, all the criticisms made in this thread have already been made by him in his own songs, not to mention various interviews. Which makes me think that the people ragging on him havn't been familliar with his stuff for very long or haven't seen anything other than the Phil Daoust video. You just recently discovered him after his American debut on Conan didn't you? :P Silly Americans, he's been around longer than that!
He's been mocking himself and his own desire to be a serious musician for years (Rock and Roll Nerd), thus the eccentric stage persona and cabaret music juxtaposed with the tailcoats and the grand piano. Much like his song "Peace Anthem for Palestine" jumps back and forth from classical music to silly nursery rhyme music. "You don't eat pigs! We don't eat pigs!" :D
My personal favorites:
http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_u…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDiC5iStn…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBUc_kATG…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0W7Jbc_V…
Tim Minchin is so rock!
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