This is the time of year when one of the biggest questions on my mind is "what can I pawn?" To my detriment, this question (and those related to it) detracts from Advent contemplation.
As I told a friend, this is what I get for being an English major.
Anyway, things are fine, we're not going to be homeless next month or anything. The key is being careful, not using any more heat than absolutely necessary, keeping food expenses at a minimum, that sort of thing. I'm more than happy to have to squeeze the belt a little tighter if that means we have wonderful people to spend money on. I'd much rather get to spend time in person with our families and close friends but even so, it's worth anything to send special things to people who make this earth a more tolerable place and help fill our lives with happiness, love and wonderful times.
The other day on television a commercial really got my attention. It showed people sitting on wooden pews in church and an organ playing. The people all looked dead, were yawning, were obviously bored and didn't want to be where they were. Some announcer made some comment about "Not getting much out of church?" or some such remark. Then they cut to footage of the church they were advertising, you know, with their "praise and worship band" and follow the bouncing ball sing-a-longs and whatnot.
I was really pretty upset about the ad. The implication is that a more liturgical setting is undesirable and that enjoyment is the foremost directive in "choosing" a church. "What? Theology? Doctrine? That's BORING stuff, dude...we want to dance and play!" I have very little problem with a church advertising themselves...but a deliberate slam on more liturgical churches is not only inappropriate but displays an obvious lack of understanding when it comes to, well, Christianity. If I see the ad again, I'll be sure to snag the name of the church and do more research. It doesn't take much to shock me, but for some reason this commercial did the trick. "Church advertising in Omaha" would probably make for a great article. Omaha is itself a fairly conservative (in modern association) cowtown with a lot of semi-religious people looking for, well, semi-religion, especially out in the western suburban areas. These commercials really cater to that. Some of them feature pastors as personalities; others advertise everything but what would actually make them a church.
Don't take this as a "what he really means is that everyone who isn't Orthodox is wrong!" rant -- that's not the intent here, and this is by no means an all-out Protestant lambast. I have a lot of respect and love for people across a fairly wide range of religious leanings -- anyone who knows me knows that. What this is about is a public, unexplained slap in the face. It's one thing to make side jokes amongst a group of people who either understand or where some of them can explain what exactly is funny or worth making fun of or knocking about something. Even then, it's still best to be careful if it's in a public forum. I'm guilty of my share of snide remarks on the Cafe forum, but I'm also around all the time and more than happy to actually talk and discuss these issues. An impersonal television commercial is a completely different ballgame.
Before this turns into some sort of raging angst-fest, let me note 3 things:
1. No doubt part of my current personality (as in, what you see in this post...not necessarily who I'll be in an hour) is shaped by a caffeine addiction that has slowly creeped into more dominance than I wish it were. My goal is that after having caffeine early in the workday and at lunch, I can make it until I get home. I've had the physical need for caffeine pressing me in my head for at least half an hour now.
2. Everyone is subject to bad judgement at times. Whenever today I've felt guilty/dumb about some kind of recent decision, I just remember that Ken Tucker, music critic for NPR's Fresh Air program, counts a Ludacris album as one of his Top 10 Albums for 2004. This alongside some other actually very good records. Thinking about how he can do that and still be paid to actually give intelligent opinions on music while other people, many much better than I, wallow in sub-human jobs, absolutely blows my mind.
3. I need to exercise and get those "good feelings" endorphins or whatever flowing, not to mention start losing some flab.
On a more positive note, I'm very much looking forward to having all of next week off (and Christmas Eve, as well). I'll get some time to spend with Stacey and we'll be able to relax a bit and not fit in bits and pieces here and there. I'll have some time to work on all those things I need to work on. Poor Flannery won't feel abandoned. All of that is what's important and makes everything else worth putting up with, and I'm very grateful.
As I told a friend, this is what I get for being an English major.
Anyway, things are fine, we're not going to be homeless next month or anything. The key is being careful, not using any more heat than absolutely necessary, keeping food expenses at a minimum, that sort of thing. I'm more than happy to have to squeeze the belt a little tighter if that means we have wonderful people to spend money on. I'd much rather get to spend time in person with our families and close friends but even so, it's worth anything to send special things to people who make this earth a more tolerable place and help fill our lives with happiness, love and wonderful times.
The other day on television a commercial really got my attention. It showed people sitting on wooden pews in church and an organ playing. The people all looked dead, were yawning, were obviously bored and didn't want to be where they were. Some announcer made some comment about "Not getting much out of church?" or some such remark. Then they cut to footage of the church they were advertising, you know, with their "praise and worship band" and follow the bouncing ball sing-a-longs and whatnot.
I was really pretty upset about the ad. The implication is that a more liturgical setting is undesirable and that enjoyment is the foremost directive in "choosing" a church. "What? Theology? Doctrine? That's BORING stuff, dude...we want to dance and play!" I have very little problem with a church advertising themselves...but a deliberate slam on more liturgical churches is not only inappropriate but displays an obvious lack of understanding when it comes to, well, Christianity. If I see the ad again, I'll be sure to snag the name of the church and do more research. It doesn't take much to shock me, but for some reason this commercial did the trick. "Church advertising in Omaha" would probably make for a great article. Omaha is itself a fairly conservative (in modern association) cowtown with a lot of semi-religious people looking for, well, semi-religion, especially out in the western suburban areas. These commercials really cater to that. Some of them feature pastors as personalities; others advertise everything but what would actually make them a church.
Don't take this as a "what he really means is that everyone who isn't Orthodox is wrong!" rant -- that's not the intent here, and this is by no means an all-out Protestant lambast. I have a lot of respect and love for people across a fairly wide range of religious leanings -- anyone who knows me knows that. What this is about is a public, unexplained slap in the face. It's one thing to make side jokes amongst a group of people who either understand or where some of them can explain what exactly is funny or worth making fun of or knocking about something. Even then, it's still best to be careful if it's in a public forum. I'm guilty of my share of snide remarks on the Cafe forum, but I'm also around all the time and more than happy to actually talk and discuss these issues. An impersonal television commercial is a completely different ballgame.
Before this turns into some sort of raging angst-fest, let me note 3 things:
1. No doubt part of my current personality (as in, what you see in this post...not necessarily who I'll be in an hour) is shaped by a caffeine addiction that has slowly creeped into more dominance than I wish it were. My goal is that after having caffeine early in the workday and at lunch, I can make it until I get home. I've had the physical need for caffeine pressing me in my head for at least half an hour now.
2. Everyone is subject to bad judgement at times. Whenever today I've felt guilty/dumb about some kind of recent decision, I just remember that Ken Tucker, music critic for NPR's Fresh Air program, counts a Ludacris album as one of his Top 10 Albums for 2004. This alongside some other actually very good records. Thinking about how he can do that and still be paid to actually give intelligent opinions on music while other people, many much better than I, wallow in sub-human jobs, absolutely blows my mind.
3. I need to exercise and get those "good feelings" endorphins or whatever flowing, not to mention start losing some flab.
On a more positive note, I'm very much looking forward to having all of next week off (and Christmas Eve, as well). I'll get some time to spend with Stacey and we'll be able to relax a bit and not fit in bits and pieces here and there. I'll have some time to work on all those things I need to work on. Poor Flannery won't feel abandoned. All of that is what's important and makes everything else worth putting up with, and I'm very grateful.
posted by Joel @ 12/21/2004 11:48:00 AM
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