Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Seed Discussion Forum
Teenage Wasteland
cleveland:
In theory, I find all of this pagan/wikkan/earthy spiritual stuff interesting...in practice, I find the adherents...strange.
I guess I am square after all.
Christopher Hitchens, who is kind of an ass, has a funny article on Slate today regarding the rediculous 'war on christmas' boo-ha:
http://www.slate.com/id/2132806/nav/tap1/
The title alone is great: Bah, Humbug: Screw You and YOur Reindeer Too!
Johnny G:
I saw a thing about getting to heaven the other night. They interviewed various scholars and religous leaders about heaven and how to get there.
I was struck by the fact that the evangelical and the suicide bomber were the only ones who thought they had the "only way" and that everyone else was going to hell.
Just an observation.
Antigen:
--- Quote ---On 2005-12-22 11:55:00, cleveland wrote:
"In theory, I find all of this pagan/wikkan/earthy spiritual stuff interesting...in practice, I find the adherents...strange.
--- End quote ---
Adherents? Yeah. Students? I generally like students of all the old practice and lore. I'm not like really hooked on the subject, but I'll look over whatever falls under my nose. Ever wonder why ever culture in the Northern hemisphere has some kind of sacred rite around the Winter solstace? Ours is off now by about 3 days now. But the birth of the Christ tradition sounds a whole lot more like the Nordic solstice traditions surrounding the re-birth of the Sun after 3 days in the tomb than the Roman the census. And wasn't that usually done in the Springtime? Right around April Fools' Day, the Roman New Year. It became foolish for anyone to celebrate it once the pope won those wars and Constantine started his "missions".
All these people may well have been dead wrong about the nature of life, the universe and everything. But something prompted them all, relatively independently, to mark these days especially and to celebrate w/ gifts, food and unusual kindness and friendliness.
Why?
One reason, I think, is that this time of year is very hard on some for a variety of reasons. I have this very nice little old lady on my kid's paper route. Normally, she's very proper. Particular about how her paper is delivered and firm about it. But pleasant and proper and usually cheerfull. Last night, she called me up to tell me how good and sweet and mature my kid is and how sorry she couldn't afford to tip her better.
That lead to reasons why. It's a hard story, and very common to ppl around their age. She just really wanted/needed to talk to somebody.
And that's the point of the kinds of celebrations we all have this time of year in the northern hemisphere, isn't it? Check on family, friends and neighbors. Make sure they're not all despondent and isolated. It's cold out, make sure they have heat. There's no better excuse in the world than the Winter Solstice to have a party (or crash one!) and reenforce precious ties.
BTW, according to this site: http://pharmacraticinquisition.com/
The shamen of old in the extreme north used to deliver Fly Agarics on Christmas/Solstice. Evidently, this was one of those traditions that the heathens didn't give up easily. So, as any good religion or conquoring culture will do, they spun their own myths around it and made the laws against it blue.
I can tell you from experience that, given the right mindset and good physical health to start with, I've found no better cure for the Winter dulldrums than a nice chicken noodle soup w/ some mushrooms. This is not part of my yearly celebration. This year, I didn't have the time or need to even check for them at the right time of year. Who knows? Maybe I never will again :wink: But I can easily understand why wise old shamen might hand these things out as gifts at this time of year to the people in their care.
Faith is a cop-out. It is intellectual bankruptcy. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits.
--Dan Barker, author and former evangelist
--- End quote ---
_________________
Drug war POW
Straight, Sarasota
`80 - `82
Antigen:
--- Quote ---On 2005-12-12 12:00:00, cleveland wrote:
"I couldn't resist adding another (different) link to this band above, it has a couple of music downloads too:
http://songsillinoismp3.blogspot.com/20 ... vided.html
If anyone is interested, I would recommend songs like, "Heirloom," "Baby's Got a Problem," "Nothing Special," and anything off of The Taller You Are, The Shorter You Get album."
--- End quote ---
Ok, I finally found the time. I must admit he doesn't captivate me so I still don't really know what he's singing about. What's your point? What's the draw? Is it some poetry in the lyrics? I've never been dissapointed or regretted the effort to track down anything on your recomendation. Now I think I must be missing something.
Here, try this by way of apology.
http://fornits.com/sounds/CVB.m3u
This is an album called New Roman Times by Camper Van Beethoven. Here's their site:
http://www.campervanbeethoven.com/
A good friend turned me onto this at a time when he couldn't possibly have known, unless he knows my writing style that well, how badly I needed it. Now it's my respite. Hope ya'll find something good and valuable in it too.
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base.
-- Dave Barry
--- End quote ---
cleveland:
I've had friends who loved Camper Van Beethoven, but outside of their great band name, I've never enjoyed them.
You asked why I posted about my favorite band, and here's a review to clarify:
http://www.splendidezine.com/review.htm ... 2170348487
I will admit, to each his own. But I think this band is worth the effort to get into.
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