December 20, 2004

So, I was going to write about this article in today's Capital Times (and, since Madison Newspapers doesn't keep anything online more than a week or so, you can also click on the expanded entry to read it), but I couldn't decide whether to categorize it under "Looney Lefties", "Ironic" or "Hypocrisy". And besides, I rant about Cap Times articles all the time, I'm in the mood for something different.

Of everything I've read in the past few days, this post on Montykins sticks out the most. The gist of the story is that, back in 1981, some 10-year olds in Mississippi saw "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Like most kids, they loved it. Unlike most kids, they spent the next 7 years making a shot for shot remake of it, stunts, special effects and all. The resulting film is, appropriately enough, called "Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation". The film premiered at an Austin film festival in May 2003, so I'm way behind on this story. But, I'm still just amazed by it. I read more about it on Ain't It Cool News and it just gets better and better:

They grew up in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. They learned to sew costumes, blow shit up good, take molds of their heads, drag under motorized vehicles, be hurled through windows, set themselves on fire, set their basement on fire, take over a WWII Submarine, improvise brilliantly another animal for the monkey, blow up a truck, get a shitload of snakes, build a giant boulder, the first kiss, get a girl to strip and put on Marion’s dress while they filmed it in the mirror. They dressed their friends up as Nazis, killed a brother over and over again, made over 40 traditional Arabic costumes, swordfight, beat the shit out of each other, build giant Egyptian statues, con someone out of a Rolls Royce, scour Goodwill’s and Salvation Armies for costumes and props.

Wow. I can't tell you how much I want to see this, or at least hear from someone else who has. Apparently, the film was given a 4-minute standing ovation in Austin. So, it's not just like these kids did it, they did it well.

I was talking to some friends the other day and we were reminiscing about how our parents used to make us play outside, and how we'd play and play until it was dark out and they would make us come on in. I remember growing up with some of the greatest "toys" in the world: A giant pine tree (known to all as "Mr. Big Tree"), trails, piles of snow plowed from the nearby Senior Citizens center, and, for one wonderful summer, a huge dirt pit right in front of the house. Those were the days. I think kids grow up a little different when they have to make their own entertainment and they don't have a TV or XBox to do it for them.

It's pretty ironic for me to say this, but the internet is a wonderful thing and opens up a world of knowledge to kids, but maybe they're losing something else in the process.

From the 12/20/04 Capital Times:

Bush and his cohorts would be wise to implement Jesus agenda
By Brett Hulsey

'Love your enemies. ... If someone strikes you on the right cheek, give them the other.' Are the Guantanamo or Abu Ghraib torture treatments consistent with this teaching?We are told to expect a Christian government just in time for Christmas, but what is the Jesus agenda? Methodist church school taught me that the Sermon on the Mount is the basic statement of Jesus' philosophy, in Matthew 5:1-28 and Luke 6:17-46 for those who want to read along.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth." We haven't seen much meekness in Washington lately, except from Democrats. The question is, "Will the Earth be worth inheriting after the oil companies and polluters trash it?" We have to work harder to protect our inheritance.

"Blessed are those who show mercy." We've not seen much mercy either, especially in the GOP attacks on amputee war heroes like Sen. Max Cleland, for being weak on terror.

"Blessed are the peacemakers." It's not clear how Iraq figures into this. Invading Iraq has killed some 1,300 Americans and 10,000 to 100,000 Iraqis so far. There's not much peace there.

"Do not store up for yourself treasures on Earth." This means we should repeal the tax cuts for the rich in order to fund vital programs.

"Love your enemies. ... If someone strikes you on the right cheek, give them the other." Are the Guantanamo or Abu Ghraib torture treatments consistent with this teaching? The Red Cross thinks not.

"Whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery." Studies show divorce rates higher in very Christian states like Mississippi, and lowest in Massachusetts, home of gay marriage. Christians should focus on staying married themselves, not worrying about gays.

"Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand in the churches and streets so they can be seen by others. ... Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray in secret." President Bush should not be praying at any more Cabinet meetings for the TV cameras.

"Don't worry about the speck in my eye until you take the log from your own." We have a lot of logs to take out of our eyes before worrying about others.

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." The golden rule is a universal religious value. The president has disrespected others on global warming, the world court, the nuclear terror treaty, and many other international agreements.

"Beware of false prophets, men who come to you dressed as sheep while underneath they are savage wolves. You will recognize them by the fruits they bear ... a good tree always yields good fruit and a bad tree bad fruit."

We have yet to see many good fruits from President Bush and his followers. They need to implement a real Jesus agenda, lest they be hypocrites, false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing.

Dane County Supervisor Brett Hulsey reads the Bible and tries to implement its wisdom.

Posted by kris at December 20, 2004 09:39 PM

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