Subject: Re: At this time of Christmas
I read this board, occasionally, but I hadn't much to say. I don't think all people who believe in a god are Christians. But they bother me the most, maybe because they are most familiar to me.

I posted because, as a favor to a friend, i recently saw, The Christmas Story, on CBS. It infuriated me. While a supposed more realistic version of what "actually" happened, it revealed the dark reasons Christianity is an evil, pernicious model of the universe for our society.

It starts with better production values than most. Kevin Costner, lights torches as he guides us through the history of Christ's birth and all, a reliably approachable and reasonable-appearing moderator. However, the Christmas Story becomes almost prurient when the handsome angel from God, dressed in white Roman armor, appears to the beautiful, teenage Mary when alone in a barn. Frightened, she backs away, falling into a pile of hay. Don't be afraid, says the angel, speaking softly, as he slowly moves closer. Closer. She crab walks backwards deeper into the hay. He comes closer and softly tells her that God has chosen her to have his son and that he will come to her as the holy spirit. This takes forever and there is so much suspense and fear on her part, lying in the hay, with the angel coming so close, that it's creepy.

Maybe i've seen too many movies but, this was uncomfortably like the real thing; flashbacks of Jane Russell kept popping into my mind. The angel may have spoken softly and soothingly, but it left no doubt that God is male and has something in mind for a beautiful young woman, whether she wants it or not.

Just putting it into words makes me ill. And it doesn't get better because there is a whole other scene where she lays in bed waiting for God to come to her.

This Christmas story is realistic in all the wrong ways. Or right ways, because, really, this is the story the Christians are selling. It goes on as dozens, or hundreds of first-born sons are murdered by a mad and crazy Herod. And, then, we don't hear a thing from this son of God, again, until a quick sketch of the Easter Story reminds of us what is to come. Can't wait to see the realistic, beautiful, mid-twenty-ish Mary Magdalene and all the rest of the characters. I'm sure it's coming.

Stupidity and depravity in living color on a Disney-owned Channel, cutting at all the high points with to insane commercials geared to the very young. The answer to this disgusting mess: The uber male Christian god who is all powerful but sacrifices humans for his purposes. I'm not against men! They have their place, but not as God of everything, the universe, forever and ever.

Enter, my post from yesterday.

I don't normally post because anyone with any sense and those here already know how senseless it is to argue the veracity of any of son of god stories.

I think the reason I wrote about this and am writing now is I don't understand what possessed Kevin to do this? Is he insane? Cynical and now milking the sucker audience during the last stages of his career? Is this the beginning of a series? Or is he beat up and hurting, returning to the childhood comfort of his early childhood? All three? No wisdom around him? Maybe it was the last young wife, and a life of superficial indulgences.

What makes people believe these things? Don't they ask questions? Are there ways to teach? Like the miracle worker, Annie Sullivan, did who signed the symbols into Helen Keller's hand, water, water, water, until the girl understood that the motions in her hand and the water were the same. And Helen Keller was deaf and blind -- and unwilling to learn. Ignorant of what was could be learned.

Annie Sullivan was stubborn. :)

If anyone wonders whether Christianity is real, watching this will dispel it. Only for the young, and whoever still thinks magically.

Turned into a mini review!