And the Oscar Goes To. . . .

Tags

fashion, Harvey Milk, Meryl Streep, Oscars, Sean Penn, Sophia Loren

Okay, I admit it. We watched the Oscars. The Contrarian gives in on this nonsense, because he exacts a price for it.

He tends to make me sit through some God-awful movie staring either John Wayne or Humphrey Bogart to even the scales again.

Actually, I thought this years was superb. Really I do. Hugh Jackman was great, the set was gorgeous and I thought they added some stuff that really classed it up. In highlighting each film nominated for best picture, they added film clips of similar issues from other movies, which made them all quite interesting.

Moreover for the big 4 nominations, they brought in five or so past winners, each giving a tribute to one nominee. That way they all got some serious recognition even though only one would win.

Most of the dresses were truly lovely, only a couple I thought were rather inelegant. Meryl Streep’s was dowdy I thought. Sophia Loren’s dated and what was that bit with the hand on the hip?

All of the winners were predicted well in advance. The only surprise was best actor. Mickey Rourke was considered to be pretty much a lock. But it went to Sean Penn. I’m told “Milk” is extraordinary. Best line was from DeNiro: “Sean how did you do all those straight roles so well?” Or something to that effect.

The wacko right will be screaming. The Contrarian is scanning Foxy Noise to see what their reaction is to the ungodly liberal socialistic secular beasts using the Oscars for a forum for their agenda. Ya know that is how they will play it.

I had no particular favorite on any of them, but I must say, as nice as it would have been for Rourke, I was thrilled that Sean Penn won. Thrilled that once again, we can proudly proclaim that in America it is high time to stop this ugly treatment of the “others” we continue to manufacture.

The fact is, properly understood, there is no true biblical admonition against homosexuality, and it’s time to remove that erroneous crutch from the evangelical right. Penn had it right when he suggested it was high time that the Right fear the sad shame in the eyes of their grandchildren for holding such mean and ugly views based on some wished for interpretation they cling to in their desperation to be “better” than somebody.

I haven’t seen a single movie that was honored. I’m sure in time I will see most of them. I’m glad Slumdog Millionaire won best picture, because those kids in Mumbai need to feel that sense of pride. They need to feel the honor. They need to know they matter.

I don’t know anything about Penelope Cruz’s picture. Meryl Streep will still go down as perhaps histories greatest actress. Certainly of our time. I felt bad for the rest. They all seemed worthy of winning.

The Jolie/Pitt team didn’t win. But they remain America’s Cinderella couple if you get into that kind of thing. I don’t. I had even failed to realize that Jennifer Aniston stood mere feet from them as she made her presentation. I presume lots of people were looking for something in that. I was blithely unaware.

I’m glad Robin Roberts picked the orange/peachy dress. It really was the best of the three. No, before you ask, I didn’t vote! I’m not THAT weird. Okay, I admit, I did enter votes for one Dancing with the Stars couple but that’s all! Really. Honestly. Cross my heart and hope to die.

Hey, in three weeks, we will be calling the hoops in March Madness! Only a week until Spring!

Tackling the Interior Me

Tags

God, Jesus, Lent

If you see a guy with long hair and flowing robes, running by your home,  pulling along a panting white middle aged lady, that would be Jesus and me. Just so ya know.

The reason is quite simple. In my very best Jackie Gleason voice: “I got a BIIIGGGGGG MOUUUUTHHHHH!”

You heard me. I said it the other day. I said that I was experiencing one of those high moments in my spiritual life. I figured Jesus was too busy to hear that, having to finish off marking the Oscar balloting and all, but no, he heard me. He tends to take me at my word.

So, it seems I’ve started off the Lenten season a bit earlier than I expected to.  You see, I think of Lent as a time of great interior reflection. I not only try to enter into my Lord’s passion but I try to figure out what is wrong with me, where I am wanting and in need of repair and improvement. Like I said, I expected to start that process in a couple more days, but I guess Jesus is no follower of calendars. We started Saturday.

Now that you are thoroughly panting to know what I’m talking about, I’ll set the stage. I have returned to THAT forum, you know the one I mean. The one that sucks your soul dry and spits you out bruised and wondering if you even know your name anymore. Black becomes white, and so forth there. It’s a big black hole of anger and lousy theology.

The reasons were simple. I got bored one day. I used to be a big user of MIRC. For those of you who are unaware, that was the original “talk” medium on the internet. You downloaded a program, hooked into a server and ended up choosing from hundreds of “rooms.” Once in there, you could chat in real time with any number of people at once. There was public conversation and private. I really loved it, and frankly, met a ton of people in real life. The Contrarian and I even used it before we met in real life.

Anyway, I missed the immediacy of chat. The forum can approach that sometimes if you are both on at the same time. You can carry on a delayed conversation of sorts. I have met a number of really fine people there, despite the fact that most of it is frequented by reactionary numb skulls.

Also, I pick up some interesting readers for my blog. One guy there carries my web address and visits from time to time. I see that a fair number of others do as well. I’ve met a few Episcopalians too.

Anyway, a couple of threads had devolved as we say, into rather nasty remarks going each way. I was having a hard time being civil to people calling me a heretic for being a non-Roman Catholic, and to protesting that we Protestants had no right using creeds and such that they claimed were the exclusive property of their Church. Being told that you aren’t smart enough or haven’t studied enough to yet realize that there is only ONE church and it is theirs gets a bit old after a while.

I finally got a rather terse post from someone I respected. He pointed out that I had been hailed from the mud, and apparently decided to join in the dirty mess myself. I was in effect no better than they, though he conceded I was articulate, and had something valuable to say. He questioned my approach.

Well, I was crestfallen in a word. The wingnuttery types I just get angry with and dispute, but someone I respected? Talking to me this way? Well, it gave me pause. I began to think and the more I did, the more I realized that I couldn’t avoid the fact that he was right. I had succumbed to the swamp and joined. I was not representing Christendom any better than my attackers.

Yesterday, I went to Church. I recall as I do most every Sunday that Jesus seems so very close to me there. I frankly have not felt that way very often in any other church. Our Bishop was visiting and that always is a treat. He’s both articulate and funny. He gives a great sermon. We have a newly installed deacon, we had a great bible class, I was feeling pretty darn joyous.

I was thanking Jesus for leading me to this place, among so many new deeply spiritual people. And then I remembered, and I whispered, “Jesus, heal me from my arrogance and ego. Teach me to preach the truth as I know it with humility and kindness. I’m having a lot of trouble seeing your face in some that I meet.”

I returned home, and some time later, I got on the computer and went to see what was being said today. The person who had so correctly accused me, had left a message. He expressed sorrow at his words and said some very nice things. He encouraged me and gave me a couple of tips to make my posts less threatening in their sounding to those who feared my message.

I thanked him profusely, glad that our forum relationship seemed repaired. I answered a few posts directed at me in this new way he suggested. He happened to be around, and quoted part of one of my posts to me. “You see, the Holy Spirit, is already at work. Good job!”

And indeed, I believe that is true. I don’t have to play in the same mud pit. The fact is that some people will continue to overstate their church’s views no matter what you say. They will state as fact that we Protestants are all just pretenders, unaware that we offend God by our prayers and actions in our churches. I apologized to one woman, and made my points in a gentler way. She replied quite pleasantly. She ended by saying: “I hope your journey at the TEC is but temporary. I feel sure that the Holy Spirit will enlighten you soon and you will see that there can be but one true and holy church, and that you will return to it. ”

No doubt this women doesn’t have a clue how rude and unseemly her remarks are. Nor how prideful. Imagine telling billions of souls that they haven’t the knowledge which you have, and thus are deluded? But she means well, I suspect she really does.

And that is enough. Enough for me to smile gently, and back away. Thanking her for her thoughts as I chuckle to myself. It’s one step. And that is enough for God I warrant. One step, and then hopefully another. If I stumble, well, I know I have someone to catch me. And I’ll keep trying until  this more humble me becomes me, God willing.

If this is any indication. Lent will be a busy time for me this year. Blessings to you on your journey to the cross this year.

*** picture credit to http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com