19 February 2010
It seems our VW Jetta is about due for retirement. A loud knocking noise caused me to bring it into the machanic’s shop last night, and today they called saying the repair would cost over $600. Admittedly, this isn’t a lot of money compared to some car repairs but, for one thing, I am really sick of my cars breaking down every time I get my tax refund. How do the cars know that I suddenly have an influx of money?
But secondly, and more importantly, screw that fucking Jetta. We bought that thing five years ago, believing we were so hip and cool for having a German car. And, for a while, I did like it. It’s definitely fancier than my Cavalier. But the thing needs repairs at least twice a year – repairs costing several hundred dollars each time. I agree that Volkswagen makes a better quality car than General Motors, but who can afford the upkeep? Maybe we just bought a lemon…who knows?
All I know is: a new car is looming in our future, and it ain’t gonna be a People’s Vehicle this time.
20 February 2010
Today I ventured over to St. Anthony Main Theaters for a screening of Waiting for Armageddon. Although it was a little dry, and didn’t seem to have any message, I suggest it to all my readers (both of them). My reason for attending was not, however, simply because I wanted to see a film about apocalyptic cults, but because I had been invited to take part in a discussion panel following the film.
There were four people on the panel: one woman (a representative of MFA who served as moderator), me, and two other men – both in their 60s and both pastors at churches. One was the pastor at an evangelical church who viewed each question as an opportunity to ramble, Abe Simpson style. The other was a pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Apple Valley.
The discussion was very interesting, I thought. The moderator asked us questions mostly concerning our impressions of the film. She then took questions from the audience. I learned that, contrary to what I imagined, most people in the audience were not non-religious, they were actually made up of mostly Christians who came to find out about even wackier versions of their faith.
At one point, this question was asked: “How do you feel that having the world-view that Armageddon is coming influences a person’s life?”
The two pastors both answered that such a view can help bring a person closer to Jesus, and that it helps to give a person focus. My answer was basically that it fundamentally alters every normal action the person would otherwise have. This was immediately argued by an audience member who countered that many of his relatives believe in an imminent rapture, and he doesn’t feel that they are traumatized. I then spoke for about five minutes about how traumatizing it is, culling mostly from my own life, but also referencing the film and pointing out that if I was to convince the audience that the end was coming exactly ten years from now…wouldn’t it greatly influence how they live out those ten years? I also noted that most of the trauma isn’t consciously observed by the cult member until they have excused themselves from that belief.
Following the discussion, that audience member came up and shook my hand, saying he enjoyed my comments. Two young Christian men came up and talked with me about the Witness mentality for about 10 minutes and were surprised to discover that a person would actually remain in a religion after (to use their words) “leaving God.” I guess they assumed that most people leave a religion, and then fall away from God. Sorry, not in my case.
Oh – and on the way out the door, another Christian handed me a free copy of a book he had written. I always get a kick out of the way Christians love to pass out literature. I politely took the book… penance, I guess, from all my years doing the same to other people.