As I was falling asleep last night I considered what it would be like to one day be me, and the next be an orange brick mass.
What's good? Brick turned out to be the best material in the fairytale of the Three Little Pigs; it was strong, durable, and wind resistant.
What's bad? There is the obvious issue of being the only person made of brick. It'd be understandable to feel kind of awkward. More importantly, there goes your sex life! Who wants to cuddle with a brick wall? Or a cinder block?
The Fantastic Four make a great team, but The Thing is isolated; none of the other heroes experienced a permanent cosmetic transformation. I wonder if the author intentionally isolated The Thing. In addition to being the only brick hero, he's also the only Jew, correct?
However, a Jew without the ability to procreate is contradictory; the Torah stresses the importance of having babies. It says, "Be fruitful and multiply."
What I'm saying is, The Thing needs a wife (Judaism states that sex occurs only after marriage). Perhaps we ought to expose more people to cosmic rays. If all else fails, we could always make a golem...
There's one here under the 'brass golem' heading... To be honest, I don't quite understand what it's all about.
Another website suggested wearing white robes, and sculpting using purified water, pure clay, pure intention...
I find the whole thing kind of odd. Besides the concept of creating a conscious entity without using... erm... conventional methods, we're not even doing it the Frankenstein way. At least the guy who made Frankenstein used something tangible-ish (electricity) to activate his "person." But just hoping it will work... God probably does not have "make golems work" at the top of his priority list. Who makes a golem based on an electronic recipe, anyway? Nothing earthier than a good golem... It seems more realistic to use historical methods. I wonder if the Pagan faith has any recipes?
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Here's the missing link
I forgot the link for the first article (the DVD breakdown). Here it is: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-503195/British-children-targeted-terror-sing-DVD-suicide-bombers.html
Read something happy after
Last night I started blogging, and it was so terrible I went, I'll do it tomorrow...
It was saying that it's corny for teams to wear uniforms. And evil. Think of the Power Rangers. Think of the Powerpuff Girls. Think of Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles. It's unnatural for a bunch of creatures to look exactly the same. Clone army, anyone?
I even linked a video to youtube in which the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get brainwashed into working for the Power Rangers, and as I pondered the powers of ninties technology, realized that there have been multiple occasions of brainwashing in history.
I first thought of children who become killing machines in Africa. But as I googled looking for it, I found other things instead. I was planning on linking these examples to Hitler's leadership tactics of forming his army in the Holocaust, but I've been perusing articles, each scarier than the last, for about twenty minutes now, and I want to talk about these instead.
This one is about a terrorist sing along DVD. It is designed to appeal to kids. In the video, a mother suicide bombs herself, and later her daughter wants to "follow in her footsteps."
I couldn't find the actual DVD on youtube, but here it's broken down scene by scene.
Another article deals with children who were kidnapped, trained, drugged... Then they kill people. It seems that since they are so young, their sense of right and wrong is stunted. Some of the kids start out as regular kids and eventually become monsters, trained not to feel. It's horrifying, but very interesting. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/02/12/child.soldiers/index.html
Lastly, brainwashing can take place in the home, too. Some kids (me) were brainwashed to do their homework and eat their veggies... Sadly, this isn't the case in this house. Marcus Wesson brainwashed his family into thinking he was God. They also didn't realize that being sexually abused and beaten was not a normal part of everyday life. And yes, he DOES get caught. It's unfortunate that we can't do much to help the victims. Check it out: http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/marcus-wesson-mass-murder-surviving-family-speaks-abuse/story?id=11089648&page=1
It was saying that it's corny for teams to wear uniforms. And evil. Think of the Power Rangers. Think of the Powerpuff Girls. Think of Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles. It's unnatural for a bunch of creatures to look exactly the same. Clone army, anyone?
I even linked a video to youtube in which the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get brainwashed into working for the Power Rangers, and as I pondered the powers of ninties technology, realized that there have been multiple occasions of brainwashing in history.
I first thought of children who become killing machines in Africa. But as I googled looking for it, I found other things instead. I was planning on linking these examples to Hitler's leadership tactics of forming his army in the Holocaust, but I've been perusing articles, each scarier than the last, for about twenty minutes now, and I want to talk about these instead.
This one is about a terrorist sing along DVD. It is designed to appeal to kids. In the video, a mother suicide bombs herself, and later her daughter wants to "follow in her footsteps."
I couldn't find the actual DVD on youtube, but here it's broken down scene by scene.
Another article deals with children who were kidnapped, trained, drugged... Then they kill people. It seems that since they are so young, their sense of right and wrong is stunted. Some of the kids start out as regular kids and eventually become monsters, trained not to feel. It's horrifying, but very interesting. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/02/12/child.soldiers/index.html
Lastly, brainwashing can take place in the home, too. Some kids (me) were brainwashed to do their homework and eat their veggies... Sadly, this isn't the case in this house. Marcus Wesson brainwashed his family into thinking he was God. They also didn't realize that being sexually abused and beaten was not a normal part of everyday life. And yes, he DOES get caught. It's unfortunate that we can't do much to help the victims. Check it out: http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/marcus-wesson-mass-murder-surviving-family-speaks-abuse/story?id=11089648&page=1
Saturday, September 18, 2010
History: Doomed to repeat?
It's odd that after his daughter's death, Frimme Hersh, rather than sitting shiva and continuing to be Orthodox, does everything Judaism dictates he shouldn't. Usually when a Jewish family loses someone, they set a date and lots of people (friends, family, etc.) come over (ideally with food) and commemorate the person and comfort the family of the deceased. It's meant to serve as a distraction from the pain and an opportunity for people in the community to help out. For example, if some kids lost their mom, people in the neighborhood might make some soup and freeze it so that the children wouldn't have to cook while having to cope with not having their parent around.
Anyway, Frimme shaves his beard (that's a big deal for Orthodox Jews). He focuses on money. He has romantic affairs with a nonjewish woman. Perhaps he is saying, No! I reject this life! You (God) killed my daughter! Forget you! I'm starting over!
He goes from a happy, helpful guy to someone bitter and vengeful. He doesn't even get along with his girlfriend. He rejects his former self, angry at God and frustrated that life is not always good. The story continues, though, and his life does begin to look up. The author ends Frimme's life on a happy(ish) note- business was going well and he had just made a generous donation to the synagogue. It was ominous also,suggesting that the boy who finds the contract is doomed to be just like Frimme was; however, perhaps the intention was instead to steer him back on track (he was throwing rocks at some bullies when he found the stone with Frimme's contract).
Anyway, Frimme shaves his beard (that's a big deal for Orthodox Jews). He focuses on money. He has romantic affairs with a nonjewish woman. Perhaps he is saying, No! I reject this life! You (God) killed my daughter! Forget you! I'm starting over!
He goes from a happy, helpful guy to someone bitter and vengeful. He doesn't even get along with his girlfriend. He rejects his former self, angry at God and frustrated that life is not always good. The story continues, though, and his life does begin to look up. The author ends Frimme's life on a happy(ish) note- business was going well and he had just made a generous donation to the synagogue. It was ominous also,suggesting that the boy who finds the contract is doomed to be just like Frimme was; however, perhaps the intention was instead to steer him back on track (he was throwing rocks at some bullies when he found the stone with Frimme's contract).
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Stone in a storm
We recall that as a boy, Frimme established a contract with God. Let's examine the concept of God. In private Jewish grade school and middle school we learned that God created the heavens and the earth. God is everywhere. God is a stalker. God creeps on you like Santa creeps on little kids.
Later in life my Rabbi presented a new image with everything as water and God as waves. No clear line where tangible things end and God begins. The image stuck with me, continually rattling my brain... until my little sister mentioned a Flying Spaghetti Monster. What? She passed me The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson. You should check it out. It's very entertaining.
But if you don't, here's a recap: it approaches religion using only logic. Consider: perhaps there is a huge Flying Spaghetti Monster hovering above our planet, protecting us and controlling the universe. He keeps us from flying off the earth by caressing us with his noodly appendages. As he is invisible, we have no proof that he does not exist. Look and giggle!
Who has the coolest invisible friend? Nobody.
We -I- really have no idea what's out there.
So, contracts. Two parties mutually agree to a set of given rules. Does Frimme Hersh's invisible friend ever agree to Frimme's terms? We don't know, but Frimme's friend "God" at least motivates him to act kindly and compassionately towards others, and to project more positive than negative energy into the universe (for good karma).
Frimme Hersh writes a contract on a stone. Using it for moral support, he does his best to consistently be a good person. Frimme dies. Hmm... sounds like... life. Perhaps Frimme Hersh is simply... human.
Later in life my Rabbi presented a new image with everything as water and God as waves. No clear line where tangible things end and God begins. The image stuck with me, continually rattling my brain... until my little sister mentioned a Flying Spaghetti Monster. What? She passed me The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson. You should check it out. It's very entertaining.
But if you don't, here's a recap: it approaches religion using only logic. Consider: perhaps there is a huge Flying Spaghetti Monster hovering above our planet, protecting us and controlling the universe. He keeps us from flying off the earth by caressing us with his noodly appendages. As he is invisible, we have no proof that he does not exist. Look and giggle!
Who has the coolest invisible friend? Nobody.
We -I- really have no idea what's out there.
So, contracts. Two parties mutually agree to a set of given rules. Does Frimme Hersh's invisible friend ever agree to Frimme's terms? We don't know, but Frimme's friend "God" at least motivates him to act kindly and compassionately towards others, and to project more positive than negative energy into the universe (for good karma).
Frimme Hersh writes a contract on a stone. Using it for moral support, he does his best to consistently be a good person. Frimme dies. Hmm... sounds like... life. Perhaps Frimme Hersh is simply... human.
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