Wednesday, October 26, 2011

You wish to APPEAR in this spectacle?

So I'm enjoying The Amazing Race last Sunday night, as I do. There's this team of two guys who were Olympic snowboarders. One of them looks like David Soul, and the other like Bjorn Borg. They have run a good race so far, making good decisions, roshambo-ing to figure out who does what challenge (cracks me up), taking at least a little time to appreciate where they are, that kind of thing. They're pretty hilarious, and had become my favorite team so far.

Until ... [sad trombone] ... it comes out that they're Jesus-jumpers. And just like that, I'm completely off of them. I don't hate them or anything; it's just that what I took for general enthusiasm for adventure and whatnot is suddenly revealed to be religio-based, and therefore (to me) less organic, more deliberate, and therefore inauthentic and suddenly annoying. Why? And what does that say about me? Ugh.

But even worse, they were one of several teams who had misgivings about one of the challenges -- they had to disassemble this Buddhist model shriney thing, take it to another location, and reassemble it (basic memory/stress challenge). But the Christianists among the group (which I swear was half of them, gaah), all expressed -- on camera -- their feelings that what they were doing was bad or wrong or ... something, with the clear inference that they thought that putting their hands on, and moving around, the tchotchkes and knickknacks of another religion would somehow infect them with that religion, leading them astray (and doubtless into hellfire and eternal damnation yada yada yada). And while they're all whining about this, I'm thinking, "If you're so sure of your god, why would this stuff be any more than JUST STUFF to you? How little power does your god have, that touching another god's trinkets & gewgaws would be able to interfere?" Still don't get it.

And on that note, about religious people and reality shows: I have long thought that Survivor ought to do an Atheists v. Christians season -- you wanna juice the ratings, that'd do it. I'd go to the CBS website and buy the stupid buff for THAT shit. Of course, you'd have to endure death threats, possible firebombings of regional network ad sales offices, those Westboro asslinings, and endless condemnatory bullshittery from Repuglican presidential "candidates," but like I said: Think of the ratings!

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6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Long time reader, first time commenter.

Usually so very picking up what you're laying down, but this time -- double stuff.

Boys were my favorite team, too. And then -- the first hint of holy rollerness. Ready to turn the other cheek, so to speak, until they gotta go dis somebody else's opiate/masses.

Blargh!

And then Survivor -- with the praying for victory and such. Really? It took two or three cocktails to wash that bad taste out of my mouth/brain.

Speaking of brains -- do you get the "YOU watch reality shows?" reaction from folks who think that since you're a smartypants you should be above it? I always say it's just like football -- I like not seeing the conclusion from the second scene.

again, dig my visits here -- keep up the great bloggering!

happy healthy baby making as well

Patty

1:07 AM  
Anonymous Maggie said...

Delurking to say I had exactly the same reaction. Was enjoying the snowboarders, thought they were good competitors and just enjoyed being out there. Then
. . . the Jesus talk followed by that bullshit with the shrine. Suddenly can hardly stand to listen to them. Was totally blindsided by that crap.

I have never watched Survivor, but if they did an Atheists vs. Christians show, I'd watch every second.

8:54 AM  
Blogger Gleemonex said...

I love you guys! I had started to think maybe I was being too hard on the snowboarders (and UGH to the praying for Survivor victory! IF there is a God, I'm CERTAIN he or she does not give a flying fuck about who wins a goddamn challenge in a GAME SHOW) -- but nope. We have no obligation to follow along on God's Hayride. Allegiance officially transferred to Marcus/Amani. Boom!

2:03 PM  
Blogger Gleemonex said...

Oh -- and yeah, sometimes people are all, "You *watch* that mass entertainment baloney???"

Yes I do. It's different every time, and it's fun, and I get to bag on people (which is itself a fun sport that is why TV was invented). Back off, Jack!

2:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i was asked once about guilty pleasures and responded that my hobby was to hate on certain reality show participants...smells like teen catharsis!!

Patty

11:24 PM  
Blogger uncouthheathen said...

BEST IDEA EVER - Atheists v Christians on Survivor.

I haven't seen any of this year's Amazing Race...thankfully, I guess...so that my TV is safe from rage attacks.

2:23 PM  

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