Joss Whedon, a film and television writer/director/producer who is known for creating TV shows that become cult hits and also feature strong women characters, was recently honoured by Equality Now! for doing just that.

You can watch his brief but articulate acceptance speech on YouTube.

I’m a feminist who acknowledges the importance of and encourages the participation of men in the struggle, because it still is a struggle, as Joss demonstrates. There are times I wish all television shows were made by Joss Whedon! Then we wouldn’t have to put up with any more dead-strippers-in-the-blood-soaked-motel-room episodes of C.S.I.

Very seldom to politicans capture my heart the way Barack Obama has. And it’s not just because he’s Really Really Good-looking. No, it’s because he’s charismatic and cool, two other relatively superficial aspects but perhaps slightly more important than physical attractiveness. Two years ago when I was enjoying the theatrical spectacle that was Indecision 2004 and its accompanying partisan conventions (I am continually awed and entertained by the coordinated signage in the crowds, and had to even give the Republicans credit for creating a visual read of their prime accusation against John Kerry by waving thong sandals above their heads and chanting “Flip-Flop!”) Obama’s address to said Democratic gathering was quite enthralling. Finally, a Democrat you can look at and say, “That man could be president.” Indeed, I’d put serious money on him becoming president someday. He’ll beat Hillary to it, at any rate.

Anyway, he’s in the news today saying that Democrats should work harder to “reach out to evangelical Christians and other religious Americans.”

Though I relish any opportunity for a glimpse of Sen. Obama, this is not a particularly newsworthy statement. It is, in fact, common sense, but the Democrats have not been particularly familiar with those two words over the past seven years. Not that the Republicans have, either, but at least they know how to capitalize on people’s church-sponsored fear (of hell, of homosexuals, of anyone in and around the vicinity of the Arab world).

In America, there is no separating religion and politics. If the Democrats want to win, they have to enter the religious arena, which is what Obama is saying here. Here in Canada we don’t have the same dichotomy where anyone who is a “real” Christian automatically votes Republican. Of course, there have been and still are political movements that are girded by a framework of social conservatism and appeals to certain conservative religious communities, mostly here in western Canada, but nothing that approaches the divisiveness in the United States. Even charismatic, totally rad Obama can’t win over the evangelical, conservative Republicans — the Falwell and Robertson crowd, as it were.

But the question is, can the Democrats capture the imaginations of the so-called “religious left?” Does such a movement even exist? The Sojourners crowd is trying to convince people that it does. Or even more importantly, is there centre-of-the-spectrum religious contingent that could be won over, who, when shown that the Republicans appeal to a twisted imperial version of Christianity, would vote Democrat? There has to be, otherwise Christianity is in more trouble than anyone ever thought.

I’m very skeptical. After all, there’s only one Barack Obama and tons of other Democrats who keep on dropping the ball. It’s like Jon Stewart continually asks — “How will the Democrats mess this one up?” It’s not a matter of “if.” I fully expect the Democrats to lose in 2008, especially if they keep up this Hillary Clinton nonsense. I don’t have as much of a problem with Hillary as some, but America is nowhere near ready to elect a woman president, network television dramas notwithstanding. Black men have traditionally achieved rights before women in the US, and there’s no reason to believe the presidency will be any different (another reason why Barack will be president before Hillary). As Ariana Huffington said, if the Democrats nominate Hillary Clinton, it’ll basically be a giant party suicide.

By the same token, if more moderate American Christians don’t stand up to the illogical and unethical tactics of the religious leaders associated with Republican politics, it will only prove to the rest of the world (non-believers, infidels, Canadians) that Christianity is more effed up than we already thought. This kind of bullshit doesn’t serve the Kingdom of God, folks.

technorati tags: barack obama, america, religion, politics, christianity

I really, really hope this is the final chapter, anyway. But I’m not going to promise myself anything.

Here are two more items I have recently acquired for what is definitely now a “collection” of strange Jesus stuff.

Bill brought me this lamp, which apparently was in his ninety-year-old mother’s posession and that’s why it’s no longer functional, unfortunately.

As you can see, this lamp is composed of a large, shiny seashell embedded vertically in plaster in a black dish. The seashell forms a backdrop for a cheap gold crucifix that overlooks fake coral in two neon colours. The seashell in the foreground conceals a light-bulb, or at least what used to be a light-bulb. I believe the idea is for the light from the bulb to reflect off the inside of the smaller shell and onto the plastic crucifix.

Lest you think this was an ill-advised Women’s Ministries craft, let me note that a stamp on the bottom bears testament to the fact that this item originated at “The World Famous Ye Old Curiosity Shoppe” in Seattle, USA, which has existed since some point in the 19th century (the last two numbers in the date are blurry). There’s still a price tag, too, that reads “$4.50.”

But the more interesting of Saturday’s acquisitions is this one, purchased by Robin on my behalf for $2. Apparently the woman who sold it to her had less-than-adequate English-language skills, so I’ll forgive her not negotiating a lower price.

Surrounded by a tarnished base metal frame is a holographic image of Jesus at prayer, with two cowering disciples looking on. Above the image is a small but working lamp that illuminates the scene. It even came with a light bulb.

As I said, I hope this will be the final installment in this series of posts documenting my acquisition of strange religious items. What began as a whimsical journey has now become slightly depressing. I’m not sure why. Is it perhaps a sense of disillusionment resulting from vestigal attachment to the conventions of Christianity and its iconograpy? Is it that I feel bad that fossil fuels were expended in the creation of these absolutely unneccessary objects of no redeeming aesthetic value?

Maybe it’s just that I don’t have room for more crap.

But I can’t help it if people just keep bringing me stuff! I never should have made my illicit desire so public.

As promised I have more Jesus paraphernalia:

The sound board and microphones in the background may confuse some readers, so I’ll flesh out the situation. Each Saturday morning this month I’ve produced a radio show on a community station about garage sales. That’s why I refer to other people making these enviable purchases rather than myself, as I spend each morning in the studio while others do the actual garage saleing. I’m allowed to make requests, however, and that’s why Marni and Rodney selected this Jesus plate for me.

I think this plate is right on the border of kitsch and just plain useless/tacky. But it has a lot going for it — the unapologetically Caucasian Jesus with flawless pink-toned skin, the flowing brown hair and immaculately groomed beard, the white tunic with sash (coloured purple? I assume the artist intended for it to read as blue, as that’s the traditional Jesus sash colour, and everyone knows purple is the colour of gay). The image also features the subtle yet evident halo and heaven’s light shining down on Jesus’ face in 3/4 profile.

You can’t discern it in this low-resolution image, but at the bottom edge of the Jesus picture a scripted font reads “Inspiration.” That actually makes me wonder if maybe this was part of a series. Perhaps we will find the others next week. What could they be? (Dare i hope for one entitled “Temptation?” Get thee behind me, Satan!)

But our radio show strives to reflect the diversity of the community so we also seek out other forms of religious imagery that borders on kitsch. The Fat Buddha has long been a fixture of the pop culture visual lexicon, but seldom is it so disturbing as this:

Its menacing countenance is part drag queen and part gremlin. Looking at this candle, I imagine that if I took it home I would place it on one shelf only to find it mysteriously reappearing wherever else in the house I went — the kitchen cupboard, the shower stall, the closet, the freezer. Each time I would return it to its appointed place on the bookshelf only to have it once again appear next to me at my desk or bedside. I would throw it in the trash. It would appear on my car dashboard. I would chop it up into pieces, and then throw it out. It would appear in my handbag. I would melt it down, its gelatinous pink flesh forming a grotesque melange in my saucepan until–

Well, the point is I didn’t take it home and I think it’s still hanging out at the radio station. It’s also worth noting that, like the image of Jesus above, this religion founder also appears to be Caucasian.

Oh yes, I almost forgot: the Jesus plate cost me the sum of $0.50. I don’t know how much Freaky Buddha cost, but it can’t have been much more.

WHATEVER WILL WE FIND NEXT? If you have any requests, let me know and I’ll pass them on to our intrepid field reporters.

I hate to link and run, but:

Jesus can appear on your pancakes every day if you buy the Jesus Pan (only $29.99 for two!).

It looks kind of fake at first but a cursory glance around the interwebs seems to indicate it’s for real (feel free to prove me wrong). In any case, I’d be tempted to get one but I don’t make pancakes really ever and I have to admit I’d prefer it if the visage of the Son of God weren’t so dour. A little more along the lines of Buddy Christ, maybe.

Tomorrow’s garage sales may reveal more Saviour kitsch, I do not know. If they do, I won’t be able to tell you about it until Sunday, however, as I’m going camping with the People Love Forgot. No beer, but high-on-Jesus life hijinks should ensue nonetheless.

Last weekend a friend of mine purchased this item at a garage sale. When he showed it to me, I flipped out and he gave it to me. I offered to pay him for it — quadruple the price, even! But he wouldn’t take my money.

I love it. I don’t really have a place to plug it in, but I’ll wait. I’ll wait for the day when, as the sun sets, I can turn the switch and be comforted by a glowing plastic Jesus.

technorati tags: jesus, kitsch

Eddie(F) at Edge of Faith has a great post up about Bush’s proposed amendment to ban gay marriage.

For some reason, I’ve tried to avoid talking about things overtly political, even though this is ostensibly a religion blog and religion and politics are attached at the hip so often, especially in that country to the south of me — you know, the one founded by people who fled another country where the marriage of religion and politics had turned deathly oppressive.

I guess we all turn into our parents eventually, which is why the United States of America has, two centuries later, followed suit.

Laws passed on what one of the many deities seemingly would want is not only insane, but exactly what the forefathers were against when they crafted the constitution to protect all minorities.

Handing out $5 Starbucks gift certificates to gay people to show the “kindness of Jesus with no strings attached” is an affront to them, especially when many of the same people giving out these cards are the ones supporting Bush to pass this amendment. If you want do to something Christlike for gay people, then lobby your congressperson to oppose this amendment. I don’t see Jesus walking around influencing Rome to establish his kingdom which he said is not from this world to begin with.

Of course, for American Dominionists, the “kingdom” will be brought about by the sweat, tears and force of good Christians.

It’s been said many times and many ways, but I’ll say it again: if Dominionist Christians are so concerned with legislating marriage according to Biblical principles, why aren’t they trying to outlaw divorce?

Then there’s also the fact that this amendment is clearly pre-election pandering to so-called middle America. I agree with Peter David: if I were a conservative American, I’d be insulted.

technorati tags: america, george bush, homosexuality, religion, dominionism