Thursday, May 6, 2010
1:33 AM
When one makes an appeal, he usually invokes the patronage of notions or persons that are reverenced less, and works his way up to greater ones if their influence fails.
For example: I approach my sister, Maggie, for a favour. She pouts for a moment in contemplation and says no. Her other plans prevent it, and they cannot be altered. Oh, but what of the honour of returning the favour I did her? (In the name of reciprocity) No, she shakes her head. This is a bigger favour. For me? (In my own name) She arches her eyebrow, as my life doesn't exactly depend on this deed. Well, we are sisters! (In the name of blood and the duty of woman to woman) The simultaneously concrete and abstract appeal has no effect. For Pete's sake! (a pathetic euphemism) This gets the response it deserves: Who's Pete anyway? Finally, I invoke charity after the fashion of agape (in the Name of God). Her eyes widen, and she hesitates...
Thus, it is a pity when one cannot begin at the bottom and climb all the way to the top in making a petition. A sibling that does not fear his parents cannot be conjoled with a reference to his mother and father. An atheist will obviously be unmoved by the entreaty: 'For the love of God!'
In Texas, there are apparently some atheists who do not have a positive enough identity to create something of their own, but instead try to tear something religious down. The Austin City Theatre is preparing to show the play The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, which will portray the Virgin Mary as a Lesbian. Amongst the numerous members of my Church, there will be plenty letters of righteous indignation and moral appeals.
How effective will these be? There is already no fear of the Lord in one who would even conceive such a plot, much less one who would wish to showcase it. I have written my letter of protest, but I can only plea in the name of the highest authority they acknowledge--art. Below is the letter I sent, and here is their contact infortmation:
The City Theater 3823 Airport Boulevard
Austin Texas 78722-1347 Phone: (512) 524-2870
Austin Texas 78722-1347 Phone: (512) 524-2870
I encourage all who reverence both Our Lady and the aesthetic to make their displeasure known.
To the "Artists" and Producers at the City Theater:
Well, apparently y'all are having a little trouble with creativity of late, if your only recourse is mockery of revered biblical figures. As people supposedly interested in art, you ought to be ashamed of producing a work that regardless of its acting or its script will be completely overwhelmed by one plot point.
You proclaim the Virgin Mary to be a Lesbian, knowing what an extreme outrage it will be to all who revere her, and we number millions. Is this not a trite little scheme you have undertaken, hoping that our hurt will be your free publicity? Are you all so mediocre in your talents that in desperation you hope at least to arouse the passion of indignation, since you will never achieve ardent admiration? Were it not for the very vileness of what you are doing, I could be moved to pity for you by such a pathetic attempt at creating something compelling.
The little shrine to the Madonna on the street corner of my neighborhood in Warsaw, recently decorated with fresh flowers and lit with votive candles in spite of the rain, is worth more aesthetically than your entire production. The tender affection it elicits will endure even longer than the outrage at your infamous work.
I suppose when one has no caliber to achieve fame, they often turn to infamy to be in the public eye. If a young artist contemplating Michaelangelo's David can't achieve anything of its like, he might gleefully smear it with plaster, relishing the public's outrage, if he can't have their adulation.
So I urge you to actually try creating something rather than attempting to tear down that which will endure long after your flesh has turned to rot. Go to the library or online and gaze at the artwork inspired by Our Lady, and see if you are not humbled by the former talents that have gone before you and have done so much better than you have at giving mankind something beautiful and worthwhile. The beginning of your shame might be the birth of something worthwhile.
Beholden (like you) to His Mercy,
Rachel Rudd
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About Me
- Jacobitess
- Warsaw, Poland
- Domine, spero quia mundum vicisti. Lord, I trust that Thou hast overcome the world. Panie, ufam, żeś pokonał świat.
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