Sometimes I Just Don't Get It

Listening to the podcast of 'This American Life' is usually one of the high points of my week, but today it came somewhere between depressing me and just plain pissing me off. Well, more precisely, it isn't the show itself, but the story that was reported.

The first act of the show told the story of 'Hell House', one (I believe Pentecostal) church's Halloween event, designed to (I would assume) raise some money for the church as well as raise awareness of the issues addressed within the exhibition. The idea is along the lines of the 'haunted houses' we're all familiar with, except ghosts, goblins, and 'things that go bump in the night' are replaced with depictions of rape, murder, death of people infected with HIV, and whatever else they can come up with to form some type of morality tale according to church doctrine. Evidently, one of the churches originating the idea even chose to re-enact the Columbine Shooting.

Geez... As if the 'Saw' movies aren't enough. And no, I've never watched the trash - the written synopsis alone of one installment was disturbing enough. A friend of mine that has viewed most of the series tells me 'All of the people involved had done something to deserve the end they met', but...

Come on!

It's no wonder that Happy-Pills are prescribed to so many people any more. With thoughts like these becoming so prevalent in today's society, maybe my wife is the one that sees the world the right way, celebrating the Halloween Holiday with a viewing of 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'.

I just don't understand...

People get sick, die, murdered, molested, and all manner of vile things every day. It's unfortunate, it really is. Why would anyone want to re-enact such a thing? What's worse, one of the churches gave out awards after their 'Hell House' had completed its annual three week run for the best actors involved at an 'Oscar-like' celebration... 'Best rape victim', best terminal HIV victim and the like...

I'm not a moron. I understand the world of 'Make Believe' and all that stuff, perhaps better than you might think. But this???

Call me immoral if you want to, for not being moved by this idea, but you'll have to excuse me... I need to go back to playing 'Buck Rogers' on my Grandpa's grain drill.

I miss the good old days.