tuned into modernity

I’m sitting here thinking about a certain secret society, of which I used to be a member. For those who haven’t figured it out yet, the party never ends in Aspen. This little resort community may be the capital of the world when it comes to eating, drinking, and being merry. We also add lots of healthy living during the day, like skiing, paragliding, slack-lining, tennis, mountain biking, horseback riding, river rafting, water polo, kickball, pole-vaulting, somersaulting, skeet and trap shooting, duck-hunting, bird-watching, and pot smoking, to help us work through the hangovers, and feel good about ourselves. I’m not currently taking any prescription medications, which makes me a minority here. The Aspen way, exercise and drugs, is commonplace, leaving most of the high end shopping to the tourists. Enough money in your pocket can make drug addiction look good. Relief is essential to ignoring the ridiculousness of living at the very top of the pyramid at the apex of human development. How painful it is to even consider looking down. It’s steeper than that sweet left section, cutting over at the top of Hyrups. My life is your vacation. Is that what the sticker says? What exactly could living in a vacation do to the psyche of a person? It’s sort of like living in Disney Land, except the little kids are getting old now, with slicked back gray hair, expensive belt buckles, young blonds replacing their popsicle, and billions in their bank account to boost their sex appeal. They don’t ride on roller coasters now, like when they were kids, they snort them. There are still plenty of psychedelics around if there is anyone left out there for whom it’s not weird enough. I have to be honest, and differ with St. Thompson on this one, because it’s weird enough for me; it’s way too weird for me. I work in a bright yellow store, did I have to go and make it weirder? Is the card house preparing to collapse? The modern world is not funny. The closest thing we have to a rational spirituality is called Quantum Physics. This is frightening. Ultra-violence is pumping out the television set. Horror movies are blockbusters. Satan is rejoicing, splattering himself with meaty juice in the slaughterhouse. People are having visions in common, of Jesus Christ returning to kill George Bush. I’ve seen it on YouTube. We have magnified reality to the point we have made ourselves God. While Barack Obama is taking heat for the screaming preachers at his Chicago church, who continue to sell a culture of difference, pitting human being against human being, we have yet to come to terms with the basic, rational, implications of Christianity as a belief system. For example, the premise on which Christianity is based is a fundamental blasphemy against a Higher Power or greater God, the one Christians reportedly pray to, or more specifically, the God that Jesus prayed to. Jesus called that God “Father,” which would make him God’s son. That was pretty basic, still is. Most believers consider themselves God’s Children. Which would make Jesus their brother. Jesus is the man that the Church turned into God. Duh. When Jesus said “let he who is without sin caste the first stone,” did anyone report seeing Jesus throwing stones? I don’t think so. Anyways. Politicized religion is against the founding principles of this country. God rarely serves the public good when He is wielded in the hands of those in power. At least Barack Obama goes to a church where they have entertaining preachers. His church serves the same kind of entertainment as Fox News, and most of mainstream media today. The messages these types of churches or media serve up is divisive, hurtful, and creates resentment in larger communities. It’s the same tactic politicians have been using for years. It’s not good for communities, it’s not good for society, but it sells products by making people feel unsafe, it gets people out to vote for you, and it keeps people tuned in. Consumer society works better when people are afraid. It keeps the status quo intact. Make sure to keep your dogs on a leash on the Rio Grande Trail, or you might get a ticket. The leash is getting tighter every day.