All-American Boy

As much as I’m against the whole presents for Christmas thing, I got almost all my shopping done today. I did end up buying a dishwasher for the family cause my sister wasn’t going to be able to get one from her boyfriend’s brother. As much as it may not seem like the most Christmasy of gifts, I think it’s one of the more practical ones that everyone will appreciate eventually. Everyone in my family hates doing dishes, so on any person’s given night to do them, I’m sure they’ll be glad it’s there. Plus, it’s not like most gifts that outlive their newness and usefulness before New Year’s Eve; they’ll be using this every day for years. So yeah, I don’t care if Jared can’t play with it. (He’s my 8 year old brother)

I did end up buying more for myself today though. I suck so bad at going shopping for other people without buying stuff for myself. I’ve been watching lots of X-Files lately, so I got the 3rd and 4th seasons too, plus The Last Temptation of Christ. I guess I’m just being a good little all-American boy doing his part to help stimulate the economy by spending money like a blonde chick in Beverly Hills.

I remember when that movie first came out when I was 10 (back in 1988). I remember how there was tons of controversy and media coverage surrounding that for months. I remember how every time my parents would see something about it on TV my mom would say, “That’s just awful,” and my dad would let out a disgusted gasp.

Then on the day it opened in theaters my dad and I were watching the news and they had a story about how people were protesting at theaters and stuff. They also had a priest on there who had just seen the movie and he said, “I think it was a very respectful movie.” At that, my dad let out a disgusted gasp (again) and for some reason began talking to me about the whole deal. It almost seemed like he was lecturing me about how no one should be able to make movies like that. The lecture lasted over half an hour cause he was still talking about it long after the news was over and we had started eating supper. I just kept thinking “Dad, it’s not my fault, I didn’t make the movie.” But when I was a kid I never had the balls to tell my dad anything that went against what I knew he wanted to hear because then he’d get mad and lecture me about something (or lecture more if he was already in the middle of a lecture).

God, I’ve gotten SO many lectures in my life.

I’ve only watched half of the movie so far because although it’s got an interesting plot idea, some of it’s just too hard to swallow. Now I know I don’t believe all that stuff, but I still remember enough scripture (and that is a LOT) from back when I thought I was a Christian and everything that I know most of the stuff that “Jesus” says in the movie isn’t scripture at all. I guess I just figure if you’re going to make a supposedly believable movie about a possible other side of someone like Jesus, you may as well have him say what the Bible says he said cause otherwise you’re just making an entirely new character and using the same name.

I know this is kinda short, but I’m kinda pondering what I’m going to write tomorrow and I think that one is going to be a little longer, so maybe I’ll make up for it. Or maybe I won’t. Not like it matters cause once again, this is my diary so I can write what I want. Boy, do I ever feel in control here.

Mary, the mother of Jesus- “Are you sure it’s not the devil? What if it’s the devil? If it’s the devil, the devil can be cast out.”

Jesus- “But what if it’s God? You can’t cast out God, can you?”

Jesus and his mother talking about the things tormenting him in The Last Temptation of Christ