SNL's Pretense

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 7:04 am

ETA: Anyone who reads this thread please note that my thoughts have changed to some extent after starting it. That is of course what dialogue is all about, coming to rational and reasonable conclusions. I hope the contents of this thread help you as they did me.

SNL opens last night's show with a tribute to the victims of the CT massacre by the use of children singing Silent Night.

What in the world does a song praising jesus have to do with what occurred in CT on Friday? The choice of songs was completely inappropriate.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 7:55 am

1. "Sleep in heavenly peace"

2. It's a Christmas song. This is Christmas.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:06 am

Tolerate an inappropriate song for four words in it? There's nothing wrong with replacing a holiday song for a more appropriate one when tragedy strikes. In fact, I'd say it's best to do so rather than try to force something that doesn't make sense and appears pretentious and patronizing.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:44 am

:wah: Your phobia is funny sometimes.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:54 am

Does 'phobia' = 'neurosis'?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:00 am

Accountable;1412870 wrote: :wah: Your phobia is funny sometimes.It's not a phobia. As I see it, we all have a responsibility to future generations. Holding onto old fictional stories in order to teach moral tenants and control behavior is outdated and we need to recognize that this is a new time that demands new visions. Many of the discussions I initiate or contribute to usually includes a tone that encourages societal evolution.

Sorry, but that often means drawing back the curtain on beliefs and prejudices of both one's own as well as those of others. Isn't that one of the purposes of dialogue, to advance the species?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:02 am

SnoozeAgain;1412875 wrote: Does 'phobia' = 'neurosis'?Do you have anything of substance to add to the discussion or are you going to continue your passive/aggressive trolling?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:03 am

SnoozeAgain;1412875 wrote: Does 'phobia' = 'neurosis'?
neu·ro·sis [noo-roh-sis, nyoo-] Show IPA

noun, plural neu·ro·ses [-seez] Show IPA . Psychiatry.

1.

Also called psychoneurosis. a functional disorder in which feelings of anxiety, obsessional thoughts, compulsive acts, and physical complaints without objective evidence of disease, in various degrees and patterns, dominate the personality.

2.

a relatively mild personality disorder typified by excessive anxiety or indecision and a degree of social or interpersonal maladjustment.
It seems there could be a link.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:04 am

I guess SNL's true secret name is Satan No Longer. :wah:

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:08 am

Accountable;1412880 wrote: It seems there could be a link.Who's on top?

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:08 am

Accountable;1412881 wrote: I guess SNL's true secret name is Satan No Longer. :wah:

Do you have anything of substance to add to the discussion or are you going to continue your passive/aggressive trolling?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:09 am

Accountable;1412881 wrote: I guess SNL's true secret name is Satan No Longer. :wah:Your defense mechanisms are interesting.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:11 am

I was glad SNL did that. The last line they should have sung, I noticed, was "Christ the savior is born" but instead they repeated "Sleep in heavenly peace." I think they dropped that so as not to offend, but you were offended, Ahso! The song is beautiful, take it as a lovely song, a traditional hymn for the season, instead of taking easy offense. Be hard to offend.

I wondered how SNL, which is topical, would "handle" the event, it shouldn't have been ignored. I think they did a very graceful thing, then On With the Show. There's no people like show people they smile when they are low. The Show Must Go On for everyone else, & it does.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:14 am

I understand your point. But no, I'm not offended, I simply think it's a discussion worth having.

Post by **LarsMac** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:45 am

I think you over-reacted. I thought it was done rather well, and was quite appropriate.

Particularly with the modified ending lines.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:46 am

SnoozeAgain;1412884 wrote: Do you have anything of substance to add to the discussion or are you going to continue your passive/aggressive trolling?Hey! My passive aggression add to the discussion!

AnneBoleyn;1412903 wrote: The song is beautiful, take it as a lovely song, a traditional hymn for the season, instead of taking easy offense. Be hard to offend.Well said.

Ahso!;1412905 wrote: I understand your point. But no, I'm not offended, I simply think it's a discussion worth having.
:yh_rotfl Love the sarcasm!

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:50 am

My favorite Christmas song is Carol of the Bells but that really would have been an inappropriate song for the occasion.

Hark! how the bells

Sweet silver bells

All seem to say,

"Throw cares away."

Christmas is here

Bringing good cheer

To young and old

Meek and the bold

Ding, dong, ding, dong

That is their song

With joyful ring

All caroling

One seems to hear

Words of good cheer

From ev'rywhere

Filling the air

Oh how they pound,

Raising the sound,

O'er hill and dale,

Telling their tale,

Gaily they ring

While people sing

Songs of good cheer

Christmas is here

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas

On, on they send

On without end

Their joyful tone

To ev'ry home

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:07 am

Accountable;1412922 wrote: :yh_rotfl Love the sarcasm!Really? There was none in that post.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:09 am

Ahso!;1412930 wrote: Really? There was none in that post.
:-2 ............. :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:16 am

Here's a cello version I've never heard before.

Carol of the Bells (for 12 cellos) - ThePianoGuys - YouTube

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:29 am

LarsMac;1412921 wrote: I think you over-reacted. I thought it was done rather well, and was quite appropriate.

Particularly with the modified ending lines.It's often assumed that when a person voices an objection or almost anything for that matter, there's not just an emotional element to the thing but that emotion is the dominant factor. I wonder if that assumption occurs in every culture to the extent that it does with Americans. I mean, we seem to be awash in emotion and don't apply it very well, yet. Most of the Europeans on this and other forums I frequent appear to be much less emotional and more reasonable than most of the Americans. Of course there are exceptions both ways. Maybe that's a conditional response to the "Tuff, Luv" we like to apply to each other.

I don't watch TV and I didn't react to the opening. I read about it; thought about it for a while; and then viewed the video on Huff Post.

I think theres a legitimate conversation to be had as to why Christianity has to be involved in so much of our culture. I'm a former believer who is now an atheist and I see nothing wrong with raising these issues. Jesus is a myth; God is a myth, so when a tragedy occurs and we unconsciously fall back on religion, it's reasonable to for some to make us aware of that and cause deliberate thought to try and override our emotionality.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:40 am

I guess the British in particular have that "stiff upper lip" compared to Americans with our constantly blabbering mouths. I think you have a legitimate right to raise questions that are important to you, why not?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:55 am

AnneBoleyn;1412940 wrote: I guess the British in particular have that "stiff upper lip" compared to Americans with our constantly blabbering mouths. I think you have a legitimate right to raise questions that are important to you, why not?Many Europeans have an ability to cut through the emotion and get to the cognitive side of a thing. Many Americans often become offended by it on forums and react strongly to them, but they're (Europeans) good at maintaining their cool in the vast majority of cases. That includes the ones that have been labeled as Asperger's.

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:45 pm

Actually, I'm on Ahso's side this time. It made no sense to me either.

I'd rather have had a moment's silence than a Christmas Carol. Let's not link the Christmas Holiday to mass annihilation in the minds of future generations, yes?

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 2:33 pm

Wondered what snl was. They were paying tribute how does the method chosen detract from the sentiment? What is the pretense - that they care or that they are christians? Each to his own. Ican say that because I am not religious.

posted by ahso

so when a tragedy occurs and we unconsciously fall back on religion, it's reasonable to for some to make us aware of that and cause deliberate thought to try and override our emotionality.

Ceremony is a way of coping with tragedy religion started as a way to explain the unexplainable. I've been to more funerals than I like and I don't not go because I think the beliefs absurd and a deliberate fabrication it gives comfort and frankly it's as good a way to say goodbye as any. I do know of religious people who refuse to go to funerals because they are catholic or protestant and a free church of scotland elder who was excommunicated for attending a catholic service - a humanist funeral where the parents refused to attend. Religious people worry about the form atheists should know it doesn;t matter imo.

Some religious nutter somewhere will also have found it offensive perhaps along the lines of the godless hypocrite singing a Christmas carol in the first place. Do you really see yourself in the company of bigots shouting they shouldn't be doing that?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 2:35 pm

I've decided that I regret starting this thread. My thoughts on this have changed. I have no right to criticize how others choose to grieve. My apologies to all here.

If anyone would like to lock this or toss it, that would be fine with me.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 2:52 pm

If anyone would like to lock this or toss it, that would be fine with me.

My thoughts on this have changed.

Then this thread was invaluable to you. You're just trying to sort out this madness, like the rest of us. I'd say this thread is a success.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 2:54 pm

AnneBoleyn;1412985 wrote: If anyone would like to lock this or toss it, that would be fine with me.

My thoughts on this have changed.

Then this thread was invaluable to you. You're just trying to sort out this madness, like the rest of us. I'd say this thread is a success.I appreciate the kind words, Anne. Thank you, and yes in that sense you're right.