Affiliate Marketing Secrets

I’m sorry. This is a snotty question to ask, but the lack of joy that accompanies any discussion of being a member of a believing community (in my case, Catholic) really sucks. Back when I was a kid, life really did revolve around the church community. It was not just sunday Mass: it was school and celebrations of minor feast days and music and art and scouts and little league and fish fries and … just a lot of fun and good life. It was energetic and rich, regardless of how well-off or poor we were economically. I’m watching all the network “Christmas”-related programming lately and to me it looks like popular culture is utterly clueless about why this holiday has such a name. It’s all just louder and flashier advertising so that it looks a little different from the loud, flashy advertising that now drones on all year long.
For the last several decades, both the fake-fundy republicans and poorly-selected clergy have mis-marketed Jesus as a mouthpiece for their own neuroses and agendas rather than permitting his ultimate instruction that we “love one another” to be heard…the message that gave rise to that warm and supportive community and all that fun.
Even if you can’t stand how boring, opinionated or out of touch your priest or minister is, just pay attention to the Word, and even if a lot of that seems incomprehensible, filter it through the lens of “love one another” and you’ll probably hear it right…and it probably does not have a whole heck of a lot to do with angel wings taped to the underfed shoulders of a Victoria’s Secret model. Give me a break.