The problem with satire, or with any subtle form of humor, is that many, perhaps most, people just don't get it. So South Park's satire on stereotyping and bullying was take by some to be a suggestion. "Go out and kick a red haired person." So, they did.
The corrective purpose of the satire was lost, overwhelmed by an unimagined (I should think) response from the lumpen.
Surely any sensible mind would recognize that it is just dumb to single out people on the basis of hair color. Then that small recognition could apply to other equally silly stereotypes so that social interaction would improve. It didn't work out that way. On a whole other level of irony, people are muttering about suing South Park. Well, there you go; someone is always wanting to play whack-a-mole. Maybe it serves the creators right for raising up their heads against cruelty and rudeness. Perhaps trying to correct human folly is just a futile effort.
I should like to think not. Pessimism is so dreary. Today is the beginning of Advent, that time marked by the four Sundays before the 25th of December. It is a time of preparation for the Christmas celebration. Today, we lit the candle of hope, the first of the four in the Advent wreath.
Today was joyful at church. The music for the season is profoundly beautiful; we shared Communion. In such a place, hope for a better world seems a sustainable dream. Still, most people don't get it. They believe that faithful people are deluded folk, inhibited in their lives by a bunch of unnecessarily restrictive rules.
The point of the law--religious law--is to provide sensible principles for having a successful life. That is what the ten commandments are about, especially the last six. Acting contrary to these simple rules will break the social contract among people and lead to chaos. The same holds true for the seven deadly sins. Indulging in those forbidden activities cannot but lead to personal disasters; gluttony--obesity, lust--degredation, pride--egocentrism, avarice--materialism, and so forth.
The treat of eternal damnation belongs, perhaps to the Church which could use it to ensure faithful filling of collection plates. To be sure, lots of religionists have used these laws as dogma, a way to cancel thought and understanding. Small wonder they have fallen into disrepute. Still, life would be significantly happier is everyone agreed to live according to those basic principles.
Viewed through the lens of Jesus' life, the law is all about living a successful life, seeking heaven on earth, right now. It is all about care and love for self and others. "Love one another as I have loved you." Love one another. It is a question of moving "I" from the center and putting "you" in its place. The hardest thing in the world is putting others first; everything in our experience tells us to take care of number one.
The problem with that way of life is that it is desperately lonely, and nobody wants to be alone. Perhaps it is in that pride inspired loneliness that we find the root of meanness and bullying. We group together with those who look and think like us, and we push away those who are different, who are thereby less. So then with our friends, we can kick a ginger; with our friends, we can put on white hoods and torture and murder blacks; with our friends, we can put on the uniform of righteousness and attack a country full of brown Muslims. No matter what we try, we are still alone.
Perhaps we could get the South Park satire and choose a different way. Perhaps reaching out the hand of friendship and support will make us feel good. What a hope. Today is Advent.
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