h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was brought up by two atheists (there is no God!) although I got a bit influenced by one of my best friends since childhood who was a very enthusiastic member of the Pentacostal(?) church - she dragged me along to these strange meetings in big circus tents with people repeatedly interrupting the sermon with shouts of 'Halleluja!' or 'Jesus! or standing up and 'whatever you call it when someone starts rambling in a foreign language' - very distracting...

I made a few attempts, especially during the confirmation camp in my late teens arranged by a non-conformist(?) church, and at one time in my life I *really* prayed for help, from my heart, needing it desperately - but nothing. No response, no feeling of 'born anew', no feeling of prayers answered. Nada. Zip. Zero.

My attitude towards organized religion did not really improve during all those years that people used to ring my doorbell over and over again - either Jehova's witnesses or Mormones (the Mormones were slightly less annoying because it would usually be handsome young men who were exchange students during their college years).

Which has all resulted in my current opinion: *If* there is a God out there, then he's certainly not as almighty or benign or caring as some Christians usually try to describe him . I seriously doubt there is such a thing as one God - but I don't deny that I get the feeling that there's something more to this world than what you can see with your own eyes.

I do believe in having lived at least one previous life, and I believe our actions matter, somewhere along the line. My mother has become a bit 'religious' during the last couple of years, which feels a bit disturbing compared to the very determined atheist that she used to be for most of my life.

This is probably because of her having discovered that she has the power of healing in her hands - that's what she says. She has no reason to lie to me about it, so I'm sure she's convinced that it is so. There are people that she has treated that will testify that it is so.

Me - I'm a sceptic. Yep, my faith in a nutshell - a sceptic. Of all the religions of the world I find Buddhism most appealing - mainly because they have never fought a 'religious' war (as far as I know). Now, if only my uncle (a well known psychic in his corner of the world) hadn't said that thing about me 'having the power' too, only I won't be able to use it until I realize and accept it...

Titania
There is something, intuition, sixth sense or whatever you want to call it. But not everyone has it. That's what your uncle means.

I have just had a bit of a shock. Was flicking through the TV pages and my eye hit a documentry for some true crime extravaganza, and as I was hastily turning to the next item, the name caught my eye. And it turns out that it involves the murder of someone I used to know. My family used to know. A friend of the family. Whatever. The connection isn't important, but it was a bit of a... thing at the time, and I am really quite cross that ten plus years later here it is being paraded out again for nothing better than other people to get vacarious thrills.

I find the true crime genre a bit icky at the best of times. In fact, I find the obsessive reporting of such stories in the news a bit icky too - there's a fine line between the right to know and lovingly dwelling on every last detail. But I do appreciate some kind of coverage is to be expected - this programme even has the gall to advertise about how the media played a big role in helping to catch the killer. But this case wasn't that 'important', just sordid and tragic, and I can't think of _one single reason_ why it should be done at all. Other than the fact that 'Hey! Ten years is enough time for us not to look as though we are being goulish. Bring on the blood!'

There's probably a debate topic in that somewhere.

I don't like those true crime programme things either. I don't like Crimewatch for the same reason, even though I know that crimes have been solved and perpetrators caught as a result of it.

Those shows are all over the airwaves because they're cheap to make and can fill any time slot because a wide variety of people like to watch them. American TV networks love them because there are no overinflated actors' salaries to pay.

I personally have opinions on those programmes, indeed on the books and magazines that treat murder as some form of entertainment. It's just odd, and it disconnects you from the fact that it's a tradegy for all concerned.

Well, my mother and I watched it. In stony silence. We felt an inexplicable urge to bear witness in some way for her, although now I feel slightly grubby. It started off '... a real life Inspector Morse case...' and went downhill from there. Definitely gratuitous.

Oddly, and now I'm going to have to think about this, I do enjoy fictional crime novels/ shows.

Sol, was there any legal action the family could have taken to stop production of the program?

They were conspicuous by their absence, that's for sure. No idea, actually. We're not that close any more, which is why it came as a shock.

They were conspicuous by their absence, that's for sure. No idea, actually. But then it was mostly a vehicle for talking about how clever the police were in catching the guy, rather than anything else. We hadn't been close as families for ages before at the time, or since. It's just that things like that don't happen to people you know. And I object to things like that happening to people I know being used for kicks.

I'm not sure if the family can stop production of a film based on a story that is in the public domain. I heard on Radio 4 () that the daughter of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes was unhappy with a film being made based on their story. You can prevent a film maker using your mothers diary, but you can't prevent them using her story.

I know that the family of Brandon Teena wanted to stop "Boys Don't Cry" being made - so I suspect that the situation is the same in the states.

(Makes Mental note, consider that for the film club)

Sorry. It's just that this is really bothering me, but I don't want to overdramatise it myself, if you see what I mean. Obviously, it's nothing compared to...

for Sol, You have every right to talk about things that are bothering you here - you're a valued member of the salon!

Well, you see I could see that the boys don't cry thing is also a tricky issue. Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes could be considered fair game: your famous, you have no privacy. I guess if you are going to use somebody's real story, then, you should make damn sure that it has something important to say.

I don't know enough about the situation with Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, and I haven't seen the film.

With Boys Don't Cry, the situation about Brandon Teena was a struggle for a community to claim him as an one of their own. Admitedly if that struggle had taken place during his life then he might not have been so bloody stupid, and would still be alive now. I really think that it was worth the point that it was made.

I didn't see the programme, - writting it off as trash I have to admit - but I seriously doubt it was used to make a serious point!

I love a good murder mystery. Maybe that's weird, but there it is. As for true crime programs, the way they are produced with re-creations and actors mixed with real policemen and family members, etc. creates a sort of hybrid. They are real and yet seem staged and unreal, which results in a distance between the viewer and the events. It's a peculiar genre.

It is snowing heavily. Sorry Caer. It started just as the street lights came on. It's beautiful. I'm off to make , build a fire in the fireplace, open the blinds on my picture window and watch the snow.

I watch true crime stuff out morbid fascination with the darker side of human nature. I don't know why, I just do. Although there are some that take it too far.

Boys Don't Cry was a great movie, and I appreciated that they didn't make statements, they just told Brandon's story, no varnish, no nothing. It was amazing. I've heard that Monster, based on the life of Florida's female serial killer, is equally amazing. Charlize Theron won a Golden Globe for it last night.

Dang it, I missed the discussion on personal religious beliefs again. I'll have to catch it the next time we talk about it.

I'm sorry to hear about the media going back to pull this story back to light. It's the type of thing that really demonstrates that they don't care for much except ratings.

Boys Don't Cry, or to be more precise the story of Brandon Teena represents something to me which I'd rather not face. It brings home my vunerablity in society.

I'm often accused of betraying people by being "stealth" in my every day life, by not "doing the media". I dislike this, partly because I'm not special, and it's such a non story these days. But if I was there are things I would feel vunerable doing. Like going to the station in the area in which I live after dark, going into my local pub. Going on a placement to the Outer Hebridies - which is a very conservative place.

When I didn't have the luxary of choosing whether or not to be "public" you could recognise our house by the eggs thrown at the window. Some people say the message in Boys Don't Cry is "Don't lie" I take it to be "Don't get caught"

Z, I saw that movie as portraying Brandon's life as one of trying to be who he was, and society being the one with the problem. I thought it was much more of a critique on those around him.

I've never really thought about it from the other side of the fence, as it were.

Wow.