Folklife, the cool part

[eurydicebound]

I almost forgot about the coolest thing of the day. As we had retrieved lunch and were looking for a place to sit down, we found an inviting patch of grass next to where a couple of very skilled belly dancers (and less skilled drummer) were performing. It was very nice. The passers-by were appreciative, if not as forthcoming with money as the performers would have liked, but the day was early and their costumes were great. I had excellent hopes for their prospects.

I was the last one to get through a line to get food, so consequently I was the last one eating. The children had rambled off nearby to a magician doing slight of hand and a balloon vendor respectively, and one of our friends was riding herd on them while I finished eating. While my other friend and I sat, however, these two men came up. One carried a large sign emblazoned "Are YOU going to HELL!!!!!" complete with flame border and a side banner with some appropriate scripture. The other wore a sandwich board complete with a list of "sins," and the pair of them were "inquiring" with passing teens as to the security of their souls.

I have no particular issue with this. People feel compelled to witness and aren't doing any harm to anyone, that's their business. Assuming they're not totally loony, it might even be helpful, in a "any port in a spiritual storm, right place, right time" sort of way. Odds aren't particularly likely, mind you, but it's not beyond comprehension.

These people, however, were not totally clear on this "no harm to anyone" point. They saw women with bare bellies and hip movement and decided "Prime Targets for Sin!" They set up shop right in front of the performance, prosletyzing not only to the dancers but also to passers-by. No one would stop, certainly no one would hang around even if they did. So what did our dancers do? They stepped it up and took the fight to the schmucks. They started dancing around the guys, really playing it up, all the while ignoring them completely. The men started offering to "save" the dancers, but the show of bravado brought out the rebels in the crowd, leading to full-on (if suitably tame) lesbian make-out sessions and suitable heckling. I have never in all my life wished so much for a copy of the Bible, as I was moved by a desire to join in by quoting from the Song of Solomon.*

I think I'll have to print out some verses and carry them around, in case such an opportunity should present itself in the future. :)

*Oh, and yes, I donated a buck to the cause. Can't but reward moxy like that. :)

Comments

Not loony?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_grimtales_/]

"Assuming they're not totally loony"

They believe a giant invisible man in the sky watches over everyone and the only way into heaven is to believe he had a son, who was himself,who rose as a magical zombie... and you think they might be sane?

Re: Not loony?

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Well, given that I nominally share the core belief along with at least a few dozen other people... yes. :) I have enough to do to figure out my own faith, though, without giving anyone else shit about theirs.* I'd probably phrase it a bit differently, naturally, and it bugs me that I could be lumped in with the people in the sandwich boards, but there you go.

Totally loony is when you start dancing around with snakes and declare yourself a born-again virgin and assert loudly that Pop-Tarts are the Antichrist -- and mean it. Or, you know, otherwise embroidering the applicable holy book of your religion of choice to say things like "I am a'feard of/turned on by women who move their hips in public, so hip-movin' women who show their tummies are goin' to HELL!!!"

"Danger or a significant annoyance to yourself and/or others" counts as loony in my book, matters of faith/belief otherwise aside. Anything else is only potentially partially loony and can be safely overlooked.

*Note: not directed at you, but rather at street hecklers who preach damnation at nice dancer people and scare off potential patrons. That's totally uncool. Also, pop-tarts do have something vaguely infernal about them, but that's neither here nor there.

Re: Not loony?

[adamjury.livejournal.com]

Well, at least we have proof that Pop Tarts exist.

Re: Not loony?

[anaka.livejournal.com]

True. But if pop-tarts are the Antichrist, then that begs the existence of their opposite. What sort of pastry have you accepted as your lord and saviour, hmm? :)

Re: Not loony?

[adamjury.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying Pop-Tarts are the antichrist [and if they are, mmmm, tasty antichrist!] -- but at least people who believe in Pop-Tarts as their deity have some sort of, you know, actual proof that the things exist.

Re: Not loony?

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Dude, you're screwing up my attempt at funny here. Bad Adam. No pop-tart. :)

And yes, people who believe in Pop-Tarts as a deity would, at least, have proof not only of their pastry/deity of choice but also of the great creator Kellogg, and perhaps an entire slew of polytheistic choices at their disposal. If you wish to determine those people not loony on that basis alone, then you are welcome to your conclusion.

As for myself, I think I have defined my use of loony sufficiently above. Even if they do believe that pop-tarts are the Antichrist, so long as they're keeping it to themselves I have no issue with it. More power to them. Shouting it in public places, interfering with other people, and using their beliefs as the yardstick of the universe is what earns the designation, IMO.

Re: Not loony?

[adamjury.livejournal.com]

Oh, you think I'm trying to throw a smaller looneynet, and that's not the truth at all; the truth is, I think anyone who believes in any form of god to be loony. Some of them are more ... dangerously loony, but the bottom line is: they believe in a dude in the sky that has special powers and is the arbitrator of admissions to a pretend place of afterlife! That can't be anything but loony.

Re: Not loony?

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Well, yes. I knew your feelings on this previously. Your opinion is, however, duly noted. Thankfully, you had no illusions of any lack of looniness on my part prior to this moment, so neither of us has to suffer disillusionment. :)

In truth, my beliefs don't dovetail quite as neatly with your suggested take on them, but I suppose it's close enough for government work and wouldn't benefit anyone to have them spelled out in more detail. I am untroubled that you might apply that definition to me as well as I might apply it to someone else. Such is the way of things, and you love me regardless, so it's all good.

Re: Not loony?

[brannonb.livejournal.com]

 
Having determined that you are teh crazies, Eric and I will stage an intervention at lunch on Friday, involving salad dressing and electricity ;-)
 

[metallian.livejournal.com]

That is terribly, terribly cool. I hope someone somewhere has pictures or video. :)

[b3zsgirl.livejournal.com]

You are in belly dance central. The best in the tribal dance movement are in Seattle and Portland. Not surprised by them fighting for their spot either. Sounds like fun made out of a bad situation.