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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Roadside Savior (Open Thread)

Roadside Savior (Open Thread)

by Betty Cracker|  November 29, 20155:15 pm| 54 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Religion

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Here’s a mural on a crumbling industrial concern that has been converted into a Family Dollar special, off-brand purveyor of superstitious hooey:  If there’s a better visual metaphor for the shocking hollowness of 21st century American Exceptionalism, I’ll be damned if I can recall it.

Open thread!

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Reader Interactions

54Comments

  1. 1.

    Karmus

    November 29, 2015 at 5:24 pm

    Come on. Leonardo came out of retirement just to paint that!

  2. 2.

    Mnemosyne (tablet)

    November 29, 2015 at 5:26 pm

    I’m slightly confused — is it a retail store with that mural on it, or a church inside a former retail store space? Retail space churches are very, very common here in the big city, especially for those evangelical micro-churches with 30 members and their own special interpretations of the Bible.

  3. 3.

    redshirt

    November 29, 2015 at 5:27 pm

    Jesus saves!

  4. 4.

    Baud

    November 29, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    @redshirt:

    I can get all that for only 30 pieces of silver!

  5. 5.

    TMinSJ

    November 29, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    Hey, I haven’t seen a call for pet picks for a 2016 calendar. Are we doing one this year?

  6. 6.

    skerry

    November 29, 2015 at 5:34 pm

    Denver Post has identified the 2 people killed in the Planned Parenthood shooting, in addition to the police officer previously ID’d. Ke’Arre Stewart, a 29 year old father of 2 and Army veteran, and Jennifer Markovsky, a 36 year old mother of 2.

    3 police officers are still hospitalized. 5 other people, including 2 police, were released yesterday.

    American Taliban.

  7. 7.

    Another Holocene Human

    November 29, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    That’s no Passover seder–not a one of them is lounging!

    (Heck, they’re not sitting, either, the way the muralist has it.)

  8. 8.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 29, 2015 at 5:41 pm

    @skerry:

    Each of the three shooting victims was the parent of two children. That’s six fresh orphans created by the “pro-life” community.

  9. 9.

    Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism

    November 29, 2015 at 5:43 pm

    @Another Holocene Human: They’re not really sitting in the original, either.

  10. 10.

    Botsplainer

    November 29, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    Hymn 43
    Jethro Tull

    Oh father high in heaven — smile down upon your son
    whose busy with his money games — his women and his gun.
    Oh Jesus save me!

    And the unsung Western hero killed an Indian or three
    and made his name in Hollywood
    to set the white man free.
    Oh Jesus save me!

    If Jesus saves — well, He’d better save Himself
    from the gory glory seekers who use His name in death.
    Oh Jesus save me!

    I saw him in the city and on the mountains of the moon —
    His cross was rather bloody —
    He could hardly roll His stone.
    Oh Jesus save me!

  11. 11.

    bystander

    November 29, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    Every time I consider the Repub line-up, I feel as if I’m living through the prequel to Stephen King’s The Stand.

  12. 12.

    PurpleGirl

    November 29, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    @TMinSJ: I think you’re the third person to ask about a 2016 calendar but there has been no answer from Cole, AFAIK.

  13. 13.

    Botsplainer

    November 29, 2015 at 5:47 pm

    @bystander:

    More like Dead Zone. Every goddamned one of them is Greg Stillson.

  14. 14.

    Mornington Crescent

    November 29, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    It was a Last Buffet.

  15. 15.

    Elmo

    November 29, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    @redshirt: Gretzky gets the rebound and SCORES!

  16. 16.

    Elmo

    November 29, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    @Botsplainer: 100% co-sign.

  17. 17.

    bystander

    November 29, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    I was just reading that the Houston Zoo has made a highly controversial decision to post a ban prohibiting guns on their premises. How insane are those people? Do they have any idea how truly crazed this is?

  18. 18.

    maya

    November 29, 2015 at 5:57 pm

    Didn’t they realize that it’s unlucky to have 13 at the dinner table?

  19. 19.

    Schlemazel

    November 29, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    @redshirt:
    MOSES GRABS THE REBOUND, HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!!!

    edit: @Elmo: beat me to the joke.

  20. 20.

    Another Holocene Human

    November 29, 2015 at 6:09 pm

    @Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: I know. I’ve been dying to unleash that witticism on the original ever since I thought of it.

  21. 21.

    GHayduke (formerly lojasmo)

    November 29, 2015 at 6:09 pm

    Mrs. Hay duke got a down skirt at Costco today for $20. I got one too. Down skirts are great!

  22. 22.

    Another Holocene Human

    November 29, 2015 at 6:10 pm

    @maya: You mean patriotic. 13 is patriotic.

  23. 23.

    Another Holocene Human

    November 29, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    @GHayduke (formerly lojasmo): By down you mean that puffy quilted stuff with (presumably) bird underfeathers inside?

  24. 24.

    Another Holocene Human

    November 29, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: Twitter has been disgusting. Fuck these people. Your fucking video game reality just crashed into the real one, no backsies.

  25. 25.

    Schlemazel

    November 29, 2015 at 6:13 pm

    happened to just catch a Papa John’s “pizza” commercial. The sound was muted but the visual was very clear. Some musclebound young stud was struggling with all his might to force a piece of that crap into his mouth. It appeared as if he was unable to complete the disgusting act as they never showed him with his mouth violated or later puking. I was stunned at the honesty of the commercial, admitting it is an act of will to be able to consume their sludge.

  26. 26.

    p.a.

    November 29, 2015 at 6:17 pm

    @Mornington Crescent:

    It was a Last Buffet.

    Stay away from the salmon.

    I wonder if there was schlock art in the Renaissance? Religious or otherwise. “Note the muddy colors in Turbido’s Pietà, and the unfortunate product placement of the ad for Sampson’s Sandals in the Jerusalem Post in the background.”

  27. 27.

    The Ancient Randonneur

    November 29, 2015 at 6:17 pm

    @redshirt:

    Moses invests.

  28. 28.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 29, 2015 at 6:18 pm

    @Another Holocene Human:

    Twitter has been disgusting.

    I would say that it would depend on who one follows and interacts with on Twitter.

  29. 29.

    Mike in NC

    November 29, 2015 at 6:20 pm

    Around these parts I’ve seen churches open up in seedy strip malls, old gas stations or garages, former restaurants, and even what was once a liquor store.

  30. 30.

    raven

    November 29, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    If you are going to spend 10days fishing on the gulf coast get skunked the last day not the first!

  31. 31.

    redshirt

    November 29, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    @raven: How were you skunked?

  32. 32.

    WaterGirl

    November 29, 2015 at 6:22 pm

    @raven: Literally skunked, or is that a fishing term?

  33. 33.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 29, 2015 at 6:23 pm

    @WaterGirl: It is a fishing term for not catching anything.

  34. 34.

    shell

    November 29, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    In 1943,the refectory where the original Last Supper was painted, was bombed. Everything was pretty much destroyed except the wall that the mural was on. It was hailed as a miracle. But lets give man’s efforts a little credit. The wall had been been heavily sand bagged and scaffolded as soon as war broke out, against just such a disaster.

    I don’t see anyone going to such great efforts for this particular version.

  35. 35.

    raven

    November 29, 2015 at 6:25 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: ding, winner in row 34

  36. 36.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 29, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    @raven: I came in late and it was the only seat available.

  37. 37.

    debbie

    November 29, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    @p.a.:

    Sadly, there may have been. This from Wikipedia:

    Black velvet paintings originated in ancient Kashmir, the homeland of the fabric. These original paintings were generally religious and portrayed the icons of the Caucasus region which were painted by Russian Orthodox priests. Marco Polo and others introduced black velvet paintings to Western Europe, and some of these early works still hang in the Vatican Museums.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velvet_painting

  38. 38.

    Randy P

    November 29, 2015 at 6:30 pm

    @p.a.:

    “Note the muddy colors in Turbido’s Pietà, and the unfortunate product placement of the ad for Sampson’s Sandals in the Jerusalem Post in the background.”

    The “product placement” was to paint the guy who paid for the painting in there, as one of the saints worshiping whatever holy scene.

  39. 39.

    Schlemazel

    November 29, 2015 at 6:30 pm

    @debbie:
    I have an image of a black velvet Elvis looking down on a Papal audience!

  40. 40.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 29, 2015 at 6:30 pm

    @efgoldman: One didn’t want to make a fuss.

  41. 41.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 29, 2015 at 6:32 pm

    @Schlemazel: @efgoldman: Black velvet troubadour.

  42. 42.

    p.a.

    November 29, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    @debbie: Awesome! Also too, big-eyed waifs, puppies, and kittens on 12th century velvet I hope.

  43. 43.

    p.a.

    November 29, 2015 at 6:38 pm

    @Randy P: Also, depending on painting topic, malefactors were represented as various “demons and imps” (h/t Oh Brother Where Art Thou), or their victims.

  44. 44.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    November 29, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: I came in even later to find you in my seat.

  45. 45.

    Omnes Omnibus

    November 29, 2015 at 6:41 pm

    @a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): My apologies. It was thoughtless of me.

  46. 46.

    Randy P

    November 29, 2015 at 6:41 pm

    @shell: The Last Supper has had a hard life. Napoleon used the room as a stable, and I believe at one point in its life it was plastered over. Nobody knows what non-traditional formula Leonardo used to paint it, and all attempts at trying to restore the colors have made it worse.

    I was in a smallish art museum in Milan this fall, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, and they turn out to have one of the biggest Leonardo collections in the world, including a full size canvas of the Last Supper (with very nice colors, hardly faded at all). I was wondering what the story with that was since I knew the original was right across town, until I finally found in a guidebook that it was a copy commissioned in 1611 for the Ambrosiana, because the patron was afraid the original was fading and would soon be lost.

    I’m coming across in this thread like somebody who knows art. I really don’t, but I do like art museums and the things that I like (like Leonardo) I really like. I don’t necessarily know why.

  47. 47.

    ThresherK

    November 29, 2015 at 6:52 pm

    @Elmo: Wait, it’s “…and Orr scores on the rebound!”

    I grew up in New England. Where did everyone else hear this joke?

  48. 48.

    max

    November 29, 2015 at 6:57 pm

    If there’s a better visual metaphor for the shocking hollowness of 21st century American Exceptionalism, I’ll be damned if I can recall it.

    For American Exceptionalism to be hollow, it would have to exist in the first place.

    max
    [‘Still it moves! it…I can’t see it.’]

  49. 49.

    ThresherK

    November 29, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    Ottawa has taken a 13-0 lead over Edmonton in the Grey Cup.

    I understand some other football has been played in North America this weekend.

  50. 50.

    Schlemazel

    November 29, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    @ThresherK:
    It’s like Iowa jokes, who the punchline includes depends on where you first heard it. I first heard it at bible school in a hockey crazy neighborhood but not one infiltrated with the NHL . . . home of Herb Brooks though

  51. 51.

    p.a.

    November 29, 2015 at 7:19 pm

    @ThresherK: In my New England neighborhood it was Espo. He was the garbageman.

  52. 52.

    Mnemosyne (tablet)

    November 29, 2015 at 7:19 pm

    @p.a.:

    I thought it was the salmon mousse.

    Also, of course there was schlock art throughout history. We only get to see the good stuff, because that’s what people bothered to preserve. It’s like people who remember the “golden age of Hollywood.” They forget that Hollywood used to produce 300-400 movies every year and we only see the top 10 or 20 from each year, at best. The rest are rightfully forgotten.

  53. 53.

    raven

    November 29, 2015 at 7:56 pm

    Bohdi says bye from the beach!

  54. 54.

    Satby

    November 29, 2015 at 11:37 pm

    @raven: looks like Bohdi enjoyed his vacation.

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