101 Damnations

I swear, I wasn't anywhere near that place

This is probably the first and only time the Catholics have said or done anything that I have agreed with. Well, at least the clergy. Not all of it, mind you. Jamison accuses corporations like Disney for spreading consumerism as an alternative to religion and spirituality. He suggests this is the reason for the declining morality in society, but more on my thoughts on that in a minute. Although I do agree with the abbot that people turn to something like Disney as some sort of 'religion,' likening a trip to Disneyland or -world unto a hajj to Mecca, I do not agree that is causing a decline in morality. Catholic morality, maybe. But then again, we don't much like stretching infidels on a rack anymore. Ahem.
Disney, as I happen to see it in my twisted perception, is 'evil' because it uses children as a direct marketing device, selling them a dream, something they want to obtain, and scream and cry until their parents obey and they get it. Right after they stuff a Mickey D's meal in their sticky hands to shut them up for fifteen minutes. But can I really blame Disney for trying to make a buck (more like 35 billion bucks a year) and filling a niche in the market? If it wasn't them it would be someone else, right? Probably.
But shouldn't they take their massive share of the market and try to effect some change in society? Imagine what they could do with their already captivated audience if they quit with the vague morals and loose grasp on reality, ditched the direct-to-DVD marketing ( that's a whole 'nother steaming pile) and focused on instilling some realistic views on the world in their plots, instead of the confusing sexual messages and vapid female characters. They could really grab morality by the short and fuzzies and show kids what the world is really like out there, albeit with talking animals. It could happen. Couldn't it?

Here's that 'in a minute' thing I was telling you about. Why do the religious try and shove it down our heathen throats that you can't be moral without religion? And sorry, spirituality doesn't count. Put your crystals away and stop praying to Mother Earth for a moment. They can be and often are, mutually exclusive. You can be moral without religion, and you can be religious without morality. Try and prove me wrong. I'm not religious, but I know it's wrong to steal, kill and lie. But I know pious types that think it's OK, if you can just justify it a certain way.
Morality has actually increased, if you look at it with a historical perspective. We no longer consider women or black people property. We no longer duel in the streets, or make 'colored' people use a different bathroom. Religion is actually separating us further, instead of uniting us when we really need it. I say away with capitalism, consumerism, religiousism, er--basically everything that is harming us as a whole. And don't let your kids grow up watching Disney, for the love of Flying Spaghetti Monster.