The character of Columbia from The Rocky Horror (Picture) Show is a feminization of the United States of America. The term "Columbia" was a calque (look it up; I did!) for America, in the sense of "European colonies in the New World", and was first used around 1738. It seems to be from introductory comments by Samuel Johnson about Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, thus substituting such names as Columbia and the more familiarly satirical "Lilliput", for England. The satire died down by the 1770's and thus became a more poetic name by which to refer to America. Look for it! It is all over history! Kind of gives a new meaning to RHPS! All this because I am in Washington, D.C. for a few days!
After finally viewing The DaVinci Code and then watching a supposed documentary called Bloodline, I still don't see what all the hoo-hah was all about. So what if Jesus and Mary had a child who had a child who had a child and somewhere the decendents of Christ are walking among us? So what if they were married? So what if Jesus was not devine? Who promised he was? He didn't. That wouldn't in any way diminish any of the good he did while he was alive, or diminish any of the comfort he provided for generations. It wouldn't diminish any of the havoc, destruction or horror people wreaked upon each other for generation in the name of "Christ" or in the name of religion. Am I a heretic for thinking this? And would things have been different if it had been recognized that Mary was Jesus's wife? Would there have been a Holocaust? Food for thought. Or at least an interesting night of videos.
I am so not politically-minded. Should I be? I sometimes feel I am missing something by not being more informed or involved. Am I letting life merely unfold around me? Is that the only way I can make any difference?
The character of Columbia from The Rocky Horror (Picture) Show is a feminization of the United States of America. The term "Columbia" was a calque (look it up; I did!) for America, in the sense of "European colonies in the New World", and was first used around 1738. It seems to be from introductory comments by Samuel Johnson about Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, thus substituting such names as Columbia and the more familiarly satirical "Lilliput", for England. The satire died down by the 1770's and thus became a more poetic name by which to refer to America. Look for it! It is all over history! Kind of gives a new meaning to RHPS!
ReplyDeleteAll this because I am in Washington, D.C. for a few days!
After finally viewing The DaVinci Code and then watching a supposed documentary called Bloodline, I still don't see what all the hoo-hah was all about. So what if Jesus and Mary had a child who had a child who had a child and somewhere the decendents of Christ are walking among us? So what if they were married? So what if Jesus was not devine? Who promised he was? He didn't. That wouldn't in any way diminish any of the good he did while he was alive, or diminish any of the comfort he provided for generations. It wouldn't diminish any of the havoc, destruction or horror people wreaked upon each other for generation in the name of "Christ" or in the name of religion. Am I a heretic for thinking this? And would things have been different if it had been recognized that Mary was Jesus's wife? Would there have been a Holocaust?
ReplyDeleteFood for thought. Or at least an interesting night of videos.
I am so not politically-minded. Should I be? I sometimes feel I am missing something by not being more informed or involved. Am I letting life merely unfold around me? Is that the only way I can make any difference?
ReplyDelete