An idea I've been trying to convey for a while, I think.

[laceblade]

In the car on the way to the new Pirates movie, I am explaining what WisCon programming is like to childhood friends, who probably understand me, my interests, and my faith better than most people.

"So like....everyone who comes enjoys science fiction, that's a given. But then on panels, we dissect the things we love. You talk about your favorite book or your favorite show, but you try to examine how it could be better. Like you talk about a sci-fi TV show, and how there aren't any people of color in it. Or how there are people of color, but their storylines are always sidelined for the white people's. And people debate these things! But mostly it's caring really deeply about social justice but also this thing you love, and trying to reconcile it and talk about how to make it better."

"So it's like religion."

".....YES. Holy shit, YES."

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

YES! it is. Old time fans refer to some issues as "religious arguments" and that's exactly why!

EXEGESIS: Yours and Mine would be a fascinating panel, nu?

How did you like the movie?

[laceblade]

MAYBES. I try to...not mix religion and WisCon (see: discussion of fail in the LJ comm shortly after last year's WisCon).

I liked the movie! Possibly I had low expectations after seeing Priest (TERRIBLE). It wasn't nearly as bad as the reviews made it out to be. I love the script writers for these movies, the language is so consistent/fun.

"It's a deception."
"Ahh! We've been decepted!"

[starlady]

…You know, that makes a lot of sense.

[sasha_feather]

I have never experienced religion that way, ever! Interesting.

[laceblade]

I think so!
It's this thing I've been trying to articulate, when friends are like, "...So why are you still Catholic, again?"

[futuransky]

S's synagogue feels a whole lot like WisCon to me. I wasn't sure whether it would be inappropriate to make that comparison, so I'm glad to hear you do it! :)

[futuransky]

Coming back to clarify that it was the sense of combined debate with shared purpose, and the closeness people had to one another that was not just friendships but also being part of a body together. And the social justice and improving-the-world element, in the case of that particular synagogue. Having that realization really gave me a new handle to understand Judaism with––and religion in general.

[laceblade]

Right, right! I was just happy to hear them make this comparison, because I always get frustrated when people are like, "How come you're Catholic if you don't agree with everything?" and never know what to say. Now, at least, I might have something to say to people who go to WisCon!

[maevele]

word

[eggcrack]

That really does make sense. Wow.

I hope the movie was fun!

[laceblade]

It was! Possibly I had lower expectations, as I just saw Priest in theaters, but it wasn't nearly so bad as the reviews I'd read made it out to be.