Jesus and Elvis
Two thousand years ago, some folks told whoppers about Jesus being spotted after his death. Today, some folks tell whoppers about Elvis being spotted after his death.
I wonder what sort of people told those “Jesus sightings” stories 2,000 years ago? Were they the same sort of people as tell the “Elvis sightings” stories today?
I had a scoutmaster who liked to tell such stories. He told them back in the day when I was a gullible young kid. I can still remember how exciting it was to hear that the laws of nature had been suspended. To hear him tell his stories made life seem mysterious and intriguing; made anything seem possible.
There’s something all-too-human in the fact that the stories in a tabloid newspaper of today bear such striking resemblance to the miracle stories in the bible. I still recall the excitement I felt listening to my scoutmaster tell his urban legends. I could easily have become attached to that excitement, and if I had, I would today be a junkie for tabloids – perhaps even a junkie for the Gospel. There is something in human nature that wants the laws of nature suspended, wants anything to be possible, forever wants Elvis to come back from the dead.
Yeah, I bet the miracles of the bible began as stories like our urban legends.
Stumble It!
2 comments:
Perhaps there is something in human nature that wants excitement, sensationalism. This tabloid growth has become a phenomena in India today too, and people get pretty upset. But they don't realise that its they who are driving it. The voyeurism is to be seen to be believed. Perhaps its those who lead humdrum lives who want to read bizarre news...really I think some sort of personality test of all sensation seekers should be conducted!
Hi Nita! I think the lure of sensationalism can be very strong. I felt it when I was a young boy listening to my scoutmaster tell us "urban legends" as if they were fact. But I wonder why some people seem to grow out of the thirst for it, while others are thirsty for sensationalism all their lives? I would certainly like to see a personality test along the lines that you suggest!
Post a Comment