Love-Hate Mail
A Pullman acolyteSniff. I dearly love Bill Pullman (“Consummate Love Unconsummated,” April 24). Those with a penchant for obscure comedies remember him as “the stupidest person on the face of the earth” in the 1980s gem, Ruthless People.HEATHER SOUTHALLlikestang@hotmail.com (Clarksville)
Wolves in pulpitsOne important observation missing from the story of “The Bad Shepherd” (April 24) is that religion is predatory. Religion preys on the helpless, the weak, the vulnerable, the trusting, the needy, and adolescent children have all these characteristics. So it’s easy to understand why evangelical sociopaths under cover of authority are attracted to the innocence of young girls and boys who are put in their care. This explains why pedophiles, rapists and child molesters find religious “service” so appealing. Understandably, we are empathetic with those who struggle, unsuccessfully, to deal with wolves hiding in their pulpits hungry to eat their meek little lambs.
But in my opinion, the article implicitly suggested that religion has outlived its usefulness. Rather than offering solutions, religion has become a scourge worse than any problem it alleges to solve. Wouldn’t it be better to deny sex deviates the relative safety of a church by simply eliminating religion altogether, thus avoiding the consequences of eventually having to deal with psychologically crippled, and sexually terrorized, children as adults?
Besides, Jesus said, “And if your eye offends you, pluck it out: It’s better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than have two eyes cast into hell fire.” (Mark 9:47) The time has come for those who believe in religion to practice what they preach.RHIO HIRSCHtalkingzen@gmail.com (Whites Creek)
Film rebuffedI was disappointed in your cover story about the Nashville Film Festival (April 17). You overlooked Turn the Radio On, a movie about Ken Berryhill, the founder of 91.1 WRVU. The documentary was shot in Nashville and directed by Nashville musician Jim Reed. Pretty weak for a magazine that, just the week before, tried to figure out why so many touring bands skip Nashville. (By the way, it’s because we don’t even support the musicians who live here.)JOE ROBERTSONjosebill@gmail.com (Nashville)
An open letter to Mike GrimesIn the recent article “Not Playing Here” (April 10), Mike Grimes is quoted as saying, “Nashville is a tough crowd. People don’t get up and go crazy at shows here.” He is apparently implying that if people were more enthusiastic at shows, bands might be more excited about playing here in town.
Assuming I’m not reading too much into this quote, I couldn’t agree more. In fact, it just so happened that a few months ago, a friend of mine and I were at the Basement watching Six Gun Lullaby play. Six Gun is a very loud and energetic band, and the two of us were disgusted at the fact that no one there was getting into the music, instead content to stand at least five feet from the stage, motionless, with their arms crossed. So what could we do? We were obligated to show the disaffected hipsters how one was supposed to behave at a loud and fast rock show. We danced, we screamed, we went crazy, as you said people don’t do here.
Two songs later, Mike Grimes kicked us out. Please practice what you preach, Mr. Grimes.JACKSON O’BRIENnotjackobrien@gmail.com (Nashville)
Comments (0)