May 23, 2000
12:45 AM Subscribe
As if those "God billboards" weren't bad enough, "God" now wants to speak to the youth of the world via WuzupGod.com.
As a Christian, I can appreciate the message behind the billboards. Still, the ham-handed delivery reminds me of the Jive Mother-Fucking Colonel. Bleah!
posted by ratbastard at 5:56 AM on May 23, 2000
posted by ratbastard at 5:56 AM on May 23, 2000
Let's take a look at a few of WuzupGod's "Commandments":
<<>>
Now, I may be fuzzy on the details, but I'm positive that the use of the divine name is a big no-no...and I'm also pretty sure the Jews wouldn't use a latinization of the divine name if they were going to blaspheme.
<>
Great. God as OJ Simpson. I feel better now. By the by, for you monotheists, even this lame translation makes the point that there are other gods to worship. He's not claiming to be the only one.
<<>
For instance, you will not create a ridiculous website that causes the Divine Name (which must not be uttered or expressed) to be mocked and ridiculed.
<>
So this Saturday, I expect to see some resting! You Christians have had this one for two thousand years...stop ignoring it!
<>
Even if they beat you, drink heavily, abandon you...for I am not into Situational Ethics! I am a Website-Specific Supreme Being!
<>
Unless I tell you to...like Witches. Stone them. But nobody else! Well, maybe anyone who disagrees with you on religious matters...but that's where I draw the line!
<>
No, Mister President, I am not going to rewrite these. If I kept the honor your mother and father bit, I'm keeping this one.
<>
Except for Intellectual Property, like the Old Testament. Feel free to swipe that and build a religion around it. I won't mind.
<>
Unless you want to impersonate Me for the purposes of starting up a gnarly website to straighten out those wayward kids. Then it's okay, and I won't even mind about the taking My name in vain part!
<>
Unless he's got a bitchin' Camaro. Then smite him! No, not really. This one and the murder one are hard to argue with.
posted by Ezrael at 6:40 AM on May 23, 2000
<<
Now, I may be fuzzy on the details, but I'm positive that the use of the divine name is a big no-no...and I'm also pretty sure the Jews wouldn't use a latinization of the divine name if they were going to blaspheme.
<
Great. God as OJ Simpson. I feel better now. By the by, for you monotheists, even this lame translation makes the point that there are other gods to worship. He's not claiming to be the only one.
<<
For instance, you will not create a ridiculous website that causes the Divine Name (which must not be uttered or expressed) to be mocked and ridiculed.
<
So this Saturday, I expect to see some resting! You Christians have had this one for two thousand years...stop ignoring it!
<
Even if they beat you, drink heavily, abandon you...for I am not into Situational Ethics! I am a Website-Specific Supreme Being!
<
Unless I tell you to...like Witches. Stone them. But nobody else! Well, maybe anyone who disagrees with you on religious matters...but that's where I draw the line!
<
No, Mister President, I am not going to rewrite these. If I kept the honor your mother and father bit, I'm keeping this one.
<
Except for Intellectual Property, like the Old Testament. Feel free to swipe that and build a religion around it. I won't mind.
<
Unless you want to impersonate Me for the purposes of starting up a gnarly website to straighten out those wayward kids. Then it's okay, and I won't even mind about the taking My name in vain part!
<
Unless he's got a bitchin' Camaro. Then smite him! No, not really. This one and the murder one are hard to argue with.
posted by Ezrael at 6:40 AM on May 23, 2000
The site and content eerily reminds me of the Poochie episode of The Simpsons.
"It's God, targeted at the hot young demographic!"
As Barney said, "Jesus must be spinning in his grave!"
posted by hijinx at 7:08 AM on May 23, 2000
"It's God, targeted at the hot young demographic!"
As Barney said, "Jesus must be spinning in his grave!"
posted by hijinx at 7:08 AM on May 23, 2000
I have mixed feelings. Christian parents and elders have a hard time accepting that it will always be close to impossible to reach the youth and make them upstanding followers. At the same time, this is someone's creative way of trying and I don't think anyone here should knock the effort.
At the same time, crap like this can turn even more people away. I have seen that time and time again. It will always continue so it should come as no surprise that this web site was created. I would be interesting to see how the critics of this work would make a web site, targeted towards youth.
Anyone can spat off at the mouth but can you do better?
posted by Brilliantcrank at 9:01 AM on May 23, 2000
At the same time, crap like this can turn even more people away. I have seen that time and time again. It will always continue so it should come as no surprise that this web site was created. I would be interesting to see how the critics of this work would make a web site, targeted towards youth.
Anyone can spat off at the mouth but can you do better?
posted by Brilliantcrank at 9:01 AM on May 23, 2000
In the distant halycon days of my mis-begotten youth, I struggled with my fundamentalist parents and with my own deeply held Christian beliefs which were getting slowly uprooted every day. Our swinging valley-talking youth pastor was absolutely no help in my slow slide into the cold arms of agnosticism; she actually was pushing me away by trying to link God with something as empty as early 80's pop culture.
This website is equally as embarrassing.
What really appealed to me then and might have kept me in the church were the people who realized the seriousness of it all. If you're going to present God and Christ and the whole shebang, you should treat it with at least a modicum of respect, respect the deeply personal nature of one's relationship with God / Christ, and reveal Christ as the revolutionary figure he was. Present the words of the gospel in a clear modern translation but don't condescend by reducing it to slang. Teenagers today will see right through this transparent attempt at hipness, just like my group would often ridicule our youth pastor.
Even at the age of 14, we would realize God, if he/she existed, was something more than an empty collection of platitudes or your invisible best friend, or the big brother you never had.
posted by pandaba at 10:11 AM on May 23, 2000
This website is equally as embarrassing.
What really appealed to me then and might have kept me in the church were the people who realized the seriousness of it all. If you're going to present God and Christ and the whole shebang, you should treat it with at least a modicum of respect, respect the deeply personal nature of one's relationship with God / Christ, and reveal Christ as the revolutionary figure he was. Present the words of the gospel in a clear modern translation but don't condescend by reducing it to slang. Teenagers today will see right through this transparent attempt at hipness, just like my group would often ridicule our youth pastor.
Even at the age of 14, we would realize God, if he/she existed, was something more than an empty collection of platitudes or your invisible best friend, or the big brother you never had.
posted by pandaba at 10:11 AM on May 23, 2000
Bleh, it looks like some of the same people behind the billboards are also behind this site: the "for technical comments on this site use this link" link on wuzupgod goes to Smithagency.com, which is the agency that does the billboards. But you know what really burns my ass? That no one knows who the client is. Or, if they've been revealed since I last got all pissy about this, I didn't hear about it. The first thing I thought when I saw those billboards starting to sprout up was "where's the fine print telling me who financed this crap?" I mean, if I put up a billboard saying GOD'S A BIG FAT LIE: LIVE RIGHT FOR YOURSELF, TODAY I'm not sure the Witness Protection Program could keep my identity secret. So why the free pass for religious advertising, why can people pushing god skulk around secretively like it was porn or drugs they were pushing and everything's fine? I find it offensive and I *sure* would like to know who's behind it. Know thy enemy, and all.
Looks like more of the same is forthcoming from SmithAgency, though: Jan 10 2000 Adweek ran a short story about them (page 5). A quote: SmithAgency honchoes said of the next "God" campaign that it would be "graphically different... more focused on a specfic segment of society... hopefully multimedia, including TV". So: wuzupgod hits the tube soon? Gag me with a copy of the fucking Old Testament.
I'm not harshing on Christianity per se here, just on the fact that in a supposedly free country you can't get *away* from it. Is there some sort of universal God opt-out I can sign up for already?
no Nice Pledge here.
posted by Sapphireblue at 3:02 PM on May 23, 2000
Looks like more of the same is forthcoming from SmithAgency, though: Jan 10 2000 Adweek ran a short story about them (page 5). A quote: SmithAgency honchoes said of the next "God" campaign that it would be "graphically different... more focused on a specfic segment of society... hopefully multimedia, including TV". So: wuzupgod hits the tube soon? Gag me with a copy of the fucking Old Testament.
I'm not harshing on Christianity per se here, just on the fact that in a supposedly free country you can't get *away* from it. Is there some sort of universal God opt-out I can sign up for already?
no Nice Pledge here.
posted by Sapphireblue at 3:02 PM on May 23, 2000
Especially like the apostrophy after "giving." Classy.
posted by EngineBeak at 10:11 PM on October 23, 2000
posted by EngineBeak at 10:11 PM on October 23, 2000
Shoot: "apostrophe" obviously, why the "Post" button? But they do seem to be apostrophe-happy. If they were really kewl it'd be misspelling rite N left. Yes.
posted by EngineBeak at 10:14 PM on October 23, 2000
posted by EngineBeak at 10:14 PM on October 23, 2000
And "getting." Dammit dammit dammit.
posted by EngineBeak at 10:16 PM on October 23, 2000
posted by EngineBeak at 10:16 PM on October 23, 2000
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posted by pixelboy at 5:26 AM on May 23, 2000