sixwordstories | (no subject)

Basic theology of what?

Popular culture. Or is it a free-for-all? For the life of me, I can't figure it out.

Sweetheart there is no logic or theology behind pop culture. People like what they like and someone else likes it, snowball effect.

How am I supposed to know what to like? It's always changing, and I'm the last to find out.

Uh. Like what you like. Fuck what's popular. Is that all you're striving for, to be mainstream, to fit in?

I'm never going to fit in, but I would like to know what is mainstream so that I don't wander into a store and get laughed at when I ask for acid washed jeans, or scare away people trying to save my soul.

Who is trying to save your soul? And, who gives a fuck if acid wash isn't in? Do you like acid wash?

I never met them before. Evangelical Christians, but they said the world was ending. I've got literature from them... and nothing is wrong with acid wash. I didn't want to put rhinestones on it, I just thought distressed jeans would be more comfortable than brand new pants.

They say lots of shit to scare people into believing their bullshit. Comfy would be my first choice.

How do people get them to stay away?

Comfy and cheap. Everything here is very expensive.

Just tell them to fuck off. Your soul, your business.

Second hand stores?

Hereabouts, Catholic, mostly. Don't pay it any mind.

Do you want my pragmatic answer or the less pragmatic one?

Both? What holy symbols work here?

Thank you. I'm not looking to join a church now anyhow.

Thats easy then. Both Everything and Nothing.

Nothing's reliable here. Everything will work once, somewhere, on someone, but it's a game of chance to try anything in case it doesn't.

Edited 2015-08-05 19:13 (UTC)

What are you looking for, darlin?

I don't think you can help me. Are you Catholic?

Do you think there's really evil? I'm not saying that the world will end because you watched someone die on a TV show, but real, true, evil.

I go to the thrift store, but most what I find is not worth wearing. I'll have to look at a few other shops.

There goes that plan.

I'd say it's had an influence. But my primary religion, vodou - my way of life, you might say - is eons older.

There's no harm in talking about it, now, is there? That's not promising I'll help, or even know how to advise, but sometime when you talk, you can figure it out on your own. Isn't that right?

...I'm Yoruba. It's really close to yours.

I'm trying to get rid of a Loa. That's what I think it is, anyhow. Nothing I tried worked, so I thought it was something local.

The try everything once plan? it might work. It just probably wont a second time.

[He looks surprised, and then incredibly pleased, to know she practices one of the diasporic religions, though he obviously knows it's not a perfect map, and that he's not qualified outside of his specific field (and given his track record with the Ghede, not qualified exactly within his specific field.)]

Hmmm, now, that is difficult. If it were me, I'd say finding out what it is exactly that they want from you is priority one, but I know they don't always communicate in ways we can understand right off. Anything major in your life happen recently? Death, marriage... fall in love?

I'll make a list, and just go down it.

[ Janie is surprised as well, because she hasn't met one person that knows anything about the diaspora religions]

Too much major stuff, but it's my daughter that gets possessed. Started happening right after the last time I ran off from home. That's around the time... well, I was the one who was in love, but it's all over. He died. We never did get married.

Yes. I think there is real, true, evil.

Find one of those consignment type places. Probably better pickings.

[He takes his hat off - a free little gesture, costs nothing to be kind to her.] Condolences for your loss.

Can you tell me what she does when possessed? 'Cause you tell a Catholic that, they're gonna wanna exorcise - maybe even end up hurtin' your kid, I'm sure I don't need to warn you about that, but just in case.

If you need a research partner let me know. Ex-Grad student. I'm good at working through the paper references.

What did you study? I want to go to college one day and study physics.

I studied art. I was going to go into restoration. I never got around to it though.

You can still do it one day... it just might not be traditional.

I"m trying to find ways to help you, and find ways to help my daughter.

What's wrong with your daughter?

I think she... is evil. Not to me. She's a great kid. Perfect. A perfect angel. The best kid I could ever ask for.

So she doesn't have a problem. Unless she decides to be evil, and then she might as well be one of the children of the damned, or the kid from Insidious.

I think a lot of parents think that about their kids... but you mean that literally, don't you?

Like a sociopath?

I mean literally. That's one reason for the theology question.

She hasn't hurt anyone, just... things.

hmm. I guess we'd need to figure out what kind of Evil she is. Evil's such a broad category.

Things... What do you mean?

Yes. I've been watching horror movies, but I'm pretty sure she's not an alien, and I don't think she's a demon...

Nothing of mine, but- the babysitter that she hated had all of her dresses and shoes slashed. Or tires off of someones car... Um, she turned a little girl's teddy bears inside out. And ripped the pages out of all the bibles in a church and told the pastor that Satan had six demons and a cell in hell picked out for him.

It's mostly small things. She's an angel for most people.

Was the man who fathered her evil?

Hhmm... So she's just terrible to people she dislikes... she acts out against them. Did they deserve what she did to them?

Um. He could be? I'm not sure. Actually, I think that he might be. I kind of don't pick the best guys.

And those people deserved it. I'm not sure about the priest, but no one was hurt seriously- but I know that she could have.

It might be worth trying to figure out which type of Evil he is. At least then you could narrow down what might keep her contained if she goes all out evil on you.

Well... If they deserved it... I don't think she'd be evil... or psychotic... Vengeful maybe. Still possibly a sociopath. But punishing people isn't really evil...

His eyes turned black when I met him. He was angry about something. [She's trying really hard to remember details]

If you don't think it's evil, then I could be overreacting. I just- wasn't sure about her.

Is that all? Ugh. That could be anything...

Maybe... but... you know her better than anyone. You need to follow your instincts.

He called me a sprite? No tail, he basically looked human, except for when he got mad at me. But my memories of her and him are really hazy.

She's not... right. Nothing scares her either. You wouldn't, she'd laugh at your sister. A building could explode and she'd start playing in the rubble.

Oh god. Was he a fairy? Please tell me he's not a fairy.

No! He's taller than me. Ew, no. I'd never, not with a fairy.

Oh god, Good.
Because Lynn being evil would be legit and it would be the worse of your troubles having a baby-daddy who is a fairy running around.

[She looks worried ] A demon?

I don't think I should be allowed to date.