I personally think religious American's lack of sophistication about their various creeds is actually comforting. Did anyone see the poll released last week stating that a vast majority of religious Americans do not believe that their belief system is the only right way? The reality is that most people in America do not live day to day in the womb of their religion. They live in a complex and multi-cultural world. Even though some may complain about diversity, it still must have some sort of effect on most of them to see people of different faiths (or no faith) love their families and share the same basic human values. Fundamentalism is dangerous, but is essentially the reactionary rantings of a small group of people who long for a past that never existed. They will make a lot of noise, and may cause harm in the short term, but I believe that their days are numbered.

Religious folks need to stop worrying about the Truth OF their myths and rituals and look for the Truth contained IN their myths and rituals.

Atheists and materialists, on the other hand, while right to point out when superstition is acting detrimental to humanity, need to accept the enormous power and importance of myth and ritual. This recognition is, I believe, imperative to learning to live more authentically and connected to the world. In this respect it may be the atheists who need to become more sophisticated.

This looks like another one of those overly eager type of indie films mugging for mainstream acceptance like "Juno" or "King of California." I hope I'm wrong.

That being said, I will will totally see this film. I too was 18 in 1994. What a strange year! From O.J. to the cancellation of baseball to the tragic death of Kurt Cobain to the release of "Pulp Fiction." And the music! "The Illmatic," Lows first EP, "Ill Communication," "Superunkown," "Dookie," Phish's Halloween concert at Glens Falls--Phish at Madison Square Garden on New Year's Eve. Getting hip to Leonard Cohen through "Natural Born Killers."

As for me, I was kind of drifting about after graduation--you know all those slackers you heard about back then? Guilty. Now that I think about it, I wonder if it might be a little soon to be nostalgic for 14 years ago. On the other hand, considering all that has transpired in the past eight years, '94 seems like a lifetime ago, and, for me at least, a hazy, golden time of possibility and uncertainty while desperately affecting a pose of cool certainty and irony.

I saw Phish at MSG in 95 not 94. I'm sure you'll all understand my haziness about that;)

I'd say about a quarter of the items on the list apply to me. I suppose I have more in common with lefty Caucasian culture than with anything else. But then again, I'm Puerto Rican--more olive complexion than white--this of course begs the question: What is white? Skin complexion? A state of mind? A tax bracket? An appreciation of Ghostland Observatory (see what I did just there)? I also grew up in rural PA. White liberals love the fact that I am Puerto Rican, seem disappointed that I didn't grow up in the barrio, and are downright horrified when I tell them I won't be attending their dinner party because I'm going hunting that weekend.

---Of course I also love drawing stares from my hunting buddies when, after pulling up to hunting camp in my Subaru, I may start a conversation with "I heard an fascinating story on NPR..." or "There was an interesting piece on Salon yesterday..."(they don't know what Salon is, but it sounds French and anti-American so they react accordingly).

What the hell am I? A contrarian? Sure. An American? You bet your ass.

It's an amusing blog, not screaming funny, but amusing. People who have their offended("it's racist, it's classist!")are like the super-religious jag-offs who get angry over the Flying Spaghetti Monster site: humorless quasi-fascists who should probably spend less time getting angry at some dumb shit on the interweb and more pissed off at the state of the world around them.

When was I offended about a humorous website?

You're right, I am so very sorry--you are dumb shit on the internet, but I'm not angry at you. :)