Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Truly scary Christmas

If you really want to see kids cry, don't take them to visit Santa, take them to visit this light display (of Jesus being flogged!) in Blue Springs, MO:


Holy cow! I think one of those cranky old men who are always yelling "you kids get off my lawn" put up this display. And, um, isn't it more of an Easter display -- a horrible, tacky, Easter display that still really kind of misses the point (the Resurrection, that is)?

I think this sort of thing makes the Baby Jesus cry (go ahead, click on that and make the Baby Jesus cry!) especially in its full animated glory, which you can see at Ship of Fools, where they have also added a sound file of whipping noises to complete the effect. Nice.

As seen at The Green Knight.

Oh, and here's a vaguely related side note: growing up not far from Blue Springs, MO, I was subjected to a car dealer ad with a jingle that to this day I still cannot get out of my head. The lyrics were "Blue Springs, Blue Spring, getta better deal when ya got Blue Springs" (and then they'd show a car or a truck with its springs painted blue -- get it?) but that doesn't convey the irritating country catchiness of the jingle music. In other words, I think the folks of Blue Springs, MO, are all sadist who like tormenting people.

[Updated slightly to make clear what you're seeing in the picture and where the links lead you.]

2 comments:

Ancrene Wiseass said...

Whoa.

That is some wacky shit.

Dr. Virago said...

I thought you'd appreciate it in a weird sort of way. If I lived near it I'd take everyone to see it. If I knew exactly where in Blue Springs it was, I'd go see it in person this Christmas, but alas, I'm pretty sure that would involve a wild goose and a chase.

Makes you think what kind of twisted mind thinks *that's* the key moment in the Christian story, and thinks that it must be commemorated on a holiday that is generally focused on the *joy* of God living among his people, not the pain. If I were his neighbors, I'd keep an eye out for freshly dug up parts of the backyard!