The Christmas story has been told in many ways. It has been told from Mary's point of view. The story of the shepherds has been told, as has the stories of John the baptist and of the magi. One story however seems to have been forgotten, and so presented here as he would tell it today is Joseph's story . . .
The marriage was arranged. That was the custom in those days. The parents of the prospective couple would talk and negotiate things, and the decision was made that the two people were to be married. There would be a formal betrothal, complete with ceremony and celebration. This would often be the first time that the two people met, and certainly was the first time they had anything like a serious relationship. This is pretty much how things went for me. I was more fortunate than most, I fell in love with my betrothed. The more I got to know her, the more I loved her. I wanted nothing more than to have her as my wife, and spend my life with her, raising our children.
This story is a bit old, but it's still very relevant today and will be for a long time to come. I remember seeing the Columbine story on the news when it was new. I remember the look of the students who survived and all of the parents of students that they showed on tv. I remember the shock and horror at what had been done.
Now somebody has chosen to make light of the pain that those people felt over this horrible tragedy by creating a Role Playing Game where players take the parts of the two Columbine shooters. This is one of the ugliest examples I've seen in a long time not only of pure absolute heartlessness, but of glorified violence at it's worst. Even Grand Theft Auto at least had the (very small) decency to not depict a real horror like Columbine. (Not that there is any excuse for GTA to exist.)
In case anyone needs a reminder of the Columbine tragedy, here's a reminder, an excerpt from an address to the House Judiciary Committee by Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, who was killed at Columbine. A Father Speaks Out To The Leaders Of The USA - http://lurasbookcase.com/father1.shtml
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Columbine Game Pulled From Festival
UPDATED - Friday January 12, 2007 8:38pm
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A key sponsor has withdrawn from an alternative media festival and six video game makers have pulled their entries over organizers' rejection of a game depicting the Columbine High School massacre.
Slamdance Film Festival co-founder and president Peter Baxter said organizers couldn't justify keeping "Super Columbine Massacre RPG!" in the competition.
"I spoke to people who are still suffering very much from Columbine," Baxter said Friday. "Some things are more important than one game or a festival."
The game, which can be downloaded off the Internet, has cartoon graphics and photos of Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and some of their writings. Players take the place of Harris and Klebold, who killed 13 people and themselves in April 1999 at the school near Denver.
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