3 Comments

1. 

   acilius

    /  January 6, 2009

   I got dizzy just watching her spin around like that. The musical accompaniment and video effects didn’t exactly stabilize my stomach.

   In 2002-2003, I was active in the antiwar movement locally. More precisely, it was our town’s “Don’t invade Iraq” movement. The pastor of the Quaker meeting Mrs Acilius and I now attend took a prominent part in that movement. As I got to know her, I started going to the meeting from time to time. Not long after that period, she decided to incorporate liturgical dance into her Sunday morning presentations. This horrified the congregation, who thought she was making herself look ridiculous and forced her to quit. Apparently there is a long and complex tradition of liturgical dance, though it doesn’t fit into Quakerism- to the extent that Quakers have such a thing as liturgy, it consists of sitting together quietly. If a meeting has a pastor (many don’t,) that pastor is best advised to call as little attention to him/herself as possible.

   So I wonder what someone familiar with liturgical dance would make of the Reverend Alicia. To my eyes, she looks ridiculous. If I saw her in the context of that tradition, maybe she wouldn’t. Or maybe the whole tradition would, I don’t know.

2. 

   cymast

    /  January 6, 2009

   So this video literally made you ill . . that’s the worst review I’ve read of it. Sorry . .

   I love this video and song. Maybe the perspective of an unbeliever is a more compatible context . . though I did see this video (after searching) posted on an atheist website as an object of ridicule, to my dismay. Reverend Alicia is *sincere* . . and it shows in her presentation. I find that extremely rare and refreshing, especially when compared to the majority of smug, hypocritical, self-righteous “Christians” I’ve encountered. I’d rather watch and listen to Alicia for a week than endure a second of Falwell’s sick twitches. (Mr. Cymast gets a kick out of flipping Falwell on Sunday mornings and watching my reaction.)

   I thought team Acilius would enjoy the chair dancing. But I can understand how Quakers wouldn’t appreciate this video.

3. 

   acilius

    /  January 7, 2009

   I can see she’s sincere, and I want to understand and respect her tradition. I’m just susceptible to motion sickness, that’s all.