Friday, June 08, 2007
'Flight F-I-N-A-L' -- a few kind words
In recognition of today's flight of the Atlantis, the first shuttle flight of 2007, let me say a few kind words about this album, "Flight F-I-N-A-L-- A Dramatic Comparison to Death," by Forrest McCullough, which I own. I took it with me when I left home way back when. It came out, I think, in 1965, when I was 1. Mama ER must have bought it. But I don't know. As a little ER, I listened with rapt attention and it helped me imagine -- without which none of us can "see" God in this life.I insist on a few kind words for it because there is nothing but ridicule and mockery about on the Internet, as far as I can tell.
Excerpt.
OK, "the blood-sprinkled concourse" might seem a bit much -- but not to one who knows these images as part of his heritage of faith and now recognizes the deep value of metaphor.
Here's the whole thing. It is an LP album.
Side 1.
Side 2.
It's an allegory. And if we start making fun of allegories then we have to line 'em all up: "The Pilgrim's Progress," "The Pilgrim's Regress," "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and well. half, at least, of the Bible itself.
I'm not willing to do that. So, I hereby defend "Flight F-I-N-A-L" as an allegory of a certain way of interpreting an important part of the Christian story.
--ER
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Parts of it are way corny. It is rife with puns and cliches. It's very Cecil B. Demille-ish.
But it was, and is, used by God to bring people into, or further into, a relationship with Him.
I declare this on my own experience, which no one can dispute.
I'm trying very careful to warn y'all that my trigger finger is itchy. Make wholesale fun of this and I'll delete it.
Show some respect people. :-)
I'm off to eastern Oklahoma early Saturday, to be with Big Brudder, Big Big Sister and Mister Big Big Sister, at Mama ER's house, for the first time since we were all there for her funeral. Which might explain might appreciation for this allegory and my early imaginings of what it means to be a Christian ...
But it was, and is, used by God to bring people into, or further into, a relationship with Him.
I declare this on my own experience, which no one can dispute.
I'm trying very careful to warn y'all that my trigger finger is itchy. Make wholesale fun of this and I'll delete it.
Show some respect people. :-)
I'm off to eastern Oklahoma early Saturday, to be with Big Brudder, Big Big Sister and Mister Big Big Sister, at Mama ER's house, for the first time since we were all there for her funeral. Which might explain might appreciation for this allegory and my early imaginings of what it means to be a Christian ...
Now who would be brave enough to make fun of you ah/er this?
Say, when did God get into the airline business. I was raised with the Darby O'Gill and The Little People version of the grim reaper flying in on a black coach with black steeds snorting fire, and with red eyes. The door opens and the driver, the reaper himself, sticks out a boney finger from beneath his sleave and points to the open door. I like that image a lot. When VCRs came around I used to show my kids that and them tell them that's whats gonna happen if you don't go to Sunday School. Never did work though. Guess I should have gotten this record.
Say, when did God get into the airline business. I was raised with the Darby O'Gill and The Little People version of the grim reaper flying in on a black coach with black steeds snorting fire, and with red eyes. The door opens and the driver, the reaper himself, sticks out a boney finger from beneath his sleave and points to the open door. I like that image a lot. When VCRs came around I used to show my kids that and them tell them that's whats gonna happen if you don't go to Sunday School. Never did work though. Guess I should have gotten this record.
I think it's cool, ER. Always have. And it's not corny. It is dated because of when it was produced, but it carries the same charm as those old movies on TCM.
I had never even heard of this before! As someone whose older brother was fascinated with science fiction, the space program of the 1960's etc., and who remembers how the space program was used to sell everything from aftershave and bad powdered orange drink to pocket calculators, I can see where a project like this might have been appealing.
For all that it is dated, and indeed corny and filled with puns, St. Paul reminds us we are to be all things to all people - we are to speak to people so they can hear us. Nothing wrong with that at all. Sorry, ER, that you had to delete some comments from people who can't get behind something like this. Or, if nothing else, appreciate your appreciation of it.
For all that it is dated, and indeed corny and filled with puns, St. Paul reminds us we are to be all things to all people - we are to speak to people so they can hear us. Nothing wrong with that at all. Sorry, ER, that you had to delete some comments from people who can't get behind something like this. Or, if nothing else, appreciate your appreciation of it.
Oh, that was a prevantative comment-deleting threat. And TECH just had a typo in his first comment, which he deleted himself.
On the weekend. Ugh. Very hard for me to be in Mama's house. Before long it was be Big Brother's house, and I think it'll be easier for me then. Heh-heh, he didn't know I had spirited away the "Flight F-I-N-A-L" record until I told him yesterday. Heh-heh.
On the weekend. Ugh. Very hard for me to be in Mama's house. Before long it was be Big Brother's house, and I think it'll be easier for me then. Heh-heh, he didn't know I had spirited away the "Flight F-I-N-A-L" record until I told him yesterday. Heh-heh.
Now I have to paint the dining room cause you took the praying man and left a white spot!
Brudder
Brudder
# posted by 
: 1:44 PM
: 1:44 PM
Tech, you're the only person I know who knows about this album. I wonder is a traveling salesman came through our hometown with them or something?
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