JULES AS IN JULES OF JULES AND VINCENT AND "JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUES"
There is a scene embedded in the set-piece at the diner near the end of Pulp Fiction in which Jules begins to ponder his trademark pre-contract murder bible quote. He says something to the effect that he liked saying it because it was a weird and kind of crazy thing to say to someone in the moments before he killed that person. He goes on to say that a number of recent events have caused him to ponder the meaning of the passage and begins to speculate on its metaphorical value but more importantly could he derive enough meaning from that passage to try to become "good."
For a number of reasons too boring to going into a common phrase in American political speechifying -- "Judeo-Christian Values" -- has popped in old Kelso's head and has started him off on a contemplative and reflective journey to figure out what that phrase means. Unlike the Jules character, however, Kelso finds the phrase only produces dark impulses and anger. Kelso never used the term himself because, well, it had no meaning to him. Literally. What does the phrase "Judeo-Christian Values" mean? It has always seemed like -- as with Jules -- it was something politicians said before during or after doing or saying something kind of ill. So, Kelso tuned it out, figuring that is was a post-Holocaust, politically-correct way for a politician to say "Christian Values." What does the phrase "Christian Values" mean, really? And why are politicians so keen on tacking on "Judeo"? Kelso couldn't give a shit whether they say "Judeo-Christian" or plain old "Christian."
We suppose that to accept and like the phrase "Judeo-Christian Values" a Jew is required to set all of history aside and just assume that we're starting with a clean slate and Jews and Christians are effectively the same. Kelso doesn't feel that way and he doubts any Christian does either. We're not the same. We're radically different. To begin with, just the reconquest of Spain and the Inquisition is really too recent to buy that bullshit. Never mind the Holocaust. That was yesterday. The "dirty wars" of South America were two minutes ago. So, it's really not quite fair for Christians to think that everything's fixed and we love them and accept them as brothers. Joe Lieberman might. Kelso doesn't. He doesn't hate them either. It is, however, too soon for the words "Judeo" and "Christian" to be fused like that. In a millenium, maybe, if things don't get too awful. Kelso has to bring the truth here now. The phrase "Judeo-Muslim Values" while also meaningless has SOME cultural and ethnic weight at least.
Until someone defines this fucking phrase in a way Kelso can understand that settles all of the very much unsettled scores, Kelso's going to speculate that the phrase has sinister connotations. And unlike Jules of Pulp Fiction, this speculation is leading nowhere redemptive. For Kelso, pondering the meaning of the phrase is creating dark thoughts and stoking anger. Kelso's no fan of any organized religion, so why exactly would he assume that the sects that have caused Kelso's forebears the most death and destruction are the ones he should join up with first? There's no good reason, of course. In terms of body counts, "Judeo-Muslim" is more reasonable, and fuck anyone who says anything about 9/11 or Israel. Like really fuck you. "Judeo-Buddhist" or "Judeo-Taoist" work even better using the body-count criterion. "Judeo-Scientologist" even makes more sense.
Well, the political speech-writers who came up with the phrase had to mean something. They're not stupid, quite the contrary. They're aware of everything Kelso just wrote. Perhaps, that's why when Kelso hears "Judeo-Christian Values" he checks his pockets to make sure his wallet and money and keys are still there, just because it makes so little sense. It has to be a trick of some kind. The trick would appear to be a trade offer. You forgive us for killing nearly all of you and we'll let you join us to exclude and hate and oppress and kill another group --the Muslims. Or the Hindus. Or the Jain. Or the Atheists. Or the Wicca. Or whoever. But really the Muslims, no?
But, as usual, White man speak with forked tongue. The "values" part implies a threat, as in give up your strange ways and become real Americans, also. Or else. Well, in the current political sense what does the word "values" mean. It's pretty clear. It means "no sex, no vice, no skepticism." It means: "Jews, cut the crap with the sex, drugs, gambling, abortion, psychiatry, poetry, medicine, literature, law, science, money, scholarship, Hollywood, and having fun in our country and start living like regular Americans or you don't get the privilege of hating Muslims like we do, because you practically are Muslims."
Sorry, no sale. It's not the fault of the Jews that the goyim don't know how to educate their kids or how to make money or create art or have guilt-free sex. This anti-Muslim thing is a Christian trip as far as Kelso can see. It's real simple: people in Wyoming are way more freaked-out by Islamic terrorism than people in New York are. Not into hating, sorry. Into having fun. And until it can be proven empirically that whatever stupid things Osama bin Laden or Ahminejad have said, it's more important than the straight-up fact that a few thousand don't equal a few million in anyone's math -- least of all Kelso's -- Kelso's going to let you have your fun hating and fearing Muslims and is going to go about having some real fun himself.
And please stop with Israel already. Israel has proven over and over again it can take care of itself. If as a Jew of the diaspora Kelso has any carry with Israel, he asks one (probably ungrantable) favor. Tell Pat Robertson to go fuck himself and take his money with him. Kelso gets that the Israelis are really enjoying undressing the most wretched of American goyim on this, and it is kind of funny, but it's really not right. And that money can come back and bitesome Sabra ass. Get too dependent on it and Pat Robertson and company might make you all nuke Iran. And that's the end of it all. As in nuclear holocaust within a couple of hours.
Can't speak for Christian values, but here's a nice Judeo value: Ochoa-147 over Sorenstam in the LPGA Evian Masters Tournament. Here's another Judeo value: sex is really fun and the more twisted the better.
Kelso's Nuts love you
9 comments:
1.I agree, Kelso. I think Judeo-Christian is a way of expressing theocentrism but also in a way that reflects the bonafide religions as opposed to those of people who are "unwhite".
2.Why not Islam? Because that's just not ok despite the fact that many would argue that Jews dont have more in common particularly than Muslims and Christians.
3. Odd that some argue that Islam is different because it provides for violence. Nothing violent though in Christianity's past or scriptures though, right?
4. I think that part of the movie's intention there is that they have a bit of a vigilante-thug view of murder and justice. It seems that he is rethinking on what basis he condemns "his brothers". Beyond being some bad ass shit to say before popping a bullet into said brother, the conversation I think is intended to have us look at the examined versus obedient view.
5. Just my take, anyway. To me that is one important bit of dialogue, the other being when Mia asks about listening or waiting to speak.
6. I think obedience is a theme throughout, tied into dogma in a way. Tarantino's character is obedient to his wife, the guys to Wallace, the rape scenes, the hunk of metal up his ass scene with Walken, the boxing match, Mia to her husband,etc.
Conditional obedience.
We could discuss that movie for the next five years and not run out of things to say or to argue about. That, as much as anything else, is what makes it one of the best of all time.
It has been said that ALL of life is in the plays of Shakespeare. I'd say a SOLID 2% of life and no less is in PULP FICTION.
And with regard to your point #4, once again, you've expressed my thoughts better than I could have. For example, I am against capital punishment without reservation. When someone who's in favor asks me "what about if your son...?" My answer is the same every time: THAT PERSON COULD NOT FIND ANYWHERE ON THIS EARTH TO HIDE, BUT I DO NOT APPROVE OF STATE-SPONSORED MURDER, AND ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE BAROQUE WAY IT'S CARRIED OUT HERE.
That said, however, my post was indeed in part about "obediene," in the sense that in being asked to accept the existence of "Judeo-Christian Values" it is the Jew who is being asked to obey.
Perfect comment to my post. Thanks.
Yes, there are a lot of things in that movie. That's for sure.
first and foremost - thank you for finally making that movie seem interesting in the very least to me. i've tried three different times to watch it - the regular version, the director's cut, back to the regular version.... and... nada.
i don't even know where to begin, there are so many fantastic nuggets in here.
not being very well versed in in religion speak - this post really caught my attention. i have no religion. i like thomas paines quote, "the world is my country, to do good is my religion." 'nuff said. i had terrible experiences as a kid with the organized religion bunch and have since sworn it off. too much hate for this kid. sad to say, that judeo christian and christian could be pretty much interchangable to me when coming from the mouths of political babes. if i had to put a laebl on myself, i suppose i'd be agnostic. i can't say for certain either way. fence stitting, i know. i know. but...
i also can't get with blind obedience - so you can imagine he time i'm having now trying to figure out how i teach bebe that obedience isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be. he's but two now.
i loved these sections:
And until it can be proven empirically that whatever stupid things Osama bin Laden or Ahminejad have said, it's more important than the straight-up fact that a few thousand don't equal a few million in anyone's math -- least of all Kelso's -- Kelso's going to let you have your fun hating and fearing Muslims and is going to go about having some real fun himself.
amen.
But, as usual, White man speak with forked tongue. The "values" part implies a threat, as in give up your strange ways and become real Americans, also. Or else. Well, in the current political sense what does the word "values" mean. It's pretty clear. It means "no sex, no vice, no skepticism."
ditto amen. but i'd add, "do as i say, not as i do," given the recent sexcapades, vice issues, etc.
great post!!!
From one "Proud Atheist" to another, Kelso, you rule! This is probably the best commentary on the subject of "Judeo-Christian" bullshit I have ever read. I agree that the phrase is probably another example of political correctness gone amok. The only reason I can think of to associate the two is that Christians do read the old testament as well as the new, but it is clearly much less important to them. In my experience, it seems to me that most Christians are anti-Semitic (interesting that "Semitic" includes both Arabs and Jews). And it seems sometimes that most of the world is anti-Jewish. I have always attributed that to the fact that the Jewish people have consistently been more intelligent, hard-working, talented and successful than most of the population, and that drives the goyim nuts. The only solution is to exterminate the Jews and confiscate their hard-earned wealth. I know that may be overly simplistic, but I like to boil things down.
As for "Pulp Fiction," I had to bail out after about 20 minutes! It was way too gruesome for my tender sensibilities. It never occured to me that there would be any philosophical merit in it.
Speaking of "pulp," do you do any free-lance writing for magazines or newspapers? I think you have much to offer.
Thanks for the props, z, but no I don't do any writing anymore other than in the blogosphere. When I was actively involved in hedge-fund management, I used to write schoarly and mathematical pieces for estoteric British financial journals.
Now, I bet sports and horses for a living.
The only reason I can write a LITTLE is because I come from a literary family and learned how to do it young.
Supergirlest:
I was raised in an atheist household. My mother is Jewish of German extraction and her family has been in the U.S. since before the Civil War, so they had long given up superstition for scholarship. My father is Jewish of Russian extraction and was sort-of raised in an orthodox home but everything he saw made him question and he give it up as a teenager.
I call myself an "atheist" because I don't believe there is a God the way organzied religions would have you believe. Gets back to that whole obedience thing again. As the proportion of self-indentified atheists in the USA is around 3%, I felt the need to fight my corner vigorously.
Now, that I'm living in a notionally Catholic country albeit with 33% self-identified atheists, I can say I'm agnostic in the sense that there are concepts too big for human beings at this stage of development to understand. To wit: Cosmologists can trace the space-time continuum back to 3 minutes before its initiation (whether you prefer the big-bang or oscillating-universe theories) but they can't say WHY primoridal ball of hydrogen was there to begin with, etc. Furthermore, take a look at the subject of Calculus. This branch of math has brought great advances to our understanding of nearly everything, but IT CANT DEAL WITH 0 OR INFINITY, so it uses the conceit of "in the limit as x approaches 0..."
But, no, I'm afraid I cannot be convinced the world is 6000 years old and there's an invisible man in the sky who decides whether you're going to win at bingo or not.
"but they can't say WHY primoridal ball of hydrogen was there to begin with, etc."
Of COURSE they can't say WHY! There is no "why." Some things just ARE, Bubele. Considering that we humans are just infinitismally teensy specks in the vast, boundless universe, I think it's pretty amazing we have figured out as much as we have. Especially when you consider how hard the Religion purveyors have tried to stifle rational thought over the centuries.
A country with 33% self-identified atheists? Where? Where? I want to live there!
Judeo-Scientologist
Fucking priceless.
I like the Thomas Paine quote, Supergirlest. I guess I've gone around the circle with religion like a clock's second hand over the course of several minutes - 2Fast, 2Furious. Currently I believe that god is an existentialist, and when we have figured it all out god will congratulate us on our victory and begin again.
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