community

How would you define "community"? While a neighborhood, small-town, or local organization used to refer to various "communities," the word "community" has evolved into that elusive place where we hope we'll belong. Maybe it's at work, in the family, or around certain friends - do you have a place where you know you belong, and you are free to be yourself?

Many of us find pseudo-community through television. After years of watching shows like Friends or Cheers or Seinfeld, you think you actually know these people. For the past three years, Jennie and I have really enjoyed watching NBC's Ed. Two weeks ago, NBC promoted that week's episode as the finale, announcing the end of the three year show. While we have felt a certain level of false-friendship with Ed, Carol, Mike, Nancy, and the other characters on Ed, a whole "virtual community" has formed in support of this show, and is on a public relations campaign to keep Ed on the air.

This phenomena of people connecting over a certain television show certainly is nothing new. Hard to believe that Friends, among other shows, is on its last few weeks. No doubt that my generation has latched on to Friends like no other show of our time. Six characters that stay friends for ten years, through marriage, divorce, unfaithfulness, betrayal, highs and lows of life. As funny as that show can be, it does portray some unconditional friendships that we are all longing for.

On another note, I'm going to see "the Passion of the Christ" tomorrow night. To be honest, I am sick of hearing television, seeing newspaper reviews, and hearing the opinions of people who have already seen it. I like to watch a movie for myself, and form my own opinions and reaction. Call me crazy. The movie hasn't technically opened yet, but I feel like the controversy on the topic has run its chourse. While I hope this movie encourages me and many others to really consider what happened to Jesus 2,000 years ago, it is still a movie, and will be criticized and praised as such. If the movie is accurate, then it will speak for itself. And, as usual, people will see what they want to see.