There was a feature on NPR this morning about the Shinto Japanese islands creation myth. It's pretty crazy. It involves brother/sister incest and maggots crawling out of lady orifices--what one commentator on the show calls a "classic story".
It makes me wonder: how many drafts did this have to go through before the current story? Like: who decided that this was going to be the story and not something else? Something--oh, I don't know...less insane sounding? Seriously: a brother god and his sister goddess have sex and then maggots crawl out of her vagina and--boom!--the Japanese islands? That's fucking crazy. No one believes that. I mean: not really. It's just a neat little folktale, right? Someone had to make it up, though. And I want to know who it was and how--my Lord, how the hell--he got so many people to believe him. Can you imagine?
"And then they fucked each other--see?--and then these maggots...and that's how Japan was born!"
A crowd of listeners is standing around him with furrowed brows and their chins resting on their thumbs as they nod in thoughtful agreement. "Sure. That sounds plausible."
I have nothing against other religions. But...wow. I mean: I'm not totally blown away at the absurdity of the story--just that someone was able to not only pass off but widely propagate such an obvious lie--the kind of creation myth a psychopath invents to explain why he worships drywall configurations on the ceiling.
In other news: I want to write an essay-thingie about how its now acceptable for people to meet romantic partners online since the Internet has pretty much killed any need to actually leave the house for anything. The Internet is the new one-stop Department Store/Pick-up Joint/Bar/Television/Radio/Telephone, etc. Not to sound like an old man, but you really could live your entire life on this thing.
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