Anyway, some background. I participate in a church youth program called Lads to Leaders. (Or, more politically correct, Leaders/Leaderettes.) It's quite a large operation. We have conventions in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida, with a total participation of about 12,000 people. Generally, it's a competition. There are any number of categories, ranging from memorizing scripture, to public speaking, to song leading, to various art contests. However, the one I'm usually most interested in is the puppet contest. You put on a puppet show at the convention, and get rated in various categories. Trust me, it's more fun than it may sound. We actually won our division last year. Never happened before.

Anyway, the puppet show, along with most of the rest of the competitions, has to be in accord with the theme for the year. My problem is this: the theme this year is "God and Country." What in the name of Dominar Rygel the Sixteenth of Hyneria am I supposed to do with THAT?! I mean, last year it was "Family". We just did a nice little modern prodigal son skit, with CD-burned sound effects (by yours truely), and it worked out great. But... GOD AND COUNTRY!? I've been trying to come up with something to use for that for the last four or five months, off and on, and I still have no clue whatsoever. What story could we possibly tell that would be related to that? I know, religion isn't the field of more than two of you, but a number of you write. Surely you can help me out for an idea.

I'd like it to be something that you can relate to. I don't want to use God as a character, or Satan, or an angel, or anything like that. Just humans. Something I could use as an ep of some TV sitcom/drama. How can the concept of God and Country interact with modern, everyday life?

One idea that's occured to me is to do a Twilight Zone parody. Get a puppet that looks like Rod Serling, and set the thing in some alternate universe where the government doesn't allow free practice of religion. Thing is, I can't come up with an acceptable resolution to that. I'd really like something that is related to reality somehow.

Because it's humans playing god. And they are, er, in a country.

On a side note, I'm confused by:

"Or, more politically correct, Leaders/Leaderettes."

"I participate in a church youth program called Lads to Leaders. (Or, more politically correct, Leaders/Leaderettes.)"

Or even better, something like the whole Lady Jane Grey deal. Those wacky Catholic & Protestant monarchists! Oh, how they make us laugh...

:::rears horse up & draws sword in true Stonewall Jackson fashion::: Flameboard HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: Shik ]

God. Country. Deep South.

"The Strom & Jesse Show."

Make them like Waldorf & Statler on "The Muppet Show," except instead of being scathingly funny to the acts, they're scathingly Christian & whine about how the "moral fiber" of the nation is being eroded away by various "bad" groups.

Potential targets include women, rock stars, blacks, Jews, Muslims, Asians, Canadians, & Communists.

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: Shik ]

Second, this isn't the place for religion bashing, okay? He asked a favour. Either help him, comment on it, or make a funny comment about Tim's trousers. If you want to slag off religion, go to the Flameboard.

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: PsyLiam ]

The only way you're going to get "God & country" to mix is to be nasty, do revisionist history, or propagandize. It's a VERY annoying combination. It usually comes down to the concept of "Our deity can kick your deity's ass, so we as a group shall finish drinking this here mead, after which we shall proceed to run over THERE & beat the SHIT out of THOSE guys."

You could try the Crusades...or...OR!! YES!

"As for the leaderettes thing, I didn't name the program, and personally, I think it's kind of dumb to create a feminine form of a neuter word, but it's not my division."