The latest: Do Metal Bands Idolise Death?
A great rift of disagreement here. C.'s opinions are formed by a distant view. Like saying that Moss-Side is just like anywhere else before you have walked the streets at night. Being an artist, C. reads into their violent, grim imagery as an unhealthy obsession. I see it as part of a culture. I like some of the things. I don't know why, but maybe it has something to do with the fascination people have with horror, or accidents. When you start talking about the real death metal bands, like the Crowley followers in Scandinavia, I agree. But saying that all metal bands are like that? I like Iron Maiden's Eddie and Megadeth's artwork because it's cool.
Well, C. says, with a name like that... He's obviously never heard them or had any desire to, which is why his ideas are so wrong. C. seems so – not ignorant – but uneducated in general knowledge. So unaware of what is going on in the world, yet so strongly opinionated. I hate when people have such ideals and try to argue myself, only when I know (or think I know) my subject. Music, especially metal, is one of my specialties. Mainly because of what I went through with B. and Metallica. (got me into an unhealthy obsession!)
It's really stupid how C. and I end up arguing so much. It's usually my fault because I always rise to the challenge. It's frustrating with C. because we never conclude or even peter out, he just changes the subject. He's also very good at winding me up, so I'm afraid my vow strke resolution of yesterday hasn't been holding out too well.
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We went to the Tirumalai Nayak Palace, not for the first time – we went with Henry Joe to see a 'Sound And Light' show last Friday. I forgot to mention it because I was too tired. It was basically sitting on the palace courtyard (at 6:45 pm – suppertime for mosquitos) listening to a badly recorded tape of the history of the Pandyan Kings. In short: Some King punished this guy unjustly so the guy's wife burnt his palace down. At strategic points in the narrative, coloured lights came on, accentuating the palaces outstanding beauty. It did get somewhat tedious, but was cut short (thankfully) as half the lights weren't working. Anyway, we went today to get some pictures in daylight...
Bishop David Eames came to visit at lunchtime with his 'cabinet'. He is a lot more together than Bishop Pothi, and wants us to minister to every school in the diocese! He said that there is only so much one can do and when we've exhausted our resources in Ramnad we should move on to another place, etc. This doesn't appeal to me very much, but he also said that we should be given a tour of the diocese and the churches so that we can find out about The Church here, which sounds a lot more promising. He said he'd look after us anyway, and as he is the real Bishop, I don't think he's lying.
A very strange and scarey man from Rev. Fenn's congregation talked to us as we were going into town this morning. He was very keen to tell me how Bishop Pothi didn't resign, he was fired for fiddling funds! Hmm. And apparently our dear old Rev. Fenn is a tyrant who bad-mouths his congregation and extorts money from them. Not to us he doesn't. My impression, from what he has told us, is that he just quells their attempts to manipulate him and finds that they are falling over themselves to help. I mentioned this and the fact that Rev. Fenn has started Bible-Study Groups, a Sunday School, Family Services, Family evenings of songs and games – not to mention building the Blind School which is run by volunteers and a bare minimum of funds. Ah! said the strange little man, But with whose money? I really do despair sometimes. Let him write to his MP.
