2003-09-01 - 8:23 p.m. - the end of summer and a disturbing dose of reality

And so my summer has come to a close.

I just saw "The Magdalene Sisters". Oh my God - talk about an intense movie!!!! It's based on the real Magdalene Laundries of Ireland which were run by sadistic nuns. Supposed "wayward" girls were sent there to work for no pay in order to have penance for their "sins". I put it in quotes because one of the main characters was there because she flirted with some boys while at an orphanage. Another was there because she had been raped by her cousin, but of course it was her fault. And the third main character had a baby out of wedlock. There was also a fourth character who was there because of having a baby out of wedlock as well - she was mentally slow and I won't even say what happens to her. The movie takes place in the mid '60's but the last of these places just closed down in 1996!!!! It was just shocking the conditions the women were forced to endure. At then end, they print on the screen what has happened to each of the four women since their characters in the movie were all based on real people.

It made me realize how backwards and hypocritical Catholicism is and can be at times. I'm still in shock about the movie - it was disturbing and hard to watch at times, but very well done in spite of the subject matter. I can't even put into words my emotions about the movie right now. I feel quite tumultous. It does stem from the fact that I was raised Catholic, and while I know no organized religion is without its imperfections or flaws, I guess seeing the them under such a magnifying glass - atrocities that were so gross in and of themselves, that the big screen view made it that much more uncomfortable for me. It kind of rocked my foundation - all that was done in the name of God. It just sickens me....

I guess you could say it was not the best movie choice for ending one's summer vacation. I should have seen "Seabiscuit", "Pirates of the Caribbean" or "Winged Migration".

Wow - my mind is reeling...

30-something - 2005-03-01
the holding back the the flow of tears - 2005-02-20
song survey - 2005-02-15
song for the day...or perhaps the year... - 2005-01-25
something new - 2005-01-24
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