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Happy John Frum Day (15 February)!

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ArrantPariah
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11 Feb 2014, 10:50 am

http://www.damninteresting.com/john-fru ... rgo-cults/

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Every year on February 15th, natives of Tanna Island in the Republic of Vanuatu hold a grand celebration in honor of an imaginary man named John Frum. Villagers clothe themselves in homemade US Army britches, paint "USA" on their bare chests and backs, and run a replica of Old Glory up the flagpole alongside the Marine Corps Emblem and the state flag of Georgia. Barefoot soldiers then march in perfect step in the shadow of Yasur, the island's active volcano, with red-tipped bamboo "rifles" slung over their shoulders. February 15th is known as John Frum day on Tanna Island, and these activities are the islanders' holiest religious service.



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Is anyone planning to participate in any of the festivities?



naturalplastic
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11 Feb 2014, 11:22 am

Cargo cults are a fascinating phenom.

So how do we observe it?

Do you serve 'long pig' for dinner?


Or just regular pork?



ArrantPariah
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11 Feb 2014, 11:44 am

Where I am, it is much too cold to march around like that outdoors. Maybe we'll just have to march around inside.



XFilesGeek
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11 Feb 2014, 11:46 am

Cool!

I love learning about new holidays. It gives me another excuse to drink.

Thanks, AP.


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thomas81
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11 Feb 2014, 11:48 am

...and not one of them would ever be granted a greencard.


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naturalplastic
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11 Feb 2014, 12:05 pm

ArrantPariah wrote:
Where I am, it is much too cold to march around like that outdoors. Maybe we'll just have to march around inside.


Having something like an indoor luau would suffice I would think.

But its funny you mention this.

In that other thread we cant agree on whether "Christ really existed" 2000 years ago.

And here these people worship a messiah named "John Frum" from only 70 years ago. And the experts cant even prove whether John Frum was real or not.



ArrantPariah
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11 Feb 2014, 1:33 pm

http://www.damninteresting.com/john-fru ... rgo-cults/

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"If you question a local about their beliefs, they will most likely reply that you have been waiting for your messiah to return for over 2000 years – while they have been waiting for only 70."


A very good point. If only one of the apostles had left a letter stating that he had met John Frum's brother or any of the original disciples, then we'd have something to argue about.



ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo
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11 Feb 2014, 1:38 pm

As long as you bring up Feb 15 maybe now is the time to embarrass you by wishing a happy V Day!!



ArrantPariah
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11 Feb 2014, 2:55 pm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1skNgYdJXK8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jel5by93REs[/youtube]



ArrantPariah
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13 Feb 2014, 11:41 am

thomas81 wrote:
...and not one of them would ever be granted a greencard.


Chief Isaac actually visited the USA in 1995.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-pl ... 94882/?all

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The chief tells me about his trip to the United States in 1995, and shows faded pictures of himself in Los Angeles, outside the White House and with a drill sergeant at a military base. He says he was astonished by the wealth of the United States, but surprised and saddened by the poverty he saw among white and black Americans alike, and by the prevalence of guns, drugs and pollution. He says he returned happily to Sulphur Bay. “Americans never show smiling faces,” he adds, “and so it seems they always think that death is never far away.”


Most of them may prefer living where they are.



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13 Feb 2014, 11:48 am

I'd rather live there than a big nasty loud city.


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