February 17, 2013:

Star Gazing

Movie actress (and now television actress in Downtown Abbey) Shirley MacLaine’s daughter Sachie Parker has contributed her own tale to the “tell-all” books describing the wretched childhoods endured with Hollywood parents. Sachie’s book is entitled “Lucky Me: My Life With — And Without — My Mom, Shirley MacLaine.” For those who care to read it, they will learn many aspects of her mother’s unusual religious beliefs. Shirley has been an enthusiastic supporter of “New Age” religion for many years.

“New Age” religion emerged in California (Where else?) in the 1970’s. “New Age” is an eclectic term describing the belief or practice of Karma, past-life inquiry, re-incarnation, chockras, the “inner voice,” healing crystals, astrology, “group work,” and bits and pieces of Native American, Buddhist, Hindu, and Sufi religion. The list goes on and on. There is no common agreement. One is free to add or subtract any part. The term comes from the belief that we are living in a “New Age” in which human consciousness of every kind is being expanded.

As I said, Shirley MacClain is an enthusiastic supporter of New Age religion. Her main belief is in re-incarnation. She believes that in another life Sachie chose her for a mother and she chose Sachie for a daughter. From the time she was 2 years old, Shirley let Sachie make all her own decisions such as where she wanted to live. Thus, Sachie spent most of her childhood away from MacClain living with her father in Japan or Europe. In 1971 Shirley explained to an interviewer that a parent’s job was to bring a child into the world and then their life was up to them.

While all this seems breathtakingly stupid or mentally disturbed, the real miracle is that children who grow up with these “nutty” parents have a marvelous ability — at least in most cases — to build an emotionally healthy life capable of normal human love.

A word to the wise: Don’t take any movie or television actor’s life as a religious example. Remember, they live in a different world than we do behind the silver screen.

Love,
Dave