Why Does Jesus Have A Lasso

Ted Lasso – the Promise of a Christless Christianity

Ted Lasso is one of my favorite actors. And I’m not only referring to the comedy series available on Apple TV. I mean, I really like Ted Lasso as a person. It is well known that I Know Ted is the long-gestated vanity project of comedian Jason Sudeikis, who began as a naïve American coach in London for a series of sketch-length advertising videos for NBC’s premier league coverage in 2013. But it doesn’t matter to me. Ted appears to be a real person to me. And I’m a big fan of the guy. And it appears that everyone feels the same way.

He takes a stance against bullies (in the kindest way possible).

When he is in a vulnerable position, he readily accepts assistance.

Doreen St Felix, writing for the New Yorker, says, “Ted appears to be more than a character; he appears to be a type of potent illness.
That is also the sensation of the watcher while watching the show: you are initially resistant, then worn down, and then, joyously, you yield.” Consider me infected, to put it mildly.
It’s no surprise that some Christian writers have referred to Ted as “a tiny Jesus,” a person who embodies all that a Christian should strive to be like, in the words of C.
Lewis.
A pure innocent, more optimistic than Pollyanna, nicer than a saint, these are some of the things others have said about him.
My attention was drawn back to a nagging fear I’d been harboring.
It progressed to a triptych of heartwarming holiday images.
This evolves into a multicultural feast of epic proportions, full of love and elegance, and Higgins is transformed into a much-loved host, which is unusual for him.

And third, Ted, who has been separated from his son in the United States and had planned to spend the rest of his time drinking whisky and watching It’s a Wonderful Life, is recruited by the team’s owner Rebecca to assist her in delivering gift bags to underprivileged children, which he does with great enthusiasm.

I had a lightbulb moment right then.
The meal for strangers, the unselfish search for medical treatment for a fragile kid, and the joy of gift-giving are all examples of what I mean.
It was a series of glimpses depicting the Kingdom of God as it was taught by Jesus in his teachings.
And then, when I reflected on the events that had come before, I realized that God was never mentioned in Ted Lasso.
But what about Ted?
Consider characters such as Gomer Pyle, Gilligan, or Kenneth from 30 Rock.
The truth is that their basic religious belief is sometimes seen as proof of their naivete.

A religious bone doesn’t appear to be in his body, and that’s a problem.

He is a source of happiness.

He has the ability to influence people’s lives.

And take a look at how he has transformed every single character in his immediate vicinity.

Roy, who has a nasty temper, decides to coach a children’s football team.

In his book, Ted Lasso appears to propose that we may have all of the things Jesus taught without having to deal with Jesus himself.

Angels sing him praises, foreign astrologers acknowledge him, and ordinary men and women proclaim him to be the prophesied one.

In a nutshell, the message is this: a heavenly king has arrived on earth to establish his reign.

The benefits of the kingdom, on the other hand, are only available in the context of a relationship with the monarch.

After all, Apple TV, not TBN, is responsible for the production of the show.

I’m simply pointing out that the utter absence of any allusion to anything even religious or Christian is conspicuous in light of the fact that the program itself is so, well, Christian in content.

“Today, we desire the Kingdom without the King,” argues Mark Sayers in his book The Disappearing Church.

As a result, in Sayers’ opinion, it is part of the insidious trend in Western society toward the use of soft power to undermine our obligations to one another. Ted is still one of my favorite people. Season 2 will be viewed through a new prism throughout the remainder of the season.

The Rosary: Our Lady’s Lasso

“It is no accident that rosaries are shaped like lassos, for Our Lady uses them to wrap herself around lost souls and bring them out of the depths of hell,” a wise old priest once observed. However, while this is a soothing concept, it also raises questions such as: what is the Rosary, how does one pray it, and why should one recite it? There are two possible origins for the recitation of the Rosary. There have been many years of tradition holding that the Blessed Virgin came to St. Dominic and enjoined him to spread the Angelic Salutation, also known as the Hail Mary, in order to convert souls and bring consolation to those who are suffering.

Modern scholarship links the origins of the Rosary back to Irish monastic life in the ninth century.
So many people began repeating the Lord’s Prayer or the Angelic Salutation in response to each psalm, keeping count using stones or a knotted rope to keep track of how many they had spoken.
The dynamics of the Rosary are explained by St.
Vocal or outward prayer is combined with contemplative or internal prayer to form the entirety of the prayer.

For many reasons, including the fact that it was written by Christ, that it is free of all human limitations, and that it “constitutes all of the duties we owe to God, the acts of all the virtues, and petitions for all our spiritual and corporal needs,” The Lord’s Prayer has been called “the perfect prayer” to the God of heaven because it was written by Christ and is free of all human limitations.

When you say the Hail Mary, you are blessing Mary and her Divine Son, and you are imploring her mighty intercession as a mediatrix of blessings.

The contemplation of the mysteries of Christ’s life and the virtues of the Virgin Mary takes place in the background of vocal prayer.

Because the soul is the source of life for the body, a strong soul translates into noble conduct and a will that is congruent with God’s will.

“It is a blessed blending of mental and vocal prayer by which we honor and learn to imitate the mysteries and virtues of the life, death, passion, and glory of Jesus and Mary.” When one prays the Rosary, one is responding to his or her nature as an embodied soul – one’s entire self, both physical and spiritual, is crying out to God in praise, repentance, gratitude, and petition – and the focus on vocal and contemplative prayer is a response to this nature.

The fact that the magisterium and innumerable saints have urged devotion to the Rosary comes as no surprise to anyone who are familiar with Catholicism.

John Paul II stated of the devotion: “It is amazing in its simplicity and profundity.” In addition, the late Pope added five new “luminous” mysteries to the Rosary in order to assist the faithful in reflecting on major events in Christ’s earthly mission during his lifetime.

The words of the Memorare, on the other hand, must be remembered: “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that it has never been known that anybody who fled to thy protection, requested thy assistance, or sought thy intercession was left unsupported.”

How Jesus is like, but better than Ted Lasso – Like but better

Ted Lassois the television find of the year 2020 at our house. It’s available for streaming on Apple TV, and it’s well worth a month’s subscription just to get through the first 10 episodes. I’m overjoyed to see it get the attention it so richly deserves. In the arts, it is a great example of a movement that has been dubbed ‘the new sincerity,’ which is a conscious rejection of the cynicism that has characterized so much work in the post-modern age, such as the kind found in sitcoms likeSeinfeld, or the sarcasm and snark that defined a generation.

Ted is an American football coach who has been brought to England as a cynical move by a broken-hearted jilted wife, Rebecca, who has taken over the running of her ex-pride husband’s and joy — Richmond F.C — following a tumultuous divorce from her husband.
In spite of the fact that Ted is supposed to fail, his unwavering sincerity in the face of her cunning plotting is a metaphor for the triumph of something new over the destructive forces of postmodernity’s adoption of irony as a method of operation.
Fiction,” written by David Foster Wallace, a part-time philosopher, part-time writer, and part-time literature professor, was published in 1993 in the journal E Unibus Pluram.
Since then, a battle for the spirit of the west has raged, and we have been waiting for a messiah figure who might embody sincerity and save us all from a world defined, still, by Seinfeld’s nihilistic outlook.
It goes without saying that these anti-rebels would be out of date before they had even begun.
Too honest, in my opinion.
Backward, quaint, unsophisticated, and archaic are all words that come to mind.

Perhaps this is why they will be the next generation of true rebels.

Shock, disgust, anger, censorship, allegations of socialism, anarchy, and nihilism were all on the table for the old postmodern revolutionaries who dared to gasp and squeal: Today’s threats are distinct from those of the past.

To run the risk of being accused of sentimentality or exaggeration.

An alternative point of view is advocated by Ted Lasso in his presentation; an attitude that views art as a mechanism for continually raising us, as a vehicle for pushing us to something greater.

rather lovely.

Those who choose to choose authenticity over cynicism will see their lives transformed.

Believe.

In an act of Wallace-inspired defiance, it blatantly exudes earnestness in a big way.

Perhaps art can compel us to raise our gaze.

On the field, he will not provide results, but he has strong beliefs about the importance of character above outcomes.

By the conclusion of the season, his unwavering optimism has elevated and enhanced everyone in his immediate vicinity.

It’s dangerous television, but it’s effective.

Believe.

“Paraclete” is the Greek term for “advocate,” and it literally means “one who is called to be near alongside.” Ted Lasso is one of those “paracletes.” Regardless of the fact that Ted Lasso does not understand the game of football (or soccer), he knows his own game, which is the game of coaching; the game of inspiring people to a vision of a better version of themselves and then working with them to take the first step in that direction.

A piece on how Ted Lasso, the coach, is similar to the Holy Spirit would have been an intriguing exercise; nevertheless, where they vary is that, when it comes to the tale of the Bible and the essence of the triune God, it is the Spirit who is not the hero.
And when Ted Lasso demonstrates what occurs when Ted Lasso shines a light on others, the spotlights and the camera’s attention remain firmly focused on Ted Lasso himself.
The New Testament frequently portrays a view of the Christian life as a ‘walk’; for example, in Galatians, Paul speaks of this ‘walk’ when he instructs us to ‘stay in step with the Spirit.’ English translations of this walk language frequently reduce it to the more uninteresting ‘living.
Furthermore, Paul’s exhortation to ‘stay in step with the Spirit’ occurs at the same time as he discusses the fruit of the Spirit (for further information on this, read K.B Hoyle’s study of Ted Lasso and the fruit of the Spirit at Christ and Pop Culture).
There is no law against these things, according to Paul.
his earnestness and integrity, his pursuit of his calling — and also the fruit he generates for people under his care — all exhibit a great deal of this type of fruit.

In addition to this, when we look at what Paul calls the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ — the new way of life, these new virtues, which have been brought about by the ultimate coach — we see them as a result of moving from an old life — a life in the world and the flesh — because we ‘belong to Christ Jesus’ and as a result have died with him and are now able to walk with him.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their body, with all of its passions and wants, on the cross.
Galatians 5:25-26 (Galatians 5:25-26) Ted Lasso and the new honesty speak to our human emotions because we were not designed to be cynics in the first place.
We were created for happiness and optimism.
Although it appears otherwise, the universe itself is moving in the direction of happy endings rather than tragedy.
Ted is a defiant, even revolutionary, hero for our times, but he also serves as a point of reference for a timeless revolutionary hero.
Instead, the Christian narrative is a story of triumph over death and destructive patterns of existence, a fairy tale that teaches us that life does not end in tragedy, but rather in hope.
Despite how amazing these things are, they are not the be-all and end-all.
Jesus is the one who improves our lives and leads us to something greater than ourselves.
The source of all of this is God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the entire world to himself through Christ, and that God was not holding individuals accountable for their sins.

And he has entrusted us with the message of peace and reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (New International Version) Believe. Sincerely.

The anonymous Christianity of ‘Ted Lasso’

As old as storytelling itself, the “fish out of water” narrative type is one of the most well-known. “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “Green Acres” are examples of series that have used this cliché since the beginning of television’s history, including such classics as “The Beverly Hillbillies.” The fact that it is so predictable, and in many cases has been reduced to cliche, is that stories that are built on this premise rarely appear to achieve greatness, at least not in the current generation of stories.

In recent years, however, with the debut of the Canadian television comedy success ” Schitt’s Creek ” (co-created and co-starring father-and-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy) and the emergence of a new generation of comedians, expectations appear to have adjusted.
This felt like a boringly easy premise: Ted Lasso is an American college football coach who is hired to manage a poor British professional soccer club that is having difficulty winning matches.
Nevertheless, each time it came, I would just ignore it and go on to another task.
My first impression of the program was that it was humorous, engaging, touching, and completely unique.
It took me less than 36 hours to watch all ten episodes of the first season on Netflix.
As a character, Lasso comes off as almost too good to be true.

Because of everything we have witnessed and experienced over the last several years, including the current global pandemic that has resulted in half a million deaths in the United States and the unprecedented fracturing of our politics, both civil and ecclesiastical, my cynicism may have been elevated to an even higher level.

He, on the other hand, does not.
One of the most poignant aspects of the film is the way this man, who is at once more than a fool, more optimistic than a Pollyanna, and gentler than a saint, deals with and overcomes the difficulties he faces.
In spite of the fact that he is the target of mockery and ridicule, and that he is set up for failure, he is sincere in his thoughtfulness and compassion.
Oh, and the program is really hilarious, as you would have guessed.
I found myself thinking about how, despite the fact that the show does not have an overt religious message, narrative, or character, it may very well be the most inadvertently Christian program now broadcasting on television.
The main themes are demonstrated rather than told, lived rather than preached, and are frequently lighthearted and amusing rather than stiff, dry, condemnatory, or moralizing in their presentation.

The concept of a “anonymous Christian,” while widely misunderstood, was Rahner’s way of talking about how to reconcile Christianity’s unequivocal assertion that Jesus Christ is the universal savior with the practical realities of religious pluralism or the ignorance of the Christ and the Gospel by billions of people who have no fault of their own.

First, Rahner meant the word “anonymous Christian” to serve as a placeholder for usage within the Christian community to explain both how Christ is the universal Savior and how God’s presence is not confined to those who voluntarily assimilate into Christian belief.

Given that the love of God and the love of neighbor are inextricably linked (see, for example, Matthew 25:31-46) and that there are plenty of professing Christians who fail to live authentic Gospel lives while there are plenty of non-Christians who excel at love of neighbor, there must be a way to account for how God’s mercy and salvation touch the lives of non-Christians.

As a result, the accusation of relativism is ridiculous.

In an age when religious leaders’ hypocrisy and narrow focus on culture war issues is causing widespread consternation among Christians and non-Christians alike, it would behoove us to consider other examples of what Christian discipleship looks like in action — even when the terms “Christian,” “religion,” or “faith” are never mentioned.

In fact, that is the strength of this fantastic television show: it allows viewers to conceive an other way of being in the world, a different set of values to prioritize, a different approach to decision-making and interpersonal relationships.

“Ted Lasso” has a religious valence that is, to this Christian viewer, unmistakably nameless, yet it is also incredibly captivating. In addition, it will make you laugh, weep, and feel good about yourself!

Why Ted Lasso is Jesus. If Jesus was a soccer coach.

Ted Lasso, an Apple TV original series, was just recommended to me by a friend. Although the show had not received much notice, I had heard nothing but positive things about it. As a result, I finished all ten thirty-minute episodes in around 48 hours. Here’s some background. The show follows Ted Lasso, a Kansas football coach, when he is unexpectedly offered the opportunity to teach soccer in England. It’s difficult to dislike Lasso because of his southern charm, infectiously joyful attitude, and emotional depth.

The story chronicles Lasso’s efforts to win the hearts of innumerable foes, as well as those of his own squad.
Lasso is a character I have yet to see written so beautifully in a comedy series without the character’s integrity being compromised by being cheap or hilarious at the expense of the character.
Throughout the episode, Lasso’s primary aim is to improve the overall performance of the soccer team.
He pays attention to their anxieties and wants as people and reacts to each one in a unique way.
The team grows stronger as time goes on, and they become closer than they have ever been.
However, just like with braised pork, the wonderful stuff can only be found if you are patient and ready to wait.
You can establish a team in a short period of time and for a low cost, but you will lack one-on-one interactions with your teammates, and your team’s inauthentic growth will result in a lack of grass roots determination on their part.
Increased personal connections to the genesis narrative of your ministry will result in stronger familial bonds and a sense of ownership within the team as a result of this development.
Because no one in their right mind would microwave meat.

Don’t simply pay attention to the underdog
Become his best friend.’

Lessons from Lasso

Merridith Frediani offers her perspective on a show that has been hailed for bringing compassion back into the world. Growing closer to Jesus entails recognizing the brokenness not only in myself, but also in the rest of the world with fresh eyes. I’ve come to realize that it’s critical to be conscious of what I allow into my life and heart. It is because these things have an impact on us that I am more choosy about the material that I read, watch, and listen to. Withholding my attention from specific books or songs hasn’t been a problem for me, but I have a hard time with television series that showcase immorality or meanness while still portraying great individuals struggling to get by and, more importantly, making me laugh while doing so.

Mr.
He preached that secular entertainment does not have to be eschewed, but rather should be experienced with a critical eye toward the wrong while appreciating the good, as he did.
Ted Lassoleas a program, it leaves a much to be desired in terms of morals and language usage.
In terms of sexual content and alcohol use, there is a nice layer of lessons from Lasso that can be found behind the smut.
These characteristics are being undermined in today’s society, but Ted Lasso has embraced them.
The faith of people like him is frequently founded in a personal encounter with Jesus.
He tells people how much he appreciates them on a regular basis, and he takes baked biscuits to his boss since he knows she would enjoy them.

For the time being, I choose to think that Ted has faith in God and the kindness of others.

After all, no one wants to be friends with a character like Eeyore.

However, the relationship between Keeley, a twenty-something, and Rebecca, a forty-something, is noteworthy.

They don’t have anything in common with one another.

Friendship helps to fill in the gaps.

It is because they are devout Catholics who are seeking for holiness in a beautiful manner that the answer is given.

They place God first, and as a result, they place other people first in their life.

They aren’t bothered by the fact that we are two decades apart in age.

After all, there is no such thing as an age in paradise.

His marriage has ended in divorce, and he is still grieving the death of his father via suicide.

You can easily sink into the resulting pit and grouch about on some days because of the circumstances.

As opposed to Nate, who is so consumed by his own feelings of inadequacy that he turns on others, or Jamie, who is so consumed by his need to win his father’s favor that he loses sight of the fact that he is a member of a team, he chooses to focus on others.

The lesson from Lasso3 is that adversity does not define or possess us.

Allow people who are close to you to adore you.

Jesus is always ready to provide a helping hand.

To send a tweet, simply click here: There is a lot of junk on television and in books, and it may be exhausting to filter through it all, but every now and then, a gem appears, and we are reminded of the importance of virtue.

However, I do not advocate viewing Ted Lasso with anybody under the age of 17, but it is a film I would recommend seeing on your own.

Despite the fact that there is no explicit mention of God, they DO BELIEVE, and that is what distinguishes them. Canva Pro images courtesy of Merridith Frediani, copyright 2021.

Belated lessons from Ted Lasso

Penny Mulvey, the communications director for the Bible Society, arrived late to the Ted Lasso celebration. You know, the feel-good comedy about an American football coach who travels to England to manage a losing soccer team despite the fact that he knows nothing about the sport? Yeah, that one. However, once Penny was hooked, she binge-watched the entire first season, falling under the spell of the show’s unfailing kindness and optimism, just as so many others had done before her, as evidenced by the four Emmy Awards the show received this year, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Drama Series.

“Of course, I then had to watch the second season,” Penny explains.

Then she took four lessons from an episode of Ted Lasso season 2 that challenged Christians to rediscover the life-changing delight of how and why they came to faith in the first place, which she shared with her audience this week.

He senses something strange about the current captain’s demeanor and draws him away to play a casual game of street soccer with him and his friends.

Lesson One:God is our coach.

Many of us, I’m sure, conscientiously read our Bibles every morning, but has our faith gotten so comfortable, so simple to slide on, that we have begun to take God for granted? She raises the question. She urges us to take a moment to reflect on that essential Bible scripture afresh. John 3:16 (NIV) – In fact, God so loved the world, so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, so that whomever believes in him will not die, but but live forever in his presence. “God loved the world so much that he gave his own son as a sacrifice.” Can you picture what it would be like for the parents among us?

It’s a horrifying concept to consider sacrificing your flesh and blood kid for someone else’s gain.

And that it is through that love that we are forgiven, that our faults are washed away.” That promise has the potential to change lives.

Can you recall what it was like for you to go through that transformation? “Do you apply that information on a daily basis? God is the one who coaches us. He has provided us with a handbook. We adhere to his instructions so that we, too, might complete the race as a good and devoted servant.

Lesson twoChristianity is a team sport and we work and live better together.

“The very first thing Jesus did when he began his public ministry was to gather his followers around him,” says the author. People to teach, people to testify, and people to share their lives with one another are all needed. They were asked to accompany him on his journey. We, too, have been a part of the group — the invitation was offered to us and continues to be extended to us on a daily basis. Every day, we are called upon to take up our mantle. Every day, we are urged to love our God and love our neighbor as ourselves.

Penny, a native Melburnian, reveals that during the September 2007 riots in Melbourne, she was enraged at the “selfish” people who attacked the police officers.
My own sense of justice had me feeling pretty good about myself.
I made a sneering declaration to myself.
‘What version of the Bible are they using to decide that such views are inspired by God?’ “Do you ever see yourself doing something like that?” God, on the other hand, loves me despite my actions, my ideas, my biases, and my shortcomings.
One judge is appointed, and it is not I who sits on it.
And I need your assistance; through our meetings with one another, we may learn to love more deeply and more effectively.

Lesson three: You don’t have to be a professional to love the game.

“God is a fan of the commonplace. Every person who is willing to open their hearts is provided the invitation to love and forgiveness extended by God. And we, at the Bible Society, have access to some of the most incredible, but everyday, stories of lives transformed,” Penny explains. ” There are some truly remarkable stories, such as that of an old Vietnamese guy living in the country’s northernmost region who uses his torchlight to read the Bible every night because there’s no power there. “ He spoke at the Bible Society of Vietnam.

That is one of the reasons why I want to be closer to him and learn everything I can about him.
When I read the Bible, I get a wonderful feeling.
Project Esther, an initiative of the Bible Society, assists women who have been sexually assaulted and are often pregnant or have children as a result of their abuse.
Consequently, Erline attended a Project Esther camp this year, and she acknowledges that she had a lot of resentment in her before attending the camp: “I had a deep bitterness in my heart.” I was sad, and my outlook on life was bleak and gloomy all of the time.
I went at the foot of the cross and bowed my head.
I felt a sense of relief and separation, as if the pain had been reduced to ashes.
It was terrifying.
Today is a free day for me.
In fact, I have been cured.'” In the midst of hearing incredible stories of Jesus’ changing nature, Penny reminds us that “that individual is related to you and me, brothers and sisters in Christ,” as we learn about people who realized their unique value as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice.

God may be loved by anybody, regardless of their occupation.”

Lesson four:Hang out with people who are joyously in love with Jesus.

Penny shared the stories of three people whose joyful love for Jesus has rubbed off on her as a result of her work with Bible Society. The novelist and publisher Susannah McFarlane came to religion just approximately six years ago by reading the Bible. She has a joyful, buoyant, and contagious love for Christ, which she shares with others through her writing and publishing work. She is presently in charge of the publishing department of the Bible Society. Additionally, David Lepore studied the Bible and developed a deep affection for Jesus.

In Victoria, he is now employed as a member of the church relations team.

“A magnificent, holy, glad, and happy man for Jesus,” said his mother.

Furthermore, it is the consistent writing that he performs, as well as the sharing of his remarkable bubbling, deep, and miraculous faith, that allows him to remain alive and well.

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Ted Lasso’s Endearing ‘Idiot’

The out-of-place hero of the Apple TV series embodies the strange compassion of Christ via his slowness to rage and plenty of love. A television program built completely on a promotional event that took place over a decade ago barely counts as weird when compared to the rest of 2020’s anomalies. One of the most unexpected aspects of Ted Lasso is that it is an oasis of serenity and joy in the middle of mayhem, a pleasant breath of fresh air in an otherwise chaotic environment. Ted Lassois a documentary about soccer, transformation, and, most importantly, genuine friendship, which is available on Apple TV Plus.

Ted, on the other hand, is a wide-eyed, exuberant fish completely out of water.

He consults with the very players he trains in order to obtain clarification on fundamental principles and methods.

Ted appears to be a complete moron to everyone (including myself, I admit).

TED is a smart and very intelligent young man who is also genuinely thoughtful.

His kindness and openness are not the result of naiveté, but rather the result of a deep well of love.

It’s nearly difficult not to like him.

It’s not simply that Ted’s trip as a fish out of water resembles Jesus’ journey of incarnation, however.

He leads by exposing his weaknesses, making himself vulnerable to his players, his staff, and even his adversaries (such as journalists and loyal football fans).

We’ve long considered Prince Myshkin to be a Jesus figure, and I respectfully present one Ted Lasso for consideration in a similar vein.

While speaking with the interviewer, Ted readily states that he understands nothing about British football and that he has no genuine desire in winning.

Ted, quite likely observing the reporter’s salivating, suggests that they go out to supper instead.

Ted introduces himself to the driver, who also happens to be a server, and requests a spice level “exactly like you do at home.” An surprised reporter inquires as to Ted’s preference for Indian cuisine, prompting Ted to reveal that he has never tasted it.

The dish is delivered in such a spicy state that the reporter refuses to consume it.

Ted tells the waitress that it’s the nicest meal he’s ever eaten, and the reporter is taken aback by his words.

Ted is not a moron.

He is also impervious to psychological manipulation.

The fact is that Ted has no objective other than to be totally present with those who are important to him.