Sunday, November 22, 2009 | Reason : Commentary | print version

Print | Comments |

Let the War on Christmas Begin. Atheist style.

Greg Laden - Greg Laden's Blog

Thanks to Just Plain Cliff for the link.
http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/11/let_the_war_on_christmas_being.php?utm_source=networkbanner&utm_medium=link

This week is Thanksgiving in the United States. This means that over the coming weekend many Americans will be putting up Christmas decorations in and outside their houses. Many children will be putting finishing touches on their letters to Santa. The shopping malls will start to fill and while economists examine and measure the retail sales bump for signs that the world will not end, we, as a nation, will come together to incrementally crank up the material contents stored in our homes and the corresponding mass of our public landfills.

But what do Atheists do on Christmas?

We declare war
!!!! War,
I say!!!!

OH, and some of us put up Christmas and/or Hanukkah and/or Kwanza decorations, we go to the malls or on line and get presents for family and loved ones, engage in Secret Santa negotiations and some of us (and by "us" I mean "them" in this case) sing Christmas Carols.

And there is another pleasure we atheists get from Christmas. From our perspective of understanding that Christmas is a cultural event as much as, if not more than, a religious holiday, we enjoy, and even get giddy about, the reaction of people who are nervous about their own religion and who disdain us atheists to our very existence. The ten commandments displayed at the courthouse is an abomination. The city funded Christmas creche in the town square is inappropriate and obnoxious. The Christmas tree in front of the state house? Meh...

But what about Richard Dawkins singing christmas carols????

I wrote the following a couple of years ago, but most of you have not seen it. It applies nicely this time of year ...
...
Continue reading
http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/11/let_the_war_on_christmas_being.php?utm_source=networkbanner&utm_medium=link

_________________________________________________________
Yep, Richard Dawkins tackles this idiot interviewer head on in this interesting discussion of Christmas Carols and Atheism.

Posted: Sunday, November 22, 2009 | Permalink

Comments 1 - 50 of 79 |

Reload Comments | Back to Top | Page Numbers

1. Comment #433931 by Max of Earlobes on November 22, 2009 at 8:51 pm

The response that I always give to the silly people who ask, "What do atheists do at Christmas?" (normally in the sarcastic, supersillious voice of the faithful when they think they've scored a point) is, "Atheists go around reminding people that Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity."

Other Comments by Max of Earlobes

2. Comment #433932 by cherryteresa on November 22, 2009 at 8:53 pm

I think I understand what Dawkins is saying. I have a fellow Asian-American friend who has her apartment in Feng Shui but she does not believe it actually has any cosmic powers. She enjoys having it on a superficial level; she finds it aesthetically pleasing. A co-worker of mine has a dragon and the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maneki_Neko good luck cat on her desk, but she doesn't actually believe that dragons existed or that the cat will bring her good fortune. It's a cultural thing. As long as we realize it's not actually true, it's fine.

I personally hate Christmas carols, though. Even if I were Christian, I'd probably not like them very much because as a musician, they just suck. But that's my opinion.

Other Comments by cherryteresa

3. Comment #433934 by MUNRO1 on November 22, 2009 at 8:58 pm

When are these uneducated fools pick up a history book and find out the real origins of Christmas. It really does get my goat when idiot Christians try and claim a Pagan holiday as there own.

I love Christmas, and although I really don't go in for all the Nativity stuff I have no problem with people who do, its part of our history.

What does piss me off though, is the attitude of some who think that because I don't believe in the supernatural that I cant take part in *their* celebration. Like this link to people who think Richard should not sing carols.

Maybe we should remind them of all the non Christian symbols they use at this time of year ( trees, lights, candles, Holly, Ivy, gifts, Drink, Yule logs, Santa, Twelve days of celebration etc etc) and demand that they not use them if they don't believe in the Pagan stories.

Hypocrite religious, as usual.

Other Comments by MUNRO1

4. Comment #433937 by prolibertas on November 22, 2009 at 9:05 pm

Wow, that radio interviewer was really quite dim: 'I don't worship Sherlock holmes, therefore I can enjoy him as fiction. That's the difference'. No, actually, it's completely the fucking same!

Other Comments by prolibertas

5. Comment #433938 by Pilot22A on November 22, 2009 at 9:07 pm

At our house, we put up a pagan holiday tree, as in times of yore, and exchange gifts.

We also give the caroler's that come by a copy of the Atheist Song, and ask them to sing that instead of a Noel.

They never do.

Other Comments by Pilot22A

6. Comment #433942 by Sally Luxmoore on November 22, 2009 at 9:15 pm

This is just another reminder of what a twat Jeremy Vine is.
Over and over again he was purposefully not getting the point in a (vain) attempt to make Richard look stupid.
Richard - mental note (?) - Don't bother with Jeremy Vine's radio show in future...

Other Comments by Sally Luxmoore

7. Comment #433943 by Spinoza on November 22, 2009 at 9:20 pm

The interview was, I think, trying to say that carols and hymns are somehow indelibly marked as acts of worship -- he just epically failed to be articulate *edit* and to be correct. */edit*

Other Comments by Spinoza

8. Comment #433945 by Jack Rawlinson on November 22, 2009 at 9:22 pm

It's funny... I was raised in a very Christian household but... and maybe this is an English thing... they never made a big deal about the Christ in Christmas. For us, Christmas was almost entirely about the tree (pagan), trimmings, the big fat turkey, the Christmas pud and, most of all, YAY PRESENTS. It's like my Christian parents recognised that for kids, and maybe for everyone else, the whole fun of Christmas was that stuff, not the blethering on about religion and little baby Jesus in his manger. Sure, we had a crib set under the tree. Sure, we gathered round the piano after dinner and sang carols (amongst other stuff) but there was always this sense that we did that because it was as much a part of the day as pulling crackers, wearing silly hats, stuffing ourselves sick and laughing at uncle Paul as he got increasingly drunk.

When I was a choirboy we went to midnight mass on Christmas eve a few times but I could tell my parents felt it didn't really fit with the rest of the stuff. The proper Christmas stuff.

Christmas should be about family, food and presents. Period. This Christmas I will be in New York with my missus and no one else. We will not be singing carols, but by hell we'll be enjoying the season.

Other Comments by Jack Rawlinson

9. Comment #433947 by DeepFritz on November 22, 2009 at 9:30 pm

I prefer really good nonsense when singing.

I am the walrus anybody£
Hole in my shoe that's LETTING IN WATER!

Other Comments by DeepFritz

10. Comment #433948 by God fearing Atheist on November 22, 2009 at 9:30 pm

6. Comment #433942 by Sally Luxmoore
This is just another reminder of what a twat Jeremy Vine is

A bit harsh. How about "nice, but dim, xtian"?

Other Comments by God fearing Atheist

11. Comment #433955 by Steve Zara on November 22, 2009 at 9:42 pm

Oh dear.

I have a vague idea of what Vine may be trying to say. I guess it's like this:

Suppose there was a society that really did believe in Sherlock Holmes, and had large meetings, and readings of his stories. Wouldn't it be supportive of the idea that Sherlock Holmes existed if you, as a believer that he was purely fictional, went along to such meetings?

I think yes. Considering the many awful prejudiced and hateful things said by prominent Christians in recent times, I feel I have to disagree with Richard about the harmlessness of Christianity.

So, let the soon-to-be traditional annual debate about atheists singing carols commence!

EDIT: I'm afraid the last thing I would want to be is a cultural Christian.

Other Comments by Steve Zara

12. Comment #433957 by Fuzzy Duck on November 22, 2009 at 9:45 pm

When I came out of the closet as a "strident" atheist, I, for the first time, attended the midnight Christmas Eve service at the church that my family has attended for three generations. I felt liberated and confident, singing those beloved carols with gusto (and wearing my scarlet letter "A" lapel pin), and not believing a shred of it. Before I came out, I was merely annoyed with religion, and didn't bother with it. Now I am confidently aware of the fact that the Christmas rituals are nonsense, but fun nonsense. It's a charming story, and part of my upbringing. It's part of my cultural heritage, and you get presents and cookies out of it, too. Christmas is a mostly secular and pre-Christian pagan holiday, anyway.

I think I'll do the same this year, carols and lapel pin and all.

Kevin Schreck

Other Comments by Fuzzy Duck

13. Comment #433958 by Sally Luxmoore on November 22, 2009 at 9:46 pm

Comment #433943 by Spinoza

Jeremy Vine did not just fail to be articulate; he failed to get Richard's point that carols are nowadays firstly cultural, musical and poetical and that Jeremy's 'acts of worship' are secondary to that - whether he likes it or not.
When carols are played ad nauseam in shops and on street corners, church-goers should not be surprised that they have been devalued.
Listen to this beautiful 16th century carol, a lament, from an ancient mystery play referring to Herod’s slaughter of the innocents. It is wasted on the religious!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1khUv74ETHs&feature=related
Something tells me that this is the kind of carol that Richard meant…

Other Comments by Sally Luxmoore

14. Comment #433959 by KRKBAB on November 22, 2009 at 9:48 pm

Steve, that's what I like about you- you're always ready to fight- to the death!

Other Comments by KRKBAB

15. Comment #433963 by Yorker on November 22, 2009 at 10:06 pm

Richard reckons most of us would think twice about singing the Horst Wessel Lied; well, I wouldn't, in fact I occasionally do sing it out loud at home. I do so because like other German wartime music, it's a good tune! A strong argument could be made that Germany has produced much of the world's finest and popular music, including tunes from WWII. I cite the Panzerlied and Lilli Marleen as further examples; indeed, Lilli was so popular that all the Allies sung versions in their own languages!

It must be borne in mind that Wessel's song, although it became known as the anthem of the Nazi party, was written long before Hitler perpetrated his genocidal attempts, no anti-Jewish sentiments are expressed in the song. The lyrics encouraged followers to unite under Hitler so that the unfair treatment the German people were being subjected to - particularly the crippling reparations - could be brought to an end. The song ends with the optimistic hope that the "slavery will last only a short while longer". It simply expressed the feelings that the majority of Germans held at the time.

Finally, I think the music of the German national anthem beats the hell out of all the others, they still keep the tune but we forced them to change the lyrics because of our (intentional?) misinterpretation of them.

I love classical music and most of my favourite works are German or Russian, music should be loved for its own sake, no matter how it is used or misused politically.

Other Comments by Yorker

16. Comment #433965 by COD on November 22, 2009 at 10:15 pm

When confronted with the carol problem, I think Richard would have been best saying: When I sing about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer with feeling, it doesn't mean I believe Rudolph exists. It also doesn't mean I worship Rudolph.

Rudolph might have been more on the interviewers level of understanding.

Richard also ought to have mentioned that carol singing and other Christmas celebrations we practise today, were once banned by Christians in the UK. Why? because of their pagan origins.

That might have given the listeners in our "Christian" country, something to think about.

Other Comments by COD

17. Comment #433967 by Yorker on November 22, 2009 at 10:18 pm

Comment #433955 by Steve Zara

"I'm afraid the last thing I would want to be is a cultural Christian."

It is rare that I completely agree with Steve Zara, but in this case I do, (perhaps I've been infected with the Xmas spirit), :)

Most carols are simple catchy tunes that present many harmonic possibilities and are therefore good fun to play around with. You just have to chop the god bit out and the tunes stand by themselves.

Other Comments by Yorker

18. Comment #433969 by Sally Luxmoore on November 22, 2009 at 10:27 pm

I have a feeling that it is a different thing to be a cultural Anglican (as I am) as against a cultural catholic...
I reallly don't mind being an Anglican-flavoured atheist, whereas I have a sneaking feeling I'd feel differently if I were a 'Catholic' atheist.
I suspect it's because anglicanism is essentially weaker and more benign than catholicism.
Not sure I can expound that much further. Maybe others can help...

Other Comments by Sally Luxmoore

19. Comment #433972 by Steve Zara on November 22, 2009 at 10:30 pm

Comment #433967 by Yorker

It is rare that I completely agree with Steve Zara, but in this case I do, (perhaps I've been infected with the Xmas spirit), :)

This indeed is a rare occasion!

Other Comments by Steve Zara

20. Comment #433973 by artisfact on November 22, 2009 at 10:35 pm

Talk about splitting hairs, but then that is what religious sympathizers and lame philosophers engage in. Jesus, that interviewer was annoying.

Other Comments by artisfact

21. Comment #433977 by Mbee on November 22, 2009 at 10:53 pm

I must admit that I had a few problems singing this popular hymn at a recent funeral.

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, the lord god made them all.

When they got to the last few words I just had to stop singing.
Next time I'll try Richard's approach and see if it makes any difference.

At the time it just brought back memories when, as a child I had to spout: 'I believe in the father, the son and the holy ghost'. I stopped saying that too - when I was 11.

Other Comments by Mbee

22. Comment #433979 by Bonzai on November 22, 2009 at 10:58 pm

How do atheists celebrate Christmas? Getting drunk and smoking some weed?

Actually there isn't really that much Christian theme on Christmas in Toronto.

Basically Christmas consists of non stop exhortations to shop starting at the beginning of November (right after Halloween) The commercial radio stations as a rule play non religious, but extremely annoying Christmas songs for the whole month culminating in a whole day orgy on Christmas day and then suddenly everything stops and back to normal (cheesy pop) at 0:00 am on Dec26. Not that I actually listen to that crap, but you can't avoid them because they are blasting in the background anywhere you go . You can't help but notice it.

In comparison, Christmas with a bit of religious theme is actually not so bad. At least it would be less crass.

But what I dread most about Christmas is the quietness if you don't have family here. In Christmas all my friends go home. Around the 24th and 25th pretty much the whole city is deserted because people stay home with their families. As if it is not bad enough, the sun sets at around 4 pm here in the Winter. The Christmas scene is actually very depressing.

Sometimes you may find a coffee shop which is still open so you can spend sometimes with fellow lonely people and bums, but the horrid music from the radio just makes the depression worse.

But I am going to Asia in Christmas, the best thing about Christmas is the long holiday.

Other Comments by Bonzai

23. Comment #433980 by Hudd on November 22, 2009 at 11:01 pm

I like Christmas:/

Other Comments by Hudd

24. Comment #433982 by TIKI AL on November 22, 2009 at 11:10 pm

'Twas the night before Christmas and all thru Fox news,
Stories of Jesus bashing brought right wing boos.

O'Reilly and Beck were spewing with glee,
How leftys and libruls were dissing the tree.

The manger and Jesus were forced from the square,
While Greta and Hannity cried "it's unfair!".

Other Comments by TIKI AL

25. Comment #433985 by pipsy on November 22, 2009 at 11:15 pm

Not only am I an Atheist, I am a cultural Atheist.

Other Comments by pipsy

26. Comment #433988 by mmurray on November 22, 2009 at 11:27 pm

Greg didn't mention anything about his brother Bin coming to Christmas ? That must be fun.

So this idea that you can't celebrate something without believing in it is interesting. Does that mean we should find new days of the week and give up on

Moon day
Tiw's day
Woden's day
Thor's day
Frigg's day
Saturn's day
Sun day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Week-day_names

Michael

Other Comments by mmurray

27. Comment #433990 by Spinoza on November 22, 2009 at 11:29 pm

Bonzai, when do commercial radio stations NOT play "non religious, but extremely annoying... songs"? Seems like par for the course there.

As for Toronto, it's a dismal town at the best of times. Didn't used to be, but the last 20 odd years of inept plutocrats and their cronies have rendered the city a dump, both literally and figuratively (from the so-called "waterfront", to the garbage strikes, to Mel Lastman's retarded attempt to garner the Olympics... and on and on...)

Man, am I not looking forward to heading back into town for the "holidays".

Other Comments by Spinoza

28. Comment #433998 by toddaa on November 22, 2009 at 11:43 pm

I'm amused Vine chose Sherlock Holmes as his example. Those of us Holmesian enthusiasts treat him as a historical person when we read the stories.

Other Comments by toddaa

29. Comment #434006 by DreamDevil on November 23, 2009 at 12:10 am

Christmas? Whats that? All we have is Yule (Jul).

Other Comments by DreamDevil

30. Comment #434010 by Kmita on November 23, 2009 at 12:41 am

What an annoying radio host.

Other Comments by Kmita

31. Comment #434012 by Thurston on November 23, 2009 at 12:45 am

Never have the words: "And the same to you", been delivered so politely. Why can people not distinguish between fact and fiction? Even after Richard pointed it out, I'm not sure Jeremy Vine and his Christian listeners got it.

Other Comments by Thurston

32. Comment #434017 by A on November 23, 2009 at 12:56 am

At Christmas I sacrifice a goat to the great Atheist Dawkins - I then watch Harry Hill's TV Christmas special.

Other Comments by A

33. Comment #434022 by ChicagoMolly on November 23, 2009 at 1:21 am

@#433945 Jack Rawlinson--

...I was raised in a very Christian household but... and maybe this is an English thing... they never made a big deal about the Christ in Christmas. For us, Christmas was almost entirely about the tree (pagan), trimmings, the big fat turkey, the Christmas pud and, most of all, YAY PRESENTS.

I haven't read it in ages, but there's nothing of Baby Jesus in the Holy Haystack in A Christmas Carol, is there? In fact if I remember aright, it was the christian establishment in Britain and America that drabbed the living daylights out of christmas for centuries precisely because all those bits of fossilized pagany stole the show from the birth of the redeemer, and most of what we now think of as traditional started to become popular when people read Dickens and thought 'Wow! That looks quite fun!'

Other Comments by ChicagoMolly

34. Comment #434027 by zeerust2000 on November 23, 2009 at 1:52 am

Comment #433932 by cherryteresa
I personally hate Christmas carols, though. Even if I were Christian, I'd probably not like them very much because as a musician, they just suck. But that's my opinion

I understand what you mean, but as a musician myself I have to say a few words in their defence. They are designed to be simple diatonic tunes, simple melodicaly with a limited range, very simple rhythmicaly, mostly just a string of crotchets or minims, and fairly simple harmonically. To design a satisfying melodic form using these restrictions is something of an achievement, and their longevity helps support my point. To find religious songs that really do suck....try sampling some of the groovy and relentlessy happy songs written for Catholic primary schools. Harmonically dull, melodically dull, and above all designed for the nefarious purpose of seducing the young. That's suckiness for you.

Other Comments by zeerust2000

35. Comment #434028 by badtemperedoldgit on November 23, 2009 at 1:53 am

I'm with RD on this.

My choir would be empty without the lefty atheists, and we love the carols as much as the masses, anthems, passions etc. There'd be precious little left worth singing if we axed the religious stuff.

I, and some others, now draw the line at attending the church's carol service, which is a kind of optional extra. When singing carols "in context" or listening to sermons that grate, I can't help but think there are better ways to be spending my time.

Other Comments by badtemperedoldgit

36. Comment #434031 by NewEnglandBob on November 23, 2009 at 2:06 am

What do atheists/Jews/Chinese/etc. do on Christmas?

We/they go to the movies, eat Chinese takeout, fly on airplanes because the planes and airports are nearly empty.

We/they read books, watch TV, get together with family members, etc.

In other words we/they are human beings.

Other Comments by NewEnglandBob

37. Comment #434033 by retep57 on November 23, 2009 at 2:27 am

i can't get enough of the RD insights. Every time i see a RD video clip or other media comment i expect that i have usually heard it all before and sometimes get a nice reminder or small update. He keeps hammering the "fiction" comments home and outsmarts the interviewer. Brilliant as usual, thanks for link

Other Comments by retep57

38. Comment #434038 by cherryteresa on November 23, 2009 at 3:18 am

34. Comment #434027 by zeerust2000 on November 23, 2009 at 1:52 am

Yeah, I think I get what you mean.

I like songs like "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" or "Frosty the Snowman". But not the religious Christmas songs.

Actually, "Oh Holy Night" isn't that bad, now that I think about it.

Other Comments by cherryteresa

39. Comment #434040 by cornbread_r2 on November 23, 2009 at 3:45 am

My personal fav

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPgq_fxaW7U

Other Comments by cornbread_r2

40. Comment #434046 by cherryteresa on November 23, 2009 at 4:40 am

The Cocteau Twins version of Frosty the Snowman is awesome! But then again, it doesn't talk about Jesus at all, haha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pds_K2j3RKM

Most artists who put out holiday albums put out some really crappy music. Cocteau Twins, TRANSIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, and Mariah Carey's (yes, I went there) holiday albums are actually good, though.

Other Comments by cherryteresa

41. Comment #434047 by weavehole on November 23, 2009 at 4:42 am

Comment #433988 by mmurray

So this idea that you can't celebrate something without believing in it is interesting. Does that mean we should find new days of the week and give up on

Moon day
Tiw's day
Woden's day
Thor's day
Frigg's day
Saturn's day
Sun day

What I find even more interesting is that the Japanese names for the days of the week are essentially the same:
nichiyōbi (sun day)
getsuyōbi (moon day)
kayōbi (fire/Mars day)
suiyōbi (water/Mercury day)
mokuyōbi (wood/ Jupiter day) [a knot in a plank of wood resembles the Great Red Spot on Jupiter]
kin'yōbi (gold/Venus day)
doyōbi (earth/ Saturn day)

Babylonian origins???

Anyway Chrimbo here doesn't seem all that different from the UK. Shops put up ridiculous decorations at the beginning of November (surely we should rename this Elfvember hohoho) but, of course, they do it bigger and better.

image name

Other Comments by weavehole

42. Comment #434048 by InYourFaceNewYorker on November 23, 2009 at 5:03 am

Isn't this interview from a couple years ago? I'm pretty sure I've heard it before.

Heh, in Christmas of '07, as a joke, my cousin made me a card where Santa Claus was in Richard Dawkins's house and Richard greeted him with shotgun. He drew Richard saying something like, "Boy, are you in the wrong house." I laughed, but then I told my cousin, "I hate to tell you this, but there's a picture on the Internet of Richard Dawkins standing next to his Christmas tree." ;)

Julie

Other Comments by InYourFaceNewYorker

43. Comment #434049 by hossein on November 23, 2009 at 5:32 am

This is beautiful

Other Comments by hossein

44. Comment #434068 by whiterocker on November 23, 2009 at 8:13 am

Puff the magic dragon, lived by the sea, and frolicked in the autumn mist, in a land called Honah Lee.

Apparently, according to the interviewer, anyone who sings this song has a personal relationship with Puff.

Other Comments by whiterocker

45. Comment #434069 by Rawhard Dickins on November 23, 2009 at 8:20 am

Forget Christmas and get back to celebrating the winter solstice!

Other Comments by Rawhard Dickins

46. Comment #434070 by InYourFaceNewYorker on November 23, 2009 at 8:23 am

Whiterocker... anybody who sings that song smokes pot. ;)

Julie

Other Comments by InYourFaceNewYorker

47. Comment #434094 by JonathanWest on November 23, 2009 at 10:06 am

Comment #434047 by weavehole

What I find even more interesting is that the Japanese names for the days of the week are essentially the same:
nichiyōbi (sun day)
getsuyōbi (moon day)
kayōbi (fire/Mars day)
suiyōbi (water/Mercury day)
mokuyōbi (wood/ Jupiter day) [a knot in a plank of wood resembles the Great Red Spot on Jupiter]
kin'yōbi (gold/Venus day)
doyōbi (earth/ Saturn day)

Babylonian origins???

I rather suspect that the Japanese names of days pre-date Galileo, who was the first person in history to see the Great Red Spot, being the first person in history to have a telescope he could point at Jupiter.

Other Comments by JonathanWest

48. Comment #434097 by zeerust2000 on November 23, 2009 at 10:29 am

Comment #434038 by cherryteresa
Yeah, I think I get what you mean.

I was just making the point that some traditional carols (actually I was thinking of your standard anglican hymns also) display a certain kind of musical craftmanship that does warrant a degree of admiration, when it's done well. For example, rather than just alternate between a few basic harmonies, as a crudely composed song might do, some hymns and carols (such as "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" cited in the interview) employ somewhat more sophisticated harmonic progressions which help to create, in combination with the melody, a satisfying dramatic structure in miniature.

I actually like the traditional tune to "The Twelve Days of Christmas", partly because the section just after "five golden rings" has some interesting metrical changes (bars of 3,3 then 4) which sound very "Elizabethan" to my ears.

Other Comments by zeerust2000

49. Comment #434105 by Richard Dawkins on November 23, 2009 at 12:03 pm

I must admit that I had a few problems singing this popular hymn at a recent funeral.

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, the lord god made them all.

That particular hymn is never a problem. Just sing the Monty Python version: All things dull and ugly . . . It is very prettily rendered by the choirboys in 'The Meaning of Life', here with added pictures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUj2W6AaEfQ

Richard

Other Comments by Richard Dawkins

50. Comment #434110 by Gaz on November 23, 2009 at 12:24 pm

"All things dull and ugly..." - Now there's a song I would sing with gusto and feeling. After all this is ostensibly a Python worshipping country.

"Professor Dawkins, when you wrote the God Delusion did you expect this kind of response?"
"Well I certainly didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition..."

Ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asUyK6JWt9U

Other Comments by Gaz

Reload Comments | Back to Top

More Comments: 1 2 | Next | Last