Garrison Keilor's radio program has been a regular feature in my home since it first aired what? 25 years ago? We enjoy the shows he puts together, and the gentle humor he uses on organized religion, like Lutherans and Unitarians. So, when a piece he published criticized UU's, I had to take a look. Normally if GK airs a gripe, it is a valid one.
Well, I looked at the article or blog (or whatever) and find myself disappointed in the man. All the time he poked fun at us, we thought it was 'cause he liked us.
It seems after doing a speaking appearance at a UU church in the Boston area, he found himself singing "sleep in heavenly peace" on the second verse of Silent Night instead of "Christ the Savior is born". I hope there was more to it than that, but he specifically mentioned that as a major source of irritation. I would prefer he had a run-in with an obnoxious atheist to trigger his ire at Unitarian Universalists.
I admit that I might not break my finger punching up his program after this, gods know, we've been tolerating his mediocre singing for years now, and the 'good parts' have been fewer and shorter for quite some time.
As for telling non-Christians to fark-off, it's a Christian holiday damit, I'm going to assume the best of GK; the man has taken the first step into the Grumpy Old Man phase of life.
New opportunities abound, Garrison, like 60 Minutes has been looking for a new Andy Rooney.
We agree completely, Cubil, and the very sense of humor that sees the irony in church dinners, private eyes, weary cowboys and ketchup led us to believe he was "one of us". Poignant to find he is a curmudgeon. The very inclusiveness of UU "changed" lyrics shows that we are an accepting bunch, although argumentative and opinionated. We end up loving each other, and that's what counts!
ReplyDelete