Posted by Helen on: 07.28.2006 /
Monty Python has done some excellent Christian satire (imo).
Have a great weekend and stay cool! (That was a reference to the weather, if it’s hot where you are – I know you’re all cool people and will stay that way! ;))
Comment by: Julie Marie
1thanks for the laugh Helen! Its been awhile since I’ve watched any Monty Python…the count to three only to three admonitions had me rolling. and if thou countest to four…uh oh.
Comment by: Eliza
2Ahhh, yes, they had such a wonderful touch! The Holy Hand Grenade, The Book of Armaments, the King James language interspersed with a few modern idioms, Michael Palin’s reedy voice reading the text so pedantically. What a hoot!
(Had Catholicism made it to England by the time of King Arthur? Another thing I guess I could look up, but won’t – at least not right now!)
Comment by: Helen M.
3Eliza, the amazing thing about Michael Palin’s reading the text is that’s really what it sounds like when they read the Bible in some in some Anglican churches! (I wonder if there’s some special training they go through to learn to read it like that ;))
Comment by: ncxian
4Wow, this brings back memory. This movie came out in high school and we all had every word memorized. Or I should say we thought we had everyword memorized. That was back when you actually had to go to the theater to a see a movie and we really couldn’t afford to watch it dozens of times. We probably made most of it up–it was a collaborative effort!
Our favorite part was “How do you know she’s a witch?” “She looks like one!” She turned me into a newt?” “???” “I got better”.
My son just came in and watched the clip. Monty Python is apparently extremely funny to 11 year old boys! He just hit play again!
Comment by: Helen M.
5NCxian – I love the witch scene too!
Comment by: Julie Marie
6oh I’d forgotten about the newt who got better….hahahaha
Comment by: Helen M.
7I’ll see if I can post the witch scene here in the comments…yay, it worked!
I almost posted it as the video clip today – it was a close-run thing.
Comment by: Rachel
8Brings back great high school memories for me too!
Comment by: Rachel
9Seeing that clip, I was really struck by the disturbing similiarities between the satire and the current attitude of so many American Christians toward violence and militarism.
I have recently been reading a book written in 1971 by former Senator Mark Hatfield. At the time, Hatfield was one of the most vocal opponents of the Vietnam War and he received a lot of criticism from fellow Christians for his anti-war stance. This quote from his book “Conflict and Conscience” could have been written today, rather than 35 years ago.
There is a theological “silent majority” in our land who wrap their Bibles in the American flag, who believe that conservative politics is the necessary by-product of orthodox Christianity, who equate patriotism with the belief of national self-righteousness, and who regard political dissent as a mark of infidelity to the faith.