Da Vinci versus Da Vatican

I would like to pay tribute to two people who appear to be unfamiliar with the cleansing effects of irony.

Marc Carroggio, Opus Dei's press officer in the US, had this to say recently about the impending release of the film of the book:

"An interesting question is whether this movie should be only for adults. Any adult with a minimum of education can distinguish reality from fiction. But when history is manipulated, you cannot expect a child to make proper judgments."

Riiight. Religious education in schools, anyone?

Meanwhile Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone (as translated by the BBC) spoke out last year in response to the worldwide popularity of Dan Brown's book:

"The book is everywhere. There is a very real risk that many people who read it will believe that the fables it contains are true."

Hello? Pot? Kettle?

A well kent name

Well, as long as they print 'em, I'll link 'em!

I was the recipient the other day of only my second ever piece of unsolicited Christian opinion as a result, I assume, of one of the recent letters. It's not difficult to find my full address even if you only have my surname, it being so unusual. So I received a copy the other day of a publication called decision - the magazine of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. No covering note. I think they thought it spoke for itself.

Out of politeness I gave it a quick read, but it was mild in comparison to the other piece of domestic evangelism mailed to me some years ago as a result of a talk I gave about sexuality in the Bible. That one was fabulous - a proper rant, not only with hilarious assertions of fact from Biblical "history" but even some direct personal attacks. Hand-written, of course; but with a proper pen, not a crayon, so it was someone loose in the community.

Anyhoo, every public act is a political act, as I always quote (but not sure from whom); so perhaps politics isn't dead after all, it's just becoming personal.

I must protest in the strongest terms

It appears that I may be entering another prolific phase with the old letters-page rants. And it's subtle, but there does seem to be a kind of theme emerging. Can't quite put my finger on it.

As someone once said, hell is reserved for those who believe in it; and the lowest rung of hell is reserved for those who believe they'll go there if they don't.

Revised recommendations

Everyone should read Michael Cunningham's Flesh and Blood at least once. I've bought it for about six different people so far.

'What else should we read or buy?' I hear you ask. Well, thanks for asking, it's sweet of you. Have a look up there ↗ for the doogielikes page which should help you make the right decisions in the retail opportunity that is life.

Shameless self-promotion

I have to say I'm quite taken with this chap's ideas:
Different outlook on decency
(a letter in today's Edinburgh Evening News).

Actually it seems that this missive is not an isolated incident. He's got a whole back catalogue of letters to the editors that he keeps over there ↗.

Beautiful Thing

The uplifting and shirt-lifting play Beautiful Thing is on a limited run in London just now, opened yesterday, on until 11 Feb. My friend Neil is the producer, so go and see it and support live theatre! (And enjoy yourself too, obviously.)

Clickety for tickety ↓

There's a box of autumnal shades by me bed.

The satisfaction of newness

There comes a time in every man's life when he thinks to himself, wait a minute, not only is my website woefully out of date, but I no longer find my confessional blogging style comfortable, and it's beginning to annoy me. What's more, I live with my partner, our lives are happily intertwined, and none of my old angsts fit any more. I'm really quite contented.

This is that time. I am that man.

So excuse me while I metaphorically remove the cling-wrap from the packaging of my new online presence, conveniently allowing the price sticker to fall into the bin with it, and marvel at the cleanliness of the design. Feelings of consumer guilt are mixed with feverish excitement. Inside, the perfect bound manual is twice the size of the product, and everything is pristine.

Don't bother with the instructions. Let's just turn it on and see what it does!