How tin-ear Siggy learned we're dirty while the heavenly trio sings


 


Three things from recent readings:

The first two are from an intriguing book (based on a PBS show I hadn't heard about, as it turns out) called The Question of God. It's a good idea, and not hard to do right: juxtapose the opinions on God (and related matters, like morality pain and death) of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, along with biographies of the two.

Two really fascinating details, both about Freud: The first is that Freud had no ear for music, and didn't enjoy it. (this is well supported by quotes from his letters, btw.) You have to be careful not to read too much into this--but hell, it's Freud. It adds a flavor to all the thoughts I've ever thought about Herr Doktor.

And the other, less significant but wonderfully vivid, id the way Sigismund's nanny (who taught him Roman Catholicism) proved to him that 'from dust we came, and to dust we return': She put her palms together, and began to rub. After a minute or two, she had rubbed off enough epidermis from her hands to allow her to drop fine gray powder in front of the wide-eyed boy. I love it.

And the third thing is from the Bible. I don't know how many of you out there have ever had this kind of dream, but I've had it a lot: You're reading a familiar book (or looking through your CD's, or something similar) and abruptly you come across something with a magical title you were sure you didn't have before.
Well, I've continued my reading of the Bible, cover to cover, and am into the Apocrypha now. Now I know I've read the thing c-to-c before (although it might not have had the A. in it when last I tried.)
So I turn the page, and I see the title THE SONG OF THE THREE HOLY CHILDREN.
Now, for the life of me, I'd swear I never heard of this one. Moreover, it sounds like the sort of title books of the Bible ought to have, instead of dull titles like Second Chronicles and Ephesians--which is precisely the reason I had this overwhelming feeling I'd suddenly fallen asleep.
It's a chunk out of the book of Daniel that apparently isn't found in the Hebrew, and is neither especially wonderful or ungraceful.
But it gave rise to some very irresponsible thoughts.

Posted: Tuesday - September 12, 2006 at 08:21 PM        

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