Always I feel I have been along with him. I, too, was at church on Sunday and everything he said we also had in the Church of England, including the prayers for those in positions of power. We have coffee in the church after the service, and I wish more people would stop and spend a little time with the people they have been worshipping with. A coffee, a biscuit, how are you doing, that's a nice scarf, etc. It all adds up. It helps to build the community that, in one sense, we are all looking for.
Fed my soul. Thank you, fellow Episcopalian, who used to be from my state and came to my church in St. Paul--St. Clement's-- where people struggled mightily to not notice the celebrity in the pew.
As an atheist, of course, I do not attend church. And I also believe, reinforced strongly by having seen the Oscar winning documentary, "No Other Land" last week, that world would be better off if there were no religions at all. Having said that, however, if religions and religious gatherings could all be as you describe them, if they were places of community and love, places happy to be their community but not condemning or disparaging of other communities, then they would be a force for good worldwide. If only...
I envy Tom and Jean their chance to spend time with you. I wonder if they ever found out they breakfasted with a bona fide celebrity. I too live on the Upper West Side and when I'm out and about sometimes scan the sidewalks hoping to see you and take a moment to express my admiration.
I join you in the values of your religion: "Do unto others", "welcome the stranger", etc. I can't help but feel that if I'm wrong and there is a God and a heaven, that I will be judged by how I lived up to those values rather than how much I worshipped Him (or Her). God can't be that vain, right?
I'm not Christian or anything else, but some friends I'm close to who have been BADLY mistreated here in the US remain true believers in a Christian God who is loving, tolerant and actively kind. These friends emulate that and it's mighty inspiring. Seems like you have these same values, Kate.
Kate. I don’t identify as a Christian, but I attend church (Presbyterian.). The experience is much like GK describes. The sermons are intelligent and compassionate; the music is great; the silence compassionate. There are congregations like that across the country that have not been taken over by the Christian Nationalists. They just try to follow Jesus
I'm agnostic and married to a Unitarian, so I don't know whether or not that makes us two for two, but I tag along now and then, which reminds me of the Frank Zappa album 'We're Only In It For The Pastries.'
Glad to hear you say this. As a recovering Catholic, I too, believe the world would always have been better off without religion. It's a risk v benefit ratio, and IMO, the risks far outweigh the benefits. We can cultivate a world of morality, kindness, and goodness without the need for creeds, doctrines, and threats of punishment for non-compliance. So many atheists are proof of that.
I am Catholic and I work for a Catholic church. As I was reading your column, and I came to what was referred to as a "good Catholic joke" about three nuns, I was anxious to read it. I thought I might share it with my pastor later on today. But when I came to the punchline, uh, I decided this "good Catholic joke" was best left unrepeated... I think you missed the mark, Mr Keillor, on good Catholic jokes.
"...the meek have failed to do what needed to be done; I pray for the young to bring justice and mercy and good humor to the land." This world (earth) is not heaven and so maybe the meek shall inherit the earth and be stuck here until they learn to do better. Maybe that's why we are here now?
Perhaps a church service with its requisite coffee hour after is a last bastion of actual human interaction. No screens involved, actual eye contact, mutual prayer and reflection. Music. Acceptance. Smiles.
Technology is certainly convenient, but not our friend.
Rather than google for answers, perhaps bouncing our perspectives off each other with quiet dialogue could solve a multitude of problems.
My wife and I often attend a church that is new to us in our travels. Being Lutherans, we attended a service at the Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki several years ago. It was summertime, the city was crowded with tourists of various nationalities. The cathedral, which stands out prominently along the waterfront, was near full. Lutheran stood in marble along one wall, watching the whole congregation. The pastor was a woman. She gave the sermon in two languages, one English.
At the end of the service, may wife and I found our way to a basement that once was used to store wood that heated the huge building. It had been turned into a beautiful room where coffee and buns were served by women wearing aprons. We sat down at a large table with our glass cups of coffee (no Styrofoam in Finland) and buns with butter and jam. Shortly after, a woman joined us and began a conversation. She was a retired from national service. She was followed by a woman in long white robe. She was the bishop of the cathedral, and, I assumed, of the Lutheran Church of Finland. My wife and I were the only people from the U.S. there having coffee with two strong Finnish women who seemed to know who we were. It was the most memorable event of that entire trip to the land where my grandparents emigrated from.
I rather fear that the meek will indeed inherit the earth, and that the rest of us frantic strivers (and mostly errant, bumbling losers) will burn to the ground along with it. To "inherit the earth" may not quite be the blessing we often think of it as. It might be like inheriting an empty pantry cupboard after the last crust of bread is gone and the house that existed around it has blown away in a tornado.
I was really pissed off by the "migrant" reference (illegal immigrant gang members would have been more appropriate) until the Catholic joke which literally made me laugh out loud and spit diet coke (the drink of choice of champions) across the room...thanks for the laugh...that is what you are best at. On a final note, I think anybody who has gone through life and is about to retire and does not know who Garrison Keillor is has missed out on one of life's great treasures...have a wonderful day in the park.
I'm stuck in a position between you and GK. They certainly were/are "illegal immigrant gang members" and not innocent men, women, and children searching for a better life for themselves and their families. That's just a fact. But, I take no satisfaction in HOW our country ridded itself from them. Ignoring the rulings of judges who interpret and enforce our laws is not a country I want to live in. One can't pick and choose what laws to follow anymore than one can pick or choose what is appropriate free speech. That is where the rubber meets the road with people like yourself PoppiRowe. I've read enough of your responses to feel comfortable making that judgement.
What will you do if your dear leader in his complete descent into full-blown insanity decides that something about you or someone you love or care about or depend on is someone he doesn't want in his country and he just decides to declare you - or they - are wicked gangsters and must be ousted? Just because he says that so and so is something or other doesn't make it so. He calls people names all the time and makes up stuff about them to suit his sadistic nature and to fire up hatred and violence; he loves that. He is delusional and his delusions are delusions of grandeur. Unfortunately for all of us the now-collapsed Congress and much of the rest of our government seems perfectly willing to feed his delusions. Who ever would have thought our country would stroll so easily into the insane world of a sadistic monster and his thug-army, but that's what has happened.
I wish Keillor didn't make you laugh. What you cheer for generally is making the rest of the world cry.
There are judges who interpret laws based on the Constitution and precedent and there are activist judges who interpret the law based on their personal agendas.i believe the Obama appointed judge who made the illegal immigrant decision is an activist not a judge.
I'm part Norwegian and come here for Norwegian humor! Especially if it's about those Norwegian bachelors! Stories about them on your radio show used to crack me up!
I heard that “Catholic” joke on the Vicar of Dibley show. Still funny.
Always I feel I have been along with him. I, too, was at church on Sunday and everything he said we also had in the Church of England, including the prayers for those in positions of power. We have coffee in the church after the service, and I wish more people would stop and spend a little time with the people they have been worshipping with. A coffee, a biscuit, how are you doing, that's a nice scarf, etc. It all adds up. It helps to build the community that, in one sense, we are all looking for.
Fed my soul. Thank you, fellow Episcopalian, who used to be from my state and came to my church in St. Paul--St. Clement's-- where people struggled mightily to not notice the celebrity in the pew.
As an atheist, of course, I do not attend church. And I also believe, reinforced strongly by having seen the Oscar winning documentary, "No Other Land" last week, that world would be better off if there were no religions at all. Having said that, however, if religions and religious gatherings could all be as you describe them, if they were places of community and love, places happy to be their community but not condemning or disparaging of other communities, then they would be a force for good worldwide. If only...
I envy Tom and Jean their chance to spend time with you. I wonder if they ever found out they breakfasted with a bona fide celebrity. I too live on the Upper West Side and when I'm out and about sometimes scan the sidewalks hoping to see you and take a moment to express my admiration.
Hi Kate,
Been there, done that, now a Christian.
Keep on questioning and hope you look at the facts more thoroughly and join us.
I join you in the values of your religion: "Do unto others", "welcome the stranger", etc. I can't help but feel that if I'm wrong and there is a God and a heaven, that I will be judged by how I lived up to those values rather than how much I worshipped Him (or Her). God can't be that vain, right?
I'm not Christian or anything else, but some friends I'm close to who have been BADLY mistreated here in the US remain true believers in a Christian God who is loving, tolerant and actively kind. These friends emulate that and it's mighty inspiring. Seems like you have these same values, Kate.
Talk to a Pastor if you are seriously asking questions
Kate. I don’t identify as a Christian, but I attend church (Presbyterian.). The experience is much like GK describes. The sermons are intelligent and compassionate; the music is great; the silence compassionate. There are congregations like that across the country that have not been taken over by the Christian Nationalists. They just try to follow Jesus
I'm agnostic and married to a Unitarian, so I don't know whether or not that makes us two for two, but I tag along now and then, which reminds me of the Frank Zappa album 'We're Only In It For The Pastries.'
Glad to hear you say this. As a recovering Catholic, I too, believe the world would always have been better off without religion. It's a risk v benefit ratio, and IMO, the risks far outweigh the benefits. We can cultivate a world of morality, kindness, and goodness without the need for creeds, doctrines, and threats of punishment for non-compliance. So many atheists are proof of that.
I need to get out and walk more often. My wife tells me that. I'm getting good instruction at home.
I am Catholic and I work for a Catholic church. As I was reading your column, and I came to what was referred to as a "good Catholic joke" about three nuns, I was anxious to read it. I thought I might share it with my pastor later on today. But when I came to the punchline, uh, I decided this "good Catholic joke" was best left unrepeated... I think you missed the mark, Mr Keillor, on good Catholic jokes.
It's not my joke. It was told to me by a Catholic who attends regularly.
Yeah, priests certainly would not understand that joke. But sin, now that, they have heard of.
"...the meek have failed to do what needed to be done; I pray for the young to bring justice and mercy and good humor to the land." This world (earth) is not heaven and so maybe the meek shall inherit the earth and be stuck here until they learn to do better. Maybe that's why we are here now?
If you're not here after
what I'm here after
then you'll be here after
I am in the Hereafter.
Thank you for an enjoyable column. How fortunate that visiting Catholic couple came upon such kind welcoming parishioners.
Perhaps a church service with its requisite coffee hour after is a last bastion of actual human interaction. No screens involved, actual eye contact, mutual prayer and reflection. Music. Acceptance. Smiles.
Technology is certainly convenient, but not our friend.
Rather than google for answers, perhaps bouncing our perspectives off each other with quiet dialogue could solve a multitude of problems.
Just a thought.
Always enjoy a Garrison Keeler romp with wit and truth and humor.
Ah, but what was the first thing Adam said to Eve?
“Stand back! We don’t know how big this thing is going to get!”
Amen, Keillor.
My wife and I often attend a church that is new to us in our travels. Being Lutherans, we attended a service at the Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki several years ago. It was summertime, the city was crowded with tourists of various nationalities. The cathedral, which stands out prominently along the waterfront, was near full. Lutheran stood in marble along one wall, watching the whole congregation. The pastor was a woman. She gave the sermon in two languages, one English.
At the end of the service, may wife and I found our way to a basement that once was used to store wood that heated the huge building. It had been turned into a beautiful room where coffee and buns were served by women wearing aprons. We sat down at a large table with our glass cups of coffee (no Styrofoam in Finland) and buns with butter and jam. Shortly after, a woman joined us and began a conversation. She was a retired from national service. She was followed by a woman in long white robe. She was the bishop of the cathedral, and, I assumed, of the Lutheran Church of Finland. My wife and I were the only people from the U.S. there having coffee with two strong Finnish women who seemed to know who we were. It was the most memorable event of that entire trip to the land where my grandparents emigrated from.
I rather fear that the meek will indeed inherit the earth, and that the rest of us frantic strivers (and mostly errant, bumbling losers) will burn to the ground along with it. To "inherit the earth" may not quite be the blessing we often think of it as. It might be like inheriting an empty pantry cupboard after the last crust of bread is gone and the house that existed around it has blown away in a tornado.
I often wonder if being meek and inheriting the earth might mean that the meek would be slain and buried in it. No pun, just a thought.
A delightful read.
I was really pissed off by the "migrant" reference (illegal immigrant gang members would have been more appropriate) until the Catholic joke which literally made me laugh out loud and spit diet coke (the drink of choice of champions) across the room...thanks for the laugh...that is what you are best at. On a final note, I think anybody who has gone through life and is about to retire and does not know who Garrison Keillor is has missed out on one of life's great treasures...have a wonderful day in the park.
I'm stuck in a position between you and GK. They certainly were/are "illegal immigrant gang members" and not innocent men, women, and children searching for a better life for themselves and their families. That's just a fact. But, I take no satisfaction in HOW our country ridded itself from them. Ignoring the rulings of judges who interpret and enforce our laws is not a country I want to live in. One can't pick and choose what laws to follow anymore than one can pick or choose what is appropriate free speech. That is where the rubber meets the road with people like yourself PoppiRowe. I've read enough of your responses to feel comfortable making that judgement.
What will you do if your dear leader in his complete descent into full-blown insanity decides that something about you or someone you love or care about or depend on is someone he doesn't want in his country and he just decides to declare you - or they - are wicked gangsters and must be ousted? Just because he says that so and so is something or other doesn't make it so. He calls people names all the time and makes up stuff about them to suit his sadistic nature and to fire up hatred and violence; he loves that. He is delusional and his delusions are delusions of grandeur. Unfortunately for all of us the now-collapsed Congress and much of the rest of our government seems perfectly willing to feed his delusions. Who ever would have thought our country would stroll so easily into the insane world of a sadistic monster and his thug-army, but that's what has happened.
I wish Keillor didn't make you laugh. What you cheer for generally is making the rest of the world cry.
You need more Catholic jokes…chill.
There are judges who interpret laws based on the Constitution and precedent and there are activist judges who interpret the law based on their personal agendas.i believe the Obama appointed judge who made the illegal immigrant decision is an activist not a judge.
If we ship one gang member off to another country and it protects a US citizen from getting killed it is justx
I'm part Norwegian and come here for Norwegian humor! Especially if it's about those Norwegian bachelors! Stories about them on your radio show used to crack me up!