Member that XTC song “Dear God” – that starts with the child singing? I love that song.
Dear god,
Hope you got the letter,
And I pray you can make it better down here.
I dont mean a big reduction in the price of beer,
But all the people that you made in your image,
See them starving on their feet,
cause they dont get enough to eat
From god,
I cant believe in you….
Anyway – all of this is a prelude to a gorgeous and funny and touching post over at Alex’s – featuring letters to God from children.
Beautiful post – have fun. They’re great to read!
“In bible times did people really talk that fancy?” is just one example.
The one note from Elliott actually brought a strange lump to my throat.
Those were great – and I know the song because you put it on one of my “love Sheila” tapes – I love it.
Small world–a good friend e-mailed me the pictures of the letters earlier today.
PS–Apropos of nothing, I’m just orthodox enough that “Dear God” makes me uncomfortable, but I love it anyway…which ought to make me (I reckon) more uncomfortable, but doesn’t.
We now return you to whatever the heck was going on before I stumbled by.
Ken – I know just what you mean, actually. But I have always seen the song as … well, how he starts screaming at the end – his litany of complaints against God … and then how the child comes back in at the end … it seems that only someone who DOES believe could ever get that angry. It’s a defense mechanism – a rage response to the unfairness of life – like: “I HATE YOU, GOD!!” Someone who has no belief would not have that response.
I remember when I first read the Diary of Anne Frank – I know I’ve told this story here before. I was 12 or whatever – and I was soooooooo angry – I can still TASTE my anger from back then … I wanted to KILL God. My rage did not go to the Nazis – not at first anyway. It went straight to God – who “let this happen”.
Poor Jennifer Horton.