Back in April I wrote a couple Parson-to-Person columns on things children often mis-hear (like "Howard be thy name" for "Hallowed be thy name," "Deliver us from email" for "Deliver us from evil," and "He leadeth me beside distilled water" for "beside still waters"). Turns out there's actually a name for these sayings: Kinky Turtles. (The name comes from an article in Time magazine some years ago, whose author spoke of her daughter singing the hymn "Lead On, O Kinky Turtle"--which was, of course, "Lead On, O King Eternal"!)
As some of you know, I collect "turtles" like these and have added some of yours to my collection over time. (And I'm always game for new ones, so feel free to email some of your own.) One I came upon recently was from a little girl from India who was visiting California and decided to go to church with her host family. When asked what she thought of the service, she said, "I don't understand why the West Coast isn't included." "What do you mean?" asked her host. And she answered, "You know, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the whole East Coast."
One Sunday years ago, back at my home church in Racine, I asked for volunteers in the congregation to come up to the front and act out some of Jesus' conversations with the Scribes and Pharisees. One of our second-graders came up to read Jesus' part. When he came to the word "Satan," he pronounced it "Stan." ("You say I cast out devils by Stan," he intoned). His take on sin was pretty good too: "Whoever is without skin, cast the first stone." Out of the mouths of babes...
I must say, if a child is going to confuse a religious word or two, I'm glad that--in Unitarian Universalism at least--those words are more likely to be "sin" and "Satan" than "love" or "justice." (Maybe there's a parable in there somewhere, about why we support our UU faith.)
One final kinky turtle--especially for those of you who are looking forward to the time when we can meet in person again and enjoy potluck suppers. "The small Baptist congregation where I grew up," says one Rebecca Hayes, "often sang the hymn 'Bringing in the Sheaves.' One day my little brother chimed in loud and strong: 'We shall come to Joyce's, bringing in the cheese.'"
And so we shall, my friends. So we shall.
peas and undress,
tony
