We gather here to eulogize / The Pastor and the Man

[ciphergoth]

Some of you may have seen the story of the unfortunate death of conservative Christian minister Rev. Gary Aldridge:

Clothing: The decedent was received wearing two (2) wet suits, one scuba diving mask, one pair of diving gloves, one pair of slippers, one pair of rubber underwear, two (2) ties, five (5) belts, eleven (11) straps.

This drew a poetic response on the Pharyngula blog:

We gather here to eulogize
The Pastor and the Man
Old Gary Aldridge, often wise,
Though not his latest plan.

A member of the Christian nation,
Friend of Jerry Falwell,
His last attempt at masturbation
Didn't go at all well.

For fifteen years, he'd preached the word
A Southern Baptist minister
His death--now, is it just absurd
Or something rather sinister?

How does a person come to wear
Not one wetsuit, but two?
(Although, I know, I should not care
I'm curious--aren't you?)

I tend to think that, years ago,
He spied a rubber glove,
And wondered "Should I--well, you know--
When God and I make love?"

He tried it on, and found a tube,
Half hidden on his shelf,
Of KY--smiled, and murmered "Lube
Thy neighbor as thy self."

And minutes later, hard at work,
He felt a little odd
Was this a sin, or just a quirk?
He talked it out with God.

"Is what I'm doing here a sin?
Or is my pleasure Thine?
Is this as bad as skin on skin?
Lord, please, give me a sign!"

So God produced a pamphlet: "Your
Vacation in Aruba!"
And pointed out--right there, page four--
The wetsuits used for SCUBA

See, God's not really how you think
A deity might be
He's got a wicked bondage kink
(Just ask His son, J. C.)

So Gary died, not steeped in sin
But following God's plan;
So straight to Heaven--come on in!
And bring the wetsuits, man!

A story, sure, but it may yet
Explain what happened then.
The moral is, please don't forget:
Your safeword is "Amen".

-- "Cuttlefish"

Comments

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

I can understand laughing at the hypocrisy, but it just saddens me that this whole conservative-sexuality-religion complex has claimed another life.

Then again, it claims other lives every day which we hear about which nobody's laughing at because they weren't in a position to propagate the meme themselves (though perhaps they would if they could), and I suppose it kills dozens more that we don't hear about, and hundreds pass on every day in its clutches who might have lived a happier and freer life without constant shame and helped others to do the same.

It is all very, very sad.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

Indeed; in fact, I said something very similar on that very same blog post. It's sad, but it is kind of funny too; and the poem goes relatively gently in satirizing its target. It's also an astonishingly rapid composition!

[olethros.livejournal.com]

I was, funnily enough, talking about this just last night. We hear a lot about the prevalence of suicide amongst young men (at least where I come from) and I can't help but wonder how much of that is accidental AEA - and never talked about.

I have to admit, I love the poem. I wouldn't let it near his family, there's no need for that kind of cruelty, but in the face of such a sad situation, when some would find it easy to be vindictive, it is creative, gentle and almost well-meaning.