Enlightenment regained

Thank you, my children. Truth, justice, sweetness and light have been restored. I am most touched by your devotion and esteem.

Well, I'm most touched by the devotion and esteem of most of you, anyway. I see there are a few cynical doubters, still, but I am sure that events will cause them to reconsider their opinions. The suggestion that I myself might have placed those votes to garner further support is, of course, nothing short of scandalous. And certainly untrue. Were I not such a kind and forgiving person I might be taking legal action against the person (myself) who suggested this possibility to me. I am just very lucky that I am not a suspicious and vindictive man.

Maybe this time I can beat Uncle Nem to the punch . . .

"When I was a goth singing in a band called Ausgang . . ."

There's also this interesting little piece by Trevor Dennis, vice-dean of Chester Cathedral.

"Only in one place in its exploration of relations between women and men does it place them on an equal footing and protest against the brutalities and nonsense of patriarchy. The Song of Songs, a series of erotic poems, composed almost certainly by women, celebrates the subversive, pre-marital sexual love of a pair of teenagers, where the girl has escaped the confines of the family - and the brothers who would board her up to protect her virginity - and has run into the arms of the boy she loves.

It contains some of the most beautiful love poetry ever written, but not quite what those who insist sex be confined within heterosexual marriage are looking for. The Bible also celebrates same-sex relationships, despite what those persuaded by a few verses in Leviticus and the epistles might believe."