THE BOOK OF CARLIN, CHAPTER 9, VERSE 18
BY DAN MILLER
(originally posted May 12, 2005)
Last Sunday, our minister told the congregation he would begin his homily with a quote from George Carlin.
George Carlin? Now that got my attention.
Carlin is the comedian known for his graphic pronouncement of the seven words you can't say on television. He is a very funny man, but certainly not shy about strong language and biting cynicism.
I could hardly wait to hear what the preacher was gonna say.
But K.C. Ptomey, our pastor, is an imaginative and inspiring speaker, and he explained how, sometimes, a controversial and profane comic like George Carlin can be quite profound.
He was right. Here (basically) is the quote he lifted from George Carlin:
"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life, not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; big men and small character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; fancier houses, but broken homes."
-- George Carlin
Profound?... yes...... Uplifting?... not necessarily.
Then again, the unexpected prize from someone like George Carlin is that he starts you thinking.
And, last Sunday, his words were followed by a hopeful and inspiring message from K.C.
I wish you could've been there.
Anyhow, May 12th is George Carlin's birthday (he turns 68), and I'll close with more words from the man who was the first host, on the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live, 30 years ago:
'If a man is standing in the middle of a forest speaking, and there is no woman around to hear him.... is he still wrong?"
And this one:
"Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that ..#!@#"
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