…and this is a 
On 11 July in St Paul, the Irreverend Singleton will be presenting a two-act play titled "On Patriarchs and Penises", which promises to be delightfully rude and will almost certainly give the accommodationists the vapors.
Park describes the scene: "The stage is black and bare except for a pulpit, a small altar bench, three rickety folding chairs, and a coat tree, all starkly white. Brother Sam, in his signature frock coat, blue vest and matching spectacles, conducts the crowd through a hilarious and hair-raising tour of his childhood among 'the tongues-speaking, snake-handling, frothing-at-the-mouth holy rollers,' and subsequent 'reversion to the atheistic state into which we all are born,' before ending Act I with a mercilessly satiric deconstruction of the role of God in American life."
She notes that the second act has Brother Sam teaching a "biblically accurate but somewhat irreverent "Bible class" in which Brother Sam satirically details the symbolic use of penises throughout the Scriptures. "Nobody ever told me that what ties the whole book together, its narrative thread, is penises,' he says.
I think I'm going to have to try and make it to this one.
(via The Sunny Skeptic)
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
Posted by: Kobra | July 6, 2009 6:56 PM
This reminds me of Carlin's commentary on warfare. "Their dicks might be bigger than ours." "Bomb them!"
Posted by: Michelle R
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July 6, 2009 6:56 PM
Why do all the cool stuff happen where I'm not?
Posted by: JD | July 6, 2009 6:57 PM
Defer to God's big whopper.Christards have been doing it for centuries.
Posted by: Zeno | July 6, 2009 6:59 PM
And testicles. One mustn't forget testicles, from which we derive the word "testify"!
As it say in Genesis 24:
And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth
As we all know, Abraham wants his servant to grasp his testicles and swear, but the KJV is rather more euphemistic.
Posted by: Qwerty | July 6, 2009 7:02 PM
This will give the evangelicals something to bark about in addition to the ever popular "Puppetry of the Penis."
Posted by: Smoggy Batzrubble | July 6, 2009 7:15 PM
Praise God! Finally, some Biblical Exegesis one can sink one's teeth into.
It surprises me how many of my fellow Bible-believing Christians don't understand that God's Holy Bible is all about the Divine Meatstick and its lesser mortal imitations.
Just consider the meaning of the verse: "In the beginning was the Wood, and the Wood was with God, and the Wood was God."
The model for God's thrusting Patriarchy comes right from the Top. Just remember, fellow Christians, if you want to be really godly, make sure you fuck anything that gets in your way. It's what our Heavenly Father always does. If Brother Sam were to be really precise, I'm sure he'd say that the Bible's narrative thread is actually "penises and penetration." How was Mary impregnated? How did the Holy
Spirit enter the Apostles? Wasn't Jesus pierced and speared on the cross?
Seek and ye shall find Oh My Brothers and female Brothers.
In God's Holy Name
Amen
Posted by: Smoggy Batzrubble | July 6, 2009 7:17 PM
Praise God! Finally, some Biblical Exegesis one can sink one's teeth into.
It surprises me how many of my fellow Bible-believing Christians don't understand that God's Holy Bible is all about the Divine Meatstick and its lesser mortal imitations.
Just consider the meaning of the verse: "In the beginning was the Wood, and the Wood was with God, and the Wood was God."
It is my scripturally inspired belief that the model for God's thrusting Patriarchy comes right from the Top. Just remember, fellow Christians, if you want to be really godly, make sure you fuck anything that gets in your way. It's what our Heavenly Father always does. Indeed, if Brother Sam were to be absolutely precise, I'm sure he'd agree with me that the Bible's narrative thread is actually "penises and penetration." Wasn't Mary divinely impregnated? Didn't the Holy Spirit enter the Apostles? Wasn't Jesus pierced and speared while on the cross?
Seek and ye shall find Oh My Brothers and female Brothers.
In God's Holy Name
Amen
Posted by: Smoggy Batzrubble | July 6, 2009 7:20 PM
Gaaa...aaacckkk
I've been possessed by the "Demon of Double Posting!"
Quick Floyd, the exorcism kit...
We'll start with a mustard enema.
Posted by: Mike Haubrich, FCD | July 6, 2009 7:25 PM
@ Michelle R - you need to move to Minnesota.
Of course, PZ, now that you have annnounced you are going to be here, Sweeny's is going to have SRO. I'll have to get their early.
Posted by: littlejohn | July 6, 2009 7:33 PM
My trouser snake doesn't talk. Probably just as well.
Posted by: Cuttlefish, OM | July 6, 2009 7:34 PM
Much as I hate re-using verses, I already have one appropriate for this...
http://digitalcuttlefish.blogspot.com/2008/05/oh-wait.html
My God is pretty self-assured, and quite convinced He’s right.
He made me in His image, so He’s green-eyed, blond, and white;
And He’s very, very wrathful with the folks who disagree;
He’ll hold a grudge for centuries—Oh, wait—that might be me.
He’s insecure enough to want to hear how much you love Him
And He never will forgive you if there’s someone else above Him;
He’ll jealously react to any threat to His domain
By smiting all His enemies—Oh, wait—that’s me again.
He’ll make the world a better place for those who think like Him
For those in opposition, well, the situation’s grim;
He’ll call jihad, or else crusade—some form of Holy War
Because He knows He’s always right—Oh, wait—that’s me once more.
He’s handsome, bearded, steely-eyed, deep-voiced and somewhat haughty
So wonderful, his naughty bits are never seen as naughty
But perfectly proportioned, grand and firm and never shrinking,
A miracle of awesomeness—Oh, wait—that’s wishful thinking.
Posted by: rditmars | July 6, 2009 7:38 PM
I never knew that in "Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay," the "cockmeat sandwich" was a Biblical reference. But, in the flick, it was W's favorite aspect of the prison.
Posted by: H.H. | July 6, 2009 7:51 PM
I always wondered how Moses parted the Red Sea with his staff.
Posted by: druidbros | July 6, 2009 8:30 PM
Please provide appropriate video PZ.
Posted by: Jadehawk, OM
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July 6, 2009 9:09 PM
shit!!! I work on the 11th. This would have been worth the two overnight train-rides :-(
Posted by: Bjorn Watland | July 6, 2009 9:11 PM
You can always check out Atheists Talk, featuring Sam Singleton and Crystal!
http://mnatheists.org/content/view/357/162/
Posted by: Crystal D. | July 6, 2009 9:18 PM
Thanks, PZ! :) Hope to see you there, it will be a grand time. We're going to stay the night, as we're giving atheist blood that morning with Minnesota Atheists.
Posted by: JohnnieCanuck
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July 6, 2009 10:06 PM
Just checked out some of his YouTube videos. Man has an entertaining way of putting the simple truth out there.
Half the fun is the accent, I could imagine Sam Clemens speaking like that.
Posted by: Jon Garvin | July 6, 2009 10:32 PM
I saw B.S.'s P&P show here in Missoula, MT with the Missoula Area Secular Society. He was very funny but our turn out for the show was unfortunately dismal. I hope you Minnesotans can show him the full house he deserves.
Posted by: Standard curve
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July 6, 2009 10:54 PM
"Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me."
I always wondered about that one.
Posted by: atomjack | July 6, 2009 11:05 PM
@13- I thought Moses was one of those old testament tribal guys who were supposed to stay away on those bloody days of the month. Just another disparity in the old book, I guess.
Posted by: johnnyfatsac | July 6, 2009 11:17 PM
I saw Brother Singleton when he came to Dallas a few months ago! I promise...you will not be disappointed! His show was very smart and funny, and after his show he hung around and we chatted atheism and religion over a few pints. Everyone that can NEEDS to go see and support him, we need more entertainers of his ilk.
Posted by: Jonathan | July 6, 2009 11:42 PM
Video it and post a copy to YouTube. Pretty please?
Posted by: AH | July 7, 2009 3:03 AM
That's just down the street from my college, so I guess I have no excuse not to go, other than being a cheapskate and clinging onto my $15.
Hey, it seems to be in a bar. Under 21 can still get in and hang around for the social hour, correct, just no drinking?
Posted by: Scott Hatfield, OM | July 7, 2009 3:46 AM
(cheerfully) Why would an 'accomodationist' get the vapors about a theatrical performance touting non-belief while sending up religion? It's art, and artists have to have a point of view in order to create. Me, I only get light-headed when someone tries to privilege this or that metaphysical position within science.
Posted by: konrad_arflane | July 7, 2009 3:51 AM
Scott (#25) beat me to it. PZ seems to have developed a penchant for taking digs at 'accomodationists' whether the contenxt warrants it or not.
Posted by: Victor | July 7, 2009 9:35 AM
Apparently, people are getting quite worked up over the use of the word "penis" for this show. I wonder what they would do if they heard the words "breast" or "vagina". Brother Sam is right, though: the Bible is nothing more than a series of dick jokes.
It should be a fun show.
Posted by: Abdul Alhazred
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July 7, 2009 9:36 AM
Does that old trick still work?
You know. Freaking out the mundanes by saying "penis".
:p
Posted by: John Morales | July 7, 2009 9:43 AM
Scott @25, Konrad @26, it's pretty damn clear.
Religion is gonna be dissed, and believers mocked.
That's baaaaaaaaaaaad!
Uncalled for!
Counter-productive!!!!1!11
Posted by: Sonja | July 7, 2009 9:57 AM
Tim Minchin has the best take on this subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaLF8UGr0hQ
If you heard his "10 Foot Cock & A Few Hundred Virgins", it is a must listen! Sheer genius.
Posted by: DynamicUno | July 7, 2009 10:51 AM
Shouldn't it be "Patriarch's and Penii?"
Must be proper with our plurals.
Posted by: Victor | July 7, 2009 2:03 PM
#31 Penises is the proper plural form.
Posted by: Theron | July 7, 2009 6:56 PM
Something to ask your favorite fundamentalist:
"What does God do with His penis?"
Posted by: Hamid Chowdhury | July 7, 2009 8:01 PM
Oh, I've got to catch Brother Singleton...
Posted by: John Morales | July 7, 2009 8:07 PM
Victor @32, I think you'll find penes is just as correct.
Posted by: khan | July 7, 2009 9:02 PM
Brother Sam is on Facebook, and announces his appearances there.
Posted by: Bjorn Watland | July 12, 2009 1:10 PM
If you missed Sam Singleton, you really missed out on a great night!