Christians lose ground, ‘nones’ soar in new portrait of US religion

[thucythucy]

15. Have you ever heard the Lenny Bruce routine "Christ and Moses"?

The best version is on the "Lenny Bruce at Carnegie Hall" recording. You have to find the complete concert, not the crappy excerpted version.

The premise is that Christ and Moses decide to come down from heaven to' attend a church service at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. (This would be in February, 1961, which is when the concert was recorded).

What follows is hilarious. The local Catholic authorities are so anxious they call the Pope. Bruce then gives us the New York half of the conversation.

"You'll never guess who's here."

"I'll give you a hint" (singing) 'With the cross of dah dah.'"

"No, not Zorro!"

"Yes, it's Him, and He brought a very nice Jewish boy with him."

"Of course he's white!"

"Look, all I know is we're up to our asses in crutches and wheelchairs!"

"Oh God, the lepers are here!" (Turning aside). "Sonny, would you pick up your arm, ma'am, your nose?"

But reading it doesn't do it justice, you have to hear it. There's a great part where Bruce says, "But Jesus is confused, because his route took him through Spanish Harlem, where he sees twenty people living in a single room and here there's plenty of room, so why aren't those people living here..."

I could go on and on. But check out the recording, if you can find it. Great stuff as well on discrimination against gay people, though in the context of the times the language is pretty non-PC.

Best wishes.