Wednesday, 27 June 2007

• Currently Listening In the Dragon's Jaws By Ken Medema see related

  Variations and Fugue on a Theme in D (awkins) (elusion)

  For Antitheist and Orchestra

  Composer: Eric M. Pazdziora, 2007 (Opus -1)

   

  Theme:

  “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction. Jealous and proud of it, a petty, unjust, unforgiving control freak, a vindictive bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser, a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” 
       --Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, p. 31

   

  Snide Interruption from the Audience:

  “I know you are, but what am I?”

  (Interruption is sternly hushed by the conductor and the variations commence.)

   

  Variation 1:

  “Jealous and proud of it…”

  And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
  So shall your God rejoice over you.
       (Isaiah 62:5)

   

  Variation 2:

  “…a petty, unjust, unforgiving control freak…”

  They refused to obey,
  And they were not mindful of Your wonders
  That You did among them.
  But they hardened their necks,
  And in their rebellion
  They appointed a leader
  To return to their bondage.
  But You are God,
  Ready to pardon,
  Gracious and merciful,
  Slow to anger,
  Abundant in kindness,
  And did not forsake them.
       (Nehemiah 9:17)

   

  Variation 3:

  “…a vindictive bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser…”

  And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?"
       (Jonah 4:11)

   

  Variation 4:

  “…a misogynistic…”

  So God created human beings in his own image.
  In the image of God he created them;
  male and female he created them.
       (Genesis 1:27)

   

  Variation 5:

  “…homophobic…”

  For You, Lord, are good,
  and ready to forgive,
  And abundant in mercy
  to all those who call upon You.
       (Psalm 86:5)

   

  Variation 6:

  “…racist…”

  Indeed He says,
  ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
  To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
  And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
  I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
  That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’
       (Isaiah 49:6)

   

  Variation 7:

  “…infanticidal…”

  Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
  The fruit of the womb is a reward.
      (Psalm 127:3)

   

  Variation 8:

  “…pestilential…”

  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
  and from the deadly pestilence.
       (Psalm 91:3)

   

  Variation 9:

  “…megalomaniacal…”

  For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us,
  whenever we call upon him?
       (Deuteronomy 4:7)

   

  Variation 10:

  “…sadomasochistic…”

  He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
  He will gather the lambs with His arm,
  And carry them in His bosom,
  And gently lead those who are with young.
  (Isaiah 40:11)

   

  Variation  11:

  [At this point, the composer decided it was not worth dignifying the theme with any more variations and slammed the piano loudly several times to signal the start of the fugue.]

   

  Fugue:

  Exposition

  “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction.”

  Countersubject (retrograde inversion at the root)

  “There is arguably a lot of unpleasant fiction about the character of the God of the Old Testament.”

  Episode (quasi quodlibet)

  Dawkins seems to have chosen God as his sworn enemy. (Let's hope for Dawkins' sake God doesn't return the compliment.)   --Alvin Plantinga

  Coda

  “The God Delusion”… what a sadly appropriate title.

   

  (To be followed in the program by “Credo in Unum Deum” from Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.)

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