And the book by Michael Cook sure lives up to its name.

I’m really enjoying this brief but comprehensive view that quilts together the separate patches of development in human history (were talking roughly 30,000 years to present).

Of course he has a say about human cultural tendencies, amongst which he has this line for monotheism.

“But if we are to pick out a single aspect of monotheism in this connection [its longevity], it might be less what monotheism embraces than what it rejects: other gods and the people who worship them. It is in the nature of montheism to pick a quarrel”.

This means that “There is only one god” actually has the subtext “…and that god is MY god, of course! And if you nincompoops don’t switch over, why I’ll have to bash your heads in till you believe! Persecute!! Kill!!”

Something else mentioned in the book reminded me of the film “Drop Dead Gorgeous” shown on BBC 1 on Wednesday night, where Denise Richards sings “I love you baby” to Jesus as part of her talent show in the beauty pageant and dances with a puppet on a cross!! Hilarious stuff!!