Dave Allen

 

The late comedian Dave Allen discusses God and Adam and Eve. I watched Dave Allen as a child and his skits were often good. In this satirical monologue he attempts to analyze the beginning of the book of Genesis. Allen makes the common mistake of claiming that Eve ate of an apple. According to Strong's, in Genesis 3:6 Eve is said to have taken a fruit and eaten of it. Strong (1986: 499). Strong explains that the word for fruit used here is priy (per-ee) in Hebrew. Strong (1986: 127). I can agree with Allen that it is wise to avoid contact with talking snakes! As my PhD and prior studies have shown, the book of Genesis does in places use poetic language and so although I do believe in a literal, historical, Adam and Eve, I am not certain of the exact appearance of the serpent described in Genesis, Chapter 3. Strong writes that the word used here for serpent can also be defined as snake. Strong (1986: 102). The Hebrew word used for serpent or snake here is nachash (naw-khawsh). Strong (1986: 102). I sometimes find satirical, secular monologues concerning religion interesting because they at times show secular assumptions and bias. 

In the case of Dave Allen these presentations can also be amusing. I still somewhat remember a certain Dave Allen skit. A young man stands before a British judge wearing one of those long full bottomed powdered wigs and is asked if he has anything to state before sentencing. The young man replies, "Yes, get a bloody haircut". 

STRONG, J. (1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company.

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