Christmas Greeting

2004-12-22

Richard Moore

Friends,

Hope you are all together with families and enjoying the warm hearth
of the Christmas spirit. I find myself off in Edinborough, where I've
been graciously invited by Jim & Marureen Macgregor - as a guest in
their family as my own is many thousands of miles away. Yesterday we
went on a tour of Edinborough Castle & then went to a wonderful
concert at historic Usher Theater - a combination of Mozart (period
costume chamber-orchestra) and elegantly arranged Christmas carols by
a 15-member chorus. A day I'll never forget!

Despite my attitude toward religious institutions, which I see as
being both oppressive and mind-controlling, I cannot help but be
inspired and emotionally uplifted by the gospels and by the old carols
that I know from childhood. In the concert last night they did some
numbers from Handel's Messiah (first peformed in Dublin, by the way),
and I noticed something I hadn't before.

There doesn't seem to be anything about forgiveness of sins(and other
human-deprecating stuff)in Handel's selected material. In the famous
#44 (the Halleluia Chorus)we hear about "wonderful counsellor",
"prince of peace", "king of kings", and "he shall reign for ever and
ever" - all very worldly and positive.

For those of you who read my most recent chapter draft (the new Ch 1)
you may have noticed some references to the gospels. I think this
Christmas 2004 is a time for reconsideration of many things.

Hope to hear from all of you in the new year.

I'll write again when I get home, just before New Years Eve.

Love to all,
Richard

(btw> aliencamel is my travelling identity)