Does anyone on this forum go to church?

[Fjgrogan]

When i first went to Evensong after many years of absence I found my body instinctively reacting in the approved way, kneeling etc at the appropriate times. Is it also 'Greenland's icy mountains' that has the line we used to twist into 'from wavesions' oash-washed shores'? Then of course there is one which I think I have mentioned before from 'All things bright and beautiful' but now omitted - 'the rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate, God made them high or lowly, and ordered their estate' - very Victorian!

[englishangel]

Frances, that line always makes me think of Lord Archer for some reason

[sejintenej]

Now what I meant by evangelists was the American TV screamers who ALWAYS ask for lots of money and most of them are charlatans. Some go around in Rolls Royce cars and don't quite seem to live by the Christian ethic. Also occasionally I get people at my front door who describe themselves as evangelists and I simply can't bear them. Their clothes are appalling and they do show remarkable lack of taste in that department. It really does make me ill to have to look at people in greasy black macintoshes talking rubbish about the end of the world. Perhaps I have been using the word evangelist wrongly.

Just to hit Huntertitus when he is down (is there a better time?) I agree with him over that particular type of people. A year ago I was asked by a close friend to give a cheap holiday to a young impoverished couple who actiually turned out to be very nice but ..... Having been teachers they had turned that in to write and perform church (Christian) type music, hence their poverty. To me that is not a profession but this year they got a good USA recording contract and another performance contract in France - not near me - so I was wrong. However it is all about HOW they put the message across. There is a contrast;

They persuaded the mother of one of them and her partner to buy a house nearby. I got inviegled into helping them with various D-I-Y jobs where I learned a bit about them. Religion was never ever mentioned in their house. One is a qualified doctor, the other a nurse (but a fellow of the RCN which means a lot) and both were chief executives of a London hospital helping exclusively HIV sufferers. In their spare time (!!!) one is the patron of a hospital in India (and spends most of her spare time there), the other set up a clinic for HIV sufferers in Uganda and is a consultant to various African governements about that subject. She is currently in Uganda arranging courses to train locals how to treat malnourished children in hospital (the current recovery rate is 40%!!!!!). They are 68 and 70+ years of age. If they are not examples of the religious ideal then what is?

Various people have pointed out their reactions to various pieces of religious (I'm not defining which religion) music but how many have thought about the words to the Concerto de Aranjuez? It was not written as religious music but it is too close to the news we could have heard on the Swine Flu thread and makes even me cry when I hear it

[kerrensimmonds]

Wasn't Sydney Carter an Old Blue? Or am I getting him muddled up with someone else. Will do some googling.....



Yay! I am right! Died only five years ago.

His most famous hymn (I think...) is 'Lord of the Dance'

[Katharine]

Sydney Carter was a mate of my Dad's - or so he told me. However it may just have been that they were at CH at the same time, Father had a wonderful capacity for keeping up with his school and college friends long before the days of Facebook. My childhood had frequent visits to yet another Vicarage to visit some gent who had been at St Augustine's Canterbury with him or to what I thought of as lay houses to see Old Blues or Cambridge contemporaries. Strange, I don't remember many of them visiting us!

[sejintenej]

I'd much rather share a bottle or two than enter the ring. I tested a bottle of 45 proof Talisker the other day which was on special offer but it tasted like petrol, especially when mixed with water. Is Bowmore a single malt?

Get in the ring with him and share the bottles

Yes; they are both single malts and both from the western islands - Bowmore from Islay and Talisker from Skye. I haven't tasted either (I used to drink a similar one called Laphroaig from Islay). Generalising, the Western Islands single malts CAN (see below) be a little strong tasting with seaweed to the fore; it is a case of personal preference. If those are too much start with the malts from the Spey (Glenfiddich is one example) which start off softer or add even more water.

It is not a question of percentage proof - cask proof is closer to 80% if my memory serves me right; it is a question of age. Talisker appears to sell only 10 year old whisky. Bowmore does sell 8 year old ** but principally from 12 to 40 years old. Those numbers are years in the original oak casks in bond and with every year the drink gets softer and smoother (like brandy) so that it stops catching in your throat; the older the better (and more expensive!).

There are four major groupings of whiskies, each with common characteristics, so if one grouping is not to your taste try some of each of the others. There are very good blends also but I wont advertise. Just avoid grain whiskies like the plague!

** I suspect that the 8 year old is sold principally for blending - I used to be involved with a well-known brand of blended whisky which used up to 40 different single malts (including all three of those named) to get the taste right.

HTH

[Fjgrogan]

This one gave me goosebumps, especially when it was followed by Eternal Father Strong To Save! 'Sunset' on a lone bugle, as played at naval Evening Quarters has the same affect.

To return to Sydney Carter. I once went to a lunchtime lenten talk given by him in the parish church in Kingston upon Thames. He was well over 80 at the time, but he illustrated part of his talk by dancing vigorously down the aisle singing Lord of the Dance.

[huntertitus]

I'd much rather share a bottle or two than enter the ring. I tested a bottle of 45 proof Talisker the other day which was on special offer but it tasted like petrol, especially when mixed with water. Is Bowmore a single malt?

Get in the ring with him and share the bottles

Yes; they are both single malts and both from the western islands - Bowmore from Islay and Talisker from Skye. I haven't tasted either (I used to drink a similar one called Laphroaig from Islay). Generalising, the Western Islands single malts CAN (see below) be a little strong tasting with seaweed to the fore; it is a case of personal preference. If those are too much start with the malts from the Spey (Glenfiddich is one example) which start off softer or add even more water.

It is not a question of percentage proof - cask proof is closer to 80% if my memory serves me right; it is a question of age. Talisker appears to sell only 10 year old whisky. Bowmore does sell 8 year old ** but principally from 12 to 40 years old. Those numbers are years in the original oak casks in bond and with every year the drink gets softer and smoother (like brandy) so that it stops catching in your throat; the older the better (and more expensive!).

There are four major groupings of whiskies, each with common characteristics, so if one grouping is not to your taste try some of each of the others. There are very good blends also but I wont advertise. Just avoid grain whiskies like the plague!

** I suspect that the 8 year old is sold principally for blending - I used to be involved with a well-known brand of blended whisky which used up to 40 different single malts (including all three of those named) to get the taste right.

HTH

From church ( subject of post) to whiskey

The Talisker has been finished tonight

I can see what you mean about "seaweed"

Good advice for which i thank you

Why do these drinks improve with age considering that they are as you say 80 % alcohol

I dont understand how the taste improves if they are not mixed with something else

[englishangel]

This one gave me goosebumps, especially when it was followed by Eternal Father Strong To Save! 'Sunset' on a lone bugle, as played at naval Evening Quarters has the same affect.

To return to Sydney Carter. I once went to a lunchtime lenten talk given by him in the parish church in Kingston upon Thames. He was well over 80 at the time, but he illustrated part of his talk by dancing vigorously down the aisle singing Lord of the Dance.

About 2 months ago I went to the funeral of my cousin's wife, just 42, and they had 'Lord of the Dance' at her funeral, it had also been sung at her wedding 22 years previously, which as the vicar pointed out was probably the last time most of the people had been in the church. (It is a very small country church)

http://www.yourcounty.co.uk/discoverken ... hurch.html

[Angela Woodford]

To return to Sydney Carter. I once went to a lunchtime lenten talk given by him in the parish church in Kingston upon Thames. He was well over 80 at the time, but he illustrated part of his talk by dancing vigorously down the aisle singing Lord of the Dance.

Goodness, how "Lord of the Dance" aroused contraversy at home when I was young! Earnest discussions, clicking of tongues, shakings of heads, debates about blasphemy...

A couple of years ago, I had a London appointment, and, killing time, was reading the noticeboard of a really beautiful church - somewhere off the Strand, I think? Anyway, it featured monthly Liturgical Dancing.

Intriguing!

I looked up this religious pursuit when I got home - dancers can find Liturgical Dancewear - sort of, like, kind of wafty robe things. It sounded most expressive!

[huntertitus]

I looked up this religious pursuit when I got home - dancers can find Liturgical Dancewear - sort of, like, kind of wafty robe things. It sounded most expressive!

That's what I call "the rot setting in"

[Angela Woodford]

Well, Robin -

I can't say that I had ever come across Liturgical Dancing before, but I think I might find it more me-ish than an RC Healing Service to which I was once invited. There were passings-out, shriekings, ululation and all sorts. It made me feel uncomfortable, but being a bit of an extravert myself, I felt guilty when it was all so sincere.

Here's the Wiki description:

Liturgical dance is dance that is incorporated into liturgies or worship services. It is an expression of prayer or worship through body movement. It can be in Christian services as well as other religions and faith traditions. [1] Such dances can be accompanied by many different types of music. The dancers will respond with an appropriate dance which flows out of the music and allegedly enhances the prayer or worship experience. This dance may either be spontaneous, or have been choreographed ahead of time. If it is choreographed it is generally fitted to the song's lyrics or to religious concepts. Often this is performed by women, but many men also do it as well.

Liturgical dance is a relatively recent practice in the West, being virtually unpracticed until the twentieth century. However its antecedents go back to accounts of dancing in the Old Testament. An example is the episode when King David danced before the Ark of the Covenant. In other parts of the world dancing as a form of worship is much more popular.

Liturgical dance as a term is sometimes controversial among groups that disapprove of dancing in general (or disapprove of liturgy in general). A few such groups refer to liturgical dance as "Christian body worship". Others maintain it is a way of physically manifesting God's message, seeing it as an emotionally powerful way to inspire church goers.

[sejintenej]

From church ( subject of post) to whiskey

Please, p;lease pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

We are talking about the water of life - Scotch whisky without an "e" (that is Irish water of life)

As for churches, aren't they places where people worship; my neighbour has just gone to sacrifice his balls to the Gods of Hook and Slice. Others worship the wee dram in a bar - take it how you like it.

The Talisker has been finished tonight

I can see what you mean about "seaweed"

Why do these drinks improve with age considering that they are as you say 80 % alcohol

I dont understand how the taste improves if they are not mixed with something else

Remember that the 80% is proof where pure alcohol is 160% proof so it is not quite so strong (but enough to be responsible over!).
I am not an expert on the maturing process but the various chemicals in spirits do change with time, those with sharp tastes converting to others with a smoother palate. The oak (of the barrels) appears to act as a catalyst because I don't think it happens after bottling. In one way single malt whisky is like good wine; every season the taste is slightly different due to the water (peatification due to plentiful / scarce rainfall ) and the barley.
This maturation is not only with whisky (with no "e") - it occurs with brandy, armagnac, white rum (I don't know about the dark stuff - got a 26 year old one yesterday so I'll try it tonight!!!) and many other spirits. A few spirits have the process accellerated by aggressive filtering. Some wine matures in the bottle, some goes off.

Taste improving if not mixed with something?
If you are referring to your previous sentence, it is a chemical reaction between elements created in the manufacturing process. Raw whisky is absolutely undrinkable and half made wine is also pretty horrible - I get to taste it throughout the vinification process.
As for mixing, cask proof whisky is usually diluted to 36% or 40% - used to be to do with taxation levels. Whether you want to drink off ice or diluted with spring water is up to you (tap water has extra (safe) chemicals which do affect the taste). If it is too harsh then certainly dilute. When I have it I always drink it neat - personal preference.

I do not agree with mixing single malts with other things like coca cola;
- malts are designed to be drunk neat
- malts are expensive so why waste the money; if you must add other tastes then use blended whiskies because you will only notice the extra money in your pocket, not the taste. There is one exception - don't mix Chivas Regal* - it is a blend but too good to be messed up.

** Chivas Regal is not one of the companies I was involved with

[Angela Woodford]

Maybe a "Whisky" thread?

[loringa]

Remember that the 80% is proof where pure alcohol is 160% proof so it is not quite so strong (but enough to be responsible over!).

Isn't it degrees proof rather than percent proof?