Monday 2 August 2010

God is Dog spelled backwards...

...and vice versa.
There was an amusing little exchange on the Catholic Pure & Simple blog the other day that got me thinking.

One person wrote that, because Dog is God spelled backwards, her Grannie took it as a clear indication that dogs are evil, and wouldn't have one in the house. But then, another commenter wrote saying that her Auntie, because God is Dog spelled backwards, saw it as an unmistakable sign awarding dogs the right to specially indulgent treatment denied to other, less well-connected, members of creation.

It must be noted that this lacuna (50 more bonus points!) only works in English, which accounts for the unique relationship we Brits have with our mutts. The fact that Perro is Orrep spelled backwards cuts little ice with the Spaniards, and may explain why their treatment of dogs often leaves something to be desired.

The real significance of the Dog/God issue is the fact that people can interpret the exact same phenomenon in utterly opposing ways.
This undeniably leads to contention and is probably the cause of more loss of life on this planet than even the motor car, the Big Mac or Coca-Cola.

5 comments:

Laura said...

Hmmm...there are people who believe that the King James version of the Bible was sent directly from God - bound in leather and, of course, written in English. Therefore, they find great meaning in the fact that God spelled backwards is Dog. A "ditty" I learned in my childhood, "Dog spelled backwards is still man's best friend." Seemed very clever to me back then.

bridget said...

You probably know this one, but there may be some out there who do not:
have you heard about the dyslexic, insomniac agnostic who lay awake at night wondering if dogs exist?

JoyfulPapist said...

No, Bridget, but I've heard of the dyslexic devil worshipper who prayed to Santa.

Patrick O'Gara said...

Some people seem to think my blog is a repository for bad jokes. Well, it is.

Brother Burrito said...

"Nobody's mentioned the Domini Canes, or God's Dogs, yet" he added as an asinine aside.