Sunday, June 20, 2004

WHAT'S IN A NAME. I have written before about the grandiose names used by the U. N. in naming their sub-organizations and the people than run them. This is somewhat to be expected because most of them come from powerless third world countries desperate for a little attention and status.

Another organization with some truly great names is the Orthodox Church. For example, the "Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constaninople". That sounds a lot more important than the Tarrant Baptist Association, doesn't it?

Here is another: "His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas." This is the title of the head guy in Damascus. He is also known as the "Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church". I mean, wow. All we have is the president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

I guess we need to get with it. I'm thinking of having a naming contest for the denomination. Even the Shriners have better names than us. Of course, being Baptists, we'll have to appoint a committee.

But the committee needs to have a really great name to start the thing off. When Baptists want you to think the group is a really big deal, we call it a commission. I'll try to think of something while I listen to folk music on public tv. We just had the Brothers Four, or rather the High and Exalted Four Brothers of the Inspired and Historical Music of the People. Or something.

No comments: