Prof: Well of course, neighbour does not just refer to someone living next door to us, or in the vicinity of our house. Anyone can be classified as our neighbour. It starts with immediate family. Our parents ... brothers ... sisters ... cousins as well as uncles and aunts ... grand-parents, as well as their own brothers and sisters ... what would you call them? Great uncles and great aunts I suppose. They are neighbours too, you know ...
Presenter: Yes ... I suspect you're right.
Prof: Then there's also your spouse if you happen to be married. That's a neighbour in the sense of this Bible story. And any children you might have. And the in-laws of course ... or outlaws if you happen to lock them out of the house at Christmas or Thanksgiving. The mother-in-law of course, father-in-law ... brothers and sisters in law ... and if they happen to have spouses and children they too are neighbours.
Presenter: I understand ... to get back to the Bible story ...
Prof: Then there's of course friends ... they are neighbours too you know ... and work colleagues ... casual acquaintances ... people you meet in various walks of life ... in church, at the pub, in the supermarket or newsagent, or greengrocer, butcher, baker, candle-stick maker ... on the bus, the train, on the tram if your town or city happens to have a tram and you travel on it ... all these people are and could or should be classified as one's neighbours ...
Presenter: So what Jesus was saying is ...
Prof: And it doesn't stop there you know ...
Presenter: I wish you would ...
Prof: Pardon? Yes quite ... as I was saying ... it doesn't stop there. Your dog is your neighbour too, and cat if you happen to have one ... gerbil ... hamster ... Guinea pig ... goldfish ... rabbit ... and other pets such as chicken or parrots or little birdies ... also all sorts of wild creatures like pigeons, robins, tits of every colour blue tits, black tits ... ehm red ... red robins ... also other wild creatures such as squirrels, and hedgehogs and all sorts of insects and butterflies and things ... all things really ... all things bright and beautiful ... all creatures great and small ... the Lord made them all and you should consider them your neighbours and love them all ...
Presenter: Thank you Professor for such a comprehensive answer ...
Prof: Oh and the environment that surrounds us, that's a neighbour ... the mountains, hills, countryside, the sea ... the planet ... stars ... comets ... other floating things out there ... the whole universe ... also trees too ... forgot to mention trees ... and plants ... the grass and the flowers ... all of them ... including those we might not like and want in our gardens ... like dandelions, thistles, daisies and such others ... the Lord made them too, you know? Perhaps to test our patience and tolerance levels ... who knows! He does I suppose ... He made wasps and cockroaches too ... we should love them and treat them as neighbours in the context of the parable of the Samaritan. I guess the Samaritan was lucky to find an injured man on the road rather than a cockroach. Can you imagine taking care of a cockroach and taking it to an inn to have a rest? There's enough cockroaches in hotels these days without the guests bringing their own.
Presenter: Thank you so much, Professor. Sadly time has caught up with us and this is the end of the program for another week ... ... ...
Prof: Dandelion tea ... that's good for you also, and other teas, and coffee ... hot chocolate drinks ... all chocolate really ... and ice-cream ... apple pie ... (Microphone fades off).
It's a pity we don't know the name of the presenter..
ReplyDeleteOr for that matter the Professor...sounds as though
he has the IQ of a rocking horse...! :O).
And this is coming to an end after 37yrs....Ah!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1IdBuH0OOo
📺 📺 📺 📺 📺 📺 📺 📺 📺
There was no time in the program to introduce the professor properly.
DeleteGod bless, Willie.
...our concept of neighbor/neighbour needs to be expanded these days.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I was saying to that visitor from Mars I saw in my garden the other night.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
...perhaps not that far though.
DeleteDearest Victor,
ReplyDeleteA typical example of a professor that knows a lot about very little... and he only confuses the minds of others.
Well written though.
Hugs,
Mariette
This story was inspired by someone on TV today. He talked and talked and said nothing.
DeleteGod bless, Mariette.
🙈
DeleteOh, we call this absent-minded professor in the Netherlands...
ReplyDeleteWe have them here in the UK too, Mariette.
DeleteGod bless.
🙄
DeleteMethinks this professor pontificates too much, Victor - lol!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Too many words and too little sense. But then, this seems to be a common trend these days amongst experts. See how they contradict themselves on many subjects ... environment, economy, pandemic and so on.
DeleteGod bless you and yours, Martha.
A few years ago I had the misfortune of hearing an elderly minister speak that way. Somebody, get the hook!
ReplyDeleteImagine Mr. Rogers ("Won't you be my neighbor?") is rolling in his grave.
We didn't have Mr Rogers' Neighbourhood in the UK TV.
DeleteWhat does annoy me is when a religious person (e.g. some preachers on TV) take a word or sentence from the Bible and focus on just that word, rather than preach about the whole story, parable or miracle performed by Jesus. The one word becomes a long sermon leading to nothing.
There was such a preacher on TV lately. Hence this post.
God bless you and family, Mevely.
Actually you surprised me, I was sure you would be interviewing a RAdio. But since it was a programme I wanted to say I am sure I have heard this professor interviewed on other subjects.... LOL
ReplyDeleteWe are smiling...
Sherry & jack
You get this on TV and radio all the time, Jack. So-called experts who go on for ages and say nothing.
DeleteGod bless always.
I Ave a “Neighbor” or two that must be related to the professor. I would like to say let’s get past this topic, but never get the opportunity to speak.. God bless.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly the people you mean, Nells. They go on talking and splitting hairs whilst focussing on a single word or phrase rather than getting on with what they have to say.
DeleteGod bless always my friend.
We are blessed with many good neighbors here.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Mimi. Thankfully.
DeleteGod bless.