“I’m like a ripe stool and the world’s like a gigantic anus, and we’re about to let go of each other.” – Martin Luther?

Some of the last words spoken by Martin Luther? I ran across this online and searched to verify it. I know Martin Luther to be crass, but THIS crass? Sure enough, it’s quoted in “The Wit of Martin Luther” which I happen to own a copy of here in China. It was purchased at a church sheet music conference hosted by Augsburg Press. So for the moment this seems legit. Can anyone find a cross reference on this? I still have my doubts…

Below are a few Luther quotations from the book. Be warned, however, much of Luther’s humor is rather colorful. Actually, much of his humor reads like junior high humor.

“I resist the devil, and often it is with a fart that I chase him away. When he tempts me with silly sins I say, ‘Devil, yesterday I broke wind too. Have you written it down on your list?'”

“Tomorrow I have to lecture on the drunkenness of Noah [Gen. 9:20-27], so I should drink enough this evening to be able to talk about that wickedness as one who knows by experience.”

Shortly before his death, Luther said to his wife Katie: “I’m like a ripe stool and the world’s like a gigantic anus, and we’re about to let go of each other.”

While away on a trip, Luther joked about his physical ailments in a letter to Katie: “I am drinking beer from Namburg which tastes to me almost like the beer from Mansfeld which you praised to me. It agrees with me well and gives me about three bowel movements in three hours in the morning.”

Chinese officials are not amused about the new album released November 24, 2008 by American rock band Guns N’ Roses. The album, which began recording in 1994, is called “Chinese Democracy” and is described by one Chinese listener as attempting to “grasp and control the world using democracy as a pawn.”

What struck me as interesting is wondering if the title of the album was decided on back in 1994. There was certainly more things to criticize about China in 1994 than there is today, or am I wearing rose colored glasses as an expat living in China?

I haven’t heard any of the tracks on the album and don’t know anything about the content. I just know Chinese officials are pissed. It’s rock ‘n roll’s job to stir things up a bit so all of this seems to go with the territory. Nice to see GNR getting some publicity again.

China has opened a lot to the West in recent years and there are some growing pains with that. Don’t expect China to become “Americanized” – it is an extremely different culture and way of thinking. More than just outward appearances. This is interesting to see from overseas, and my first reaction is to stick up for China a bit. Is that why they call us expats, short for “ex-patriots”?

Read the full article on CNN:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/24/china.guns.roses.ap/index.html