In order to understand the spiritual mysteries of the world, it sometimes help to explore the irreverent, as can be evidenced by the title of our first piece on this week’s episode: “A Conversation with God and the Man in a Football Helmet and a Speedo who’s Always Shouting Things Next to the A&P.” Humorist Simon Rich seeks to understand what might motivate some of God’s whims and priorities in this and several other of his pieces, first questioning God’s choice of messenger to Earth, and then the decision between watching Orel Hershiser pitch a game or dealing with some pesky natural disasters. Leonard Cohen also mined the intersection between the sacred and the secular in many of his songs, such as in the sweeping and powerful “Hallelujah,” which makes reference to the story of King David and Bathsheba, and “Closing Time,” a song about a sometimes rowdy bar which Cohen now describes as “Dead as heaven on a Saturday night.” Alongside these Cohen tunes, we bring you two of the best classic spirituals ever performed, by The Trumpeteers and Ralph Stanley, with a little Chuck Berry on top. We hope you enjoy!

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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