Liberal clergymen take themselves seriously; what makes this particularly amusing is that they are convinced that everyone else takes them seriously too. Thus, their earnest and predictable bon mots –  while of possible interest to future historians probing the cause of the fall of Western Civilisation – are of no interest to anyone else whatsoever.

Rev. George Pitcher appears to fallen hook line and sinker for a letter by an ostensible prostitute who, to protest China’s execution of Akmal Shaikh says, on ethical grounds, she will be withholding her favours from Chinese passport holders, but may make an exception for men from Hong Kong and will take all the Taiwanese she can get. George commends her for doing what she can and reckons that she is acting with great dignity and self-respect. Which is more than one can say for poor old George who, in the characteristic frenzied eagerness of the liberal parson to appear as non-judgemental as a partially set jelly, seems to have fallen victim to a hoax.

He asks for a translation of a phrase in the prostitute’s letter, Diu lai no mo hai, which, had he done a little research, he would have discovered more or less means go f*** your mother. It’s understandable George would not know the translation, though, since there is not much call for that remark in even the most liberal sermon. But he does find that the whole exchange is strangely uplifting; I don’t think that means he paid her a visit.