Someone didn't know the word 'Messiah'

[Grumpyoldpersonwithcats]

Went to the bank yesterday while I was wearing a
'He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy' T-shirt.
The teller asked me what it meant - and I said it was just a quote from an old comedy film.
She then said 'what's a Messiah? I thought that was an African tribe.'
AIBU to be surprised at someone (who by her accent I would assume had been brought up in the UK) who doesn't know the word Messiah?

Happy to be told my expectations are too high.

That’s brilliant! Wish I’d taken a photo of the dog.

Definitely a contender for the ministry of silly sleeps.

I'm finding PrawnCat somewhat disconcerting, like those 'yoga dog' posters.

I'm finding PrawnCat somewhat disconcerting, like those 'yoga dog' posters

Me too. I think it's because prawncat appears to have no front legs.

PrawnCat got many likes on FB with the caption “I gave them my prawn, darlings. Brought the house down”

OP, do all your threads eventually end up as cat threads?

MoreOfADogPerson
Apparently so - I am rather surprised at the direction this thread has taken.

Still, wild digressions are probably appropriate for a Monty Python-inspired thread.

It wasn't my fault!
But clearly, you rather attract them! (cats that is).

Balance has been regained.
In a coffee shop on Friday (wearing the T-shirt again) and the person serving me (early twenties, female) looked at it and commented.
'Oh I love that film - my dad and I watch it every Easter'

I wonder if we're reaching a point where popular culture will provide religious education more than religious knowledge informs culture? I'm thinking of the likes of Phillip Pullman and Neil Gaiman.

Off piste slightly but there was outrage on my local fb page recently when two men took down a wooden cross on the village green. A group of guys came out of the pub and wrestled the cross off them and reinstated it.

Someone came along to point out they were taking the cross down in preparation for Ascension Thursday.

Several people came along to ask what Ascension was.

Probably missing the point but just read this thread and am annoyed no one has actually bothered to explain what the saying means? I have watched Monty Python and the best I can figure is "He is not God because he is naughty"? That doesn't make sense does it?

I am going to google it. Ohhhhh! I get it now.

Still it makes no sense if you haven't recently watched the now 40 years old film. I too would wonder what messiah meant in the context of a T-shirt and naughtiness.

It's become a phrase in popular culture, though. I don't think you'd necessarily need to know about Python to understand the cultural references involved. It's not like certain politicians and so on get talked about having a 'messiah complex' etc.

And the film is still on Netflix, so it's not an obscure old movie only available on ropey on VHS.

It's become a phrase in popular culture, though I dont think it is. Certainly not for young people.

I don't think you'd necessarily need to know about Python to understand the cultural references involved What cultural references are involved?

messiah complex Well I can translate that into 'a god complex', and understand that someone thinks they are all powerful. But that doesn't make the phrase, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy" on a T-shirt understandable, if you haven't recently watched and remembered the 40yo film.

And the film is still on Netflix Doesn't mean many young people are actually watching it?

Cultural references of the word 'messiah'? Someone being a 'saviour'. Someone not being a messiah but instead being naughty. It's not that difficult to work out the context, even if you've never seen Terry Jones in drag.

Yeah a messiah is not really a British cultural reference. And a naughty messiah is definitely not a British cultural reference (literally never heard that reference outside python before).

So I imagine as many people would know what it means as have seen Terry Jones in drag (whoever that is). Maybe its better known in America?

Ok, this conversation is weird. It is notable that someone wouldn't have heard the word messiah in a British context, even if they weren't religious, because I still read it in the press, on the news and referenced in lots of different places.

The specific line is still parroted, forgive the pun, in general culture quite glibly. I have no idea how well known it is in America as I am very English. As for Terry Jones in drag, ok, you don't like Python, underscored very neatly. But this conversation is going nowhere. I disagree with you. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I am now going to embed the term ‘sleeping like a langoustine’ in my vocabulary. Fantastic phrase.

One would imagine they’d maybe heard the term Messiah from Handel’s composition at school concerts or similar. Maybe they weren’t particularly musical.

Given people haven’t a clue what basic words mean, Messiah probably isn’t high on the list. Sad it’s only really attributed to Monty Python - which was a very funny film that mad me laugh until I almost became Incontinentus Buckets. So irreverent for its time.

Messiah from Handel’s composition at school concerts or similar

OMG do you think everyone in England has a private religious school education?

People reading Paradise Lost without knowing who Adam and Eve are?!
Bloody hell talk about jumping in at the deep end

Walkingdeadfangirl Are you kidding? I hear that phrase weekly!

^and I am a ‘young person’

Good grief. You think that only private religious schools have choirs?

My brother has a Blessed are the Cheesemakers shirt. Also, my 6 yr old had a castle birthday cake this year with a Taunting French Knight on it which was easily the funniest thing he heard all year judging from how often we have been Taunted since. Monty Python is evergreen...