June 24, 2004

the truth behind thunder

"Want to know where thunder comes from?"

"Yes, Damian, I want to know where thunder comes from."

"There are angels in the sky and sometimes they to a bowling alley. Bowling balls crash and at the same time a volcano explodes and that makes a booming sound and that’s what makes thunder. Because the volcano in the sky likes to get active and that’s how it erupts."

(For the record? We don't generally (like, ever) talk about angels in this agnostic house. So that was kind of fascinating. Also cool.)

Posted by Tamar at June 24, 2004 10:21 PM
Comments

So it sounded familiar, and I asked around: Rachel claims it's Washington Irving, while an online religion site says:

Martin Luther, creator of the Protestant movement, undertook a study to standardize the game. The number of pins was fixed at nine, and bowling became an important part of German culture. Indeed, children were taught that thunderstorms were due to St. Peter and the angels bowl.

Ask D. if he learned that from one of his teachers. Such a durable image, it seems!

Posted by: Chris at June 25, 2004 08:00 PM

Dan thinks it was one of those interstitials on PBS or somewhere. Damian added the volcano part himself, though.

Posted by: Tamar at June 28, 2004 10:24 PM