The Naked Truth about King David

 

                                                                   King David -- Marc Chagall

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you dont really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor falls, the major lifts
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah -- Leonard Cohen 

Some of you are aware that on Easter Sunday, just a few days away, we will be worshipping in the City of Jerusalem. We're well aware that this year Ramadan, Passover, and Easter intersect on the calendar and, sadly, there have already been reports of tensions in the Old City.

Jerusalem is also known as the City of David because according to scripture he was the leader of Israel who captured what was really a fortified Jebusite town and established it as the capital. His reign as king became legendary even though his personal life was a train-wreck and its hard to know for sure what is true and what is truthy. 

David gained notoriety once again a couple of weeks ago in the most improbable way -- in the state of Florida, no less. A Christian school "resign or be fired" its principal after she showed an image of Michelangelo's world-renowned sculpture of David to a class of sixth-graders as part of an art appreciation class. Florida has gone nuts with a bunch of repressive laws banning books and restricting "pornographic" images which are subjectively in the eye of the beholder. In this case parents of 12-year-olds were outraged that they hadn't received a letter of warning that this piece of art would be shown to their delicate kids. 

Granted, I've seen the David in all its naked revelation and, yes, its all hanging out there. when Queen Victoria first encountered the cast of David at the Victoria and Albert Museum, she was apparently so shocked by his nudity that a proportionally accurate fig leaf was commissioned to cover the genitalia. The leaf was kept in readiness for any royal visits, when it was hung on the figure using two strategically placed hooks. 

King David did a lot of sketchy things in his lifetime and in 2 Samuel 6 his wife, Michal, is disgusted by his antics when he dances wildly and exposes himself "as any vulgar fellow." Read the passage and you'll discover he didn't give a fig leaf about her criticism.  Michelangelo's David is more an expression of the independence and strength of the city of Florence, as well as an ideal image of youthful strength and beauty. 

Since this bizarre incident the Galleria dell’Accademia and the mayor of Florence have reached out to both former principal Hope Carrasquilla and her pupils, inviting them to visit the city and the sculpture.