ESL Podcast 1163 – Types of Religious Leaders

ESLPod1163

Mary: I feel like an idiot! 

Alexei: Why? What happened? 

Mary: I just called the bishop over there “pope.” 

Alexei: That’s not so bad. You gave him a promotion. At least you didn’t call him “rabbi.” 

Mary: Don’t laugh! When I agreed to work at this interfaith conference, I didn’t know I’d need a crash course in identifying religious leaders from their dress. 

Alexei: It can’t be that hard. That man over there is clearly a cardinal and the woman next to him is probably a minister by the look of her clerical collar. 

Mary: What about the man in robes over there? 

Alexei: He’s probably a lama or a guru. He’s definitely not an imam, but I’m not entirely sure how I would address him. 

Mary: See what I mean? I keep saying the wrong thing. 

Alexei: These religious leaders don’t expect laypeople like you and me to know as much as they do about religious dress. 

Mary: That’s what you think! I called that man over there “preacher” and he gave me a dirty look. 

Alexei: No wonder. He’s the caterer.