Holy Willie

/ ˈwɪlɪ /

noun

C18: from Burns' Holy Willie's Prayer

"Holy Willie's Prayer," one of the most withering satires on orthodox Christianity ever penned, was memorized by him.

I enclose you Holy Willie for the sake of giving you a little further information of the affair than Mr. Creech could do.

The rank absurdity of this doctrine was justly satirized by burns in the opening stanza of his "Holy Willie's Prayer:"

For Burns believed in his own mind that these men, Holy Willie and the crew he typified, were thoroughly dishonest.

He puts this impious doctrine into the mouth of Holy Willie.

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