Holly Rolls

London Spy - By Pete May

Midweek; UK; 21st April 1997

It seems there are some right silly burgers at McDonald's. John Vidal has just published McLibel(Macmillanú15.99), the story of McDonald's long, drawn out two-year long libel action against unemployed eco-activists Dave Morris and Helen Steel.

The trial though did have its less serious aspects. One hilarious moment in the legal suit, for instance, was when Ray Kroc, the founder of the mighty McDonald's, spoke of 'faith in McDonald's as if it were a religion' and went on to say in all seriousness: 'I've often said that I believe in God, family and McDonald's ... and in the office that order is reversed.'

Tsk ..To think that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten bun.

Another employee giving testimony described the Big Mac as the 'communion wafer' of the consumer society. Yes, McDonald's idea of serving the Lord is giving him a cheeseburger and fries to go. If McDonald's really is the new 20th century faith, then Spy suggests amending the Lord's Prayer as follows:

'Our burger what art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Mcname, thy global kingdom come.
Thy bun will be done, in Perth as it is in Hendon.
Give us this day our daily bread. and forgive us our debts as we prosecute our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from BurgerKing:
Forthine is the Big Mac, the fries and the McLibel story.
Lasting for ever and ever. Amen ...'



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