The responses I see to lisp seem to vary on a huge range from idolatry to dismissiveness. It's interesting that Gerald Sussman's own point of view on lisp seems to be very much more moderate - that different programming styles and philosophies suit different domains, and ultimately, you should choose the right tool for the right job. Lisp is flexible in that it does not bind you to any philosophy, and is good as a general tool insofar there isn't a specialized tool that would fit the problem better.