Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for July 24, 2009

But the boat got wrecked… luckily Slim came along and fixed it up.

Cramming can lead to some unpredictable test scores. Here we go!

I bet this will be a whale of a tale. Or would that be a tale of a whale?

Speaking of Jonah– go back and look at the Sunday page from June 22, 2008. Last year at HeroesCon in Charlotte (Scancarelli’s home town) I bought that page at an art auction. Sweeeeet

So far, Upton’s holding the wicket and batting sixers; he may get a “century”!

Identity thief!

Prasrinivara, are you reading this story in the UK or a Commonwealth country?

So far so good Upton. But it wasn’t himself Jonah had no faith in. He hated the Ninevites because they were wicked people and he was sure God would show mercy on them if they repented and sure enough they did. Jonah was disappointed that God didn’t destroy them so he pouted.

I could say more but I won’t turn this into a sermon.

It looks like the ad hoc Pastor Upton is right in the middle of a Saul Of Tarsus conversion on the Road to Damascus. Nothing like a bit of conviction to bring out the sermon in him……….

This is fun. The story is advancing well, and I look forward to seeing how it finally turns out.

The Old Testament didn’t mention a whale but in the new testament:

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

And it is correct Jonah wanted Nineveh, because it was the capital city of the Assyrians who were very wicked people.

They did indescribale things to people

Okay, if this story wraps up without ever explaining what happened to the real preacher I’m gonna be way annoyed.

@Hector, while you may find it disappointing, the Law of Moses (and Hamurrabi and other ancient reformers) is an improvement over existing conditions. It was illegal to make your own countrymen slaves - and there were restrictions on treatment of slaves. Similarly, “and eye for an eye” limited punishment to fit the crime - as opposed to revenge (you killed my brother - I’ll wipe out your whole family). Furthermore, this was civil law - which can never make people good, only put limits on evil just like today.

Jesus outlines God’s standards in the Sermon on the Mount, “It is written, ‘you shall not murder’, but I say to you whoever hates his brother has committed murder in his heart.” And so on for other commandments. The Law governs external behaviour as best it can - God looks at the heart.

It looks like the church is full. Checking out the guest preacher. Should be interesting and maybe inspiring.

Augh, how is it the censoring software doesn’t censor you? I got bleeped for the extremely mild word you use when you mend socks.