For Heaven's Sake by Mike Morgan for March 28, 2011

Don’t most people eat what is in front of them. Why so much obesity of over eating.

@Kab that verse basically means to not be picky or complain about the food that is served to you when you are a guest. Definitely a good reminder if one plans to go into the mission field, because not only do a lot of those countries not have much of a choice for what they eat, but to complain about the food would be a huge insult to their hospitality.

Another way to look at the comic is to see that the Rev. has abandoned all the rules except the one he likes.

The whole notion of a supreme being getting his/her/its undies in a bunch over what people eat is ridiculous. On the other hand, it’s a real handy device to train people to mindlessly follow ridiculous rules.

@runar, do you mean rediculous, like parents teaching their children what they should eat, and how to behave?

I really think that the food “regulations” made sense before there was refrigeration. Spoiled pork, or other foods with salmonella, etc. They also didn’t have cookers that maintained a steady temperature. Not to mention, the lack of personal hygiene! Cooking food with e-coli on your hands, just spreads it.

No, I mean ridiculous, as in “You can eat A but you can’t eat B”. The same goes for not cutting your hair, not wearing two different types of cloth, and if people weren’t supposed to eat certain animals, like pigs and shrimp and lobsters, why create them in the first place? If humans are supposed to be the pinnacle of creation, there’s no need for any living thing they can’t use. A deity who’s going to condemn me for eating scallops isn’t worth paying attention to, let alone worshiping.

Pork doesn’t spoil any faster than beef or lamb. Same goes for hygiene - they cooked their beef with the same sanitary conditions that they would have been cooking pork.

No I think it was a comittee of priests somewhere saying things like “How about ‘No eating camels’?” “Who’d want to?” “‘Nobody, but if they’ll follow that, they’ll follow anything.” “I say, ‘No eating lamb’. Lambs are cute.” “No way! I like lamb.”

runar, A lot of the dietary rules DO make sense. Pork, back in the bad old days, needed to be thoroughly cooked because of trichinosis. Shellfish goes bad very quickly without refrigeration. The cleanliness rules STILL make sense as do the rules regarding humane butchering techniques.

As for why create animals that people aren’t supposed to eat, they are all part of the ecosystem. Shrimp are eaten by fish that are eaten by people. Lobsters have a place in the ecosystem too (not sure what, maybe they eat something that would be bad for fish if there weren’t predators like lobsters to keep them in check.)

And what’s the use for pigs? For the rest of the world to eat.

No one is telling YOU what to eat unless you are or want to be a member of a religion that has certain rules that set them apart from the rest of the world. Sometimes rules are there just to be followed. The old dietary laws set God’s people apart from the rest of the people.

Pigs will eat anything. They smell better than dogs and can smell a dead body more than six feet underground. Their snouts are excellent digging tools. It was not uncommon to drive a herd of pigs onto the local burial ground in order to lure defenders out of a fortification. Most of the dietary laws are very similar; consider what the “forbidden” animals eat. “Split the hoof and chew the cud” is a simple, easily understood and remembered rule. The forbidden fish and shellfish are all garbage eaters and bottom feeders. The forbidden fowl eat carrion.

Yes–in general, the animals that the Jews (and thereby the Muslims) considered clean were “normal” animals who ate only plants. Of course, being desert dwellers, the Jews were not quite so expansive on seafood as they might have been… .

What if what is set before you is not meant to be eaten? What if someone sets a book before you? or a game? or a child?

What if you are allergic to the food set in front of you? What if you are not on a mission directed by a holy person? Do we just wander into people’s houses and expect them to feed us? Does this mean we should invite the people in to have food with us that are coming to to our door to speak about religion? If they will not partake of our food, then are they not worthy to spread the word of God? This could be interesting………

Hmmmm– If it’s not intended to be eaten, don’t eat it. (Unless you are under one and put everything into your mouth,)

If you are allergic, you have an excuse not to eat.

If you are on a mission directed by Jesus, isn’t that a good enough holy person? If you are on, say, a business trip, you will do whatever is needed–for sufficient hope of profit.

No, it’s not a matter of wandering into houses–you only enter when people invite you in. And, as the hearer, you only have to do that when you want to.

Actually, none of us are particularly worthy to spread the Word of God. We do it because God tells us we must.

So….. I can’t use the ‘If you won’t accept a cookie, I won’t listen to you test’ to decide which people who Spread the Word of God to listen to? Phooey! Guess I will just have to continue with my current method of deciding.

Bmonk, maybe none are worthy of spreading The Word of God, but anyone may share what they have learned of God’s teachings. I do know that. It is just a matter of who to trust when they say something unfun to hear.

The Rev. Righteous is freaking me out with his bugged-out eyes and his tongue hanging out.

Luke 10:8 (KJV) “And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they recieve you, eat such things as are set before you:”

The new (current) For Heaven’s Sake

Thanks bmonk. The current comic is funny.

I wonder why it’s not here at gocomics?

Night-Gaunt49 said, about 20 hours ago

I wonder why that two kinds of cloth couldn’t be worn together?

The explanation I’ve heard was that Caananite magicians often used such disparate things mixed together to make their magic robes. Similarly, cooking a kid in its mother’s milk (the reason for Jews to keep two sets of dishes, and not serving milk and meat dishes at the same meal) was a Caananite ritual.

Why do we have to go to another web page to see the current strip, huh?

It’s happened at least once before in recent months. Back in January or so, IIRC.

Thank you Bmonk.

Still no update??

Is Gocomics slipping??

Here’s the April 11th strip. Looks like the Pastor’s flock doesn’t quite get the message.

“Christians have a remarkable dexterity for missing the point.”

Easter is coming. We all know Jesus bore our sins on his shoulders like he bore the cross on his shoulders.

Ummm…… okay. I hope the Reverend doesn’t get splinters.

I…ummm….actually just learned the Easter Eggs and chocolate things. I wonder if this is the year they will let me color boiled eggs after they have been peeled. It would make for much more festive deviled eggs. But Noooo!!! that is to weird for them. (grumble, grumble not even going to grumble steak?!?! mumble, mumble, mumble should just go…..)

No new For Heaven’s Sake, again?!?

Anyone know what’s going on?

Anyone know how to read or post comments at Creator Syndicate?

Bmonk’s April 11th link worked for today’s strip, and I wish I could unsee that ;P

I agree, Ooops!

Maybe we could all look at the comic there, then comment here. Many times, the comments are the best part.

I think many people would prefer a Palm Sunday service like that. Instead, we had to make our way through slush and ice…

A Palm Sunday snow storm is a tradition here in the U.P. But usually it’s the end of March, not the middle of April.

I figured with Easter being as late as it can get this year, that it will be warm, so I bought an actual dress to wear. I’m having second thoughts.

We were hoping that a late Easter might allow Palm Sunday procession outdoors, or the Easter fire. So far, no such luck…

The updates are here!!! And now with no comments…… oh how sad.