Archive for September, 2010
4 items.
Mathew 28:2-11 and 1 Peter 1:12
One aspect of theology is what are the angels up to. Well, according to Peter, partly watching stuff on earth. I imagine it’s like watching a cheesy fantasy movie for them. There’s the good guys and bad guys, and the fight goes back and forth, but everyone knows good always triumphs over evil in the end. The fun part is watching it happen. If that’s how they think, then we have something in common.
I really enjoy reading, or watching, stories where good, very obviously, will triumph over evil. Which is why modern stories, be it movies, TV, or books, are kinda crappy in that way. We seem to feel the need to accept the inevitability that life is not good, and that bad stuff will always happen. It’s depressing, and yet we still try to inject some kind of hope, or morals into that framework. I think we need, and secretly want, more Lord of the Rings. More Indiana Jones. More Star Wars. Where it’s not about good winning out over evil, it’s about how it happens. Because you know it will. It’s a much healthier outlook on life when you think no matter how hard evil tries, it’s ultimately fruitless. Even evil knows it, and yet it’s evil’s nature to keep trying anyway and take out as many victims along the way.
I think this is the reason things like Harry Potter, or Avatar (the cartoon series or the James Cameron one), or anything else like it, are super successful. There’s nothing more depressing than watching a movie with the knowledge that evil will be beaten. Only to discover that in this fictional world, everyone dies, and evil lives on. Really? Isn’t there enough crap that happens in reality that we have to pretend life sucks too? It’s like trying to climb out of a hole, only you’re convinced it’s impossible. Well then it probably is for you. Isn’t that psychology 101?
But that’s me. I like sappy love stories. I like epic heroic adventures. I like heroes who no matter what, always do the right thing. In a world where the anti hero reigns, having uncompromising morals is seen as weakness. One reason why the ultimate moral hero, Jesus, has a hard time finding a foothold in today’s culture.
On a side note, don’t think I’m condemning anyone who watches something I complained about. I watch crappy TV too. That’s the power of good writing.
So I switched the comic update time to Sunday. I realized I need all Saturday to work on the comic, so it’s kinda dumb to post it then too. Until comic #11, I consider this site to be in Beta, so I reserve the right to do that. So Sunday it is! Cliche be damned.
Thanks for reading!
Jared
2 Comments
Sep18
Delayed but done. Here is my first representation of Jesus, which seems ridiculous. He’s the point of the Bible, and I somehow managed to not illustrate him until now. Eh. So I made him look a little more like a normal dude. I was aiming for pleasant looking but not model material. I really dislike the common bearded Jesus we’ve come to accept. In my imagination I have a Jesus that does nothing but roam around and preach and heal and what not. He was like a holy nomad with a group of followers. As such I imagine his appearance changed often. He would shave and cut his hair if he was entering a city, so his appearance wouldn’t freak people out. But on the road, who has the time, so his hair got shaggier and he had some scruff, maybe a beard. Maybe I think about this too much…
I wonder it was like hanging out at night around the campfire with Jesus. Apparently it depended upon what Jesus did that day. If, for example, they just walked all day, I’m sure he and the disciples had a friendly interesting conversation at night. But if he banished demons or, say, calmed a storm, the disciples seem to get a little freaked out by him. Might make for some awkward interactions later. Jesus is like, “Hey, I told you i’m the son of God, so why are you surprised I can do crazy stuff?” and the disciples are like, “Yeah, sure, we get it, God’s your dad.” But they don’t get it at all. And they’re secretly wondering if Jesus is some kind of demon himself sometimes, as many people seemed to confuse him for. I know if I saw a guy just give some demons an order, and then they obey it, I’d wonder what’s what. And if Jesus is accurately portrayed in those pictures of him with kids with his deadpan vacant expression, I would definitely be creeped out.
If you disagree and want me to know it, feel free to comment or post on the Facebook page. I’ve got two more comics to go before I start the great marketing push. So hopefully, someday soon I will have a community that will scream in outrage against one of my interpretations. I can’t wait!
Thanks for reading.
Jared
Most likely I’m the only one who finds this week’s comic funny. Here’s why I think it’s a funny idea. It seems brushing the dust from your feet from a town is like saying, your town’s dirt is not good enough for my foot. Which sounds like a insult. So this could be a rude gesture of ancient times. Our most recognized rude gesture today would be the middle finger. So if I take this passage right, in today’s language Jesus is saying, “Hey, if you preach the word and they don’t wanna hear, give ‘em the finger and move on.” Wait… did Jesus really give apostles permission to give the metaphorical finger to a whole town? It’s an interesting idea, most likely one I’m completely misinterpreting. Still, next time your telling someone about the good news of Jesus, and they tell you get lost without even the courtesy of hearing you out. I guess you can give ‘em the finger and just mosey on, why waste your time on someone who thinks your stupid anyway.
To be clear though, I think spreading the good news of Jesus is just that. If you try and convince people they’re sinners and rotten at the core and are bound for hell before you even mention Jesus, then expect to receive the finger yourself.
Thanks for reading.
Jared
Sep04
So your dad just tried to sacrifice you, and then didn’t… Possibly one of the top ten awkward moments in the Bible. Although there are a lot of them…
I’m gonna go out a limb and just take a stab at what’s going on. (A totally uninformed stab.) Child sacrifice was pretty common back in those crazy days of made up Gods. It’s something we maybe don’t relate to anymore, since we’ve whittled down our religions. But in a world of many different god’s to choose from, a rule such as “You shall have no other gods before me” kinda makes more sense. The practices of worshiping those God’s might get a little muddled too. Moloch seems to be a well known God that required child sacrifice, seems like others such as Mayans did the same. (I’d research it more, but who has the time…) Anyway, so God’s like, hey yeah, sacrificing your child is common and maybe you’re all wondering if I want the same treatment. I mean, if your willing to sacrifice children to fake Gods, what about the real one? So it’s kind of a test to Abraham. But more importantly is when God stops him from following through, I think taken as a whole it’s a pretty powerful statement. God does not need or want you to sacrifice people to him, and this proved it.
It seems a little extreme to us, but the Old Testament doesn’t make any sense without context. It’s like walking in on someone with their pants down, it looks pretty bad unless you know the reason for it. That’s what reading the OT feels like to me. But I digress, this is completely my own stupid opinion.
A wimpy little hurricane just passed through here, and the house next to ours got their power lines yanked off by the wind. Thankfully my power stayed on so i could finish the comic. I think I’ll take that as a nod of approval from God. Spread the word, my comic is God recommended! (That may or may not be conjecture on my part.)
Thanks for reading.
Jared