Zirealism

She is Aslans wife...

Plenty historical and comes in PS2!

I've progressively come to enjoy Zirealism over the years. The rabbits had me rolling on the floor. I like this one, too -- I'm getting a Colosseum vibe from it. I imagine that a lot of the early Christians would have preferred the Lion of Judah ("Hey! He's back already!") to Simba ("C'mon, do your Robby Benson impression!").

I felt the Colosseum vibe, and a sense of clutching at straws.

Clutching at straws? Okay, so the Robby Benson reference was obscure, but cut me some slack; I haven't posted in two years.

I meant that the poor guy was probably hoping that he wasn't lunch. I don't think you're in dire straights, nor a desparate situation. I'm writing another country song today--

I want to fly the airplane of my love
Into the Twin Towers of your heart--
There's just so much of you to love
That I don't know where to start--
But after dark in the trailer park
You look so good to me
Especially with the lights turned-out
And after a beer or three

Ahhh! True love!

What's the weather going to be?

If I was in Dire Straits, I'd see that we recorded that song for you.

So, what's up with all the new kids on the comments? Morticia I somewhat fondly remember from EHOWA's forums, but everyone else is new to me. Kind of weird to live through two years of a community in a week, but that's what I've been doing.

I know a guy who plays pedal steel guitar, and it's that kind of song. I like Mortie, I think she can be funny! The newcomers are funny, too!

You know, I can't help but wonder about the whole lion/coliseum/Christian thing. If I recall correctly, the Romans were all about co-opting gods from all sorts of crazyass death cults into their pantheon. It's not like they conquered Egypt and then promptly began converting the locals to worshiping Jupiter. Quite the contrary, it seems like you can't throw a stone in Egypt without hitting one of those new Greco-Roman mummies, and then up north the roman army is pretty much picking up true hardcore druid beliefs (the type where you strangle the priest and throw him into a nearby bog, none of this happy fluffy neo-pagan wicca shit). Yet we're supposed to believe the Romans randomly picked this new splinter sect of Judaism to start persecuting? I'll bet cold hard cash these guys were preaching the overthrow of the Empire or something similar before they started getting thrown to the lions. Romans favored assimilation, not extermination. It makes for a happier populace and few enemies.

Canadians only care about hockey because they think they're supposed to, apparently the teams don't. I would only watch it if there were lions--Don Cherry wants a game for tough guys? Punch that 500 lb. motherfucker out, Bertuzzi.

The Romans realized the importance of infrastructure, building kept people busy, used up surplus booty, and kept the proles busy; better than pyramid building. If there is more global warming, Canada might look more like the "Bread Basket of the World"-- or maybe "The Pizza Oven of North Dakota"--the US could have another Dust Bowl, and Canada would come out smelling like fromagi. Or the computer-projections of a total ecological collapse might be right because there is just too much DDT in the system working its way up the food chain. All of this might have an effect on hockey scores. Bread&Circus. Panem et Circen. No matter how you slice it, it's crumby.

I don't think you could really call Christianity, even in its earliest form, a splinter sect of Judaism. Early Christians and a surprisingly large amount of modern Christians believe(d) that the Messiah had returned, sacrificed himself for mankind's sake, and thereby established a new covenant with man that wrapped the old one (based on lineage and legalism) in a little bundle and set it off to one side. The same Godhead may have been in evidence, yes, but there was a radical shift in philosophy and direction from Judaism for the early Christians.

That being said, it's possible that Rome just plain didn't like the status quo being altered on a large scale in their empire. When you factor in that Pilate chose not to take an active role in condemning Jesus of Nazareth, imperial officials may have nonetheless feared reprisal from the new "cult" and presented a good offense as a defensive measure.

Or maybe you're right and Paul was out in the streets talking about freedom and stuff. I've always wondered what the early Christians' take on Roman Catholicism would be.

I'm not anti-Catholic. I just think it would be an interesting discussion, even if it is only hypothetical due to the apostles having been dead for about two millenia. (e.g., "Peter, did you hear this...? Tell us again: the what Catholic Church?")

Dead Jew on-a-stick
Dead Jew on-a-stick
Circumcise yer dick
Fer the dead Jew on-a-stick!

It probably won't make it into the Hymnal.

Jesus: "What the hell are those imbeciles doing?!"
Paul: "Yeah, I think I said something about that in one of my letters."
Jesus: "....Who the hell are you?"
Jesus: "Christ, why are they doing that now?"
Aquinas: "That ones mine, I think. According to Aristotle...."
Jesus: "Aristotle?! It's call Christianity for a reason. Damnit, do you hear me? Christianity! Let Aristotle found his own religion!"

Mormons: "We have 12 Living Apostles!"
Me: "Yeah? Which one is Judas?"

What I like best about the Catholic Church is that I can butt-fuck 10-year old little boys. It's like touching a bit o' Heaven when you can get up the bum of a wee young tyke! And the best part, their folks are paying for the whole (hole) shebang! Jeezus would have wanted it that way. He was a regular up-the-bum taking it kind of a guy.

Give me a break! And I'm Martha Stewart's two-headed love child. Yeah, the butler did it.

I drew this after watching Quo Vadis. Persecution of Christians probably occurred, but it also was probably hyped up. Jews were also persecuted now and then, depending on the climate. The bad thing about Jews and Christians is that they wouldn't give propers to the Roman pantheon, nor to the God who is Emperor.

As to Christians being fundamentally different than Jews... well, all of Judaism fundamentally changed after the fall of the Temple in 70AD. Christianity was one of the attempts to cope with that. Some Christians thought of themselves as Jews, but they soon felt the need to distance themselves from the Jews for political reasons, not least of which was to appease Gentile converts.

Martyrdom was invented by the Jews, actually. Christians stole that, too! It was that need for martyrs that led them to exaggerate tales of persecution.

I don't think that's a proper portrayal of papal policy.

Just to be clear... I wasn't directing my alliteration at you, posthumous.

I worship Woden. And Helga's boobs.

Just for the record, Wuthering Heights SUCKS. That is all.

It's OK, nice place to visit, but...