Starting the new year off right
Jan. 1st, 2003 11:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ambitious_wenchThe following bit of blasphemy was inspired when I saw that one of my friend's posts was responded to by someone who had a picture of an ecclesiastic lamb for their avatar.
This struck me a odd--was he by extension declairing himself the Lamb of God? Doubtful. His post wasn't *that* arrogent. Presumptious, and insulting by omission, but not indicative of a god-complex. I have to assume that this person just wants to indicate a deep religiosity.
Lots can be said about the use of the sheep as Christianity's totemic animal. Not all of it pleasant, too. Sheep are bloody stupid animals. They smell bad. They make an ugly sound. They will trample themselves to death much like domesticated turkeys. Frankly, count me with the goats. At least while they too are ugly, smell bad, and make ugly noises, they are marginally smarter than sheep.
Then it hit me. Is it not by the practise of theophagy that Christians ritualize their renewed acceptance of the sacrifice of Lamb of God? By eating the eucharistic wafer, they are accepting the body and blood of their god, and accepting the offer of salvation by proxy payment. By extrapolation, shouldn't it be served with mint sauce and garlic, perhaps a little rosemary?
No, wait. That would be a Seder, then, wouldn't it. I think the Jews have the right of it. Eat the sacrifical lamb for dinner, not that flavorless bit of wheat flour paste.
:::shrug::: Not that it matters to me. I'm a Neo-Pagan. We're too busy with matters of fertility to worry about absolution of sins. After all, Paganism about growing crops and making babies.
Which reminds me--I happen to think that Jazz would make a GREAT mother. Especially if he got a pair of these. But since he is also a tomato grower, he doesn't have to be making babies. At least from my religious standpoint.
Happy New Years, everyone!
E. Howe.
This struck me a odd--was he by extension declairing himself the Lamb of God? Doubtful. His post wasn't *that* arrogent. Presumptious, and insulting by omission, but not indicative of a god-complex. I have to assume that this person just wants to indicate a deep religiosity.
Lots can be said about the use of the sheep as Christianity's totemic animal. Not all of it pleasant, too. Sheep are bloody stupid animals. They smell bad. They make an ugly sound. They will trample themselves to death much like domesticated turkeys. Frankly, count me with the goats. At least while they too are ugly, smell bad, and make ugly noises, they are marginally smarter than sheep.
Then it hit me. Is it not by the practise of theophagy that Christians ritualize their renewed acceptance of the sacrifice of Lamb of God? By eating the eucharistic wafer, they are accepting the body and blood of their god, and accepting the offer of salvation by proxy payment. By extrapolation, shouldn't it be served with mint sauce and garlic, perhaps a little rosemary?
No, wait. That would be a Seder, then, wouldn't it. I think the Jews have the right of it. Eat the sacrifical lamb for dinner, not that flavorless bit of wheat flour paste.
:::shrug::: Not that it matters to me. I'm a Neo-Pagan. We're too busy with matters of fertility to worry about absolution of sins. After all, Paganism about growing crops and making babies.
Which reminds me--I happen to think that Jazz would make a GREAT mother. Especially if he got a pair of these. But since he is also a tomato grower, he doesn't have to be making babies. At least from my religious standpoint.
Happy New Years, everyone!
E. Howe.
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no subject
Date: 2003-01-01 08:36 pm (UTC)But my theory is that lambs were more popular for sacrifices because the priests got a cut of all sacrifices. And roast lamb is yummy.
-m
Re: Sheep and goats
Date: 2003-01-02 05:22 am (UTC)All of which is very true. However, sheep are more likely to destroy a piece of land by utterly denuding of vegitation than they are to improve it with their dung.
It's an age old argument between sheep- and goat-herders. Sheep and eat a tender herbaceas plant flush with the ground. Goats will leave a bit behind and the plant can regrow.
When the sheep are done with a field, they leave nothing behind. Not even for the goats. This can cause errosion, and when you lose your topsoil, you lose your ability to grow anyting.
Yes, sheep do give us wool. They get fleeced on a regular basis. Do I really need to point out the similarity to the Christian flock?
I will agree with you that roast lamb is yummy, though. Unlike Christians, I presume.
Just so you know . . .
Date: 2003-01-02 02:04 am (UTC)You could just ask me what I meant by it. :)
Re: Just so you know . . .
Date: 2003-01-03 06:18 am (UTC)