I don't think animals can understand symbols. I don't think a bear could understand that one person is a president and another is the vice president.
I could never shoot another person for money. But I don't think I could shoot a monkey for money either. I don't think I could shoot a bear for money. I am pretty sure I could shoot a fish if there was a lot of money involved. I could shoot any kind of a fish. I am also certain that fish don't have souls.
Why is a fish the sign of a Christian?
How is it that we can pledge allegiance to a flag, but no other animal can?
There are 192 countries in the world, and most of them seem comical to me. How can anyone pledge allegiance to Turkmenistan, or Russia, or to a nightmare country like North Korea, or to a comic opera country like San Marino?
I'm not sure that our respect for symbols is always well-deserved.
I saw a bald eagle go over the soccer field two nights ago. I have 18 small children under my care and am training them to be the Genghis Kahns of the pitch. But I stopped and watched the bald eagle and my heart leaped because it was as if America itself was flying over the trees and I found my hand over my heart.
14 comments:
"It's okay to eat fish 'cause they don't have any feelings."
Kirby,
Why is a fish the sign of a Christian?
Because of the ancient acronym: Ιησους Χριστος Θεον Υιος Σωτηρ. Jesus Christ, God's son, Savior. You don't know this?!
How is it that we can pledge allegiance to a flag, but no other animal can?
Other animals have more sense. If you knew the history of the pledge, you'd know that it began with an advertising campaign by a socialist flag manufacturer. The number of ironies present in this without number.
Hi Kirby,
In addition to Stu's comment, the fish was also an underground code symbol for persecuted Christians in the Roman empire, to identify faith community safe houses and meeting places for worship, etc. Jesus also performed a couple of feeding miracles and one of the menu items was fish. At least four of his original disciples were fisherfolk, plus he promised the disciples that they'd be given the new calling of fishing for people. You can check out this wiki link too: here
I like your humour re animals and flags. Here in Cannada, the maple leaf was at one time debated. One of our Prime Ministers, John Diefenbaker, thought that the beaver would be a better symbol. I don't think there are maple trees up in our northern-most territories, so the maple leaf likely doesn't have as much significance for the people there as in the provinces. Because of the diversity of our nation's geography and culture, it's hard to find a universal symbol though.
Shalom,
Dim Lamp
dim lamp
how about a plain red flag
or
the infinity symbol
just a suggestion
jh
Sheep are somewhat sheepish. Horses horse around. Bears can be unbearable. Cows are easily cowed. Birds have birdbrains. Fish are fishy.
One of my favorite parts in the Bible is when Jesus is asked to pay the temple tax and suggests to one of the disciples that they will find it in the mouth of the first fish that they catch.
The coin is a symbol.
The fish is a symbol.
What do they symbolize?
If you knew the history of the pledge, you'd know that it began with an advertising campaign by a socialist flag manufacturer. The number of ironies present in this without number.
That's the secondary reason I don't say it.
out of the mouths of fishes
see how the fishes live
have i got a fish story for you
it's a school
no matter how you look at it
look a trout in the eye
one that's been caught
and you know
there are some definite feelings
subtle more subtle than the knowledge of the cow but let us not be cowed here
the early followers of the way used the fish to let people know
grace can be multiplied here
i think that i shall never see
a fish more lovely than the sea
for all the sea doth squirm and push to find the everlasting rush
afloat and wild and willful and free
i hope to in the fish schoolhouse be
bend the rod
cast the fly
weep for beauty
weep for god
yowzhaaa
jh
The truth sometimes comes from surprising places: think of Balaam's ass.
Or at least think of Balaam. Sometimes the truth can come from a liar, even from a crazed communist.
GM,
That's the secondary reason I don't say it.
The first is because it violates the prohibitions against false gods and idolatry?
Dim Lamp, I understand how difficult it is to come up with a uniting symbol. Franklin proposed the turkey rather than the eagle. That would fit our current president, but not America in general.
I think the moose is somewhat more august than the beaver.
But the moose has something comical about it, too.
The Canada goose is pretty impressive as it flies in v-shape.
The grizzly bear is perhaps overbearing, so to speak.
I like the lynx, but there aren't many left.
Scarcity is kind of a neat factor since abundance can lead to common-ness.
You guys don't have lions but do you have sea lions?
Kirby, JH, et al,
JH, I don't think plain red will do, as most of the year we're white, as in the great white north. Yea, and we drive dog sleds year round too, NOT! But that's the joke we like to recite about you folks south of the border.
Kirby, yes, we've got sea lions along our west coast. I do like the Canada goose, find it rather majestic in flight, and in Celtic Christendom, the wild goose is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It's a challenge to come up with a universal symbol alright. I also like the pelican, in some churches I've seen it in Europe. Legend has it that a mother pelican will sacrifice itself for its young if there is no other food to feed them. So it became a symbol of sacrifice.
One thing you've got to give animals credit for is that they don't fight over a flag. I like the end of the book of Jonah, were it refers to the saving of animals as well as the people of Nineveh. I especially like the book of Isaiah, with its beautific vision of the peaceful kingdom and the old predator instinct among animals is removed.
Shalom,
Dim Lamp
dim lamp
my reference to the plain red flag was to the original travelling symbol for the metis - it was the sure tell sign that could be recognized by HBC and NWC merchants
the metis also used it on their red river carts - these people established the first workable diplomatic relationships in canada
why not honor them with flag status
the infinity symbol is the metis flag today
if the canadians really want to acknowledge first nations people they owe the greatest debt to the metis and louis riel who first outlined a workable proposal
(that was squashed - in 1880)
the canadians could do something really great - they could acknowledge that the europeans are indeed the guests - and in the meantime send the british prods and orangeman back across the ocean
jh
You know me well, Stu.
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