Comments on: Dongtini — Episode 40

By: Paul Valentine

Paul Valentine — Mon, 21 May 2012 01:13:18 +0000

“Good Ass BBQ?” BBQ Ass?

By: Stephanie Drury

Stephanie Drury — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:00:53 +0000

That resonates with me. I remember finding it such a chore. As I’ve come across scholars who can explain the the circumstances under which things were written, which it said in the original language and what the context was, that’s been really fascinating for me. The whole “wait, this isn’t what I was taught about this story. Why weren’t we given context? Why didn’t anyone talk about this part of it?” etc. It doesn’t have to be interesting to anyone else, but it is interesting to me.

By: Nadine

Nadine — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:51:51 +0000

I think that’s where the disconnect comes in for me as an atheist with Bible stories – to me, they have as much value as Greek and Roman myths, which isn’t to say that I find them completely dismissible. It’s more that I read them, go “seriously, wtf?” at some of the moral implications of the stories (I mean…Leda and the swan?). So the Job story, to me (and Abraham/Isaac), is one of those stories that just completely blows my mind on its own. Then when it goes a step further and people are searching for the value in the story, I feel exasperated by it. Why spend so much time and energy trying to find value in something that’s so blatantly barbaric? Why not, as Simone mentioned this week, take a step back and wonder where and when this story originated and whether it’s actually valuable?

By: Nadine

Nadine — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:21:47 +0000

South Park had an earlier episode with the story of Job, too: http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104224/the-book-of-job
Pretty fun.

By: Eugene

Eugene — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:01:54 +0000

Well the message I get from this story is that life is unfair and cruel, often because we are at the mercy of those more powerful than us and their whims. I think that’s kind of a timeless message.

I don’t really like the book, not because of how God is portrayed in it, mostly because it is such a chore to read!

By: Simone

Simone — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 02:28:47 +0000

Sorry, I guess from your description of God’s “impishness” I have moved into “whimsy”. Here lies a perfect example of interpretations going haywire! As for God fucking up the people who thought they knew what was what, true, but he also fucked up Job who didn’t. Making it all better at the end is like a classic abusive relationship. “It’s okay baby. You know I love you and that black eye will clear up before you know it. Now get your fat ass over here and gimme a kiss.”

By: Stephanie Drury

Stephanie Drury — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:38:56 +0000

I saw that one! Cartman was all “You’re wrong, Kyle! God is not a dick!”

By: Eugene

Eugene — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:16:39 +0000

Anyone a South Park fan? They recently touched on the “Is God a dick?” question in the Jewpacabra episode. Regarding the Exodus story, was God acting like a dick by constantly violating Pharaoh’s free will so more plagues could hit? Or did the nation of Egypt totally have that one coming?

By: Stephanie Drury

Stephanie Drury — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:36:00 +0000

I also want everyone to be clear that it’s okay with me if you just hate the book of Job and think that there’s no God and think he’s a dick and that’s the end of it. That is absolutely valid and I want people to be where they are, we all need space for that.

By: Stephanie Drury

Stephanie Drury — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:22:32 +0000

I don’t understand what you mean by “the whimsical parable explanation is necessarily correct even if it’s far more pleasant.” Do you wish this story tired up nicely and had a moral? I can relate to that.