Michael Ramirez for March 28, 2024

That’s why I like this Pope.

Ok; so when are the stonings going to start in your rigid interpretation? One derived from a faulty double translation… The whole anti-lgbt stance is based on a passage that should have said “shall not lay with boy as wife” and the whole anti-abortion stance is pretty tenuous.

And what about the much larger concern that his interpretation is not liberal enough … certainly not as liberal as Jesus’ interpretation is?

“Seriously, people still don’t understand my message.” – Jesus

Truly a book at odds with itself.

You do realize that there were more than four?

Why use such a Johnny-come-lately as the Bible? Shouldn’t we adhere to tradition and follow the Code of Hammurabi?

Bible has people getting rape and murdered

Not the pedestal of morality we hoped

History shows that religious organizations, their leaders and their members are no more ethical than corporations, their executives and their investors.

Maybe Ramirez wants a better ROI from the church – Return on Inquisitions.

There’s always the Dhammapada

Well, the Bible, ANY Bible is ‘fiction.’

So, should I get my $59.99 back?

I much prefer Donald Trump’s conservative interpretation.

Now, that’s gospel.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John sure are.

“Is the pope catholic?” used to be a rhetorical question.

I guess he needs to buy a copy of the Trump Bible.

Well, Papa Francesco’s interpretation is a lot closer to a literal reading the Gospels than the Bible Bashers’ perversions of those Gospels.

Ramirez appears to be one of those people who will tearfully demand the Ten Commandments, God’s laws given to Moses, be posted in public buildings, but completely ignore the Beatitudes, God’s instruction and promise from the very lips of Christ.

Actually is doesn’t, rather the code and the early parts of the Torah are influenced by the early Sumerian writings that collectively became to be known as the Epic of Gilgamesh. One of the things that happened with the Babylonian exile (586 BC) was the Jewish people had to bring their Holy objects and library with them. The holy objects were placed in Temples beside those of other peoples who were part of the Empire, and their library was placed in the Imperial library were they were available for study. It was from this period scholars of Jewish people also studying in this library started to write the Torah. As you know the Old Testament is based on the Torah. The New Testament was largely complete by 120AD.

As for the oldest, that is Hinduism. The Vedas were written down somewhere around 6,000 BC. Vedic religious practices go back 1000’s of years before that.

Religious types … conservative and liberal … are never-ending sources of amusement.

This cartoon is probably the first sensible thing I’ve seen today.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel!” (Ash Wednesday blessing.)

Well, golly gee whillikers, perhaps one of these fine folks can tell just what the current Pope has said or done that is against the Gospels?

I’ve come to believe that ANY religious or moral proposition whatsoever can be “proved” through a cherry-picked interpretation found in a cherry-picked selection of religious text. The multiple versions of the Bible, extending through 2000+ years, translated imperfectly back and forth between multiple languages each of which are subject to language drift from the “original” meaning lends itself easily to multiple interpretations of any particular verse or word written. “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” is a more recent example of the problem of finding what was truly meant when the words were expressed. There will always be many ways to interpret it. I’m amused that we still after all this time continue to count the number of angels that dance on the heads of pins in hopes of proving a point. Steady employment for clergy for millennia.

Like welcoming the stranger?

Loving your neighbor?

Heck, they’d have concern over Jesus’ liberal interpretation of Scripture, I suspect.

Now the sacrileges overpriced Trump USA bible being hawked on holy week with the American flag on the front, crazily prejudiced right wingers will trust that one.

Who knew the hucksterisms of RONCO would be replaced by DONCO -

“Isn’t that amazing?”

“How much would you expect to pay for this Bible?”

“$500?”

“$400?”

“NO, for only $59.99 you can have this genuine, pleather-bound, autographed, copy.”

“BUY NOW – QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED – THE FIRST 1000 ORDERS WILL RECEIVE A VIAL OF HOLY WATER PASSED BY JESUS HIMSELF!”

“OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY!”

“DIAL 1 800 IMA PUTZ, TODAY!”

and now back to Roller Derby . . .

Who better to interpret the Bible than the man whose JOB is to interpret the Bible (and indeed the whole religion) for the masses?

It is apparent those texting here are a product of public schools and have no knowledge of how the ancient central Asia was tied together. The Torah was influenced by writings in the Babylonian imperial library during the exile. But the ancient Hebrews religious practices by the Ancient Egyptians.

You deny infallibility we see. Where is your unwavering loyalty? Oh, we all know where the misplaced loyalty is now….

I wonder which version-translation he uses?

You don’t like him telling Ukraine to surrender to Putin?! That can’t be right, you’re a Republican!

Is it a liberal interpretation, or an adjustment to reality? The Middle Ages have been over for half a millennium. In 1524, both Luther and Zwingli had already revolted.

Ought to be more concerned about Trump desecrating it.

What Pope Francis doesn’t take as “Gospel” are many of the opinions of his predecessors on topics that aren’t even mentioned in the Christian Bible, no matter whether Catholic or Protestant versions.