[ExI] Figs and Pigs

[Stuart LaForge]

Quoting Max More:


>
> Talking of fig trees, it's always seemed odd to me that Jesus, the  
> Son of God, cursed a fig tree because he falsely assumed it to be  
> ripe based on its external appearance:  (Matt. 21:18?22; Mark  
> 11:12?14, 20?25). It's all leaves, no fruit. Jesus is mighty pissed.  
> Jesus curses the tree, making it wither from the roots, never to  
> yield fruit again.
>
> Apparently, this odd behavior from a divine being is to teach us to  
> think about our own figs and to understand that fruitlessness leads  
> to judgment. Who knew?

Lol. I agree Max. That was pretty odd behavior from a divine being.  
That reminds me of the time he came across a man (or two men according  
to Matthew) who were possessed by many demons who themselves Legion.  
(Matthew 8:28–34, Mark 5:1–20, Luke 8:26–39)

The possessed man or men were nakedly running rampant around a grave  
yard acting crazy and pestering people when Jesus called out the  
demons responsible. The demons recognized him as the son of God and  
begged him not to banish them from the lands entirely, but instead  
transfer them into a herd of some 2000 swine that are minding their  
own business on a hillside.

Jesus must have been feeling generous to demons that day (normally he  
just sends them packing) and let them relocate into the pigs whereupon  
the pigs made a mad dash over a steep embankment and into the sea.

The pigs were tended by swineherds and when they saw what happened,  
they ran off to tell the townsfolk what had transpired. Now despite  
the fact that the locals didn't eat pork, the occupying Roman armies  
did. Needless to say the townsfolk were not thrilled at having to  
explain to their hungry Roman overlords what had happened to their  
pork supply, so the entire town turned out and begged Jesus to leave.

It seems strange that Jesus would enable the death of a herd of pigs  
as a favor to some demons that he had just met. Considering his birth  
and his "away in a manger" days, you would think he would be a bit  
more sympathetic to the plight of farm animals. But there is no  
accounting for taste.

Who knows? Maybe he had read an advance copy of Orwell's Animal Farm.

Stuart LaForge