often

June 29th, 2011

Silence! I kill you.

└ Tags: , ,

Discussion (49)¬

  4. Right on!

    I’m going to say something controversial here. Critics of Israel’s politics or society are often labelled as ‘anti-Semitic’ (never mind that some are Jewish themselves). Due to the imprecise definition of Israel as a ‘Jewish state, a sleight of hand is played that conveniently converts a political issue into a religious one, a n issue which can then be shielded from rational examination and debate by playing the Holocaust trump card.

    Woe betide anyone who dares to compare current Israeli policies with South African Apartheid or the religious persecution of the 17th and 18th centuries.

    However, Google ‘Jerusalem and spitting’ and you will find that the religious tolerance the Jewish people quite rightly deserve to expect is not extended to others.

  5. > the religious tolerance the Jewish people quite rightly deserve to expect is not extended to others

    And you wouldn’t believe what bears get up to in the woods…

  6. The loving God Likes to protect Israel with genocide of it’s opponents. See Samuel 1:15:2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Iremember that which Amalek did to Israel. How he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
    3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
    Religious tolerance is not for the God of Israel

  8. @ Wrinkly Dick – Too right, and what about Numbers 31? At least there they get to spare the virgins from death, only to keep them as sex slaves.

  9. Yeah, it’s not just limited to religious conversation either. I remember back when the US invaded Iraq (second time, not the first) and in many places if you dared to criticise the attack you were automatically labelled anti-American. “Why do you hate us? What’s so bad about American culture? Do you hate all freedom?” Erm no – I hate the American government’s foreign policy, not America and not Americans.

    Still, it’s in religious discourse where it arises most often. My evangelical ex-girlfriend would employ it every time topics like evolution arose in conversation. Not fun.

  10. Is there something in the air? The christo-slaves on cafemom have been up in arms lately, too. Something about being persecuted for their religious beliefs. The posts are all over the place about how atheists and non-believers are bashing them and demands for us to STOP. Like they are queens of the world or something. Eerie!

  14. @ Bruce – Not sure how long you have been visiting this site but some of us have been regulars for years. I think we all need a V.I.P. lap dance and a free bar tab for an evening from the barmaid (obviously not from Mo)!!!!

  16. I’ve never seen this before but as an atheist and free thinker I like it!

  21. @Author – Just something about all those tangled hairs getting caught up in the thong as he gyrates suggestively. Of course then there is the whole problem of the little hairs (albeit beard, back or testes) getting on, in around my drink!!!!!! OMG

  23. The problem with being outrageous
    Is it tends to be somewhat contagious
    Those indignant folk
    Are a trivial joke
    And really should remain in cages.

  29. Author, congrats on the table and thanks for the new ‘toon.

    I started reading the comments, though, and was quickly confused. How did we get from Jesus and Mo to Jews and Israel? … from restrictions of speech for religions to the Holocaust and the false accusation of apartheid by Israel? For the record, Palestinians require that NO Jews live in their territories and made it illegal for Palestinians to sell land to Jews, yet Israeli Arabs (a.k.a. Palestinians) include politicians and legislators, land holders, business owners, university students, and professionals — fully educated in Israel, just like any other citizen. So, where is that apartheid?

  31. Once again, the Author has attacked sexual minorities for their usual tactics. Why are you picking on sexual minorities, Author?

  32. Great toon as always, Author, but I can sense this thread barrel-arseing out of control into a shouty Israel v Palestine train-wreck.
    Which should be fun.
    PS Nassar is indeed getting better. Quite the gadfly.

  33. @John- unsuccessful troll is unsuccessfull (non sequitur / false analogy)
    Author, please ban…

  34. Maybe it’s just me missing something really obvious, but just what in the name of whatsisface is John on about. Did I miss a sexual minority-motivated attack of some kind?

  35. I pointed out NBH’s merits several strips back and suggested he compile his rhymes into an anthology. Some of them are actually quite funny and complement the cartoon’s message and humour.

  36. @one wonders which of the proposals J&M would prefer. Unruly Simian’s or OB’s more modest one? It’d be great to see them debate it anyway …

  37. Acolyte of Sagan

    I have no idea. Glad it’s not just me that wondered though, ’cause I can’t see one either.

  39. Daz,
    John must be a Daily Mail reader; they tend to look for reasons to be offended and, when they don’t find one they invent one instead!

  40. Acolyte of Sagan

    Well, to be fair, they’re only following the example set for them by their paper…

  42. @Logic Brain We got to Israel through discussing ‘special protection’ of religious belief: Israel is a Jewish state, not a secular state.

    Although I don’t think Israeli Ashkenazim treat even non-Ashkenazim equally, despite laws to protect religious and political freedoms, I am not personally making the charge of Apartheid (hence my choice of words: “Woe betide anyone who dares to compare current Israeli policies with South African Apartheid or the religious persecution of the 17th and 18th centuries”).

    There is deeply ingrained intolerance and prejudice amongst all communities in and around Israel, and it is the state’s duty to address that. Annexing the Palestinian capital while allowing illegal building to continue in the West Bank and walling-off Palestinians in to ‘reservations’ is unlikely to reduce sectarian conflict. Ironically, it risks establishing the Palestinian Territories as ‘Bantustans’, nominally autonomous and independently ruled, but in reality powerless and economically and militarily beholden to Israel.

    Palestinian terrorism, like any terrorism, has a psychological effect out of all proportion to the actual damage it inflicts. The combined-arms response of Israeli forces inflicts damage out of all proportion to that received. Even by the anachronistic and idiosyncratic principle of an eye for an eye, this is not justice.

    I don’t want this comment thread to spiral in to an abusive argument, but as with most things, there are at least two points of view. A position that is argued based on religious/cultural precedents has a fallacious foundation.

  43. @ Intelligent Designer;
    Well maybe it’s about time they all grew the fuck up and joined civilisation!

  44. Another great strip Author ~ I really enjoy your work and also the commentary. I don’t comment so much, but the ideas expressed are always very thought provoking. Being neither a theist or athiest ( I am more of a wait and see kinda guy ~ it appears that I will have much more time to discover what being dead is after I am there than to spend my comparatively short life stressing over it.) So in the spirit of “maybe there is” ~ this is from the only other comic I read on a daily basis ~~ enjoy ^^!
    http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3954

  45. BTW ~ I agree ~ NBH is improving ~ but also agree that is isn’t quite time to quit his day job ~^^!

  46. I’m sorry kikainonakanoyuurei, but that ‘sinfest’ comic is just……DULL! It’s like switching between ‘Viz’ and ‘Bunty’ (under 40’s ask your parents).
    It’s what I’d call a ‘homeopathic’ comic; it’s like a normal comic, but with all the funny taken out.

    @Author. Why do I STILL need to keep checking the ‘not a spammer’ box, surely the interweb knows me by now? (or in other words, “Shit, forgot to check the box…..again)!

  47. @AoS~ that’s OK ~ to each their own ~ we all find amusement in different things ~ had to look up the Vis and Bunty thing though ~ not under 40 but not from the UK either ^^!

Comment¬

NOTE: This comments section is provided as a friendly place for readers of J&M to talk, to exchange jokes and ideas, to engage in profound philosophical discussion, and to ridicule the sincerely held beliefs of millions. As such, comments of a racist, sexist or homophobic nature will not be tolerated.

If you are posting for the first time, or you change your username and/or email, your comment will be held in moderation until approval. When your first comment is approved, subsequent comments will be published automatically.