This latest Jesus and Mo strip, called “argue,” came with an email note,

“Jesus Christ Almighty! A new one today.”

Indeed; we haven’t had a new one in a while!

But I’m not sure I understand it. There is the usual theological back-and-forth, and Mo is right about what many Christians believe, but what is going on about the night? Did Jesus make it beautiful or something?

There will be no Readers’ Wildlife for the forseeable future, as I have no submissions. But here is a reposted Jesus and Mo strip, announcing a compilation of the best of the strips.

A friday flashback from 16 years ago. A “best of” Jesus & Mo collection is in the pipeline with about 150 strips from the collection. In plenty of time for Christmas. If you have any particular favourites you’dlike to see included, let me know in the comments.

You can comment on the site’s Patreon page, and I urge you to throw a few bucks towards the continuation of this strip (remember, the artist has to remain anonymous for obvious reasons).

The strip jibes with Richard Dawkins’s comment in River Out of Eden (1995):

The total amount of suffering per year in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation. During the minute that it takes me to compose this sentence, thousands of animals are being eaten alive, many others are running for their lives, whimpering with fear, others are being slowly devoured from within by rasping parasites, thousands of all kinds are dying of starvation, thirst and disease. It must be so. If there is ever a time of plenty, this very fact will automatically lead to an increase in population until the natural state of starvation and misery is restored. In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won’t find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.

The Jesus and Mo artist sent this cartoon today, noting that it is seven years old.

Here Jesus touts the last resort of a waning Christianity: the claim that it is persecuted. It’s “Christophobia”!

Today’s Jesus and Mo strip is a “resurrection from 2006,” called “faith2”. It’s a clever one.  But I can’t resist adding my own view on the different construals of “faith”, a piece called “No Faith in Science,” published in Slate in 2013 (free access at an archived site). The barmaid is right.

Oh, and the artist reminds us to support him/her, which you can do for only a dollar or a few dollars:

Please consider helping to keep J&M going by becoming a Patron here.

Books are still available – The latest J&M collection of J&M strips, which has a foreword by Jerry Coyne, is available here

This Jesus and Mo strip, called “wrong” is a Friday flashback that appeared twenty years ago.  Here Mo explains why he is absolutely adamant about his beliefs.

Another Jesus and Mo strip today, this timecalled “less“. Such largesse!  It came with a joke:

Today’s joke comes from the prophet Mohammed himself as recorded in Sahih Bukhari 304, which I will transcribe here for your pleasure:

Once Allah’s Messenger went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) of `Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer.

Then he passed by the women and said, “O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women).”

They asked, “Why is it so, O Allah’s Messenger?”

He replied, “You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could
be led astray by some of you.”

The women asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?”

He said, “Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?”

They replied in the affirmative.

He said, “This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn’t it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?” The women replied in the affirmative.

He said, “This is the deficiency in her religion.“

And once again Mo literally begs the question!

There’s a new Jesus and Mo strip called “defender”, which came with a note:

It’s King Charles III! He’s not the brightest.

Not much in the media about this.

The link goes to an article from the National Secular Society called “The Monarchy’s rebrand can’t hide Christian privilege.” A short excerpt:

The Telegraph this week made much of what it portrayed as an important evolution in the King’s constitutional role.

In the latest Sovereign Grant report, King Charles is no longer described simply as “Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith”. Instead, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the Monarch now “protects the space for Faith within the multi-faith nation”.

Predictably, some Christian nationalist voices reacted as though the monarchy had abandoned Christianity altogether. Others hailed the change as evidence of an institution embracing Britain’s religious diversity.

Neither reading holds up. The change in language is not evidence that Britain’s Christian monarchy has become more inclusive. It is evidence that the Palace knows Christian privilege is becoming less palatable to the British public.

The strip (below) is good, what with the barmaid’s joke.

Oh, and some advertising. Note that I wrote the foreword for the latest book:

Why not become a patron of J&M by applying here?  Your support is much appreciated: or buy a book? – The latest J&M collection of J&M strips, which has a foreword by Jerry Coyne, is available here:

Peace and blessings,
Author J&M

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