Ruminantion

[coldtortuga]

I wonder what Christianity would be like today if Jesus had been a goatherd or a swineherd of men, instead of a shepherd.

Less popular, probably.

Comments

[coldtortuga]

I grew up with a lot of carpenters in the family. While they were (and are) often mad, they were (and are) mostly mad at the government. I imagine if they'd been mad at shepherds, they would've just gone out and given 'em a good thrashin'.

[coldtortuga]

(Did ya'll at yer new New York secret base get a couple envelopes in the mail? I'm not sure I had the right address...)

[steuard]

Have you read Terry Pratchett's Small Gods? The difference between "goatherd" and "shepherd" religious styles was a running topic there. (Mind you, it's possible that you're just commenting on the less charismatic nature of those other animals, but I think the methods used to herd them are quite different, too.)

[coldtortuga]

In addition to a lot of carpenters in the family, I was raised by goats. I greatly prefer them to sheep.

And as Pratchett says (I paraphrase): "Goats are basically sheep with brains in; hence they tend to make shepherds nervous, which can only amuse goatherds."