Pearls Before Swine

Jesus said "do not throw your pearls before swine or they will trample them under their feet."  Pigs were contemptible because they were ritually unclean and anyone touching them was unfit for temple worship.  Jesus's metaphor taught the futility of trying to spread the word to those who will never accept it.

Stephan Pastis, who began his cartooning career doodling in law school classes, draws a syndicated comic strip called "Pearls Before Swine."  Its unique features include the injection of the artist himself as a character (smoking a cigarette although he doesn't smoke in real life) and collusion with other comics. 

In one strip Pastis is on a phone call from Jeff Keane, who does "Family Circus."  Keane complains that one of his characters is getting hit with sunflower seeds and Pastis is mystified.  But in the final panel two "Pearls" characters are looking down past the panel's border.  One says "Bet you can't hit him in the ear."  To which the other responds, "Watch me."  In Keane's comic Mom is shown sweeping,  glowering at her son Billy and asking "Who threw sunflower seeds all over this floor?'

The strip's name isn't faithful to its biblical source.  Its main character is "Rat," who is self-absorbed, cynical, megalomaniacal, insensitive, insulting, condescending, sarcastic and smarter than the other main character, "Pig."  Likeable but hopelessly naive, Pig routinely talks to inanimate objects, eats pork products like corn dogs, and is the unreceptive recipient of Rat's nuggets of "truth."

While Jesus talked about believers speaking of God to unhearing swine, Rat speaks of secularity to the clueless Pig.  In one strip Rat offered a "pearl" in the form of a letter:

"Dear life...
I am writing you to express my dissatisfaction.
First, I didn't ask to be here.  You put me here.
That started us off on a bad foot.
Given that rocky start, I'd think you'd strive to be a good host.
But no.  You fill this place with unpleasant surprises.
As if that's not enough, at some point I apparently cease to exist, in a manner that is most likely shocking, painful and tragic.
Can you say "rip off?"
Please provide a refund."

Then he turns to Pig, of all people, and asks "WHERE DOES ONE SEND THESE?"

For unbelievers it's great black humor because it's a widespread sentiment with no answer.

We all have the same questions but secularists have no hopeful answers.  No answers at all, in fact.  But Christians know they're in an imperfect world where we're called to act in a humane, caring way with faith in a God who will ultimately remove us from these trials and provide a peaceful eternity.

And unlike Rat, Christians know who to bring their concerns to.  While hapless Pig is supposed to be the naive character, it's Rat who cluelessly misses the boat on the biggest question in life.


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