Tuesday 15 December 2015

Pheasant Prayers


A big, plump pheasant has adopted our garden and has been hanging around for a couple of weeks now. He's far too big to be worried about the cats, but I suspect he's an alcoholic. It appears to me that what's attracting him to our place is all the apples lying on the floor, which are gently rotting and turning into cider.



I spotted this image on Facebook over the weekend:


It appears to be taken in the aftermath of one of the WWII amphibious landings - either Anzio or Normandy, but given the image shows American soldiers taking communion on what I presume is a Sunday, it can only be Anzio, as they occurred on a Saturday, whereas Normandy was on a Tuesday. Only an educated guess.

It's a pretty powerful image, but it also shows (to me at least) the futility of religion. No doubt the soldiers are giving thanks for a safe deliverance from the storming of the beach, but what about all those who died in the landings? Luck is the only thing that saves you in a battle such as this, and praying to God is like giving him thanks that the sun comes up each morning - no amount of praying will ever have an effect on it whatsoever.


6 comments:

Steve Borthwick said...

Prayer, how to feel like you're making a difference, without doing anything useful.

Tim said...

Would the 'online petition' be the modern equivalent?

Unknown said...

Some online petitions work

Unknown said...

Some online petitions work

Chairman Bill said...

You cannot petition the Lord with prayer. The Doors (of Perception)...

Geo. said...

Apparently that pic was taken on Iwo Jima, March 3rd, 1945 (Saturday)
No doubt the Japanese were busy outnumbering them having a similar Shinto version. Unfair advantage - doesn't Shinto acknowledge various 'gods'?