The metaphors abound in the Bible about the "good shepherd" looking after his flock. Good and well. But take the thought one further: is the shepherd REALLY caring about his flock? Does he shepherd them for their own good?

NO. Once he's ready, he is going to shear off the wool of some and butcher others. THEY ARE THERE FOR HIS CONSUMPTION!

I'd rather have a teacher than a shepherd. I'd rather have a friend than a savior. I'd rather have a sometimes bleak worldview than a sugary fantasy. That's just me.

That metaphor is especially disturbing.

It's true that the shepherd provides food and protection (for awhile). But this means the sheep are bred and kept to depend on being taken care of.

It's true that sheep need someone to remove their fleece. But the idea behind the sheering is to sell the wool. They can't do this for each other, they need the shepherd.

It's creepy on so many levels. I don't find it comforting or inspirational in any way. Every time someone starts talking about their shepherd, all I hear is them saying, "Baaaaaa. I'm a herd animal and I like it that way."

I never like being called a sheep. Hell, if I am a child of God, then I am NOT a sheep. I have a God given brain and can mostly take care of myself.

Sheep, shit, I am NOT a sheep!

That God became God by being the most sheepish of the sheep. Doesn't sound very divine to me.

The shepherd metaphor is about fear of the cold, cruel world where predators await and where you couldn't possibly survive on your own. That was more relevant back in tribal cultures where you needed the family, the clan, the tribe for support. And that meant conformity was essential. Go along, fit in, obey, or be cast out to fend for yourself. That's why religions rooted in those tribal cultures are about conformity and obedience. The religions were developed as conformity enforcers and authority validators. There was a slight attitude shift between the Old Testament and New Testament. The obey-or-be-killed god was remade into the it's-for-your-own-well-being shepherd god, but the ultimate goal is the same: conformity and obedience.

had to be made a little broader and softer since they would be selling him to the gentiles. Gentile conversion prospects had less problems with virgin goddesses giving birth and polytheistic trinities, too.

Once the movement became big and unruly the Council of Nicea was convened to get things under control. Until then, it was a bit of a free for all. Things would clamp down (mostly) for another 1200 years until the Reformation blew the lid off and it was anotherr free for all.

I actually raise sheep. Did you know they are not the docile, sweet characters we were led to believe?

They can be (and often are) vicious. Some new mothers murder their lambs during the first day or two of life. One of our older lambs head-butted to death a younger lamb.

I think there's another reason we are referred to as "sheep"
Just sayin..................

It rather offended me to be told I was too stupid to know how to find my own food and safe water to drink. Fortunately, I never had enough wool to be fleeced. ;)

Rebeckah Wrote:
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> It rather offended me to be told I was too stupid
> to know how to find my own food and safe water to
> drink.

How many city dwellers know how to find their own food (yeah...right in aisle 3) or safe water to drink (say, from the faucets in Hinkley, CA)?

And Big Business is no benevolent God.

baaa, baaa, sheeple...

I came to the conclusion that the church... really any church out there... no offense intended, but. they are the most prolific generators of sheeple. That's why I'm somewhat jaded when it comes to any form of organized religion, and thus cut out all the extraneous crap and boil it down to the simplest possible: me, the bible, and the Lord.

Not saying that all the people in organized religion is bad, no, it's just my point of view on the subject. I prefer not to be a sheeple.

The Church fleecing "their" sheep.

The sheep are supposed to think the shepard is there to protect them.

As a sheep I'd prefer to take my chances with the wolves. Instead of the guarenteed fate with the Shepard, of the being fleeced or killed if he so desires. Yep, as a sheep I exist solely for the shepards benefit.