Saturday, April 11, 2009

God in Nature

This is a special posting about an unusual phenomenon called to my attention by a regular reader in Minnesota, whom I'll call "Charles."

It seems that on the day the cartoon below appeared in the paper, Charles saw the face of Jesus in it. He described this to me by email and asked if I'd done it intentionally. I politely told him no and that I couldn't figure out what he was talking about.

















He sent me this explanation but I still could not see it and was content to write him off as one of the legions of mentally unbalanced people who follow Bizarro.











Finally, just out of curiosity, I backed way off from the computer and took my glasses off. With the proper distance and blur it came into focus, so to speak.

Below is a version I've doctored with an orange outline which describes the shape I believe he saw. It's a fairly unconventional version of Jesus, but perhaps this is how our Minnesota friend sees him. Or, perhaps "He" just has a wacky side.




















Charles later told me that the morning he witnessed the divine vision he had a bad case of flu and was not wearing his glasses. I couldn't help but wonder how many times this has happened people reading Garfield or Apartment 3G.

Let this be a warning to us all about viewing the funny pages in poor health and without the proper optical aids.


For more images of the almighty, click on the words "God's wrath" in the previous post.
Many thanks to Chuck Strinz for bringing this to my attention. Check out his video production company, Back On The Mississippi and his current PBS project, Museums of Minnesota.

13 comments:

Nowax said...

I didn't see it either -- until I did the backing away and squinting thing. But frankly, I see Paul Bunyan. (Does that mean I have to take up an axe and start preaching about blue Ox's?) I think Charles was taking too much Nyquil.

BTW, if Jesus is trying to give us a "sign", wouldn't he appear in the sky 1000 feet high for all of us to see? Or on all over TV's, radios, computers, cell phones, newspapers, etc. at the same time?

I know, I know. I'm an unbelieving heathen and these "signs" are only for "special believing people." Sigh. It's like high school all over again. :-( I'm never one of the cool kids.

Anonymous said...

I thought your joke about conspiracy theories from the Civil War was in bad taste. Ask any police detective, conspiracies happen all the time. To belittle people who preoccupy themselves with conspiracies that affect the course of history is to be petty and to join up with historical revisionists. It's the winners who write history, even if they cheat and and steal and murder in order to win.

Prospero said...

The phenomena is known as pareidolia, and it isn't limited to religious images. I did a whole post on it just last month:

http://calibansrevenge.blogspot.com/2009/03/wwjb.html

Anonymous said...

Well, there ya go. Jesus obviously gives his blessing to miscegenation, just as Mother Teresa did to all cinnamon buns and the Virgin Mary does to cheese sandwiches. The gods work in mysterious ways.

The Lunar Fox said...

I saw it from the corner of my eye. Just before I got to "Charles saw the face of Jesus," I had to look at the picture because I thought I was seeing some bearded man with hair.

I also wasn't wearing my glasses, but I don't usually to read text on the screen.

YoungWilliam said...

I think the face (well, the perceived face) is at a bit more of a partial profile.

The triangular hatching on the back of the pigeon's head? I think that was seen as one eye, with the diagrammed eye as the other.

Anonymous said...

Is is wrong that, to me, your explanation of Jesus in the-couple-separately drawing seemed more funny than your original comic, Mr. Piraro.

Man, I'm gonna be in trouble for this, aren't I....

your Fan,
Dee Sh

doug nicodemus said...

oh god

Unknown said...

I don't see Jesus, I see one of those stupid Geico Cavemen. Maybe this is pre-evolution Jesus?

Karl said...

The mind of the viewer who saw Jesus, may have picked up on the cross made by the telephone pole. The association between which looks like a partial face of a man with long hair and beard sealed the deal.

Happy Easter!

Charles said...

I like the Caveman comment. When I sent this to Dan, I called the face Neanderthal Jesus. And so he is.

Woo Pig Brewey! said...

Cool. I see Zakk Wylde.

Anonymous said...

Mock on, Mock on,
Voltaire, Rousseau.