Here’s a story with more than a little of Isaiah 11:6 about it.
In Tokyo Zoo, there is a rat snake named Aochan who got cheesed off with his usual diet of frozen mice. Well, I can understand that - what self-respecting snake would be content with nothing but frozen mice. So his keepers decided they’d liven him up a bit by offering him a dwarf hamster called Gohan - which apparently means ‘Meal’. Nobody could say the Japanese don’t have a sense of humour.
But instead of tucking in as he was supposed to, Aochan has befriended Gohan, to the extent that the hamster sometimes curls up to sleep on the snake’s back.
Personally, I think the hamster had better watch out. I reckon that snake’s just biding his time.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Russell Bungay 01.30.06 at 3:32 pm
By the looks of the photo, the hamster is a bit of a martial arts expert and probably gave the snake a swift clip around the ear.
I conducted a swift search of scripture not to find a single use of the words cute, fluffy, furry or cuddly. I think the prophets missed a trick there and I am disappointed that Paul didn’t mention cuddly fluffy bunnies.
Richard 01.30.06 at 3:59 pm
You may be right, Russell - there is a hint of the ninja about that hamster.
As for scriptural references to fluffy bunnies, I suggest that you get yourself a copy of the gospel of Cyril, mentioned in a previous post. He has plenty of bunnies. And they’re all fluffy.
Kim 01.30.06 at 4:10 pm
Cats - no cats in the Bible. And dogs - they get a bad name. As convincing an argument as you will find against inerrancy.
sue 01.30.06 at 6:27 pm
This picture was displayed to begin the sermon at the 7th Day Adventist Church service during the week of prayer for christian unity. Let me remember - there is a message in this for Cytun somewhere! The service was good and made a refreshing change from the more formal services.
Kim 01.30.06 at 6:47 pm
I’ve always liked Woody Allen’s take on the Isaiah passage:
“The lion and the calf shall lie down together, but the calf won’t get much sleep.”
Eugene McKinnon 01.31.06 at 2:34 pm
Reminds me of the story of the reporter who went to the Jerusalem Zoo and found a lion lying with a lamb. Seeing this as a prophecy fulfilled in Isaiah he ran into the office of the top zookeeper who happened to be Henry Kissinger. “How did you pull this one off?” Kissinger replied, “Everyday a new lamb.”
Eugene