Using Parable as a Teaching Tool

[Beth]

Hey all,

The use of parable as a teaching tool is as old as written history, and was surely used long before in oral traditions.

Parables and metaphors are very powerful learning tools, and in the study of metaphysics it is oftentimes the best that we can do to get our points across! This is especially the case with the bible.

kai wren posted the following parable in one of the other religion threads, and I am moving it here to start a new discussion.

~Beth

___________________________________________________________
kai wren wrote:

Somehow I find myself reminded of this fable, now Mal-2 in this case is the founder of the Discordian movement- one of the most Holy Prophets of it. Indeed, he was the first Discordian Pope (I think) (also, edited for swearing)

One day, in the interests of religious cross-fertilization, Mal-2 went fishing. He baited the hook with his pineal gland, and quickly caught a nice big fish. Giggling maniacally, he dragged the little sucker into the boat and prepared to sermonize it to death.
"Wait!" said the fish.
"Why?" Mal-2 asked.
"I'm a talking fish! Aren't you curious? Talk to fish all the time, do you?"
"Nooooooooo."
"Well, then. Listen up. I'm The Cod."
"Was that a proper noun?"
"YES!" pronounced The Cod majestically. "I am a proper noun bearing COD, and you know what that means."
"Yes," Mal-2 sighed. "I've got to catch a less talkative fish." He picked up The Cod, and prepared to throw it back.
"Wait! I come bearing a message!"
Mal-2 sighed again. "I'm under contract to Eris. She made me sign an exclusivity clause. Besides, no one wants to listen to a fish."
"That's why YOU have to do the talking for me," Cod said desperately. "Look, you don't have to worship me, just, you know, when you tell people about Eris, maybe just kind of slip in, 'And you are all children of Cod! Hail Eris!', you know?"
Mal-2 lowered the fish, and looked it pentagonally in the eye. "We are all Children of Cod?"
"Yep."
"What, ALL of us?"
"Er... yes?"
"Even Eris?"
"Um, no. I guess not."
"So we're all children of Eris as well?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"Are you saying my Goddess had sex with a fish?"
Cod moaned in dismay. "Look, of course not. I'm just saying..."
"Well, she did."
The Cod paused. "Oh. Right. THAT party... woo. Well, irregardless. Will you do it?"
"Yes. But one more question about this Children of Cod thing..."
"Okay," the Cod shrugged. Mal-2 had never seen a fish shrug before, and was suitably impressed.
"So, all of us are Children of Cod? Everyone except Eris?"
"Yup."
"What about you? Are you a Child of Cod?" Mal-2 asked.
"Um, yes." said Cod uncertainly. "Yes! Yes I am!"
"How can you be your own child?"
The Cod looked at Mal-2 with an evil glint in his fishy eye.
"Go (edited) yourself!"

And Mal-2 was enlightened. But Cod sank his boat anyway, just for being a smart-butt. And he got wet, but didn't drown, and was still enlightened.

[jilola]

You shouldn't edit a cite  
Especially when it comes to the Discordians.
The value of a judiciously used obscenity in spiritual teaching is often overlooked. They are a god way of directly pointing out the hang ups of a solidified belief structure.


2cents & L&L
Jouni

[kai wren]

Alas, I believe the site will automatically edit the word 'bonk' if I try and post it.

Also, the PD itself pretty much says not to hold anything sacred, one shouldn't believe anything one reads, and if you don't like something, you should change it. So why not edit this parable to fit the situation if I deem it necessary?

Just curious.

[jilola]

Cos it's the word relating to the sacred chao?

I don't quite hold with censoring anything but especially not a direct quote.
Mal-2 et al. didn't say #¤%& they quite clearly said !!!!

2cents & L&L
Jouni