decent, loving, romantic idea that a marriage is sacred enough to transcend death

Well, that may or may not be the motivation behind that tennet of belief, I don't know, but at least it seems vastly less objectifying.

Silly Laga, women and girls aren't real people with real lives! They're rewards for a job well done and/or things to have sex with.

I had the impression really that this was all about women not being actual human beings but rather interchangeable receptacles for penises

OK yeah, I think this is the point my christian female facebook friends are missing. Now, do I jump into the fray? I didn't even finish reading the comments before coming here to whinge.

Congratulations to Seska and her awesome girl!

The various commentaries that are part of the Islamic tradition seem to see paradise as the land of perfect sex. Believers are given 72 wives, who may be created in paradise rather than having been Muslim women on earth. The black-eyed houris of paradise are more Stepford than human, since they're all young and round-breasted and free from bodily functions that might get in the way of sex. They are also obedient and never lie.

There are also translators who say that believers are really promised 72 white raisins, a very expensive fruit at the time.

There are also translators who say that believers are really promised 72 white raisins, a very expensive fruit at the time.

I love this and am proposing marriage to it.

Woo to the hoo part one for Seska and The Girl!

There are also translators who say that believers are really promised 72 white raisins,

Oh, that is awesome! I'm going with that interpretation.

I overslept and did not feed goats today. I'm in kind of a funk, have been for the last few days.

Excuse me while I think "out loud" for a moment: In Natter a link was posted to Mike Rowe's testimony in front of Congress about the importance of skilled trades [link] And I think I really needed to read that, because there's a very real danger that my next job will have me pinned in front of a computer, miserable again. And I really, really don't want that. I want to learn a skilled trade, REALLY learn it. I want to know how things work, and how to build them, and take them apart. I want to teach other people how to do the same thing. But it's tricky, because apprentice positions generally don't pay for shit. I need to do some serious number-crunching and soul-searching and I may end up in an Americorps position.

Hmm. I'm going to need to bust out the DBT skills for this, I can tell. Hmm.

eta on a non-related note, Steph! I read Peeps and it was awesome! I was actually laughing as I finished it. I can see why it was right up your alley, too.

heaven discussion is lost somewhere in my facebook feed. I'm taking this as a sign to let it go.

There are also translators who say that believers are really promised 72 white raisins,

This makes sense but I like the concept that the 72 virgins are virgins because they are mean tempered and utterly unappealing in every way. Personally, if I am going to have a number of people to service me in the afterlife I would like some with experience.

I also side with the scholars who believe Jesus's mom was just a young woman.

There are also translators who say that believers are really promised 72 white raisins, a very expensive fruit at the time.

They should get currants. They could make scones. Mmm, heavenly scones.

I'm imagining the surprise from the dead who expect virgins and instead get raisins.

Very amusing.