He’s making some kind of statement, but I don’t get the standpoint. Is there some belief system under which all the heavenly host are taken to be bedeviled with fear and trembling?
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“Beta blockers are great and all but up here we have the Alpha and the Omega.”
But no, I totally DU this C.
The solution is already hidden in Mitch’s paragraph under the comic. The concept of “fear and trembling [before] the Lord” is mentioned multiple times in the Bible (using various prepositions and word order, depending on the translation). The bookkeeper (nominally Peter) is implying that the problems this guy had on Earth were nothing compared to the angst that he will be confronted with when he is finally admitted into the Holy Presence.
His meds worked well down there, on Earth.
Now they will really test his meds, in Hell.
Saint Peter holds the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, and now he is about to review the records of the recording angel and determine whether the decedent will be admitted to heaven or instead spend the remainder of eternity in Hell. Surely there is nothing more stressful than waiting for that decision.
Kilby’s right, but I think the image would have worked better (and been more biblically accurate) if he was before the throne of God on judgment day. Being “at the Pearly Gates” usually suggests you made it into the book of life rather than being tossed into the lake of fire. (Fun fact, in the New Testament, Jesus talks more about all this judgment and eternal damnation stuff than any other figure.)
I think Usual John has it. He might not get into Heaven at all.
Look at the two angels. They look depressed and sad and they presumably made it into Heaven since they have wings. I don’t think this is about the anxiety of wanting to know if you made it, it is about how anxious you’ll be once you get in.
I’ve no idea why angels would be that way, though.
Two men die and are standing by the Pearly Gates. Off to the side they see a demon sorting through souls. Most he tosses into the lake of fire, others he tosses off to the side. When the men reach Peter they ask what is going on. Peter tells them that is the devil and he is sorting the souls that weren’t good enough to get into Heaven. They ask why the devil is tossing some to the side instead of the lake. Peter tells them those are Oregonians and are too wet to burn.
CIDU is working at its best when the discussion reveals two (or more) possible solutions, each of which is defensible, without anyone demanding that one of them has to be the only possible answer.
I personally don’t think that Peter is about to spring a magic (“Looney Tuney“) trap door to Hell on this fellow, but I can fully understand other people supporting that hypothesis.
I agree with Kilby’s comment about CIDU and two possible solutions. Good thoughts.
What makes the comic CIDU for me is the faces. Why would the three heavenly figures look somewhat anxious and the man in the suit look pleased? If those expressions are intentional on Lee’s part, then I think it supports Kilby’s “fear and trembling before the Lord” take.
This seems to become a CIDU because both the visuals and the words are vague, and so neither helps the other.
“Why would the three heavenly figures look somewhat anxious and the man in the suit look pleased?”
I’m on team ‘He’s going to hell.’ The heavenly figures are looking anxious as they know what is about to befall the man. The feel sorry for him. The man in the suit looks pleased due to the residual effects of the anti-anxiety meds, which St. Peter has noticed and is commenting on.
@ Stan (10) – Your analysis of the facial expressions is rather convincing, but there is one minor detail that doesn’t quite match up: it seems odd that Peter would refer to life on Earth as being “down there”, if his hidden intention really were to send him “down elsewhere”. The dialog as written doesn’t preclude that interpretation, but it seems a little awkward, and might be one reason that this comic became such a debatable CIDU.
Husband and I have an agreement. When we die we each find the wall/fence between the Jewish section and the Roman Catholic section and walk along it until we find other on the other side and then find a spot along the wall to stay together with one on either side. :-)
Comics I Don't Understand 
“Beta blockers are great and all but up here we have the Alpha and the Omega.”
But no, I totally DU this C.
The solution is already hidden in Mitch’s paragraph under the comic. The concept of “fear and trembling [before] the Lord” is mentioned multiple times in the Bible (using various prepositions and word order, depending on the translation). The bookkeeper (nominally Peter) is implying that the problems this guy had on Earth were nothing compared to the angst that he will be confronted with when he is finally admitted into the Holy Presence.
His meds worked well down there, on Earth.
Now they will really test his meds, in Hell.
Saint Peter holds the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, and now he is about to review the records of the recording angel and determine whether the decedent will be admitted to heaven or instead spend the remainder of eternity in Hell. Surely there is nothing more stressful than waiting for that decision.
Kilby’s right, but I think the image would have worked better (and been more biblically accurate) if he was before the throne of God on judgment day. Being “at the Pearly Gates” usually suggests you made it into the book of life rather than being tossed into the lake of fire. (Fun fact, in the New Testament, Jesus talks more about all this judgment and eternal damnation stuff than any other figure.)
I think Usual John has it. He might not get into Heaven at all.
Look at the two angels. They look depressed and sad and they presumably made it into Heaven since they have wings. I don’t think this is about the anxiety of wanting to know if you made it, it is about how anxious you’ll be once you get in.
I’ve no idea why angels would be that way, though.
Two men die and are standing by the Pearly Gates. Off to the side they see a demon sorting through souls. Most he tosses into the lake of fire, others he tosses off to the side. When the men reach Peter they ask what is going on. Peter tells them that is the devil and he is sorting the souls that weren’t good enough to get into Heaven. They ask why the devil is tossing some to the side instead of the lake. Peter tells them those are Oregonians and are too wet to burn.
CIDU is working at its best when the discussion reveals two (or more) possible solutions, each of which is defensible, without anyone demanding that one of them has to be the only possible answer.
I personally don’t think that Peter is about to spring a magic (“Looney Tuney“) trap door to Hell on this fellow, but I can fully understand other people supporting that hypothesis.
I agree with Kilby’s comment about CIDU and two possible solutions. Good thoughts.
What makes the comic CIDU for me is the faces. Why would the three heavenly figures look somewhat anxious and the man in the suit look pleased? If those expressions are intentional on Lee’s part, then I think it supports Kilby’s “fear and trembling before the Lord” take.
This seems to become a CIDU because both the visuals and the words are vague, and so neither helps the other.
“Why would the three heavenly figures look somewhat anxious and the man in the suit look pleased?”
I’m on team ‘He’s going to hell.’ The heavenly figures are looking anxious as they know what is about to befall the man. The feel sorry for him. The man in the suit looks pleased due to the residual effects of the anti-anxiety meds, which St. Peter has noticed and is commenting on.
@ Stan (10) – Your analysis of the facial expressions is rather convincing, but there is one minor detail that doesn’t quite match up: it seems odd that Peter would refer to life on Earth as being “down there”, if his hidden intention really were to send him “down elsewhere”. The dialog as written doesn’t preclude that interpretation, but it seems a little awkward, and might be one reason that this comic became such a debatable CIDU.
Husband and I have an agreement. When we die we each find the wall/fence between the Jewish section and the Roman Catholic section and walk along it until we find other on the other side and then find a spot along the wall to stay together with one on either side. :-)