If I said I hate Ichthys’ you’d probably say that is a word I just made up. But I didn’t, the Greeks did. An Ichthys is the Greek word for what we today commonly call the Jesus Fish. The minimalist representation of a fish often associated with disciples of Jesus. All this is correct and factually accurate. You know what else it represents in the modern age? Shitty drivers.
I don’t know what it is about this symbol, but more than Asians, women or old people it seems to be the most accurate stereotyping tool today to identify the person you least want to be caught behind in traffic.
In ancient Rome, when regularly persecuted for their religious beliefs, the Ichthys was like the secret handshake between two members of Jesus’ club. One man would draw half of the symbol in the sand and if his homie drew the other half they were all BFFs. The symbol serves the same purpose today. When I am behind a driver I don’t know I simply look for this symbol to tell me that this guy/girl is on God’s Time. I, however, am on California time. I got shit to do and I need to do it quick.
The Jesus Fish as car flair may be the only thing religion has ever done right for me. It almost excuses generations of war, persecution, sexism, racism and just down right nastiness. Almost…
Oh and regarding this picture. Why is this school of fish following two Jesuses’? One of them must be a false prophet right? I also wonder if churches give these out as commendations like stripes in the army. If that was the case this dude is like the General Patton of loving Christ. Wait a minute I just made a soldier for religion reference. Oh well that metaphor seems accurate these days as well. It’s really just a matter of time before non-believers like me are rounded into camps in America anyway.
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