Teddy goes to a fast food restaurant named ‘_hris_ian Chicken’. Its logo shows a grinning and slurping cartoon chicken with ‘thumbs’ up, while carrying a cr_ss over a shoulder. Bizarre indeed, the idea of a chicken suggesting himself as tasty, as if bearing his own cr_ss gladly. The chicken even has a halo radiating light. (This is reminiscent of an actual restaurant logo, of another chicken, wearing a chef’s hat cooking himself in a hot pot, also happily showing ‘thumbs’ up.) The manager tells Teddy that they sell chicken ‘from the Lo_d’, suggesting that he ‘made it’.
Applying for a marketing job there, Teddy suggests that he knows what to do, ‘When they bite into your food, you want them to scream out “H_ll_l_j_h!”‘ To that, the manager replies, ‘Preach it, brother Teddy, you are a g_dsend!… This little chickadee (i.e. Teddy) is gonna to share the word about your (i.e. the L_rd’s) precious poultry with the world.’ Teddy later wears a chicken suit and holds a sign pointing to the restaurant, with it saying, ‘Heavenly Taste’ and ‘Praise be to G_d and chicken’. (With respectful redactions as above, this review does not critique any faith; only reviewing the ‘humour’ in the comedy with questions for reflection.)
Although getting the ‘jokes’, 12 questions came to mind… [1] How can an animal be labelled as belonging to a religion when he or she is killed in the name of it? [2] If given a choice, will the animal agree, even if marketed as a ‘holy’ sacrifice? [3] Which sentient being wants to promote himself or herself as being delicious? [4] Is that not the twisted projection of heartless human greed for marketing and profiteering, and for assuaging guilt with bad faith towards animals?
[5] If animals are truly ‘created’ for slaughter, why do they struggle and shriek in pain and terror when facing the knife? [6] Why should such a creator, if existing, be praised for creating such immense suffering for billions of sentient beings? [7] Will an all-loving creator send one living sentient being to market eating of other killed sentient beings? [8] If animals like chickens are truly precious, should they be harmed or protected?
[9] How can the taste of the hellishly murdered ever be heavenly? [10] Should your desires and deeds dictate your beliefs, or the other way round? [11] What are your core beliefs in terms of loving-kindness, compassion, empathy and such for other sentient beings? [12] Do your core beliefs increase or decrease such virtues in this world for the good of one and all?
