The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb

The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb

When is the last time you read Genesis?  Bible School? Sunday School, Synagogue, Schul?

R. Crumb has produced a graphic masterpiece for our times:

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Genesis-Illustrated-R-Crumb/dp/0393061027/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283012710&sr=8-1

After all, it is the foundation story (or myth) for Western cultures.  You know, "In the beginning..." that sort of thing.

In re-reading Genesis one is struck by the utter ridiculous nature of the story.  "And darkness covered the earth..."
Yeah, until the sun rose on half the planet.

But this epochal creation story is maybe 4000 years old now.  It is so  laughably preposterous:

God is lonely, god gets angry, god changes his mind, god smites heathens, chooses one tribe over many and "anoints" them for, let's get real,  perdition.

He orders circumcision for all males under 12, baby boys at eight days from birth.  Let’s get tribal.

And then god writes a covenant with his finger in stone, the Ten Commandments, which are actually fourteen to sixteen, but who's counting.

I swear, I'm not making this stuff up.

28 August 2010
Philip Fryer