Likening your ideological opponents to rats and other vermin was used by the Nazis to brutally persecute Jews and other minorities.[1]
By portraying a group’s ideology as a sickness or infestation, it becomes easier to justify segregating, oppressing, or even killing them under the guise of social hygiene or self-defense against this perceived plague.[1][2] This dehumanizing rhetoric lays the groundwork for escalating violence.
That animosity is a policy failure because they should have just vaccinated and castrated all resistance just like farmers do with sheep. I can say that because I am a Christian, so it’s fine as the connotations are different.
You can’t jump to full authoritarian without going through the first steps. I actually don’t understand your second point at all though, about being a Christian.
Sheep hold significant symbolism in Christianity, representing God’s people and their relationship with Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Here are some key points about the symbolism of sheep in Christianity:
Sheep represent God’s followers who are helpless and in need of guidance, protection, and provision from the Shepherd (Jesus).[1][2] They are portrayed as defenseless, prone to wandering, and entirely dependent on the Shepherd’s care, mirroring humanity’s need for God’s guidance and salvation.
Jesus refers to himself as the “Good Shepherd” who lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).[1][2] This metaphor highlights Jesus’ sacrificial love, leadership, and intimate knowledge of his flock (believers).
Sheep are contrasted with goats, representing the separation of believers and non-believers on the day of judgment (Matthew 25:31-46).[1] The sheep (believers) will inherit eternal life, while the goats (unbelievers) will face punishment.
The imagery of a shepherd tenderly caring for his sheep is used to depict God’s compassionate love and attentive care for his people (Isaiah 40:11, Psalm 23).[1][3] Sheep recognize the Shepherd’s voice and follow him, just as believers are called to follow Christ’s guidance.
Jesus is also called the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29), symbolizing his sacrificial death to take away the sins of the world.[1][3] This connects the imagery of sheep and lambs to Christ’s atoning work on the cross.
I guess it’s political in that it is an acknowledgement that Jesus is the highest authority, higher than governments on earth. I don’t think it’s saying that the king of the land (or the government) is Jesus. Most Christians view government as being subjects of God, subject to God’s authority. The government makes laws that are within its scope to do, but cannot exceed that scope. The constitution was written with this in mind, very intentionally, as a way to limit the power of government, although they used the term natural law I think, which Christians interpret as God’s authority.
But that said, obedience to government is a duty and obligation for Christians as well.
I’m still not really sure what your point is, so I’m kinda just spewing what I know on that general topic.
Likening your ideological opponents to rats and other vermin was used by the Nazis to brutally persecute Jews and other minorities.[1]
By portraying a group’s ideology as a sickness or infestation, it becomes easier to justify segregating, oppressing, or even killing them under the guise of social hygiene or self-defense against this perceived plague.[1][2] This dehumanizing rhetoric lays the groundwork for escalating violence.
Citations: [1] Losing France’s Imperial War on Rats - U-M Library Digital Collections https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/idx/w/wsfh/0642292.0047.006/--losing-frances-imperial-war-on-rats?rgn=main%3Bview%3Dfulltext [2] Anti-LGBT rhetoric - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-LGBT_rhetoric
What do you think about when unvaccinated were called plague rats during covid? Do you think we could have ended up down the same path with them?
That animosity is a policy failure because they should have just vaccinated and castrated all resistance just like farmers do with sheep. I can say that because I am a Christian, so it’s fine as the connotations are different.
You can’t jump to full authoritarian without going through the first steps. I actually don’t understand your second point at all though, about being a Christian.
Sheep hold significant symbolism in Christianity, representing God’s people and their relationship with Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Here are some key points about the symbolism of sheep in Christianity:
Sheep represent God’s followers who are helpless and in need of guidance, protection, and provision from the Shepherd (Jesus).[1][2] They are portrayed as defenseless, prone to wandering, and entirely dependent on the Shepherd’s care, mirroring humanity’s need for God’s guidance and salvation.
Jesus refers to himself as the “Good Shepherd” who lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).[1][2] This metaphor highlights Jesus’ sacrificial love, leadership, and intimate knowledge of his flock (believers).
Sheep are contrasted with goats, representing the separation of believers and non-believers on the day of judgment (Matthew 25:31-46).[1] The sheep (believers) will inherit eternal life, while the goats (unbelievers) will face punishment.
The imagery of a shepherd tenderly caring for his sheep is used to depict God’s compassionate love and attentive care for his people (Isaiah 40:11, Psalm 23).[1][3] Sheep recognize the Shepherd’s voice and follow him, just as believers are called to follow Christ’s guidance.
Jesus is also called the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29), symbolizing his sacrificial death to take away the sins of the world.[1][3] This connects the imagery of sheep and lambs to Christ’s atoning work on the cross.
Citations: [1] What is the significance of sheep in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org https://www.gotquestions.org/sheep-in-the-Bible.html [2] Why are Christians Called Sheep? — BLOG POSTS — ILI Team https://iliteam.org/coreleadership/why-are-christians-called-sheep [3] Sheep of Christ https://godcangodcares.com/sheep-of-christ/ [4] Why Jesus compares us to sheep (it’s kinda funny) https://www.christianparenting.org/articles/why-jesus-compares-us-to-sheep-its-kinda-funny/ [5] Christianity literally degrades its own followers by calling them sheep https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueAtheism/comments/jtbv4i/christianity_literally_degrades_its_own_followers/
OK so in your analogy, the government is the shepherd, which is Jesus? Pretty sure that’s not how Christians view the government…
What do you think the phrase ‘Jesus is King’ means? It’s a political statement.
I guess it’s political in that it is an acknowledgement that Jesus is the highest authority, higher than governments on earth. I don’t think it’s saying that the king of the land (or the government) is Jesus. Most Christians view government as being subjects of God, subject to God’s authority. The government makes laws that are within its scope to do, but cannot exceed that scope. The constitution was written with this in mind, very intentionally, as a way to limit the power of government, although they used the term natural law I think, which Christians interpret as God’s authority.
But that said, obedience to government is a duty and obligation for Christians as well.
I’m still not really sure what your point is, so I’m kinda just spewing what I know on that general topic.