2 April 2006 Before I give my little complaint, let me begin by stating I'm an atheist, so this complaint isn't religiously fueled. However, I do have to complain that taking quotes from the Bible out of context to further your political ambitions is hypocritical, and makes you as bad as those you are mocking. The Bible is full of double standards, and hypocrisy on it's own right, but I have to say I wrote off the comic after reading what you said about Jesus's view on homosexuality. While I personally find nothing wrong with homosexuality, Sodom & Gamora were destroyed specifically for that reason. The Bible lists sodomy of any kind -even between consenting heterosexual married couples- as a sin. Moses's son was additionaly banished for "laying with his father" when he was drunk, and naked in the vineyard. As to the "he who is without sin" passage, while it is possibly the most popular Jesus fable, historians have found that (and I realize none of it really happened anyway) it never happened, and was actually added to the Bible long after the original text. I further submit that all of the vengeance, and destruction, and smiting of the old testament applies to Jesus, as God, Jesus, and "The Holy Spirit" are all aspects of the same being. Again, I am an atheist, I do not follow the beliefs or teachings of the Bible, and I do not need an omnipotent imaginary friend to morally guide me. I'm still offended by those who would twist the meanings of religious texts to suit their interests, and sir in doing so, you're no better than the average televangelist, or KKK leader.
5 April 2006 Dear Ms. Phelætia, Please express my most sincere thanks to Jim for providing me with the only source of weekly humor in my otherwise dry and sour life. His cartoons have infiltrated my highly conservative office, as I have taken to pasting weekly prinouts of in unusual places (inside the coffee filter, interior door of bathroom stalls, VP coat pockets) much to the dismay of my fellow co-workers. Like the subject of this week's cartoon, they too feel that the perceived entitlement of perpetual rapture will overshadow any wrong doings their chosen life forces them to commit, and none of them drives a hybrid. I just wanted to warn Jim of a possible barricade he may have to face in the near future when commenting on the horrors of the oil industry, and that is a pretty remarkable solution that the S. Americans, Brazilians in particular, have come up with to the problem of depleated oil. No doubt Jim has heard of the fleet of cars, trucks, airplanes, electricity-producing turbines and other machinery they have that runs completely on sugar cane alcohol which are more than happy to run on this highly employable industry centered around a truly power-producing renewable resource. It is this fleet which will provide the power for the South Americans as they perfect hydrogen combusion while we are riding our dirt bikes around in circles and attacking the last oil refinery in our vast wasteland of death and depression. Just wanted to give Jim a heads up on that, maybe he could start brainstorming some other topics which need commentary for use when that time arrives (altho no rush, he's got at least six months). Seriously tho, his cartoons keep me from dying. Sincerely, Max S.
5 April 2006 Dear Tim, I am going to give up writing and drawing now, because you've said everything I want to say, and much funnier. I just belatedly discovered your work (I must have been blind), and I'm dazzled and amazed at its brilliance. Stephanie McMillan fellow (now former) cartoonist -- maybe I'll study accounting...
5 April 2006 Ms. Hautpanz, Please extend my sincere thanks to Tim K. Thanks so much for drawing a cartoon that has the perspective of an epidemiologist in it. Until now, the only similar compliment I had ever seen was found in "The New Yorker". If it weren't for Jim's pantless appearance and his ski-doo dialogue, this would totally hang out on my office door. You rock. Marc-Oliver Wright Epidemiologist, MESA Scientist Marshfield Epidemiology Research Center Marshfield, Wisconsin PS. As an expatriate of Baltimore, I look forward to each Wednesday and Tim's new toon. When can we expect a new book?
5 April 2006 The Future According To... Dear Ms. Czochula-Hautpanz, This week's cartoon is the funniest Mr. Kreider has drawn in a long time. Please congratulate him on my behalf. On an unrelated topic: my best friend just moved to NYC. What is Mr. Kreider's favorite restaurant in the city? Matt J.
6 April 2006 "The President of the United States believes this, literally. Louis the XIV believed that he was the Sun King, with a divine right to rule. Moctezuma believed that Cortez was the return of Quetzalcoatl. Caligula believed he was a god. They were all executed, and their empires are gone now." Since the death of Hunter, I thought I'd never see writing like this again. I'm happy I was wrong. Good on you, Tim. Brian T.
19 April 2006 I've written before, but I must again write to tell you what a pleasure it is to find the latest update of The Pain. It's like the last sane voice shouting in a gale of madness. I don't live in a country that debates torture, though some of the political debate here can seem equally maddeningly stupid, but we who can't vote in the American election still have to live with Bush, one way or another. But it's beyond even Bush, for even in my home country Sweden, a place I thought would never flirt with totalitarian methods, tapping phones have become an issue of debate and tighter measures in regards to security. Camera survailance and other things that would have been laughed at ten years ago. So, where am I going with this? I've sort of forgot myself, really, but what I want to say is: The west has become paranoid, and I fear we head towards the fall of democracy, disguised as the defence of the same. Yes, I know that's basically what you're saying, every week, and thus my praise. It's so refresing reading your rather pessimistic view of the world. I'm sure that when the senate in Rome installed Ceasar they never thought that would start the long depraved era that produced such fine specimens Nero. But maybe there were an artist of what went for comics in that day and age that painted satirical pictures on the walls of Colosseum of the new dictator. Anyway, long story short - my week would just not be right without the The Pain. Markus S.
19 April 2006 Dear Phelatia, A friend of mine just forwarded the above mentioned cartoon ["Science vs. Norse Mythology"] to me. I really like this one - although I am a Viking :-) - and I always enjoy discussions about this subject with Christians and scientists. Some of the Vikings I know are in Texas at the moment for a big battle, but if Tim likes they would be pleased to pay him a visit in order to demonstrate the effectivity of a Dane Axe :-) There is only one thing that bothers me in this cartoon and it refers to the last picture. The Vikings didn't have horns on their helmets !!!!!!!!! Although it is known by archaeologists nowadays that the cauldron which shows a warrior with horns on the helmet was Celtic and not Viking it is still in the minds of! the people. Have a nice day! Kind regards Uta
20 April 2006 had to write and say that this week's comic was pure fucking genius. on par w/ reagan's funeral. sometimes mr. kreider, your insight into the absurdity that is our present day state of existent is fucking insightful. if you are ever in flagstaff or even passing near, i promise to get you shit faced drunk on pabst and miller lite to your heart's delight. muchos appreciatos, greg n.
25 April 2006 Greetings Ms. Hautpantz! I only recently became aware of The Pain--When Will It End after thumbing through a copy of Why Do They Kill Me at Atomic Books in Hampden. Since that time I have spent three eye bulging nights looking through the archives on the Pain's web page (much to my wife's consternation) and discovered that my political views parallel that of Tim Kreider's more so than anyone I have ever met in my life. I will make this email brief before you delete it as the rantings of a deranged sycophant groupie. I humbly request of Mr Kreider his permission to use one or two of his cartoons as the background for my Myspace profile. I'm not sure of his personal feelings of Myspace, until my wife convinced me otherwise i believed the entire endeavor to be a big juvenile waste of time, and I'm afraid he may believe this to be true. (I too suffer from this incredible disdain for everything that he has described numerous times in his artist statements.) If he would like me to pay him for use of his work, I would be happy to send a check, or paypal if he prefers. I could also buy him a beer the next time I am in Baltimore, and regale him with stories of Mr. Cheney's war as I am a returning veteran. Thank you Ms. Hautpantz (Also, please send my thanks on to Tim for being the voice of Sanity in an insane world- for pointing out the obvious and saying all the things that american soldiers would like to tell their batshit-crazy commanders but cannot.)
25 April 20006 Hi, I'm a big fan of the pain comics and usually I really enjoy the "artist's statement" but this time Tim has gone too far! The tease of additional panels of the current comic, which we will never see, is unconscionable! What do we have to do to see more? Maybe one or two panels snuck in before the release of the next comic? Think of it as sort of like a methadone program Keep up the good work! And if you ever come to Austria please bring a "GWB International Terrorist" T-Shirt for when I take you out drinking. Christopher J.
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