Sunday, August 12, 2007

Don't feed the seagulls

There is a theological term known as the noetic effect of sin. What it means is that sin doesn't just influence and cloud our hearts; it reaches to all regions, particularly our minds. You can read about it in Romans 1:21 "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

In other words, because of sin, we are dumber than we were in our original state. And we often display it. Today, I witnessed a beautiful display of this at Siesta Key.

I was told by many that Siesta Key was the best beach in the area. So with my brother-in-law in town, we all headed down south a bit. After enjoying some sun, surf, and an inordinate amount of seaweed, I began reading a good book.

Unfortunately I was interrupted by a few couples next to us feeding seagulls. You can't just feed one. That's why they called that 80's band "Flock of Seagulls." Seagulls from all over Florida flocked to the Ritz crackers like, well, like you would expect them to flock to a free mail. We had to stop reading and use our books to protect ourselves. Fortunately we stayed dry.

There are two types of people in this world: those who feed seagulls at the beach, and those who don't like it when people feed seagulls at the beach. If you are the former, please consider that feeding seagulls might just be a noetic effect of sin. Or I might just be a spoiled Florida native who has witnessed one too many seagull feedings. But I don't think so.

5 comments:

Randy Greenwald said...

I'm with you on this one. We have had seagulls, enticed by those who feed them, steal burgers off our grill and sandwiches out of our hands. They have no fear. I'd love to take a slingshot to the beach to pick off food stealing seagulls... but it's a good thing that I don't. I might be tempted to start picking off gull feeding tourists.

Anonymous said...

Video Proof that Feeding Seagulls is Fun!

Anonymous said...

You are an idiot, which I suspect might just be a noetic effect of sin.
We move into areas, take over what birds and animals originally had and then we call THEM nuisances.
The people feeding the birds are smiling happy people. The ones who are opposed are unhappy, grouchy busybodies. Now who the the unenlightened ones?

Anonymous said...

Wow, this was stupid. I came across it searching for information on feeding seagulls.

If feeding birds inadvertently interrupt people's consumption of bullshit, I'm going to do it more often.

Anonymous said...

I love seagulls and their noise - detest people who complain about them - now that there fewer landfill sites, where are they supposed to scavange? I worry for them - wish someone could put my mind at rest that there is enough food out there for them - I feed the ones who live on my roof but some of the neighbours complain and make it very difficult - but I can't stop or I worry about them and their babies.