2012-04-02
Explanation
This single-panel comic presents a deadpan theological observation. A man who has apparently arrived at the gates of heaven speaks to St. Peter, who stands behind his traditional podium with an open book. The man asks: "Wait, so... you have to spend eternity standing at a podium outside heaven, telling people they'''re going to be tortured in hell forever?" St. Peter replies with weary resignation: "...Yep. Yep, I do."
The joke reframes the familiar image of St. Peter as heaven'''s gatekeeper by pointing out what a terrible job it actually is. In Christian tradition, St. Peter is often depicted as the one who decides who gets into heaven and who doesn'''t. The comic highlights the overlooked horror of his position: he doesn'''t just welcome the worthy -- he also has to deliver the worst possible news to the damned, over and over, for all eternity. The caption at the bottom reads "What if Heaven is just a punishment for St. Peter?" which drives the point home.
The votey panel extends the joke with St. Peter snapping at the visitor: "By the way, thanks for all the wars, asshole" -- suggesting that St. Peter, having watched all of human history unfold, harbors considerable resentment toward humanity for the suffering they have caused, adding a layer of dark humor to his eternal sentence.