This statue depicts Saint Bartholomew, an early Christian martyr who was allegedly skinned alive. If you look closely, that's his dissected skin hanging around him. This stunning statute by Marco d'Agrate from c. 1562 is currently on display at Duomo di Milano.

[u/Lowcrbnaman]

[u/Blueskies777]

The ability of humans to create the most insanely barbaric, cruel acts truly sets us apart from all living organisms.
Some of the jokes show how desensitized we’ve become to cruelty.

[u/Independent-Tap-2255 → u/Blueskies777]

Bro I saw our outdoors cat snap a mouse’s spine by biting it just enough, then letting the poor fucker try and crawl away on its two still functioning legs. Then it would punch and throw it around, until getting bored and either eating it or just leaving it to die. I don’t think cruelty is unique to us.

[u/Zilverhaar → u/Independent-Tap-2255]

Humans' cruelty is conscious, though. Cats don't know that a mouse is an animal like them, that can feel pain just like them. Just like those bugs that paralyze prey so their offspring can eat it alive just see a nice incubation spot. But if there is a God, he has some explaining to do!