# Vegetarian catholics that eat fish

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarian-catholics-that-eat-fish/566385>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 4, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarian-catholics-that-eat-fish/566385 "2011-01-04T16:36:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarian-catholics-that-eat-fish/566385/21 "2011-01-07T18:44:28Z")

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> [@jnglmassiv](#):
>
> Wikipedia indicates that as far as the Vatican is concerned, beavers are fish.  
> [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver#In\_dietary\_law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver#In_dietary_law)
> 
> I was aware of this distinction with capybaras in Brazil but not beavers. Neat-o.

When is a fish not a fish?

When it’s a beaver.

Taste like [del]tuna[/del] chicken?

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**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarian-catholics-that-eat-fish/566385/22 "2011-01-07T18:48:17Z")

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> [@Polycarp](#):
>
> So the intrepid explorers land on an uncharted Melanesian island and are greeted by the natives. They note the natives wear their hair in topknots with bones stuck through them, there is an enormous stewpot surrounded by firewood in the center of the village… in short, all the characteristics of the stereotypical cartoon cannibal.
> 
> “My God, you people are cannibals!”
> 
> “Oh no!” comes the response. “We _were_ cannibals, but then the missionaries came, and now we’re Presbyterians.”
> 
> “Presbyterians?”
> 
> “Yes, we only eat old people!”
> 
> 😃

I don’t get it. Please explain.

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarian-catholics-that-eat-fish/566385/23 "2011-01-07T19:04:51Z")

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> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#):
>
> I don’t get it. Please explain.

The word “Presbyterian” comes from a Greek root meaning “elder.” The Presbyterian church uses the name because their structure has the church directed by elders (lay spiritual leaders who have been involved for some time and hence tend not to be young); the cannibals are using it as a more generic reference to old folks.

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**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetarian-catholics-that-eat-fish/566385/24 "2011-01-07T19:23:00Z")

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Ah, I see. It’s a pun based on Greek. The “elders” in my Presbyterian church (when I was growing up) were of all ages, including some not quite 20. I thought that funny at the time.

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