The image depicts a man dressed as an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, likely from a television show or movie, given the identifiable costume and makeup. The pharaoh is portrayed with a raised eyebrow and a somewhat skeptical or incredulous expression, which may suggest that he is questioning or doubting something that is being presented to him.
The text above the image reads, "PHARAOH LISTENING TO YOUR PRO-LIFE AUNT" and the text below continues, "WHEN SHE SAYS GOD WOULDN'T KILL A BABY." This is clearly meant to be humorous, juxtaposing a modern political or moral debate with an ancient historical figure.
The humor arises from the contrast between the pharaoh's probable knowledge of ancient stories from the Bible, specifically the tale of the plagues in Egypt, and the assertion of the modern-day "pro-life aunt." In the biblical narrative, God does indeed command the killing of the firstborn in Egypt, which would include babies, in order to persuade the Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. The dramatic irony is palpable as the ancient pharaoh would be directly aware of this event.
Additionally, the humor is further compounded by the pharaoh's skeptical expression, implying a silent rebuttal to the pro-life aunt's statement based on his own legendary experiences. The image employs this contradiction to create a moment of cognitive dissonance, where two conflicting ideas are presented simultaneously.
The meme format itself, which involves pairing a screenshot with text to create a new context or joke, has become a common way to propagate humor online. By combining historical references with contemporary issues, the meme reaches for a more layered and cerebral form of humor.
Ultimately, the meme may be found funny due to its effective use of anachronism, creating a situation where an ancient figure is imagined as part of a modern conversation. It plays on the knowledge of the viewer, assuming they have a basic understanding of both the biblical story and the contemporary debate it is being set against. PHARAOH LISTENING TO YOUR PRO LIFE AUNT WHEN SHE SAYS GOD WOULDN T KILL A BABY