by Gangler » Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:02 pm
smiley_cow wrote:Gangler wrote:From a perspective that views this update as overtly atheist...
Is it though? I mean whether people are programmed to eventually turn sexual from pure biology, or whether a divine being purposely programmed us that way, it doesn't actually change the comic at all. I don't think this is a statement on religion vs science so much as it is a statement on free will vs instinct.
I'm trying to lampoon this guy's ridiculous complaint. Either I'm terrible at this (a definite probability), or you're being a buzzkill (our history indicates this is probably not so).
But yeah. There's nothing atheist about this comic. The notion that it says anything contrary to the Christian God alone would be a huge stretch, and it certainly says nothing contrary to there being a god at all.
smiley_cow wrote:
Certainly Zach is an atheist, and that probably plays a large part in how he conceptualizes these types of matters, and I'm sure most religious people tend to look at this aspect of human biology differently, but I don't think religion actually has much to do with this particular comic. It's just the point of view of someone who just happens to be an atheist.
It does nothing but acknowledge established biological knowledge that even the craziest of fundies wouldn't deny. Puberty comes with a shipment of hormones that effect the way you think. Christians are still aware of the birds and the bees, to say nothing of every other religion. I can't even begin to describe how far from atheist or even nonchristian this is.
smiley_cow wrote:
tl;dr: The atheism most likely informs the viewpoint, but the viewpoint isn't a purely atheist one.
So he's actually a confirmed atheist then? I haven't read the newsposts in ages. Didn't know that.
smiley_cow wrote:
...and feels that Zach's work is overly saturated with atheist messagery I'm sure Zach is remarkably atheist.
I'm not denying that there are definitely atheistic themes throughout SMBC. There are. I'm just saying that I think Zach's outlook on life tends to be especially on the practical/logical side, even for an atheist.
I'd go farther and say there's nothing he's stated in any comic ever that can only be appreciated by an atheist.
[quote="smiley_cow"][quote="Gangler"]From a perspective that views this update as overtly atheist...[/quote]
Is it though? I mean whether people are programmed to eventually turn sexual from pure biology, or whether a divine being purposely programmed us that way, it doesn't actually change the comic at all. I don't think this is a statement on religion vs science so much as it is a statement on free will vs instinct.
[/quote]
I'm trying to lampoon this guy's ridiculous complaint. Either I'm terrible at this (a definite probability), or you're being a buzzkill (our history indicates this is probably not so).
But yeah. There's nothing atheist about this comic. The notion that it says anything contrary to the Christian God alone would be a huge stretch, and it certainly says nothing contrary to there being a god at all.
[quote="smiley_cow"]
Certainly Zach is an atheist, and that probably plays a large part in how he conceptualizes these types of matters, and I'm sure most religious people tend to look at this aspect of human biology differently, but I don't think religion actually has much to do with this particular comic. It's just the point of view of someone who just happens to be an atheist.
[/quote]
It does nothing but acknowledge established biological knowledge that even the craziest of fundies wouldn't deny. Puberty comes with a shipment of hormones that effect the way you think. Christians are still aware of the birds and the bees, to say nothing of every other religion. I can't even begin to describe how far from atheist or even nonchristian this is.
[quote="smiley_cow"]
tl;dr: The atheism most likely informs the viewpoint, but the viewpoint isn't a purely atheist one.
[/quote]
So he's actually a confirmed atheist then? I haven't read the newsposts in ages. Didn't know that.
[quote="smiley_cow"]
[quote]...and feels that Zach's work is overly saturated with atheist messagery I'm sure Zach is remarkably atheist.[/quote]
I'm not denying that there are definitely atheistic themes throughout SMBC. There are. I'm just saying that I think Zach's outlook on life tends to be especially on the practical/logical side, even for an atheist.[/quote]
I'd go farther and say there's nothing he's stated in any comic ever that can only be appreciated by an atheist.