Okay, I just watched tonight's episode and the way it explored religion made it very uncomfortable to watch, but also made for some interesting commentary. ( Read more... )
I don't think it's so bad to have a character go through changes like that, as long as it's handled right, without ruining the characterization that's been established. I'd be happy to see some positive faith portrayals, instead of all the portrayls of believers as crazy that TV does today.
It's just horribly cliche to 'save' an atheist and if the show had went there, I'd have resented it horribly. Because that's how stories work--there is a god and you will be saved if you find faith.
Which parts of the Hollywood Atheist trope got you the most? Just curious how you see it.
The whole idea that people are only atheists because something bad happened to them. Both Kurt and Sue demonstrate this; Kurt is an atheist because Christianity hates on him for being gay, and Sue because her prayers to cure her sister went unanswered.
I couldn't sum it up better than Ryan Murphy: "Sue's an atheist, but I love that she doesn't want to be. She and [Kurt] are both saying to the world, 'Prove us wrong: If God is kindness and love, make me believe in God.'"
That's not really atheism. At all. Murphy's Catholic background is really obvious here.
Like I immediately knew he was going to eat the Grilled Cheesus before it happened. It just occurred to me. And I love your commentary about what that would symbolize. But, um, how is eating the duck's egg honoring the duck? That seems very douchy.
More on Finn: that by eating the Grilled Cheesus, he's destorying the idol, that which he used to prop himself up and as a sounding board for all his selfish desires; he needed to destroy it just as he needed to restore his own internal balance.
Wow, are we actually having a conversation about the Grilled Cheesus? YES WE ARE.
KURT. This kid makes me cry. Glad I'm not the only one. ♥
Like I immediately knew he was going to eat the Grilled Cheesus before it happened.
I know! As soon as they show him opening the refrigerator, I knew.
But, um, how is eating the duck's egg honoring the duck? That seems very douchy.
Heh. Well, it makes sense in the story. Because she had to take the egg away, or else the duck would continue to nest there--and eventually the duck and its eggs would get done in by her dogs. So her choices were to throw the egg into the trash, feed it to the dogs, or eat it. And since the whole situation arose because of human destruction of natural habitat--human rejection of the natural world--reincorporating herself into the lifecycle/food chain is presented as a way to show respect to the duck. I don't know. It's a little weird, I guess.
More on Finn: that by eating the Grilled Cheesus, he's destorying the idol, that which he used to prop himself up and as a sounding board for all his selfish desires; he needed to destroy it just as he needed to restore his own internal balance.Yes. Totally.
( ... )
Ahhh that makes sense! Or you know, she can keep her dog inside so it doesn't eat the eggs. Just sayin'.
I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore.
I get what you're saying! Oh, Glee. It's reduced us to talking about a grilled cheese idol sandwich.
I did a double take at Little Kurt. Seriously. Awesome casting. I think I might rewatch that scene just to cry again. What? I do that sometimes. *squish*
They definitely hit the Hollywood Atheist Trope with Sue, but otherwise it mostly avoided the shoals. Kurt and his Dad are, well, there are not words. ♥
I never thought they'd make Kurt renounce his non-faith. That would have been lame. But he did learn to accept the good wishes of others in the form that they offered them, and that is a valuable life lesson.
I liked that both Sue and Finn shift their stances, largely because they had both taken their original position for slight or reactionary reasons, which would naturally be shaky to defend. I loved Emma's explanation to Finn lots, too.
I sort of wish we had heard more from Quinn on the subject, since she seems to have given the matter some thought. Oh well, 42 minutes flies by...
P.S. My kid was all aghast that Finn ate make-up! (She is learning the tricks of the prop-making trade, you see.) We decided it was probably a stunt sandwich...
Yeah, I definitely see that. Though I think with Sue it's more like she's angry with God instead of a nonbeliever. More like she doubts God's existence because of bad things that happen in life. And well, maybe that is a trope, but tropes exist for a reason and I relate to that because my faith is shaky for those very reasons. I don't identify as an atheist. I tend to identify as a Christian because I have moments of belief, of faith, but I also have so much doubt. And I understand Sue losing faith in God because of what she views as a cruel world. I dunno. It worked for me. I get how it was deep into trope territory, but eh.
Kurt and his Dad are, well, there are not words. ♥
No words. Only the sound of my heart squishing.
I never thought they'd make Kurt renounce his non-faith. That would have been lame.That's why I was worried it would happen--'cause it would've been lame. :D
( ... )
Only twice? Seriously, I was sobbing throughout this whole episode. Words cannot express how much I love Kurt's dad, both of them have such an amazing relationship that if Burt died, I would have been utterly devastated. My head still hurts from all the crying I did tonight.
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And mostly, I'm not surprised if it was done poorly. The Kurt and his dad scenes are what's good to me.
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The whole idea that people are only atheists because something bad happened to them. Both Kurt and Sue demonstrate this; Kurt is an atheist because Christianity hates on him for being gay, and Sue because her prayers to cure her sister went unanswered.
I couldn't sum it up better than Ryan Murphy: "Sue's an atheist, but I love that she doesn't want to be. She and [Kurt] are both saying to the world, 'Prove us wrong: If God is kindness and love, make me believe in God.'"
That's not really atheism. At all. Murphy's Catholic background is really obvious here.
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More on Finn: that by eating the Grilled Cheesus, he's destorying the idol, that which he used to prop himself up and as a sounding board for all his selfish desires; he needed to destroy it just as he needed to restore his own internal balance.
Wow, are we actually having a conversation about the Grilled Cheesus? YES WE ARE.
KURT. This kid makes me cry. Glad I'm not the only one. ♥
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I know! As soon as they show him opening the refrigerator, I knew.
But, um, how is eating the duck's egg honoring the duck? That seems very douchy.
Heh. Well, it makes sense in the story. Because she had to take the egg away, or else the duck would continue to nest there--and eventually the duck and its eggs would get done in by her dogs. So her choices were to throw the egg into the trash, feed it to the dogs, or eat it. And since the whole situation arose because of human destruction of natural habitat--human rejection of the natural world--reincorporating herself into the lifecycle/food chain is presented as a way to show respect to the duck. I don't know. It's a little weird, I guess.
More on Finn: that by eating the Grilled Cheesus, he's destorying the idol, that which he used to prop himself up and as a sounding board for all his selfish desires; he needed to destroy it just as he needed to restore his own internal balance.Yes. Totally. ( ... )
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I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore.
I get what you're saying! Oh, Glee. It's reduced us to talking about a grilled cheese idol sandwich.
I did a double take at Little Kurt. Seriously. Awesome casting. I think I might rewatch that scene just to cry again. What? I do that sometimes. *squish*
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They definitely hit the Hollywood Atheist Trope with Sue, but otherwise it mostly avoided the shoals. Kurt and his Dad are, well, there are not words. ♥
I never thought they'd make Kurt renounce his non-faith. That would have been lame. But he did learn to accept the good wishes of others in the form that they offered them, and that is a valuable life lesson.
I liked that both Sue and Finn shift their stances, largely because they had both taken their original position for slight or reactionary reasons, which would naturally be shaky to defend. I loved Emma's explanation to Finn lots, too.
I sort of wish we had heard more from Quinn on the subject, since she seems to have given the matter some thought. Oh well, 42 minutes flies by...
P.S. My kid was all aghast that Finn ate make-up! (She is learning the tricks of the prop-making trade, you see.) We decided it was probably a stunt sandwich...
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Kurt and his Dad are, well, there are not words. ♥
No words. Only the sound of my heart squishing.
I never thought they'd make Kurt renounce his non-faith. That would have been lame.That's why I was worried it would happen--'cause it would've been lame. :D ( ... )
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