First post

[michloup]

And it isn't to say anything positive. I was really unhappy with episode 2.03, Grilled Cheesus, when I watched (today), and well...Anyway. I think this needed to be said.

Comments

[justapalindrome]

So I'm an agnostic, probably leaning towards atheism at this juncture in my life, and I didn't really get all that from this episode. One quick tangent though: I don't think it's at all "wrong" or offensive to invite someone of another faith to a service that is contrary. I was raised Jewish and Catholic and a baptist friend of mine wanted to see what a Catholic Mass was like and a Jewish synagogue service, and I don't think it was a particularly evil of me to accept her request haha. Now If i brought her with expectation of conversion that would be different, but, much like Mercedes, I don't think that was the goal. I know some atheists who participate in religious service during holidays, not because of an modicum of belief, but because they are culturally relevant and they enjoy that sense of tradition.

Anyway, I didn't feel like Glee was proselytizing in any sense, and it seemed very open and accepting of Kurt's view, but I think it's important remember that most people are raised with a deity and have some faith in it (especially in the US), therefore, there reaction to him being an atheist isn't all that shocking, I think i would have been more shocked had they just left it alone and been like "Cool by me, Kurt!" That seems a lot more unrealistic.

I dind't really get that sense from the last scene, I got more of a "Maybe I was being too militant of an atheist, so i should let them do their thing" kinda vibe. I mean, I know just as many atheist's who attempt to convert as a know believers who attempt to, and they are equally offensive and annoying. I think the point was that people find comfort in their own ways, and should be able to access that regardless of what their opiate might be.

[crittab]

This is exactly what I got out of the episode, and I'm coming from a Christian perspective.

[michloup]

Well there's a different between inviting someone whose expressed an interest and inviting someone who is very clear about the fact that he isn't interested. And as an atheist, I've been invited to religious services. And never there hasn't been th hope- I wouldn't say the intention, but the hope- that somehow it would change my mind. Maybe it isn't impossible, but forgive me from not seeing like that.

And yeah, of course they're not going to be okay immediately. But some acknowledgement that their reaction wasn't perfect would have been nice. Like that, it just seems Kurt was the one particulary in the wrong there, and no. They weren't really obnoxious about it, they were a little pushy. And I still feel that Mercedes inviting him, at the time that she did, is too much. I get that you can retire a lot from a religious service like this one, even on a not religious point of view, but it isn't the way Mercedes sell it. It's more "It's the only thing I know how to do for you, so put your ideas aside, the fact that you've said it won't help you, and come, please" There was others way of showing she was here for him, I think.

And the last scene, if your talking about Sue...Well, we're talking about Sue, who never backs off. But this time she backs off. Because she was sincere in her desire to help them? Well, then it would have been nice to see that acknowledged. And acknowledge, also, that she was right in her concern- the comfort they were offering Kurt don't do much good to an atheist.