Glee: We just hate atheists and agnostics, okay?

[shaebay]

I think that a small portion of my f-listers are fans of Glee, and I know that a large portion of my f-listers have the same religious beliefs as I do. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to

Comments

[plaidedbra]

I'm surprised Glee might do an episode about something as divisive as religion - especially when there are such bitter relationships with those in the same category (various baptists, catholics vs protestants, sunni vs shiite, etc). I haven't watched Glee, and I'm not sure I could sit through a whole half-hour of the stuff. Ugly Betty was intense to me; even though I was able to sit through one episode, I didn't want to watch more.

If it makes you feel any better about your baptism, my mom and sister and I only got baptised so we'd be written into the wills of my great aunt and great uncle (who don't have kids). If they found out that my mom converted to Judaism or how agnostic I am, all their stuff would go to their evangelical lutheran church. I kinda suspect most of it is going there anyway.

There's a really great image floating online lately, about how religion is like adult penises... or something, emphesising the "shouldn't be shoved down kids' throats" line. Hell, the first time I ever went to church, I became an athiest

[shaebay]

I love that image/text, I saw it floating around on tumblr, I think.

[hewtab]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one that was a bit offended by the episode. I was surprised glee even decided to make such an episode since religion is a touchy subject for pretty much everyone. I don't feel like they treated the subject of atheism very well.

[blodeuedd83]

Good rant, this episode just pissed me off! if they had tried to sing happy Jesus/god songs to me I would have walked out, and the praying. He said he didn't want to. It would just make me feel worse. Shoving your religion down someones throat is not right.

So worst ep ever, well except for he sang loosing my religion

[jolfolfille]

I don't know, I disagree. =/ I thought Kurt made several excellent arguments for the side of atheism, and the whole thing with Emma and Sue was great - Emma saying "that's what you believe, but please don't shove it down our throats" and Sue saying "yeah, exactly." I thought that was awesome. I also think the whole storyline with Grilled Cheesus was supposed to be sort of poking fun at all the religious crazies, which I thought it did cleverly

[shaebay]

I really don't think there was anything wrong with Kurt's attitude in the beginning, and he didn't need to find something to believe in.

I keep going back to TLo's recap of the episode, because it was able to say so many things I cannot find words for. This bit is especially perfect - "Look, you want to do a pro-religion episode? Do that. Own it. But don't start off as if you're showing all points of view, only to have one point depicted as flawed at the end. They didn't have the balls to have Sue and Kurt happily embrace their atheism. Very disappointing

[jolfolfille]

I guess I didn't pay as much attention to the atheism/Christianity storyline as to Finn being ridiculous and Kurt's dad. =/ But I do agree with the quote you mentioned, and now that I've read your thoughts and thought about it a bit more myself, I think you're right. They didn't do as good a job as I previously said, and that is sad. =/

But I do still think it was supposed to be more about character development than making a statement on what is "right" in terms of faith. And I still think they were trying to do it well, but in terms of reviews and viewers and popularity, portraying atheism as an acceptable choice in religion is not something a TV show really wants to do. In that case, though, I don't think they should have touched the subject at all. =/

I don't know. I guess I just didn't take it as seriously as you did (wow, that sounds like a jab or something, but it's totally not O_o), because I really did enjoy the episode. =/

[charming_goats]

I honestly don't feel like the religious side learned anything at all from it

[jewells68]

This post made me kinda glad I didn't spend my evening watching. I loved glee when I started watching halfway through last season, but my time this fall is so much more limited that I was unwilling to give up another evening to television, so I haven't watched this season. There's really only one evening a week I watch regular television now

[shaebay]

The biggest part is that his dad's religious beliefs are never made known in the story. For all we know, his dad could be an atheist as well. The way Kurt is offended, it seems that he and his father have the same beliefs. I could understand the other characters' bewilderment if his dad was that same religion, but the episode made it seem like that wasn't the case.

[wings_of_dreams]

I was going to ask if his father's beliefs are shown since I could understand it a bit better if his father had a particular belief.

[jewells68]

That would make all the difference to me.... and it appears from everyone's comments that they didn't make it obvious what his dad wanted or believed... sounds really poorly tackled