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Sunday, May 16, 2010

Fitting the Medium to the Message; Atheist Eve

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death." - James F. Byrnes

***

Most of the Atheist Eve comics aren't funny, and are just essays crammed into comic strips.

While all media carry messages, the choice of medium should suit the message you want to convey. Which is why I have reservations about the common use of fiction as a vehicle to express philosophical ideas (the most pertinent example being C.S. Lewis). But then, humanity is a story-telling species, so it may well be that most people prefer their ideas to come packaged in a story.

In the case of comic strips, the medium should be chosen when the drawing adds something to either the content or the delivery of the message.

One example Atheist Eve strip where the medium enhances the message:


"How is prayer like masturbation?

Some people do it in times of stress.
Some people like to do it in public.
Some people like to do it in groups.
Some people teach children to do it.
The only thing it does is make the person feel better."

(Actually this isn't true - masturbation reduces the risk of prostate cancer, while praying for sick people reduces their chances of getting better [or indeed makes them even more sick])

Or:


"Matt 27:5 vs Acts 1:18. Did Judas die by HANGING? Or did he fall on his head and EXPLODE in a field?"
"MAYBE he hanged himself on a really high cliff over a field... and then MAYBE the rope broke... and MAYBE he hit the ground so hard he burst open!?"

(this is a real apologetic argument)

Another rare example of the medium suiting the message (on the importance of critically examining religion):


"Just the fact that you spend so much time arguing your worldview speaks volumes to me. If you honestly don't secretly believe god exists, then why argue at all? Why would you even care what religious beliefs or ideas other people have? There is no reason religion or belief in god would even matter to you, unless there was something internal that compels us all to seek out god. Seriously, why do you have such a problem with religion? Can you please explain why you spend so much time worrying about what other people believe?"

But then, logical argumentation (i.e. critical thinking) is considered disrespectful:


"I asked him if he felt it was unfair to say 'Leprechauns don't eist,' since we have no way to tell whether they exist, but we just haven't proven it yet? At that point he just said he was offended, and told me I was being disrespectful for comparing his god to a Leprechaun."

(most of the strips are like this, and putting arguments into comic form makes them harder to grok)
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