Glee and WoW

[thistlechaser]

I should have had more faith in Glee. The description was "Glee finds religion", which scared the heck out of me. I really like the show, I didn't want to become annoyed or disgusted with it, but wow, it handled the subject so well. I really couldn't have asked for better. (And I love Kurt even more than ever.)

"I think God is like Santa Claus for adults. Otherwise, God's kind of a jerk, isn't he? I mean, he makes me gay and then has his followers telling me it's something that I chose. As if someone would choose to be mocked every single day of their life.

No offense to religious folks, but I've always seen religion as a crutch -- something some adults need because they can't face reality without it (things like the idea that there's nothing after we die is just too scary for some). (And "No offense to religious folks" doesn't make that any less insulting, huh? My intent isn't to insult, but that is how I see religion.)

That being said, I loved the whole speech about needing to believe in something, and (probably selfishly), I've always liked the "you don't have to believe in god, He still believes in you" idea. (Because, while I don't believe... what if I'm wrong? I would like to be wrong. I'd like there to be a god, but it's not a realistic desire, no more than wishing Santa was real is.)

And, on one character saying that Kurt couldn't prove there isn't a god:

"You can't prove that there isn't a magic teapot floating around the dark side of the moon with a dwarf inside of it that reads romance novels and shoots lightning bolts out of its boobs, but it seems pretty unlikely, doesn't it?"

However, as much as I agree with Kurt, I liked how the different religions were treated. The show didn't bash them. (Kurt disagreed with them, but the other characters were true to their various faiths.)

This may have been my favorite Rachel song ever, too! And Fin singing Losing My Religion! One of my favorite songs! He even moved his hands in the same way as the music video! :D

And Sue and her big sister? I love every interaction between the two, but when her sister asked her if she wanted her to pray, it broke me.

This is easily the best ep of the whole series. It worked for non-religious folks, I bet it worked for religious folks, it was so kind and loving and wonderful and heartwrenching. Kurt had some fully accurate and fair comments about religion, but the believers weren't painted in a bad light. This show deserves all the hype it gets.

On WoW, with the end of Brewfest, the final tally:

Keen (mount collector) - Kodo x3!, Shanker x2!, Ram (97/100 mounts!)
Haken: Kodo, Shanker, Tankard
Crowfeathers: Ram
Thack: Remote x3!, Shanker, Tankard

I'm sure I had more WoW stuff to write about, but after Glee I've forgotten it all.

Comments

[achika-soladia.livejournal.com]

The closest I've come to watching Glee is seeing a commercial saying I can go to a website and have a chance at volunteering with the cast before everything I watch on TGWTG. So I don't know much about it.

Though it sounds like the one character expanded upon Russell's Teapot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%27s_teapot). For some reason I thought I read something about a unicorn in your post too but I can't find it, but I'm still going to link Invisible Pink Unicorn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invisible_Pink_Unicorn). Of course, nothing beats the Flying Spaghetti Monster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster).

And you're right in that some people use religion as a crutch because they need something to believe in. That's the only reason I have a religion. Granted I made up everything about it and I'm the only follower, but yeah.

On the topic of TGWTG and religion, I have to steal a question from one of his videos. "Why do Christians say that abstinence is the best way to not become pregnant when it didn't work for Mary?"

Okay I'm done rambling. Back to sleep for me.

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

As a break from my regularly scheduled program, for the rest of the afternoon I will be imagining Thistle molested by the FSM's mighty noodly appendages.

There was a lecture by Peter J Carroll concerning man's perception of reality. He stated that everyone at some time in their life, usually when young, glimpses the true nature of the universe - that everything is mutable, dynamic, chaotic. This causes a sort of personal crisis, sometimes even manifesting as physical disease. Then people tend to respond one of 3 ways -

1) By seeking meaning and stability in an External Power. Unable to deal with the universe as a place without stability or order, they appeal to God(s)/goddess(es) for assistance. Questioning the external force is an uncomfortable or even painful reminder of their initial glimpse, of their lack of control, and will be avoided at all costs.

2) By orienting on a particular Goal, and aligning morality to meet this Goal. Most will even be Machiavellian about achievement of the Goal. Usually this goal is tangible, and (perhaps most importantly) can be shown to others as proof, reinforcing the order this person imposes on themselves.

3) Lastly (and Carroll states "most rarely"), a person comes to terms with mutability of reality by being mutable themselves. The person can alter any aspect of their Self (a la Heidegger's "Dasein") at will, even at fundamental levels. The resulting person tends to be motivated by Challenge and Fun, mixing and matching internal components of themselves with goals (and usually not in the most optimal manner).


So yes, many people choose religion out of an almost Lovecraftian fear of the unknown. Given the choice of a loving deity looking out for them -or- them being a tiny smear of meat on a speck of dust travelling a stupifying speed through mostly nothing, it isn't hard to see why they choose that. Even an angry dwarf in a teapot, or flying pasta tentaclemonster, is less scary than the alternative.


In closing, I link to autotuned Sagan, Dawkins, Hawking, Feynman, etc. Symphony of Science

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Why do Christians say that abstinence is the best way to not become pregnant when it didn't work for Mary?"

Best. Quote. Ever.

[achika-soladia.livejournal.com]

I'd have to rewatch the video again (Out of 52 videos!) to find out what his exact answer was, but it was something to the effect of being abstinent lets you deliver our Lord and Savior, where sex doesn't. Now which one would make you feel better? It's the sex isn't it?

[achika-soladia.livejournal.com]

Also just as a warning, if you decide to look up the Ask That Guy With The Glasses videos after these comments, they can range from funny hilarious to scarily hilarious. And possible offensive. =x

[kirbyk.livejournal.com]

"God is an angry dwarf?"

Agreed, this was the best episode to date. My favorite was Kurt's rendition of "I Want To Hold Your Hand", traditionally one of the more shallow, if catchy, Beatles tunes that had a whole lot of emotional power with the context of the story.

When this show hits on all cylinders, it fills me with, well. Glee.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yes! At first I wasn't sure if I liked his version or not, but in seconds it grew on me and I really enjoyed it.

[quistie.livejournal.com]

Randomly, I like how you start off a post about faith with "I should have had more faith in Glee."

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ha! I'm glad you spotted that! I had originally had something like "(spot the irony there?)", but I edited it out because it was too unsubtle.