Atheism and Religious Satire in Pop Culture

rte57698

Indeed, this satirized picture is hilarious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown

In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s, noted especially for his activism on behalf of fellow African Americans and the poor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown#Social_activism

... now, who would think THAT was worthy of Hell, hmmm? And people have the gall to wonder why whites and blacks don't get along ...

http://coanews.org/article/2007/those-damn-hippies

There's an excellent commentary Harvard professors Michael C. Dawson and Lawrence Bobo tag-teamed with Blackcommentator.com to produce, headlined Different Moral Universe, and it explains this righteous rage: "Blacks and whites see the world from opposite ends of American Manifest Destiny, which is at the very core of the white national personality, worldview, and sense of self. Like a Black Hole, Manifest Destiny exerts a near-irresistible pull on white Americans, distorting history and even the near-past beyond recognition. Realities are made invisible, even as they unfold in plain sight."

... YES, I DO get the joke; NO, I'm NOT a Stalinist out to censor the right-wing, so don't get it twisted. It's just a damn shame such a talented artist turned to the dark side, is all ...

What gives this cartoonist the right to determine who he/she thinks should be burning hell? Chances are, they don't know anything about James Brown except for what they hear on the news and media. If you want to judge musical artists and send them to hell based on the music they sang, in that case, Elvis Presley should be burning in hell right along with James Brown. Elvis' music was considered to be just as sinful when he first started performing on stage and on television. James Brown did many good things for the poor, and inner-city people and much more during his life, but you don't hear much about that. He was well-loved by millions. I am a cartoon artist myself, I know what takes to pick up a pencil and draw something that is supposed to be funny and mostly accurate. When you use your God-Given talent to unfairly depict someone burning in hell, you had better think twice before you decide to throw stones. That's God's job to decide who's burning in hell. Shame on the editors as well.

James Brown was the gratest musical legend ever and the fact that people bad mouth him after he has died jus goes to show how pathetic and direspectfull they relaly are....pricks! james brown will live 4 ever in his muical legacy

Ummm, Saab, the picture is satirical in nature. It's a joke, and it's so deadpan that a lot of people don't get it.

"Sean," I don't know which comment you were reading, but MINE said the following ...

... YES, I DO get the joke; NO, I'm NOT a Stalinist out to censor the right-wing, so don't get it twisted. It's just a damn shame such a talented artist turned to the dark side, is all ...

... so yes, I GOT it, but the world is divided in simpler terms than you'd imagine: There's the poor/oppressed (the left) and the rich/powerful (the right), so ask yourself which group does that cartoon help and which does it hurt?

Oh, and by the way -- making sure that bored, spoiled whites in suburbia always have something to laugh at is NOT a priority ...

Ugh, really Saab? You say you get the joke but its obvious you don't.

It really is making fun of the idea that certain white people have about black music. It really has less to do with James Brown, or black music, than it does to do with poking fun at white people.

Are you sure you're not really Plastic Man or Mister Fantastic, because you sure are R-E-A-C-H-I-N-G, Branden ..!

I happen to be a professional cartoonist and it's abundantly clear from the tone of the cartoon that the intent is to imply that James Brown should've followed the pabulum footsteps of a Pat Boone or a Lawrence Welk; the implication is obviously that Brown is to suffer for all eternity for having sang "devil music." Hell, the cartoonist has even drawn himself in the lower righthand corner saying how perdition's flames constitutes "The Big Payback." It's a right-wing cartoon, period. End of story. It is NOT some clever, Trojan Horse-esque attempt at satirizing how right-wingers are. Jesus, quit letting evil off the hook!

Again, I'm not for Stalinistically censoring anyone, but I AM all about calling a spade a spade.

Do you know why those Geico caveman ads are so popular? Because whites love to wallow in the notion that us "special interest" groups are overly sensitive. Therefore, those cavemen are shown caring too much about how Geico depicts them. I bring this up because for you to claim that I'm taking this James Brown cartoon the wrong way is a direct relection of that sentiment.

Tell ya whut: Shave your head, get a tan and wander around Harlem or South Central withOUT a credit card for a couple of weeks -- then get back to me insofar as whether I get the joke or not ...

... however, let's say The Onion's intent wasn't to give the right-wing an even bigger audience that it already has; let's just say The Onion is run by coy, snide, smug, sarcastic, stuck up white pricks who're soooooo INCONSIDERATE that they don't see anything wrong with running such a fascistic cartoon in the name of satire ... OBVIOUSLY, they're First Amendment protected, so doN'T waste space pointing that out. The issue is acknowledging once and for all what is important and what sure as Hell ain't. On September 20, 2008 12:52 AM, I posted the following ...

... making sure that bored, spoiled whites in suburbia always have something to laugh at is NOT a priority ...

... and I fucking meant it. It's clear, UNfortunately, that The Onion has ass backwards priorities; it does "think" (note the quotes) making sure spoiled whites have a laugh is that important, which is exactly why Harvard professors Michael C. Dawson and Lawrence Bobo tag-teamed to say the following on Blackcommentator.com: "Blacks and whites see the world from opposite ends of American Manifest Destiny, which is at the very core of the white national personality, worldview, and sense of self. Like a Black Hole, Manifest Destiny exerts a near-irresistible pull on white Americans, distorting history and even the near-past beyond recognition. Realities are made invisible, even as they unfold in plain sight."

In other words, a great man like James Brown who did what he could to help the poor/oppressed deserves more than The Onion's turned up nose and clever repartee. Those who've come to The Onion's defense probably "think" I'm overreacting (like those cavemen from the Geico ads), but then again, these are the same types who "think" Obama's electoral win suddenly means we're now supposedly living in a colorblind utopia -- even though blacks are still three times more likely to be poor than whites; even though blacks are 12% of the American population but half the homeless population and half the prison population, etc., etc., etc.

The price of liberty is ETERNAL vigilance. When you forget history it repeats itself. Deal with it.

tony I bet i'f they were alive you would be kissing their ass you should go to hell.!!!! don't get mad cause they are rich know about them .don't talk about James Brown my step father i'll come in kick your ass,ok.!!!!!!

Hey everyone! just wanted to let all yall know that I'm still on the dole. That's right subsidized housing is the shit! I'm so happy I can stick it to the man by not working a day job and relying on stupid white people to pay for my food. Any way Ive been selling alot of my crappy comics on the streets. People feel sorry for me and buy it...Suckersssss. Ha ha ha. It's just three black and white zerox sheets stapled together. I'm ripping all those fuckers off but I don't care. later!!!!

http://www.saablofton.org/announcement.html

There is a psychotically obsessed stalker who has been harrassing me over six months now. The stalker has a penchant for impersonating me and he's under the delusion that I'll be forced to abandon my labor of love (storytelling) if he spreads enough lies and makes me look bad (knowing full well I'd rather die than work another burger-flippin' day job). The comic book he's referring to has THOUSANDS of fans, so ask any one of them how off-the-mark this sick individual is.

http://www.midnightfiction.com/reviews/reviews_comix_12.htm#rufus

ITS AN INSULTE TO THE GOD OF SOUL

DIS SOME MO BULLSHIT

DIS OLD BULLSHIT WHO EVER MADE IT CAN SUCK A DICK AND DIE!!!!