Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Does Anyone Read The Newspaper Anymore?

Only for the comics.

Speaking of comics, what does everyone think about Dilbert this past week? I have yet to see one post about it, although I think it is provocative. So I might as well start the discussion here. Go here and start at 3/8/08, if you don't know what I'm talking about.

8 comments:

  1. Wow! I think you started something. I see: outright mockery of God, direct slam on various Christian groups (prosperity gospel, people who worship Mary and see her in objects, and I think I sense a knock at Obama.

    I'm going to mention this over at Gene Veith's blog, because they are talking about this kind of thing today in the New Sins thread.

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  2. I don't see any mockery of God in the Dilbert's strip.

    The first panel makes politically-incorrect fun of the non-English way of pronouncing "Jesus" (as if the English version was how the angel of the Lord pronounced Jesus' name to Joseph). There's no mockery of God.

    The second panel applies the WWJD mantra to Dilbert's workplace (as the boss wishes it were). If there's any religious mockery, it's about the Baptist/Reformed WWJD phrase, which Lutherans have castigated for years as "theology of glory" heterodoxy. Again, no mockery of God.

    The third panel takes a humorous swipe at the Romanists and their fondness of relics, visions, and potato chips in the shape of Jesus, Mary, or some saint. It's certainly milder than Dr. Martin Luther's derision of this romish habit in the Smalcald Articles.

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  3. The previous comments were for the cartoon of Mar 8.

    I just looked at the cartoons for March 10-13 (the Mar 9 strip is the Sunday strip on another subject), and those cartoons definitely cross the line for Scott Adams, particularly

    1. Claiming the name of Jesus, in itself, may be mocked;

    2. Imitating the miracles of Jesus in a mocking way;

    3. Mocking our Savior with the use of a pun; and

    4. Mocking Christ by pretending he seeks and gets revenge against His enemies.

    This should not be a shock for Christians who, in Holy Week church services, will be noting the drastic change in people's behavior in Jerusalem between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday.

    Sending an email to Scott Adams or to the local newspapers carrying the Dilbert cartoon, expressing disgust over this recent cartoon series may, or may not, have any effect.

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  4. TK!

    Thanks for the mention! The linked article has the expected, predictable responses. At least at the time I read it!

    Carl!

    I don't know why I was surprised by this mockery because the artist has skewered so many other things. But I've always liked the strip. Whether I will continue to read it is something I must sort out. Unless he is going somewhere with this I don't yet see, I'd have to say no.

    Again, I think the whole series only purpose is to be provocative. But "cowardly-provocative". He dares provoke only those who won't call for his murder. I'll bet our brave hero will never mock Islam.

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  5. Seems more silly than blasphemous to me.

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  6. No denying there was some mockery but not nearly as offensive or as mean-spirited as others I'd seen - not that it makes it okay.

    I do agree that it shows again the double standard - mocking Christians okay but don't even think about mocking Islam.

    Maybe if we torched a few cars or threw an occasional rock we would get the same respect. (please note sarcasm)

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