Maryam Namazie put this video up the other day on her blog. Watching it, you just want to scream out, “Yes!” and wish more people had the courage to speak out as ex-Muslims. Note that these people are not saying, “Islam is stupid.” Plenty of other people are saying that. They are simply saying that people should have the right not to believe, a claim especially relevant now in places where Islam is hegemonic. Considering the brutal murder of Salmaan Taseer last week, such voices should be heeded far and wide.
In a Perfect World #2
This comic is now up at Jesus and Mo, on the Guest Comics page. Scroll down to see it. It’s a really wonderful thing for a modest little blog like mine to get linked by such an illustrious duo. (By the way, they’re kicking ass over at the Washington Post, leading the pack as the best webcomic.)
I don’t think many of you will have difficulty with the meaning of this one, either. Nudge, nudge; wink, wink.
Popes say the darndest things
Hemant Mehta at the Friendly Atheist has found some merit in my whimsical little cartoon depicting Joseph Ratzinger as an alcoholic. I’m a bit confused as to why he seems to have enjoyed it while so many others told me they were perplexed at its “message.” Did Ratzinger say/do something recently that would connect him with such an utterance? No. I think some people are looking too deeply at it for an explanation that, well, explains. I suppose there is none in any proper sense. It just makes you laugh or it doesn’t. It made me laugh when I drew it, so I naively assumed it would make others do the same.
I learned from this article how New Yorker cartoonists sit on shpilkes each week hoping the editors buy their work. Most everything they draw is rejected in the end. But it’s the way they conjure them up that I find fascinating. You maybe have an idea or a phrase which has funniness potential, then you start drawing stuff to see what works. Sometimes it doesn’t, and that’s ok.
Hemant is right, though: you could put anything into a pope’s mouth and it would come out funny (did I just write that? It must be the influence of the Skepchicks.)
Foxfur Nebula
My 2011 astronomy calendar has an awesome image of the Foxfur Nebula (or Fox Fur). Here is another splendid image for your consideration.
“Its popular name arises because the nebula looks like the head of a stole made from the fur of a red fox.” I just love the ways in which big scientific discoveries get stuck with odd little names based on what they remind us of. Look closely and you can “see” the fox!
Whatever Works: a great atheist comedy
When I saw Whatever Works last year I loved it. The person I saw it with told me I reminded her a lot of Boris Yelnikoff, the lead character played by Larry David. I took it as a compliment. Plenty of people have told me I remind them of Woody Allen, which I also take as a compliment (though I know it isn’t always meant as one.)
My impression was that the movie kind of got slammed as one of Allen’s least-best, which is hardly criticism. I just watched it again. It’s actually a moving atheist comedy about Bible-Belt American Christians losing their old-time religion, following their passions and embracing a secular lifestyle in New York City.
There’s a great scene where Ed Begley, Jr., who plays the father, falls to his knees and begs Jesus for forgiveness for his sins. His daughter Melody, by now married to Yelnikoff – a misanthropic Jewish atheist – smiles sweetly and says, “Do you want to tell him or should I?”
“Tell me what?” her father responds.
“There’s nobody out there. Honest. You’re prayin’ to no one!”
Here’s the New Year’s scene at the end, which I’d wanted to post a few days ago, but what the hell. It’s a great movie, even if it’s not Annie Hall.
‘Buddhist’ is just a nicer way of saying ‘atheist’
My wife really dislikes Facebook; even so, she feels compelled to share at least some information about herself. Last night she was filling in a few new interests on her profile when she came to “religion.” “What should I write?” she asked. “‘I love Jesus? Liberal? Agnostic?'” “Why don’t you just tell the truth?” I said. “Write ‘atheist.'”
“That sounds too harsh,” she replied. “I’ll just put down ‘Buddhist’ instead.”
In a Perfect World #1
I’m taking the leap and expanding my blog empire to include cartoons. Here is the first installment of a really badly drawn cartoon I’ll call “In a Perfect World.” A nice, original title subject to change at any time. Feel free to share these cartoons on your blog or website: just please include a link back to this blog. Thanks.
Happy blasphemous New Year!
I just want to wish my readers a happy, blasphemous New Year. In the words of my friend Roberto Vacca, we’re going to stay home eating, drinking and blaspheming fictional deities.
Whatever works for you and yours!
Testing testing 123
This is not a blog post. This is not a blog post. I’m testing the post-by-email function on WordPress. Repeat: this is not a blog post. Don’t have a hissy fit.
*Fuck yeah, it works!
Jewish Christmas Explained
It’s a simple explanation for a complex phenomenon, after all.
Marc Di Martino 