The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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Post by TRANSPONDER »

Hi all.

I was toying with posting this in Apologetics, but it seemed too trivial really and there's a vid, too.


The thing was, I came across this 'Fedora' thing on my previous board some five years ago I recall by just one poster who was just trying to needle atheists rather than make any kind of argument.

The video 'explains' what that was all about - to take the Fedora hat (which I gather was supposed to be worn by a fat -faced unshaven clod with no social graces) and somehow "Associate that" (the animation says) with atheists. It seems to have dropped off since none of we goddless bastards knew what it was all about, but any recollection of or insights into the 'Fedora apologetic' would be appreciated.

While I'm here, of course, Atheism has done well out of entertainment. Bill Burr, George Carlin, Ricky Gervaise and Dave Allen (Irish comedian qv) have served us well and of course Life of Brian led to an uproar and a televised debate which in hindsight the Church lost because the Film is now a top comedy classic.

In fact I may post some of my favourite 'Entertainment' clips relating to religion.

Of course there have been old religious films that frankly pushed me away from religion rather than towards it (The ten commandments, Pastures green') we have more recent religious films and good luck to them. They are merely 'The Bible in Pictures' which I pored over as a kid but saw as no more than a fairy story.

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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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Post by TRANSPONDER »

This is a somewhat 'atheist classic' clip from Startrek with the iconic Picard before his recent destruction.


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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

Post #3

Post by Purple Knight »

TRANSPONDER wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 3:55 pmThe video 'explains' what that was all about - to take the Fedora hat (which I gather was supposed to be worn by a fat -faced unshaven clod with no social graces) and somehow "Associate that" (the animation says) with atheists. It seems to have dropped off since none of we goddless bastards knew what it was all about, but any recollection of or insights into the 'Fedora apologetic' would be appreciated.
It seems to me to be just a diversion tactic which is what the video is making fun of, though it applies to both sides today. Winning the argument in modern day is more about making your side seem more powerful, more in control, and less worthy of ridicule, not more factually correct. And can you blame people? They don't want to be ridiculed. Flat earthers get this treatment and they don't really deserve it, because this is the point many of them are trying to prove: People don't believe the earth is a sphere because they have any evidence for it, but because they don't want to be ridiculed.

As ridicule continues to dominate the meta, and true discourse recedes, it becomes more and more powerful, with more and more reason to simply switch to the dominant side - the side that can ridicule - and more and more reason to hurl ridicule to position your side as the dominant one.

So the hat just symbolises ridicule. Not sure why though.

One Gallifreyan's opinion only but... Fedoras are cool. :wink:

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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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Post by TRANSPONDER »

Indeed. If atheist were in the habit of wearing fedoras...so what? Even if they did have fat faces and whiskers and were clumsy in chatting up the laidees...so what? As regards the case for atheism? Or Theism? I would be ashamed to have the atheist central committee and global sciencebribe slushfund and control bar and grill suggest attacking God -believers for having flat feet and unlaundered underpants. The case is what matters. However this should be more about atheism (or theism) in entertainment. Which reminds me, Dave Allen (probably not well known in the US) was a delight in my young days when one simply did Not go after religion.

:D I remember he's start of his show with 'I had a letter from a priest the other day......(pause)....I get quite a lot of letters from priests."

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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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Post by Athetotheist »

TRANSPONDER wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:22 pm This is a somewhat 'atheist classic' clip from Startrek with the iconic Picard before his recent destruction.

I hope this isn't too off-topic, but since you bring up that clip----I never cared much for the scene or for the episode in general. I get that it was what Gene Roddenberry wanted, but I find Picard's groupthink off-putting. I much prefer the independent thinking of a more contemplative Picard in an earlier episode:


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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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Post by William »

The problem is the Prime Directive itself.

It can be seen as the "Holy Law" of the humanity Roddenberry imagined would/could become if they left the idea of existing within a creation behind them...due mainly to the evidence of what intelligent species are capable of doing when they get all religionized and make up gods to compensate not knowing.

It is like watching episodes of "Christians in Space" who are conflicted by requirement to remain hidden from less technologically involved critters, so that they may not be mistaken for being gods, and worshiped as such, or doing so in order to "be a Jesus" and guide those critters toward enlightenment...which has proved a path filled with blind terror and uncertainty...oh why oh why!

The Prime Directive is simply an ego tool for these Materialist Space Trekkers, who are happy to war with Klingons [and anyone else who doesn't co-operate], and blow up starships et al, but 'perish the thought' of planet-bound beings involving themselves in warfare just because they believe some god told them to do so!


[I have a cat named "Captain" - I named him that because of his prominent star-date.]
That is hilarious!

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^..^(*)

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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

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Post by TRANSPONDER »

Athetotheist wrote: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:02 am
TRANSPONDER wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:22 pm This is a somewhat 'atheist classic' clip from Startrek with the iconic Picard before his recent destruction.

I hope this isn't too off-topic, but since you bring up that clip----I never cared much for the scene or for the episode in general. I get that it was what Gene Roddenberry wanted, but I find Picard's groupthink off-putting. I much prefer the independent thinking of a more contemplative Picard in an earlier episode:

That's perfectly well on topic. We have to bear in mind that episodes are written by different writers, and they may have their own views to push. While of course I don't know what the view is going to be on death,life and existence in the 31st century, I can only say that right now, the various ID beliefs are based on nothing but unknowns, not to say false patters that human impose of happenstance.

That said, a continuation of human existence in some form of individual cognisance after death may not be just a deification of an instinct for survival manifesting in a horror of death. What I am sure of however, is that whatever it may be, no one religion holds the entry tickets.

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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

Post #9

Post by TRANSPONDER »

William wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:21 pm The problem is the Prime Directive itself.

It can be seen as the "Holy Law" of the humanity Roddenberry imagined would/could become if they left the idea of existing within a creation behind them...due mainly to the evidence of what intelligent species are capable of doing when they get all religionized and make up gods to compensate not knowing.

It is like watching episodes of "Christians in Space" who are conflicted by requirement to remain hidden from less technologically involved critters, so that they may not be mistaken for being gods, and worshiped as such, or doing so in order to "be a Jesus" and guide those critters toward enlightenment...which has proved a path filled with blind terror and uncertainty...oh why oh why!

The Prime Directive is simply an ego tool for these Materialist Space Trekkers, who are happy to war with Klingons [and anyone else who doesn't co-operate], and blow up starships et al, but 'perish the thought' of planet-bound beings involving themselves in warfare just because they believe some god told them to do so!


[I have a cat named "Captain" - I named him that because of his prominent star-date.]
That is hilarious!

Image

^..^(*)
Despite the ideals of Roddenberry, Startrek had its' limitations, partly because the episodes reflected the thought of the time (Cold war, mostly) and partly because a TV series showing space travellers shaking hands with advances races 'This noise is Beethoven, what do you have?' or saying 'they do human sacrifice - take some quick reading and let's move on'.

No, they had to have the adventures that would keep the viewers entertained and mostly they were good ol' Us cowboy and war films with a bit of saxophone -accompanied regulation smooching. With the occasional philosophical episode or put down of religious superstition and even a courtroom drama o two and a submarine -hunt episode with a Romulan spacecruiser.

That said, galactic politics, especially with species that might be as suspicious as earthlings are will lead to conflict, and being pacifist is a quick way to go extinct. But if one has to lay down a spread of photon torpedoes I would hope it is for a better reason than to force an ancient superstition on a planet that probably already has one or two of its' own.

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Re: The Fedora and atheism in comedy

Post #10

Post by William »

The Prime Directive is simply an ego tool for these Materialist Space Trekkers, who are happy to war with Klingons [and anyone else who doesn't co-operate], and blow up starships et al, but 'perish the thought' of planet-bound beings involving themselves in warfare just because they believe some god told them to do so!

The apparent hypocrisy of the materialist world view is in, that there is no logical reason given as to why The Prime Directive is the most sensible law to adopt regarding primitive species.

The idea that if they were to reveal themselves to primitives they would be considered 'gods' and worshiped and this would naturally lead on to wars being fought in their name and other such 'terrible' things, does not take into account that it is both natural to fight and natural to form religious beliefs, even if those beliefs cut out the religious part [god is dead and it is only us/materialism] there has been no requirement of any space-faring race to cut out the conflict part - as clearly can be observed in the materialist future-fantasy.

It is clearly a type of "what we imagine us Materialist Space Trekkers would be doing in the future without those pesky theist superstitions getting in the way of our progress" - a natural evolution of materialist ego-based fantasy which has etched itself into the minds of all who fall for its seductive imagery ever since materialism became the most popular belief from the 1800s and began waging war on everything identified as theistic.

A war all subsequent materialists are currently involved in, as a means of trying to irradicate all sign that humanity ever contemplated existing within a creation...

The toll on the planet because of this belief, is likely worse than anything humans have ever committed against life through any other belief, in the whole history of human development.

Boldly going where no atrocity has ever gone before.

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