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Glee Cheesus Episode takes on Gay Bullying and Atheism

This weeks Glee episode has Finn spot Jesus in his grilled cheese sandwich, which he then prays to so he can 1) win a football game, 2) touch Rachel's boobs and 3) get his quarterback slot back. When they all come true he suddenly gets religion.

I won't run down the whole show, but that and other plot elements combine to setup a big church-state separation flap and Kurt outing himself as an atheist and battling his friends praying over his sick father.

Most reviews & stories about the episode go on and on about the issue of gay bullying and how timely it was with the three recent suicides in the news related to this issue. I've only seen seen one review that mentions the church-state issue or Kurt's atheism (Michael Stone/Examiner). Not even any stories or blogs on the relatively gay friendly and liberal HuffPo. When I watched it, the atheism issue seemed to be the major up front theme. The episode was certainly taped quite a while back and not in response to bullying.

What do y'all think? Are all the reviewers etc just sticking their head in the sand on a too hot to touch issue with atheism, sticking their fingers in their ears saying la-la-la-la-la? Or is the topic of atheism just so 'no big deal' to the watchers of Glee that it didn't even register with them? Oh yeah, remember that this show airs on the Fox Broadcasting Company.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Justin Bonaparte on October 7, 2010 at 9:31am

Just watched it on hulu. Looks like it was well handled, they covered all the bases, some folks believe cause they want to believe, others don't because they can't. So we're still where we were an hour ago. Fun music!

Permalink Reply by Mick Wright on October 7, 2010 at 11:54am

It was pretty accurate, from what I've heard - in that of all the godbots, only one of them got the 'get your prayers out of my face' message.

Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on October 7, 2010 at 3:25pm

Kurt outs himself as atheist?

He was already by far my favorite character and actor on the show. Now he like needs to be knighted or something. Damn I love Glee! Can't wait to Hulu it tonight!

Permalink Reply by Joe Tomberlin on October 7, 2010 at 6:05pm

Kurt's ok, but you can't beat Sue. Jane Lynch always brings something special to her parts.

Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on October 8, 2010 at 5:57pm

True Joe. Jane Lynch deserved every micron of that emmy she won!

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on October 7, 2010 at 5:54pm

2) touch Rachel's boobs

Wow, they even worked in how asinine and hypocritical most Christians are. I'm impressed.

Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on October 8, 2010 at 5:56pm

Wow, they even worked in how asinine and hypocritical most Christians are. I'm impressed.

They truly did. Right down to having another character casually mention something like, "Sure I pray. For Earthquake victims or hunger. What kind of things do you pray for?"

Plus, Finn's last prayer doesn't exactly turn out how he expects. The show made a very bold statement on selfishness and pettiness in prayer.

Permalink Reply by Joe Tomberlin on October 7, 2010 at 6:16pm

Yes, great episode etc etc - but...

The question is why the reviewers etc (except for Micheal Stone) are ignoring the major theme to the episode? All they're commenting about is gay bullying, which was a tiny piece of the show (just one of Kurt's reasons to reject religion). Personally I think they are hiding their head in the sand, kind of taking the attitude of 'atheists don't really exist, they're just mad at god', which Kurt would have cause for.

Permalink Reply by Justin Bonaparte on October 7, 2010 at 6:26pm

Maybe they see belief in god as less controversial (no matter what side you're on) than gay bullying. As you said, there have been a few recent stories on gay bullying/bullying in general/teen suicide, so that's the hot button issue of the moment. The atheist 'thing' probably has taken a back seat to that.

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on October 8, 2010 at 5:34pm

I don't know if I'd say 'controversial' as much as 'topical'. Admittedly I haven't seen the Faux News or 700 Club coverage of it, but I can't imagine there are many people in favor of the gay bullying ... except perhaps Fred Phelps and Pat Robertson.

Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on October 8, 2010 at 1:37am

"Is God an evil dwarf?" - Britney

Just to confirm and reiterate; Glee rocks. Period.

Permalink Reply by Hugh Kramer on October 8, 2010 at 4:18pm

Well, I thought the music was nice; especially that Billy Joel song, but somebody should tell those Christians that the loving response to someone else's pain is not trying to convert him.