Discussion History Main / HollywoodAtheist

Can you give some more contemporary examples? I just really don\\\'t think the negative/straw-man portrayal of atheists in *mainstream media* is as common as one would think. For example, think of the portrayal of the so-called Christians in Easy A; the Bible-thumping preacher in Footloose; the evil warden in Shawshank Redemption; the perverted priest in Disney\\\'s Hunchback of Notre Dame; the plethora of psychotic serial killers who turn out to be Christians in \\\"Criminal Minds\\\" and similar shows - these \\\"Christians\\\" are all portrayed as villains, and the characters who question them or serve justice to them are seen as the heroes, implying that a lack of Christian belief results in a nicer, kinder and overall better person. Also think of House, where the lead protagonist is a firm atheist. Kurt Hummel of Glee is another atheist shown in a positive light.

I just think the adjective \\\"Hollywood\\\" is really misleading, because Hollywood/mainstream media does not go out of its way to slam atheism and typically does not endorse the tenets of Christianity. These stereotypes do exist, but generally in poorly written Christian fiction, not Hollywood. Wouldn\\\'t it be more accurate to say \\\"Flanderized Atheist\\\" or something similar?

Can you give some more contemporary examples? I just really don\\\'t think the negative/straw-man portrayal of atheists in *mainstream media* is as common as one would think. For example, think of the portrayal of the so-called Christians in Easy A; the Bible-thumping preacher in Footloose; the evil warden in Shawshank Redemption; the perverted priest in Disney\\\'s Hunchback of Notre Dame; the plethora of psychotic serial killers who turn out to be Christians in \\\"Criminal Minds\\\" and similar shows - these \\\"Christians\\\" are all portrayed as villains, and the characters who question them or serve justice to them are seen as the heroes, implying that a lack of Christian belief results in a nicer, kinder and overall better person. Also think of House, where the lead protagonist is a firm atheist. Kurt Hummel of Glee is another atheist shown in a positive light.

I just think the adjective \\\"Hollywood\\\" is really misleading, because Hollywood/mainstream media does not go out of its way to slam atheism and typically does not endorse the tenets of Christianity. These stereotypes do exist, but generally in poorly written Christian fiction, not Hollywood. Wouldn\\\'t it be more accurate to say \\\"Flanderized Atheist\\\" or something similar?

Can you give some more contemporary examples? I just really don\\\'t think the negative/straw-man portrayal of atheists in *mainstream media* is as common as one would think. For example, think of the portrayal of the so-called Christians in Easy A; the Bible-thumping preacher in Footloose; the evil warden in Shawshank Redemption; the plethora of psychotic serial killers who turn out to be Christians in \\\"Criminal Minds\\\" and similar shows - these \\\"Christians\\\" are all portrayed as villains, and the characters who question them or serve justice to them are seen as the heroes, implying that a lack of Christian belief results in a nicer, kinder and overall better person. Also think of House, where the lead protagonist is a firm atheist. Kurt Hummel of Glee is another atheist shown in a positive light.

I just think the adjective \\\"Hollywood\\\" is really misleading, because Hollywood/mainstream media does not go out of its way to slam atheism and typically does not endorse the tenets of Christianity. These stereotypes do exist, but generally in poorly written Christian fiction, not Hollywood. Wouldn\\\'t it be more accurate to say \\\"Flanderized Atheist\\\" or something similar?