Happy Easter
Easter time for a church choir singer is a pretty busy time and I will be busy from the earliest part of the day until well into the day with various and sundry church services. I have always thought it was a curious phenomenon that Easter, moreso that any other day of the year, is the time when people come to church in droves with the number of people almost doubling the average attendance from the rest of the year. At my church, I expect the parking lot will be packed, and there will be people parking in the dirt next to the street all the way down the road to the church. That's how it is on Easter.
Today's For Better or For Worse from 1980 reflects that particular curiosity in the form of young Michael Patterson. His parents are startled by the question, but it is a pretty good one. If a person's religion is important enough to come on Easter, then why come only on Easter or Christmas Eve (the other well-attended day)? I would figure if your religion is so unimportant to you that you would only come two times a year, then why would you bother to come at all? It's obviously something that you don't want to do, and could care less about.
In interviews, Lynn Johnston has expressed a dislike for religion due to being fondled by an adult when she was in a church youth choir (as I recollect), and certainly if her character of Elizabeth is any indication, her religion is based more on fatalism ("It was fate we were brought together, Paul or Eric") than anything else. Considering how her career was essentially handed to her, it is easy to see how she might come by that belief. Nevertheless, the Pattersons have had an occasional strip (and by occasional, I mean that the one in 2007 is the only one in the on-line archive going back to 2003) sending them to church on Easter Sunday and the joke is invariably about how one of the younger Pattersons doesn't understand something very basic about church, in the vein of Kids Say the Darnedest Things. Certainly that was the case for last year's Easter strip, with Meredith asking why the minister had not talked about Jesus meeting the Easter Bunny.
Back in 1980, Lynn Johnston just starting out strayed from that idea for her first Easter Sunday strip and did a strip which could be looked on as a criticism of the Patterson parents and their church-going, with young Michael actually appearing to enjoy the experience. At the time it was published, I can see regular church-attenders liking that strip quite a bit. As it is being republished today, I can see people tired of the Pattersons' holier-than-thou attitude over the last few years enjoying the strip for entirely different reasons.
Today's For Better or For Worse from 1980 reflects that particular curiosity in the form of young Michael Patterson. His parents are startled by the question, but it is a pretty good one. If a person's religion is important enough to come on Easter, then why come only on Easter or Christmas Eve (the other well-attended day)? I would figure if your religion is so unimportant to you that you would only come two times a year, then why would you bother to come at all? It's obviously something that you don't want to do, and could care less about.
In interviews, Lynn Johnston has expressed a dislike for religion due to being fondled by an adult when she was in a church youth choir (as I recollect), and certainly if her character of Elizabeth is any indication, her religion is based more on fatalism ("It was fate we were brought together, Paul or Eric") than anything else. Considering how her career was essentially handed to her, it is easy to see how she might come by that belief. Nevertheless, the Pattersons have had an occasional strip (and by occasional, I mean that the one in 2007 is the only one in the on-line archive going back to 2003) sending them to church on Easter Sunday and the joke is invariably about how one of the younger Pattersons doesn't understand something very basic about church, in the vein of Kids Say the Darnedest Things. Certainly that was the case for last year's Easter strip, with Meredith asking why the minister had not talked about Jesus meeting the Easter Bunny.
Back in 1980, Lynn Johnston just starting out strayed from that idea for her first Easter Sunday strip and did a strip which could be looked on as a criticism of the Patterson parents and their church-going, with young Michael actually appearing to enjoy the experience. At the time it was published, I can see regular church-attenders liking that strip quite a bit. As it is being republished today, I can see people tired of the Pattersons' holier-than-thou attitude over the last few years enjoying the strip for entirely different reasons.
posted by howard at 10:38 PM
18 Comments:
Howard--
While I think your assessment of the Pattersons is right on, you are dead wrong in assuming that all people who go to church rarely do not care at all about their religion. I know a number of devout people who do not attend services regularly for a variety of reasons. "Not caring" is not on that list. Of course, these people incorporate religion into their lives outside of church. We see that the Pattersons do not do this. Your judgment on the Pattersons is assuredly correct, because they do not have anything to do with religion unless it is a convenient, showy display. But the blanket judgment on all people who don't go to church regularly is way off.
howtheduck:
I've noticed that the Sunday strips have started to indicate what the following week's subject will be. First, Liz's fears of abandoment led into the Settleproposal. Second, her free-floating hostility led into revealing she's getting married to avenge herself on the world. The fact that the Pattersons only attend religious services to make a great big show of themselves tells me that the Settlenuptuals will take place in a church. It'l be just another horrible catastrophe that takes place on hallowed ground so it won't be an especially remarkable abomination.
qnjones.
I know a number of devout people who do not attend services regularly for a variety of reasons. "Not caring" is not on that list. Of course, these people incorporate religion into their lives outside of church.
I am not really addressing persons who attend services irregularly. My statement was:
If a person's religion is important enough to come on Easter, then why come only on Easter or Christmas Eve (the other well-attended day)
I know people also, who for a variety of reasons cannot attend church services every week. However, I have never known people like this to be ones only ever come to church on Easter and Christmas Eve. They will come at other, less-well-populated times too.
DreadedCandiru2
The fact that the Pattersons only attend religious services to make a great big show of themselves tells me that the Settlenuptuals will take place in a church.
That’s a fascinating observation. I am looking forward to the next week now, to see if you prediction comes true. I don’t remember how Mike and Deanna came about choosing the church where they married, but it will be interesting to see Liz and Anthony go through the process.
Actually, a lot of the people I am thinking of do make an effort to do go on Christmas and Easter but not at other times. This is often because the reasons they don't regularly go are alleviated on the holidays (due to relatives being in town, time off from work, etc.) and/or because they are attracted to the "special occasion" services over and above regular services for a variety of reasons.
Actually, the real reason Liz and Anthony will be married in a church is the same reason Lynn shows Pattersons going to church occasionally.
That reason is...to appease her conservative readers who equate "good wholesome family" with "religious family."
Howard, excellent column, once again! Today's strip resonates well with me because the message remains meaningful.
Happy Easter to all--enjoy the day and the miracle of spring!
Anon NYC
qnjones,
I'm glad to see that you are back!!!!
Anon NYC
Thanks. I should probably explain myself to April and Howard. I do not anticipate wanting to take over the Liz role again. There are some aspects of snarking her that are just too painful due to the details of the situation with my sister. I'm afraid it would be just an outlet for my rage, and not funny. I thought I would feel differently as time passed, but I don't. You guys have done a great job with her, and I hope you don't mind continuing.
I understand completely, qnjones--please know that the door is always open to you at ARB should you have a change of heart. And I'm glad you're still checking in here at HBB.
At this point, I really hope that Lynn sticks with her latest deadline for ending the current story arcs (September 2008), as the idea of her continuing as she has been, indefinitely, just really doesn't appeal to me.
Yeah, Liz's path to marriage is like the Bataan Death March--slow, relentless, neverending, and utterly miserable. Let's hope Lynn calls it quits in the fall.
qnjones:
Yeah, Liz's path to marriage is like the Bataan Death March--slow, relentless, neverending, and utterly miserable.
Damn. Now you got me envisioning the Allied War Crimes Tribunal having Lynn hanged.
qnjones,
Like aprilp_katje I understand completely why you are not feeling Liz-like. I have long been looking forward to Liz’s romantic engagement leading to her walk down the marriage aisle as interpreted by your razor sharp wit; but I have been enjoying aprilp_katje’s skewering of Liz in your absence. I have been enjoying your commentary here at this blog quite a bit and hope you continue.
Anon NYC,
Howard, excellent column, once again! Today's strip resonates well with me because the message remains meaningful.
Thanks for the compliment. Always appreciated.
Happy Easter to all--enjoy the day and the miracle of spring!
I have been enjoying today actually. My son is now old enough to be a part of the UMYF (United Methodist Youth Fellowship), which is another way of saying “kids in grade 7 or higher”. This group is in charge of the Easter Sunrise service, which I had not attended at our church since we had moved to Arizona, primarily because my wife and I always thought our church choir responsibilities for the other services on Easter were enough. So, this morning, I got to get the boy up and drive him down to the church and it was a nice service. As a younger person, my boy’s job was to usher and so he did. However, the older kids provided the music and the message (given by 3 very different kids).
Then after that we participated in a pancake breakfast (also run the by UMYF), and goof around a bit before it was time for my choirs to do their part. I always seem to forget that Easter Sunday is also traditionally a fashion Sunday with the ladies wearing the first dress of Spring, so to speak. There were a lot of bright colours, and one of the best things is that the more elderly the lady, the more flamboyant her dress. There was a certain air of excitement that carried me through after the last service and all way through the 15 minutes it took me to get out of the parking lot.
DreadedCandiru2,
Now you got me envisioning the Allied War Crimes Tribunal having Lynn hanged.
How do you feel about that? Does it give you a sense of relief, or do you think that you will never truly recover from this comic strip marriage?
Yeah, I am disappointed myself. I was so looking forward to the stupid wedding. But Katje is doing an awesome job.
I am mainly feeling skittish about slamming Liz's nuptial plans because I was too quick to slam Libby's fiance and marital plans, and I only found out that I was wrong in my negative take on that after her death. I'm fortunate in that I did not vent those thoughts to her personally. Nevertheless, I just don't feel it's fun being Ms. Judgmental anymore.
Although the idea of some war crimes tribunal judging Lynn still puts a smile on my face. :)
Thanks, qnjones, for the compliment--it means a lot to me. I've tried to remain true to your Liz. :)
Maybe in a parallel universe, Lynn's characters can turn against her and conduct a tribunal. ;)
qnjones
I am mainly feeling skittish about slamming Liz's nuptial plans because I was too quick to slam Libby's fiance and marital plans, and I only found out that I was wrong in my negative take on that after her death.
You can correct me if I am wrong, but my recollection was that your negative view of your sister’s fiancé and marital plans came from concern for your sister and not out of malice.
Nevertheless, I just don't feel it's fun being Ms. Judgmental anymore.
You may be a little harsh on yourself. As far as Liz was concerned, I don’t know if judgmental was so much the case as practical interpretation of the Liz you are given by Lynn. As you know, I always considered some of the best April’s Real Blog portrayals are those which take the incongruities of the strip and provide congruity for them. For example, why does Liz dress like a school marm when she is a young woman? Well, your Liz provided that answer, when Lynn Johnston didn’t. I think of it more like providing a service than a judgment. :)
On the other hand, if you’re not in the mood, you’re not. I know that I don’t snark when I am not in the mood either. Kick back, work things out, and we'll still be here (until September, anyway).
Post a Comment
<< Home