Not unlike the influence of celebrity, film, television, and other forms of media can also be highly persuasive in determining our opinions on religion. When shows like South Park or Family Guy, for instance, poke fun at religion, ridicule faith, or make a joke out of Jesus, that can have a huge impact on a viewers religious perspective (especially a young one). Because, while the jokes are only jokes, they can also convey an irreverent opinion, point out flaws otherwise unnoticed, and can result in the viewer henceforth associating the mocked beliefs with silliness and absurdity.



To understand this from an outside point of view, think about Scientology — a comparatively new religion — and how often we've heard it joked about on movies and TV, and the mouths of comedians. For a lot of us, the first we were introduced to that religion was from hearing it being made fun of. Due to this, most couldn't disassociate Scientology from wackiness and ridiculousness if we tried. It's, thankfully, ruined for us. If we were to primarily hear Christianity spoken about in a mocking or irreverent sense, then perhaps we'd disassociate ourselves from that as well. After all, no one wants to be the butt of the joke.



It's not just how media mocks or makes fun of religion that turns us off to it, of course. We're also now exposed to more open debates and conversations having to do with those beliefs and their proposed fallacies. On popular TV shows such as Real Time with Bill Maher, for example, we often find theists and atheists getting into deep discussions (sometimes even arguments) over the topic. On shows such as Penn & Teller's Bullsh!t, we were shown sociological experiments disproving supernatural events, and the promotion of a more scientific outlook on supposedly miraculous events. On science documentaries we're repeatedly presented with a stream of scientific theories and explanations about the universe that run contrary to what our religions would have us believe. This list goes on and on and has even carried on to films (see The Atheist Friendly Movies List, for more on those).



Combined, all of these movies, TV shows, news programs, and stand-up comedians have an impact on us as viewers. More so for younger viewers, for sure, but an influence on all of us nevertheless. They have the ability to open us up to new ideas, they give in-the-closet non-believers the extra nudge they need to come out, and, most of all, they cause us to think more deeply about the topic of religion when they openly question it in their respective popular mediums.



See also



Atheist Friendly Movies

Atheist Friendly TV Shows