The Atheist Pig

August 2012
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The Great Physician

by The Atheist Pig on August 27, 2012 at 1:05 am

Posted In: Comic

In case you’re wondering, that poor child with the bad hair is me.

EndomorphUsagi

OMG! You were such an adorable kid!!! Like… what happened, bro?!
- The Atheist Pig
  
  I don’t know. After years of therapists we’re still no closer to finding an answer.
  - Lurchi
    
    Well there’s your problem, if you didn’t spend so much time with the rapists you might know.
  - Brian
    
    Therapists or Analrapists? (see Funke)
CastOFF

Good toon – Yep, I had a friend whose parents used that same damn physician and she is also still dead. Too bad her misguided parents didn’t file for malpractice!
http://howlandbolton.com richardelguru

But … But … He’s with Jesus now!!
(Who, if he ever existed, is also dead)
- Phred
  
  Why trust a physician who can’t even heal himself?
Ogrebushi

well… this is what happens when you go to imaginary friends for medical advice. Next you’ll be asking Cookie Monster for dietary advice and The Tooth Fairy for dental.
moongrimm

Religious Wackjobs don’t believe in Birth Control- Result, lots of malnourished kids who don’t develop properly.

Malformed brains congregate to Religious Authority.

Result- kids die of poor medical advice- “Religious Healings”.

End Result- Darwinian Balance.
Frankly

You seem bitter – I like that. There really should have to be a test before you are allowed to bring children into this world. Just because the Bible promises that true belief will cure any illness through a laying on of hands and prayer does not mean actual humans should try it.

At least not until a laying on of hands produces a limb for an amputee. As soon as God grows a leg or an arm back for someone that has lost one (or was born without one) I’ll sign up for “His Cross” and give up my Blue Cross.
http://freethoughtblogs.com/cuttlefish Cuttlefish

You reminded me…

http://freethoughtblogs.com/cuttlefish/2012/08/27/some-thoughts-on-faith-healing/

I love that your version, in four panels of cartoon pig, is every bit as (or more) moving. Quite a talent, quite an art!
- The Atheist Pig
  
  Thanks so much for sharing your story, and for giving the pig a plug on your page. (Wow! Tongue twister.)
Doom.

HA! I always see your comics around and think they’re some of the funniest, keep it up c:
http://www.cincleatherworks.com CharlesInCharge

Hmm… awkward. First off, my hobby only uses cow hide. No pig skin used.

Had a friend when growing up that his mother almost lost her left arm to “Faith Based” healing. Was pushing some trash into a bin and something poked through the bag and into her hand. a couple days later red streaks started to extend up her wrist. “Oh we will pray to the lord for healing. It will be fine.” almost a week later she was in the E.R. getting a series of antibiotic shots… the streaks were up to her elbow! O.o
- http://www.cincleatherworks.com CharlesInCharge
  
  GAH! Where are my manners??? BTW, love the comic! Found it posted on reddit, and after reading all the previous posts, I have added it to my favs! Hope the comic is around for a long time.
Lurker111

If the photo is of you and not Bobby Kitner, then you’re mixing fictional and non-fictional (I guess) events. This isn’t good for your overall point.

Also, I googled a number of time, trying to find some original source info on Bobby Kitner and found nothing.

Need elucidation.
- The Atheist Pig
  
  The whole story is fictional. There is no Bobby Kitner. It’s a fictional story to make a point about faith healing.
  
  Thanks for the comment.
  - Lurker111
    
    Hmmm. Wouldn’t the comic work better then, if you picked a real example?
    (Of which there are, alas, too many.)
    - http://freethoughtblogs.com/cuttlefish Cuttlefish
      
      As someone who knows a real example, I am grateful that the comic does not use a real person, and grateful that the artist identified the picture as his own immediately. Such a trauma is bad enough, without your son’s name (and face, perhaps) being featured as the poster child.
      
      The comic is moving enough, in my opinion, as it is (and yet still darkly funny); the topic is horrible enough that a certain distance is needed for the humor to work. For me, anyway, the comic works great as it is, and absolutely would not work better with a real example.
      
      I recognize that it is a bit of a tightrope act, and that it is probably impossible to please everyone, but this one worked wonderfully for me.
      - The Atheist Pig
        
        Thanks. That’s precisely why I chose to create something totally fictional.
        
        I have no trouble skewering adults in the name of humor, but I really didn’t want to use a real kid in a real case in order to make a point.
      - Lurker111
        
        In a real example, the child would be dead and not subject to embarrassment. His or her parents _should_ be subject to the skewer. But all that said, using fiction in a comic like this, in my opinion, weakens your argument and position. If you _are_ going to use fiction and present a _generic_ child victim of healing beliefs, then I suggest removing the photo and _drawing_ an image of a child, and also avoid giving the child a last name. The pig could say, “Hi everyone. This is Jeremy, a normal American boy.” And you could go from there.
      - http://freethoughtblogs.com/cuttlefish Cuttlefish
        
        Lurker, you say his or her parents should be subject to skewer… in the case of my friend, I could not disagree more. These parents were not evil; they were being systematically lied to by their church, and then blamed by their church for their apparent lack of faith. They lost a son, they lost the comfort of community, they more or less lost the very bedrock of their existence, and you think it appropriate to skewer them?
        
        As to the rest… If the artist had not *immediately* identified the photo and admitted the fiction, you might have a point. But it would also lose a lot of impact. There is no pleasing everyone, but for me, your version fixes a problem that does not exist, at the cost of diminishing the impact of the cartoon.
    - chris
      
      Tact is the point.
      
      There is zero to be gained by making a mockery of grieving parents, regardless of fault. Losing one’s child is horrific and more than enough ‘punishment’ for any act; and plenty to be lost (respect, tone of comic, etc.).
      
      The Atheist Pig is being a humanist.
      - http://www.unindoctrinated.com/ Unindoctrinated
        
        Anything short of a Negligent Homicide charge is insufficient.
        Here’s a couple of short post I wrote on this subject;
        http://unindoctrinated.com/2009/01/25/criminal-stupidity-or-killed-by-belief/
        http://unindoctrinated.com/2009/08/03/a-little-justice-for-a-horrendous-crime/
http://www.theatheistpig.com/2012/08/27/the-great-physician/ MedicKid

“Evil triumphs when Good Men do nothing”_ Edmund Burke
Similarly All kinds of shit happens when people are misguided.

I honestly don’t find anything wrong with prayer and faith in times of sickness and trials. Although generally I and people I know would seek medical help there are times when you can help but pray to a higher power ( or in my case hope that there is a higher power that cares ).

However the kind of sick game the clergy play with these people should not be tolerated. No one can be aqused of having too little faith where their loved ones are concerned
- ladydisturbedone
  
  A higher power that cares…? I don’t think you’re getting the point behind the comic. There IS no higher power that cares. The parents in the comic went to Jesus (higher power) hoping that he “cared enough” to fix the issue. He didn’t (because he doesn’t exist) so the child died. What more do you need to explain that?

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