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Merged Chick Tracts

Ladewig said:
One much less notable flaw has to do with continuity. Between the fourth and fifth panels, the Christian's hair jumps from a part on the left to a part on the right (and again near the last panels).
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FYI, the drawing of the man in panel 34 is a flipped copy of the drawing in panel 5, hence the jumping part in his hair. Panel 35 is a direct copy of panel 4.

Why spend time re-drawing the perfect Christian when there are so many evil gays to draw behaving all gay?
 
Schrodinger's Cat said:
If it makes you feel better, I don't think many people take these things seriously, though maybe I'm being optimistic.

There's this guy who I see here in Boston pretty regularly. I've seen him ever since I was a little kid. He goes in the bigger subway stops, and outside of events like concerts and baseball games. He travels too! I've seen him up at Hampton Beach, and in Providence, RI for a concert.

He has this big sign that he wears around his neck that show people burning in flames, and all he does is pass out Chick tracks. He doesn't even talk, he's eerily silent, he just passes out these cartoons with the most serious look on his face.

I've never seen anyone take this guy seriously, ever. People either ignore him or mock him or look at him pityingly. As he's been around for so long that I've talked about him with plenty of other Christians. No one's ever thought he was anything but a crazy person, and no one ever did anything but laugh at the ridiculousness of these cartoons.

When I was young, and a very devout Christian, me and my friends also used to collect Chick tracks and would pass them around: good for a laugh.

I agree that this guy has an extremely disturbing world view...but really, at the end of the day, is he anything more than a crazy guy who can draw well?

I mean, does this guy actually have any real influence? I would think that the only people who would take these things seriously are other crazy people, so that he's essentially only preaching to the choir. I can't imagine a person who doesn't ALREADY think like that being convinced by the likes of Jack Chick.
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Well, it's relative. Most people today don't believe this silliness, but there always appears to be a minority that does. Chick tracts are being translated to dozens of languages; I and my friends have gotten Finnish versions in Helsinki and Tampere. Even if I assume that the people giving those out were a part of a very small majority, I still have to estimate that there are at least hundreds of people in Finland alone, and tens of thousands worldwide who take them seriously. Considering the message, that's enough to be scary.

Not as bad as MRSA, of course. But still scary.
 
Mirrorglass said:
Well, it's relative. Most people today don't believe this silliness, but there always appears to be a minority that does. Chick tracts are being translated to dozens of languages; I and my friends have gotten Finnish versions in Helsinki and Tampere. Even if I assume that the people giving those out were a part of a very small majority, I still have to estimate that there are at least hundreds of people in Finland alone, and tens of thousands worldwide who take them seriously. Considering the message, that's enough to be scary.

Not as bad as MRSA, of course. But still scary.
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I had MRSA once. It was horrible! Well, actually it was only horrible for a couple hours, then I got to the hospital and spent the next week on morphine, and then EVERYTHING was FANTASTIC.

Now, back on topic. I hadn't realized how popular these books were. I do agree that it's frightening they DO have the distribution they have, even if it's not *that* much...the fact that it's even as wide as it is is disturbing enough.

But what I wonder is if someone who didn't already think like that would be convinced just by Chick traks alone. It makes sense that people who already believed that way would THINK these little books make a swell argument, and would think passing them around might actually make people come around to their world view. But I have a hard time believing that a person who does not already have the world view expressed in Chick traks would READ one of these books and then say, "Well, NOW I'm convinced."
 
Schrodinger's Cat said:
I had MRSA once. It was horrible! Well, actually it was only horrible for a couple hours, then I got to the hospital and spent the next week on morphine, and then EVERYTHING was FANTASTIC.

Now, back on topic. I hadn't realized how popular these books were. I do agree that it's frightening they DO have the distribution they have, even if it's not *that* much...the fact that it's even as wide as it is is disturbing enough.

But what I wonder is if someone who didn't already think like that would be convinced just by Chick traks alone. It makes sense that people who already believed that way would THINK these little books make a swell argument, and would think passing them around might actually make people come around to their world view. But I have a hard time believing that a person who does not already have the world view expressed in Chick traks would READ one of these books and then say, "Well, NOW I'm convinced."
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That I agree with. I'm sure there are people who lack the capabilities to evaluate the arguments, but the strawmen, logical fallacies and outright insanity in Chick tracts are so blatant, I'm fairly confident they convert more people away from Christianity than to it. In that sense, they're not a horrible thing to have around, and I do agree with the OP that they can be very amusing to read. But still, knowing that there are people who's worldview truly is this twisted saddens me greatly, and yes, makes me somewhat afraid.
 
A few years ago my wife and I saw a travelling exhibit at the SAM, and one artist's found art technique was to fashion and paint wood sculptures covered in authentic Chick Tracts. Priceless.

I've also considered doing skeptical handouts 'in the style of Chick Tracts' - could use actual What's The Harm examples.
 
Regarding the original post and title: I agree.

If nothing else, it provides some concrete indication of one man's strange beliefs.

Is there any way to tell how popular these really are today? What impact has email had on this proselytizing medium?
 
Robert Oz said:
This one just blows me away:

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0041/0041_01.asp

The couple:
- Travel overseas to raise funds for a hospital
- Spend 50 years in Africa helping those in poverty
- Build five schools and four hospitals
- Feed and clothe thousands
- Attribute their success to God
- Live their entire life by the Golden Rule
- Acknowledge their works are done for God
- Help people lead better lives
- Sacrifice everything to serve people in God's name
- Do everything they can to help poor people
- Trust that their good works will please God and get them into Heaven

The man:
- Kills another man in a drunken brawl
- Acknowledges that Jesus is his Saviour

God sends the couple to Hell and the man to Heaven solely based on their respective last points. How do people honestly accept that as the actions of a benevolent and just being?
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The Reformation was an interesting memetic development. Previously, what caused people to flock to Christianity was their good works -- some of the earliest known references mention how they care for the old and sick with no concern for their own welfare.

But, once established, and, worse, having more or less "mandatory volunteerism" integrated (modern socialists, are you paying attention to history?) into the religion itself, it became a duty, and thus distasteful.

"Lead by example", the best possible way to sway people to your side, became "Do as I say", which, as we skeptics all know, totally sucks when you're trying to convince people of something. (Still paying attention?)

Keep your mouth closed, and do your thing, and people will see you as Win rather than Fail, and will look positively. They see Success, and have evolved to ape it, because it is Success and not death and misery and starvation.


Anyway, back to the memetic shift. So the "good works" have turned into a duty. A Christianity variant mutates, shucking it off, to be rid of the "do as I say" aspect. "Surprisingly", it is popular.

The mutated meme did very well to reproduce from that point forward. It didn't kill off the outdated meme, which had begun to spread to different continents, but in Ye Olde Europa, it did just fine, especially in the north, further from the center of empire.


So here we are, hundreds of years later, with the meme having buffed and polished its rationalizations. It is doing what it is designed* to do: Spread, by inducing behaviors that engender its spread, independent of whether the meme is "true" or not.











* Oops, I violated skeptic rule number 3: Never say "designed" when talking about evolution.
 
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Beerina said:
The Reformation was an interesting memetic development. Previously, what caused people to flock to Christianity was their good works -- some of the earliest known references mention how they care for the old and sick with no concern for their own welfare.

But, once established, and, worse, having more or less "mandatory volunteerism" integrated (modern socialists, are you paying attention to history?) into the religion itself, it became a duty, and thus distasteful.

"Lead by example", the best possible way to sway people to your side, became "Do as I say", which, as we skeptics all know, totally sucks when you're trying to convince people of something. (Still paying attention?)

Keep your mouth closed, and do your thing, and people will see you as Win rather than Fail, and will look positively. They see Success, and have evolved to ape it, because it is Success and not death and misery and starvation.


Anyway, back to the memetic shift. So the "good works" have turned into a duty. A Christianity variant mutates, shucking it off, to be rid of the "do as I say" aspect. "Surprisingly", it is popular.

The mutated meme did very well to reproduce from that point forward. It didn't kill off the outdated meme, which had begun to spread to different continents, but in Ye Olde Europa, it did just fine, especially in the north, further from the center of empire.


So here we are, hundreds of years later, with the meme having buffed and polished its rationalizations. It is doing what it is designed* to do: Spread, by inducing behaviors that engender its spread, independent of whether the meme is "true" or not.











* Oops, I violated skeptic rule number 3: Never say "designed" when talking about evolution.
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That sounds like something Dawkins would say.

Actually, it sounds like something Dawkins said.
 
My wife went to this event with one of her friends last night.

http://events.nbc13.com/tuscaloosa-al/events/show/124413485-pbb-gets-a-clue

It was a performance by a local burlesque group, much like Rocky Horror but with the movie Clue instead. They handed out bags with props and things for audience participation, etc. This included condoms, noisemakers, candy and.... a Chick tract! Pretty funny.
 
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Robert Oz said:
This one just blows me away:

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0041/0041_01.asp
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Man, that is one sturdy airplane!

But to the point of the OP, I think the artwork in his tracts is ugly and disturbing, especially the way he portrays the "villains" of his little screeds. I too have browsed through them for entertainment, but it left me feeling afterward like I needed to wash my brain with Clorox.

ferd
 
ferd burfle said:
Man, that is one sturdy airplane!

But to the point of the OP, I think the artwork in his tracts is ugly and disturbing, especially the way he portrays the "villains" of his little screeds. I too have browsed through them for entertainment, but it left me feeling afterward like I needed to wash my brain with Clorox.

ferd
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Well the subject matter of the comics leaves a lot to be desired but the skill is really what I'm talking about. This is especially true of "Doomtown" which has graphic and realistic images of perverted gay men.

Jack Chick is a man I love to hate.
 
Robert Oz said:
This one just blows me away:

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0041/0041_01.asp

The couple:
- Travel overseas to raise funds for a hospital
- Spend 50 years in Africa helping those in poverty
- Build five schools and four hospitals
- Feed and clothe thousands
- Attribute their success to God
- Live their entire life by the Golden Rule
- Acknowledge their works are done for God
- Help people lead better lives
- Sacrifice everything to serve people in God's name
- Do everything they can to help poor people
- Trust that their good works will please God and get them into Heaven

The man:
- Kills another man in a drunken brawl
- Acknowledges that Jesus is his Saviour

God sends the couple to Hell and the man to Heaven solely based on their respective last points. How do people honestly accept that as the actions of a benevolent and just being?
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This is quite possibly the sickest tract Mr. Chick ever had done.
 
Oh I don't think he is sick at all. The Chick tracts consistently promote the rather complicated idea of God's Grace in an easy to understand way. The theme of being smacked by Sudden Death and what will happen then can seem a bit repetitive - but Chick knows his readers and what holds their attention: Hail to The Great FUG (fear, uncertainty, and guilt).

Perhaps to Chick's credit - there is an aesthetic elegance to being able to take a complicated idea and render it in a simple way that people can understand. Read the cartoons and feel the power - if the pen is mightier than the sword and a picture can convey a thousand words, he is not to be underestimated...
...but sheesh, be right. My annoyance and anger at Chick is that all this is just made up.
 
Cainkane1 said:
Well the subject matter of the comics leaves a lot to be desired but the skill is really what I'm talking about. This is especially true of "Doomtown" which has graphic and realistic images of perverted gay men.

Jack Chick is a man I love to hate.
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When I replied, I had in my mind the image of the professor in "The Professor and the Atheist" (probably not the right title but you know the one). The professor was drawn in a heavy line, with spittle flying from his lips, and the portrayal was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But looking back through "Doomtown", I see what you mean. The message is ugly, but the artwork is not.

So thanks, Cainkane, you helped me see a side of Chick I'd overlooked.

Cheers,

ferd
 
ferd burfle said:
When I replied, I had in my mind the image of the professor in "The Professor and the Atheist" (probably not the right title but you know the one). The professor was drawn in a heavy line, with spittle flying from his lips, and the portrayal was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But looking back through "Doomtown", I see what you mean. The message is ugly, but the artwork is not.

So thanks, Cainkane, you helped me see a side of Chick I'd overlooked.

Cheers,

ferd
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You're welcome. Jack chick offers a graphic look into the mind of Protestant fundamentalism and religious bigotry. Just look at how Mr. Chick treats Jews and catholics in his comic books. Look up Rabbi Waxman and you'll see what i mean. jack is famoulsy anti catholic and if you look around on his list of tracts you'll see what I mean in graphic detail. Literally.

To me these little comics is like looking into the mind of your worst enemy from your enemys point of view.
 
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I have no sympathy for those who spread ignorance and bigotry.

While doing some research on fezzes yesterday, I discovered that Mr. Chick believes that a) fezzes worn by Masons are "shrines to Allah" and b) are colored red because in the 8th century "Muslim hordes overran the Moroccan city of Fez and butchered 50,000 Christians. The streets ran red with blood. The Muslim murderers dipped their caps in the blood to honor Allah."

citation: http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0093/0093_01.asp
 
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Even when Chick thinks he's opening his heart to others he shows his contempt for them.
 
I winder if the people in the stock photos across the top of the page know their images are on Chicks site?
 
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