JLA #2: No love for religion?

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jacovny
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JLA #2: No love for religion?

Post by jacovny »

The second issue was much less fun than the first for me, primarily due to the general view toward religion running through the story. The feeling that I got while reading it was that the author has little regard for it, as reflected by Aquaman's comments and Lois Lane's blog excerpts. Aquaman remarks that the only thing in the universe that he's certain of is that there are no gods. Later Lois writes, "We think ourselves enlightened, but this is still a world shaped too much by which god or church we choose to say is our own." In other words, religion is the opposite of enlightenment. Superman personifies that value, charging off naively in support of the being Rao without questioning the validity of his claims. Certainly these are sentiments I've encountered before, and I support any author's right to reflect his personal values through his work. I'm just disappointed to read it in a Justice League title.
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Re: JLA #2: No love for religion?

Post by drew »

jacovny wrote:The second issue was much less fun than the first for me, primarily due to the general view toward religion running through the story. The feeling that I got while reading it was that the author has little regard for it, as reflected by Aquaman's comments and Lois Lane's blog excerpts. Aquaman remarks that the only thing in the universe that he's certain of is that there are no gods. Later Lois writes, "We think ourselves enlightened, but this is still a world shaped too much by which god or church we choose to say is our own." In other words, religion is the opposite of enlightenment. Superman personifies that value, charging off naively in support of the being Rao without questioning the validity of his claims. Certainly these are sentiments I've encountered before, and I support any author's right to reflect his personal values through his work. I'm just disappointed to read it in a Justice League title.
that's unfortunate, hmmm
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ComicTrekker
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Re: JLA #2: No love for religion?

Post by ComicTrekker »

Agree. That is unfortunate. Where is DC's professed tolerance and embracing of diversity in this case?
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JohnMayo
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Re: JLA #2: No love for religion?

Post by JohnMayo »

Aquaman's view that there are no gods is at odds with him being teammates with a god of war. Or does he simply not believe Wonder Woman's claims about her background and her current status?

Have we heard much of anything prior to this story about Rao? I know it was a cornerstone of Superman's faith pre-Crisis and was dealt with some between Crisis and Flashpont and in the New 52, I don't recall them mentioning it much. Am I just not remembering something or have they not mentioned in the New 52 with this version of Superman?
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bralinator
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Re: JLA #2: No love for religion?

Post by bralinator »

Very disappointing. Wasn't sure about this JLA incarnation as it was.
jacovny
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Re: JLA #2: No love for religion?

Post by jacovny »

I can definitely buy Aquaman's position being in-character given his position. It could be argued that Wonder Woman might take a similar position being a "goddess" herself, and yet not having positioned herself as an object for worship.

I don't remember Rao either. Given the fact that Clark recognized him immediately and never questioned his identity, then put his reputation on the line for him, I would have expected the character to referenced at some point in the past.

All that said, I don't think the series has gotten off to a "bad" start exactly. Not an especially strong one, but I'm willing to give Hitch a few more issues to see what he's got up his sleeve.
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