The title of this post refers to the church's marquee explaining that particular day's sermon in the third episode of the fourth season of The Simpsons, "Homer the Heretic". I thought that would be a good title for two reasons: it is another one of the beautiful absurdities associated with the show, and the particular storyline covers America's aversion to going to church and how it's relevance comes into question.
To start a conversation or debate about clothespins means you have either too much free time or a specific neuroses. And what do we call those "other kinds"?
In the episode, Homer is bothered to get out of his warm bed and put on his lousy church clothes. When his pants split, he decides to go back to bed, refusing to go to church. While Marge and the kids suffer through the sermon inside the freezing hall--the heater's broken--Homer hangs out at home, turning up the heat, watching football, and realizing how little he needs going to church in his life.
That's the main metaphor here: convenience and comfort are the motivating factors keeping Homer home, and are the tempting factors facing the churchly masses in America. Homer does what they, I imagine, would like to do if they either allowed themselves, or were allowed to do: skip the whole thing and stay comfortable at home watching football (or whatever).
I get the feeling the masses reluctantly go to church when they do, and Homer represents their base desires. The important thing here is that church has lost its relevancy for Homer, and those masses. With a sermon like the one described on the marquee, and adorning the title of this post, about fucking clothespins, how can anyone consider it relevant?
To me, that's the important discussion in this episode: reconciling the problems that American "believers" have with how they cultivate their relationship with their deity.
I've known Hindus who don't have a place to go to "worship" on a weekly basis, rather they have a daily ritual they perform. I've worked with Muslims who took their time everyday to go do their prayers, much to the sneers and muffled cursing of the Christians also working there.
Homer, though, is mostly selfish and thoughtless, and lets his slovenly ways get the best of him, accidentally setting his house on fire while he naps on the couch.. The religious forces come to his rescue (Christian, Jewish, Hindu), and his return to church in ensured.
We're left with the final image, that inconclusive conclusion of this conversation: Homer asleep and snoring in the church. Everything's okay as long as you show up?
What a poor lesson.
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