2011-03-18
Explanation
This comic shows a man reading a book with a thought bubble that reads, "Religion seems so wonderful. I just don't believe God would want me to have it." The caption below reads, "Ever wonder why there are so many Jewish atheists?"
The joke plays on the stereotype of Jewish guilt and self-deprecation. In Jewish cultural tradition, there is a well-known tendency toward self-doubt, humility, and a feeling of unworthiness. The comic takes this to its logical extreme: the character doesn't reject God outright, but rather believes in God while simultaneously believing that God wouldn't want him to enjoy religion. It's a distinctly Jewish form of atheism -- not born from skepticism or rationalism, but from a deeply ingrained sense of not deserving good things, even spiritual ones.