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Prog 2105

Started by IndigoPrime, 27 October, 2018, 02:53:48 PM

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Steve Green

Generally the religions have split according to whoever's writing them.


Grud etc. is more the baseline stand-in for Christianity, although Christianity itself does exist in Dredd.

Islam has appeared, Judaism hardly ever, and old Egyptian Gods, other ones like Scientology analogue The Church of Simpology, robot religions.

Molch-R

The church of Grud has always appeared to be the 'state religion' of Mega-City One, presumably created and controlled by Justice Department. It can be seen as a parody of the Church of England - a Christian denomination but one which serves as, essentially, an arm of government rather than being its own thing. Benign, non-radical, and existing to serve a function of state - in the same vein of Richard Dawkins' claims of being a 'cultural' or 'secular' Christian, it's a church that requires little to no faith. It's just part of the background. So while evangelical Christianity exists alongside it, it would be difficult to describe the Church of Grud as a Christian church per se.

Steve Green

Should also be noted that Grud himself has popped up in the strip, so it kind of ruins the theory of him being an arm of Justice Department.

Unless that's some hardcore Wally Squad work.

Molch-R

Quote from: Steve Green on 01 November, 2018, 11:53:51 AM
Should also be noted that Grud himself has popped up in the strip, so it kind of ruins the theory of him being an arm of Justice Department.

Unless that's some hardcore Wally Squad work.

I'm talking about the church itself, rather than any underpinning belief system - the question was why does everyone used 'Grud', so the cultural/secular use of religious language makes sense. Anyway, I'm pinning Grud's appearance down to collective hysterical hallucination/manifestation of the Jungian collective unconscious ;)

Steve Green

Oh I'd agree it's just a background thing or residual from upbringing rather than the citizens being particularly religious.

It's useful to Justice Department to have something like that which isn't really there to inspire or make the citizens question anything.

It's not dangerous to them in the same way Christianity in the Jesus Syndrome, or democracy is.

Proudhuff

Haven't you been paying attention?
That Grud appearance was a Smiley insertion, manipulating the zeitgeist.   
DDT did a job on me

sheridan

Quote from: Pyroxian on 01 November, 2018, 11:17:53 AM
Quote from: Steve Green on 01 November, 2018, 11:09:05 AM
It's all part of the mega-city language.

Why have pedways, zooms, dunks taps and pongos, instead of sidewalks, trains, pickpockets, muggers and confidence tricksters?

Because it's fun, same goes for Jovis, Mavis etc.

and God or Grud comes in all kinds of pronunciations in the real world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah

And let's not forget the sweet baby Jovus.


What the Gup?

Pyroxian

Quote from: sheridan on 01 November, 2018, 12:40:45 PM
Quote from: Pyroxian on 01 November, 2018, 11:17:53 AM
And let's not forget the sweet baby Jovus.
What the Gup?

Heresy! The Earth will open up and you will burn in fire!

Pyroxian


pauljholden

Quote from: Molch-R on 01 November, 2018, 11:35:17 AM
The church of Grud has always appeared to be the 'state religion' of Mega-City One, presumably created and controlled by Justice Department. It can be seen as a parody of the Church of England - a Christian denomination but one which serves as, essentially, an arm of government rather than being its own thing. Benign, non-radical, and existing to serve a function of state - in the same vein of Richard Dawkins' claims of being a 'cultural' or 'secular' Christian, it's a church that requires little to no faith. It's just part of the background. So while evangelical Christianity exists alongside it, it would be difficult to describe the Church of Grud as a Christian church per se.

Having drawn a story (was collected in a recent megazine) that features the church of Grud, can confirm it's a melange of all the world's religions, so, whereas the other words do serve to soften the language (Drokk! stomm! etc, all having real world sweary counterparts) Grud is the only word that actually isn't paralleled in normal language, being a uniquely mega-city 1 thing.

norton canes

Thanks for your responses, everyone :)

I understand now that the word is more than just a humorous euphemism. However I do think that on this occasion (the first page of this prog's Dredd), that for increased impact, it might have been better to actually use the word 'God'.

Tiplodocus

More top proggage from Tharg and droids. That opening page of Dredd is a thing of beauty; love the way the colour and focus gives the depth.

I'm also getting worried for Gene and whether he'll get the happy ending he deserves.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

McNulty

QuoteI'm also getting worried for Gene and whether he'll get the happy ending he deserves.

Thanks man, I thought I was the only one...

TordelBack

Hasn't Smiley always been in Frank's head, since before he was even a Wally? Wasn't that what all the stuff in the snow was about, pre-Trifecta? I've always thought the snow might be Apocalypse War related - and this 2103 date has me intrigued.

I've also never really understood how Sam survived Enceladus in the first place: he'd cimbed down a big narrow hole with little oxygen, fighting hordes of alien spiders. That convenient rescue seems sus to me. Is it possible he's now an ice-entity who just thinks he's Sam?

Elsewhere, Brink's Kurtis conspicuously isn't throwing up at the first of the magic words... Will handsy psycho Tillerson go full Phale Chronozon next?

Kingdom's talkiest ever run is still gripping stuff: nobody better hurt Gene, he's a good dog. The best dog.

I wasn't mad on the very conventional Baba Yaga when she showed up in Fiends,   but she certainly made an impression this week: the bit with the moon was great. An immortal rival for Konstanza is a pretty good idea, but I'll be sorry if we're done with 1812 already.

Skip Tracer bubbles along, and I can't quite decide if it's just Colin's wonderfully involving page layouts that keep my attention week-to-week, but something certainly does.  I briefly hoped those laddos were the Lloigor escaping Chimera at last, but now I reckon this is more of a Peter F Hamilton thing.





broodblik

Quote from: TordelBack on 02 November, 2018, 02:14:17 AM

I've also never really understood how Sam survived Enceladus in the first place: he'd cimbed down a big narrow hole with little oxygen, fighting hordes of alien spiders. That convenient rescue seems sus to me. Is it possible he's now an ice-entity who just thinks he's Sam?


You make an interesting point[spoiler] and this might be the reason why Frank did what he did. He knew[/spoiler]
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.