Patton Oswalt Explains the Origin of Religion : Dispatches from the Culture Wars

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Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science and co-founder of The Panda's Thumb. He has written for such publications as The Bard, Skeptic and Reports of the National Center for Science Education, spoken in front of many organizations and conferences, and appeared on nationally syndicated radio shows and on C-SPAN. Ed is also a Fellow with the Center for Independent Media and the host of Declaring Independence, a one hour weekly political talk show on WPRR in Grand Rapids, Michigan.(static)

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Patton Oswalt Explains the Origin of Religion

Posted on: September 26, 2009 9:23 AM, by Ed Brayton

This is a very, very funny bit about religion from Patton Oswalt's latest show. I'm putting together a presentation on blasphemy and stand up comedy next week for a college freethought group and this is definitely going to be shown.

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Hey - wait a sec!
Hindus hold cows sacred. Does that mean they only get 'cow cakes'? :) - DJ

Posted by: DingoJack | September 26, 2009 9:31 AM

This was fucking brilliant. I am definitely going to be using this when I manage to get around to writing a post about religion and the development of culture.

Posted by: DuWayne | September 26, 2009 10:05 AM

I think I see potential for a series of blockbuster movies here:

Dessert Wars: A New Sky-Cake

Dessert Wars: The Sky-Piers Strike Back

Dessert Wars: Revenge of the Sky-Cakers

Posted by: the chaplain | September 26, 2009 10:25 AM

Sorry DJ, it's "cow pies". Hindus wold have to kill you for saying it's "cow cakes".

Posted by: jufulu, FCD | September 26, 2009 11:17 AM

Thank you, Patton Oswalt, for illustrating David Sloan Wilson's group selection theory of religion.

Posted by: Gretchen | September 26, 2009 11:24 AM

By the way, Ed, do you happen to be doing this presentation on blasphemy in honor of Blasphemy Day on Sept. 30th?

Posted by: Gretchen | September 26, 2009 11:25 AM

This reminds me of the crow in the novel, "1984." He irritated the pigs by talking about...shoot, I can't quite remember. Was it big rock candy mountain, like the song? Lush meadows in the sky? Of course the pigs had their own retirement plan. Remember Boxer? He strained his back pulling that heavy load. His motto had been, "I'll work harder." Once they worked him to non-function and he was ready for his free medical and retirment they loaded him in the "ambulance," (according to the P.R. pig), which just happened to have the name of the knacker on the side. Sometimes, you just can't win...at least if you're a hard working draught horse.

Posted by: Mike Olson | September 26, 2009 2:13 PM

Gretchen-

The day after, on October 1, right after my radio show. I've got Nat Hentoff coming on the show to talk about free speech and blasphemy, then doing the presentation at a local college.

Posted by: Ed Brayton | September 26, 2009 2:21 PM

"Animal Farm," obviously.

Posted by: Mike Olson | September 26, 2009 3:23 PM

We try to get out and see Patton Oswalt live once a year or so. One of the things that has consistently impressed me is how quickly he comes up with new material. He has come to SF every December for the past few years, and every time, the act has been new material. Plenty of top comics need to be given at least a couple of years before you're likely to hear much of anything you haven't heard before.

Posted by: Troublesome Frog | September 26, 2009 3:27 PM

It's a pretty funny bit (even I can appreciate a good joke about religion), but I found it a little awkward and forced at points. Probably still worth showing, though.

Posted by: The Christian Cynic | September 26, 2009 5:03 PM

Hee hee hee. "I did not spend my life not raping and killing people to not go in the sky and eat cake!" Hee hee.

Posted by: Chiroptera | September 26, 2009 5:15 PM

Completely O/T, but: have people heard about the census worker who was murdered in Kentucky?

The fear meter just jumped ten points.

Posted by: nedlum | September 26, 2009 6:06 PM

Isn't that brilliant? It's on his new album, and the whole thing is really great. Even the stuff where he's all excited over Obama (which I disagree with, obviously) is still very funny. Patton Oswalt is easily one of the best comedians working today.

All of you go out and buy Patton's new album if you haven't already.

Posted by: Chris Berez | September 26, 2009 10:56 PM

"It's cake, motherfucker! You're dead!"

That bit just cracked me up.

Posted by: Wes | September 26, 2009 11:42 PM

Patton Oswalt gets his material from "The Genealogy of Morals?" Now I have to see more!

Posted by: Jerry | September 27, 2009 11:04 AM

Hilarious. I enjoy it when religion is mocked. But as funny as this is it bugs me that he relies on the morality comes from religion trope. We shouldn't be propping up that nonsense.

Posted by: Brian | September 27, 2009 1:00 PM

But as funny as this is it bugs me that he relies on the morality comes from religion trope.

You don't have to read it that way. You could read it as him saying that some people-- and not particularly bright people, at that-- need religion to be moral.

Posted by: Gretchen | September 27, 2009 2:14 PM

Brian, he's clearly referring to the way that monotheistic religions undermined the noble pursuits of the aristocracy through the introduction of the slave morality.

Posted by: Jerry | September 28, 2009 9:45 AM

I went to college with him. Several very long road trips were made (more) bearable by his humor. Go Patton go!

Posted by: eric | September 28, 2009 2:03 PM

Brian wrote:
"... it bugs me that he relies on the morality comes from religion trope. We shouldn't be propping up that nonsense."

But what if there really are more stupid sociopaths than we've estimated and they've been kept in line by religion?

I've come across one possible example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1gB0W3ktcY

Posted by: Norman Doering | September 28, 2009 9:01 PM