How is Brian Griffin an Atheist?! (Family Guy Video Essay)

[@joewilenzik9119]

My theory is that he says he doesn’t believe in god because he hates the idea that there are people more important than him

[@greygaston1263]

Justin roiland be like:

[@K-dawg26]

​@@greygaston1263Who is that?

[@ReconViper1]

I think that's common among politicians and celebrities.

[@princessmarlena1359]

@@K-dawg26 I think he was the VA of Rick Sanchez, or Rick & Morty.

[@greygaston1263]

@@K-dawg26 the original Va for Rick and Morty.

[@leonevermore4819]

Your name's Kitty Monk. That's, like, the opposite of an atheist dog. I giggled.

[@VersieKilgannon]

You win the internet today 👏😂

[@martinlorca2024]

Now i need a discussion between this two. Like a Bryan Quagmire talnk.

[@ChiebukaOraedu]

The irony that she's agnostic 😅

[@stranger5011]

He's her mortal enemy

[@billybees90]

@@VersieKilgannon holy reddit

[@OpticalSorcerer]

"Jesus lived with us for like a week. What else do you need?" Lois herself said Brian has to be on the "unpopular"/"out" team contrary to whatever is popular or accepted. It seems that he's simply atheist because the Griffins identify (ocassionally) as religious.

[@nicholassims9837]

Mandy at first didnt believe in Santa Claus until she saw Mrs Claus , so Brain should too with legit proof

[@tmacm2237]

I've heard of people claiming to be atheists just because their family is religious.

[@BrandonScott-mi5pz]

GREAT KITTY MONK FAMILY GUY HOW BRIAN GRIFFIN AN ATHEIST

[@SilverScribe85]

It's funny how even when they see a religious figure of ANY kind standing before them, Atheists stick with their "beliefs"

[@crystalgemgirl731]

That sounds about right.

[@tomaibetter]

Brian is Seth's fursona.

[@Attmay]

Now I can't get the mental image of a Great Dane crooning "Strangers in the Night" out of my head.

[@f.u.m.o.5669]

Fureal

[@darthbane5676]

Oh my God, you’re right

[@Bordie3D]

that is hilarious I never thought of it that way

[@joeyshithead8495]

That's actually hilarious

[@xdfeverdream8122]

Next generation is a straight up sequel. It takes place 95 years after the original series in the original timeline.

[@andrewprobst846]

I came here to say essentially the same thing

[@theakkiqueen4655]

Gene Roddenberry was involved in some of the earlier scripts but most of the seasons were done by different writing team and Gene's lawyer took advantage of his failing health condition to sabotage a lot progressive scripts citing that it wasn't Gean's vision.

[@andrewprobst846]

@@theakkiqueen4655 nerd alert!

[@xdfeverdream8122]

@@andrewprobst846 Yeah. I didn't see anyone else do it for some reason.

[@hund7458]

you could even say it takes place in the... generation... after the previous one

[@robbyroba]

I see it more as just Brian trying to make himself look smart and acknowledging God existing in the show would clash with his POV.

[@mechajay3358]

That would just make him more smug, self-righteous and pretentious than he already is.

[@robbyroba]

@@mechajay3358 Of course. People like Brian hate to be proven wrong in their beliefs.

[@1slayer959]

No. It's just a comedy doing a common comedy thing of occasionally bringing in supernatural elements, but ignoring them in future episodes. I mean you do know that this show had both jesus and god argue in favor of atheism right? On top of that brian and stewie created the universe. Technically making him correct. Course no one ever takes those scenes seriously for the same reason you shouldn't be taken the religion scenes seriously. It aint that deep

[@ExpertContrarian]

@@1slayer959 theists can’t think that good man. You gotta go easy on them

[@change.1]

​@@robbyrobais that a way to jab at him for not being a theist?

[@troperhghar9898]

It's important to remember there is a difference between atheist (there is no god), agnostic (I don't know if there are gods and I pay them no mind) and maltheist (God is bad)

[@TheGreaterGamer1]

It doesn't make sense for Brian to be any of these since he's not only met God and Jesus in person he's also been to Heaven before.

[@samflood5631]

It’s not that he doesn’t believe in God. It’s that he hates to see people hating and killing each other over their own interpretation of what they’re not smart enough to understand.

[@kingofflames738]

I think it's more he doesn't believe *religiously* in God, but by the end definitely still knows he's there. He sees him like an unreliable boss or something.

[@iBleed_RoyLty4368]

In my life, I've gone from Christianity, to exploring Muslim but still Christian, to atheist, borderline malthiest, to agnostic. Yet, it's still hard to tell people the difference between the "thiests" because nobody wants to hear it. It's either you believe or you don't.

[@AlonWoofPro]

No, your terminology isn't right, almost all atheists are agnostic atheists. Stop promoting terrible stereotypes like Family Guy.

[@deshawnedwards6412]

At this point they use Brian's Atheism more as a joke than it being apart of his character. Cause how are you say you don't believe in a higher power when God and Jesus are basically apart of your world casts?

[@TFoxhound]

I mean Lois beds Jesus how could he ignore that?

[@Nightswarmer]

@@TFoxhound Hey, maybe that's why he pretend they aren't real, cuz he mad he didn't get to bed Lois xD

[@wastelandlegocheem]

Either he pulls am eric cartman self gaslight or seth just really wanted to piss on religions that episode

[@adrianaslund8605]

It's not like god or Jesus are very exemplary deities in the Family Guy universe. God is just kind of a dick.

[@wastelandlegocheem]

@@adrianaslund8605 yeah but in family guy canon, HE EXISTS

[@HIAMNK]

Peter became death for a little after breaching Norm McDonald’s leg, Jesus tried sleeping with Lois, and somehow Brian still doesn’t believe god exists in there universe?!?!

[@kingmagikarp97]

I miss Norm Macdonald, he voiced so many good characters 😂😢

[@TomDavidMcCauley]

He also talks and dates human women. I think God pretty much wants Brian to do whatever Brian wants

[@sardonicus1739]

You can believe in Jesus without believing in God. There's plenty of atheists to think that Jesus was a really historical person, just not God in the flesh.

[@kathleenregan6788]

He's so disappointed. He's a dog who walks upright and is sentient. He believes in a God. The problem is it just likes to watch.

[@wlfmanjack]

@@sardonicus1739 Perhaps but if Jesus has shown up more than once on your front doorstep and verifies things as accurate, its kinda hard to deny it. Like think what you want irl, but in the cartoon world of Family Guy, think its pretty clear God exists

[@KiryuMythic]

Kitty: im agnostic Me: oh god shes one of the Dr. Pepper people

[@KittyMonk]

No it’s ok I actually love Dr Pepper and I got into it because of the show!

[@KiryuMythic]

@@KittyMonk I used to hate it, just to be different from my brother. Now I'm into it

[@schwarzerritter5724]

I believe Dr. Pepper is not actually a doctor.

[@angrytheclown801]

​@@schwarzerritter5724I believe Doctor Pepper is a shoe polish.

[@Cacowninja]

I don't get it.

[@nict4343]

Stewie killing Denise Crosby is a direct reference to the Star Trek TNG episode "skin of evil" Denise Crosby quit the show during season 1, so they unceremoniously killed off her character.

[@PopstAhri]

Hey, you answered a question that could be found with a Google search. Gold star for you... ... and one frowny face with arms crossed for Kitty Monk. Do as I say, not as I do, EHHH?!?!?! For. Shame.

[@Giran_0]

Hope she doesn't see this so she doesn't get spoiled

[@sagittariusneptune9330]

Brain has done alot good with his atheism helping Lois realized she's been con by a fortune teller by just telling her what she wants to hear, told Peters abusive dad off over his beliefs and still defended him in peter's eyes as the man who raised him still making him a father to peter. Helping legalize gay marriage people who were minding their own business and wanted to be married. Helping explained other religions when stewie was afraid of dying, he didn't say one was better than the other they each have their own flaws, he didn't cram his beliefs when stewie asked him about life after death, he just say he believes in nothing after we die, he didn't yell at stewie, scare him into damnation or nothing, stewie in that episode represented all of us a sense of security of the most unsecure thing death, and Brian is just basic logic that doesn't make him bad for giving logic. Yeah Brian has done alot of bad things even while using his ideology doing so. But the other characters done far worse with their ideas.

[@GreenHouse-mb2tn]

It's a shame they turned what was once a genuine character into a pretentious prick. He's still better than most of the characters in family guy.

[@angrytheclown801]

Discworld has the best Atheism: knowing the gods exist but refusing to acknowledge them so they don't get uppity.

[@Nightswarmer]

Sound some Percy Jackson shenanigans, ngl..

[@lukespillman1313]

It doesn’t make any sense for Brian to still be an atheist even though he met Jesus.

[@TheCommenterDragon]

And God as of the latest season finale.

[@somebodycallixii8809]

@@TheCommenterDragon Speaking of which. When Brian and Stewie created a religion free timeline, Not only did it mean religion never existed but it also meant that Atheism never existed either therefore in a world without religion there was no need for Brian to be an atheist anymore.

[@modelomegatyler]

that's like saying "hey, i got physical proof this religion is right. you gotta become part of it against your free will now."

[@nicholassims9837]

Yeah Mandy didtn believe in Saint Nick but did once she saw his wife

[@1slayer959]

It also doesn't make sense for Al Bundy to constantly wish for death despite knowing death is a real person that will call his bluff. It's a comedy. Y'all are overthinking a plot point that all comedys use

[@alexvaughan1013]

Even though God and Jesus exist in FG, here's how Brian being an atheist could work. Instead of not believing in God, he could be an atheist because he chooses not to follow religion. Similar to what Near says in Death Note. Even if a literal god presented what's 'right and wrong' to him, he'd still use his head to decide for himself what he thinks of it. Encouraging thinking for yourself and not blindly accepting what's put in front of you. But instead of either of these reasons, Brian is an atheist because the writers need a mouthpiece.

[@V2ULTRAKill]

Except theism is exclusively about belief If you acknowledge a god exists you are no longer atheist You are just nonreligious

[@agsdragon5475]

Reasons why eastern media can turn the carp we make in the west into a masterpiece

[@skeletonbuyingpealts7134]

That's Alatrism

[@charlescannon2469]

I always thought the reason he is an atheist is because he's a contrarian and as soon as atheism is the most popular he'll just switch to whatever is least popular religion because he's so much smarter than the majority.

[@danielsmokesmids]

that wouldnt be an atheist then, that would just be non-religious. which i think makes more sense in the family guy universe where we’ve seen Jesus do miracles.

[@Rose-yx6jq]

5:37 okay TNG is a sequel series to the original. But it was made because of demand after the original series was canceled.

[@EboArmadillo]

...In the most obnoxious and toxic way he could represent us.

[@8eyes]

I'm one of those atheists who would never believe anyway. The difference is I have to be skeptical because existence is virtually NOT worth it if Yahweh WAS real. Brain is skeptical because he just doesn't want to scratch his overgrown ego.

[@NightBat-vc5jx]

To be fair, the variety of atheist is vast since atheism is only one belief on one particular issue.

[@TheAntiDisneyEmperor]

@@8eyesI’m a Christian and I’m not gonna force my beliefs on anyone I just want to say ,blessings for you 🙏

[@Luigicat11]

@@8eyes Not if he was as... human, specifically Biblical-era human, as the Bible makes him out to be. You'd think an all-powerful deity would be wiser than humans and have a better grasp of morality than humans, but both Testaments consistently attribute all-too-human flaws to him. It's as if he were some jerkass's Mary Sue self-insert in a fan fiction: He's pretty much all-powerful, unspeakably beautiful, and despite so much of what's written demonstrating the contrary, he's treated as infallible.

[@LowResLeafa]

Don't forget Redditors

[@Bolbi145]

I’m not even an atheist and I would still told Meg the same things Brian told her just to get her off my back, I think it came from a place of anger, not logic.

[@memezboi489]

I read this is Bolbi's voice

[@puffelpop8287]

My theory is Brian only said he's an atheist because he just wants to have a different opinion than everyone else

[@Azrael__]

Which is basically how it works in real life.

[@C0ldIron]

That and because it’s the “intellectual thing” he fakes being smart so why not deny something he has seen proof of

[@YongTre100]

​​@@C0ldIron I think this is actually very damaging how shows do this. As people who actually are 'intellectuals' whatever that actually means, would accept with such obvious evidence (though of course after actually showing it's that because you know brains are complicated and do a lot of things so you would need some sort of proof it is both external and what it says, as just seeing God has many Naturalistic explanations with much less assumptions than a god assuming either a brain did something we know it does, or an all powerful all knowing being exists and personally was talking to you). And to place this group of people as just trying to seem smart and contrarian is silly, less that's the point of the character but that only works if the character is like that and isn't actually intelligent in that way.

[@Dcm193]

@@Azrael__which of the several thousand denominations do you follow that was specifically created to be different?

[@Devil-Damon]

​@@Azrael__Not true at all 🤷

[@brylythhighlights4335]

Brian's atheism didn't change on account of meeting Jesus, because Family Guy has **NO** continuity. Each episode is a fresh slate with no changes left over from the previous one with very very rare exceptions. Brian has *died* numerous times.

[@OmniDan26]

F tier opinion. DO BETTER.

[@PizzaMineKing]

Star trek is a series of series each with fundamentally different cast and premises. The next generation is the second one to come out and plays 100 years after the original series, but contemporary to deep space 9 (which takes place on a space station instead of a ship) and voyager (which takes place in a seperate section of the galaxy cut off from any organisational ressources). There's also "enterprize" taking place at the dawn of interstellar travel, 100 years before the original, and a lot of more modern series I'm not gonna list individually because this comment is already getting long and these are the most well-known. And yes, Voyager, deep space 9 and next generation were produced in overlapping timeframes, so the casts cameo in each others series, with some characters switching permanently from Next generation to deep space 9

[@GabrielleHanna-h4u]

That was a well thought-out, concise summary and I really appreciate it 💜

[@courier6402]

Brian not believing in god reminds of DND campaign I was part of for a session where on of my party members didn't believe in magic even tho ther was a wizard in our group. The guy just constantly came up with way around magic existing.

[@drilltotheheavens1695]

Faerun Atheists be like: Gods are a sham! I can get magic powers from making a deal with this shadow sword! Checkmate Clerics!

[@BeautifulGazelle06]

Cleric: Alright then, what gave the sword it’s powers?

[@lydiabogan]

I don't think he is an atheist but rather a maltheist. also, Chewbacca! :)

[@shnubblebitts6193]

As an atheist i hate brian. Its for more than the way he potrays athiests, but that is a big reason.

[@Dakarai_Knight]

As another atheist I'm kinda mixed on Brian. He used to be one of my favs. But in that family they've kinda all become horrible so idk if he's just less annoying than the rest for me or not. Stewie is probably new fav but still not sure.

[@rileyanthony]

@KittyMonk Yes startrack next generation is basically the Ben 10 alien force equivalent of Star Trek

[@blueraccoon1088]

I like Ben 10

[@justinbayless8284]

I’m really glad to see that Meg is becoming a better character. She’s no longer being this teenager and is starting to embrace the weirdness and everyone around her are starting to like her more.

[@lonekirin905]

In a recent episode, Brian decided to go back in time to stop Christianity from happening because the girl that dumped him was christain. Going back to the present, Judaism is the dominant religion and he is okay with it even though *IT WORSHIPS THE SAME GOD* also God in this episode was pissed they stopped christianity from happening for some reason. In the end all is resolved by God beating Brian and Stewie up.

[@aaron2nice_]

It’s either brain is just that stupid or the writers just don’t know the history of Judaism and christianity lmao

[@tylerrichter3962]

Next generation is technically both a spinoff and a sequel as its takes place in the same universe, but decades after the original where it follows an entirely different crew piloting the enterprise and their own adventures

[@jibbobdion5072]

Atheism is not a Religion, that's just framing.

[@Dakarai_Knight]

Ya, this is hard to explain to people. It's a lack of a religion. It's in the name lol.

[@emilygordbort7300]

Atheism is a religion in the same way "air" is a flavor

[@jaynothinelse]

​​@@emilygordbort7300a religion is a group of people worshiping a super human or diety of some kind, theism is the belief in a god and Athiesm is the lack/no belief in a god, aithiesm can't be a religion beacuae its not a group of people worshipping a god-like being of some sorts Edit: im sorry if i might have took this comment the wrong way

[@emilygordbort7300]

@jaynothinelse I agree with your solution but disagree with the process, there are religions that don't require a god or godlike figure (Also you're good)

[@CultureCrossed64]

It's a religious belief. It isn't a religion. There is a difference

[@warwulf1889]

If Brian managed to overthrow God just to prove a point, he'd become the God of Atheism. Which would cause the universe to collapse in on itself because Brian becoming the new God would be redundant. Inadvertently killing all known life, including himself.

[@TheCommenterDragon]

I think a better question would be, How and or why are any of the characters in Seth Macfarlane's cartoons Atheists? Because from what I've noticed every main family in his cartoons have at least one atheist in the family. For the Griffin's it's Brian, For the Brown/Tubbs family it's Cleveland Jr. and for the Smith's it's apparently Steve. How and or why any of these characters became Atheists is anyone's guess.

[@monroe7532]

Well, I doubt that Jesus comes down and talks to everyone, so it makes sense that characters don’t believe in religion

[@RingoandCarlin]

When did Steve become atheist? I don't remember or know that one. I only remember that American Dad episode where Stan becomes friends with a republican but tries to make him believe in God when he doesn't and in the end becomes a Satanist.

[@TheCommenterDragon]

@@RingoandCarlin Steve displays Atheism in the episode "Daesong Heavy Industries" In that episode Steve questions the Bible. And I don't mean to put words in anyone's mouth by saying this but, Before you go asking "How does questioning the Bible make Steve an Atheist?" Let me tell you that since many people consider the bible as God's word a lot of people think that questioning the book is like questioning the existence of God.

[@RingoandCarlin]

@TheCommenterDragon well in my opinion there still is believing in God from different religions like Hindu, Buddhist and Islam. So yeah I would say not agreeing with the Bible doesn't make you an atheist, it just makes you believe in God in a different religion unless you don't believe in any religion at all or anything involving a God.

[@AquaJulieMarine]

Wait, I thought Hayley’s the atheist of the Smith family.

[@MassHystarix]

The next generation is a different crew later down in the timeline. Star Trek is like power rangers.

[@redrasegarden]

I was looking for a comment like this. Didn’t want to be that guy who repeated another comment.

[@Aelvir114]

If I remember correctly, in the first few seasons Brian was Catholic but it was more hinted at. But then Seth decided to turn Brian into his avatar. Also Star Trek the next generation is a reboot I think with a completely new cast.

[@thatrandomredengine9430]

Brain is so petty, even when he’s proven wrong about God not existing, he willingly tries to sabotage the crucifixion of Christ just to prove an argument he loss before he was born 😂

[@NoahtheGameplayer]

Brian is just miserable enough to just blame God instead of blaming himself or the devil

[@AllietheArcanine]

Brian Griffin is Seth McFarlane's fursona. Prove me wrong

[@NoahtheGameplayer]

If it's a fursona, why does he have more human characters of him than just one furry character?

[@reviewspiteras]

Just to clarify and I mean this with no offense: Religion is not about being a good person; its about connecting with the divine. Depending on the theology of the religion being "good" is not even rewarded. When you say religion you actually think about Christianity and the concept of goodness you have is deeply connected with Christian goodness with some 18th enlightment philosophy on goodness. In Christiany God is the source of everything good so being a better person is the result of following His commandments; but this is not true (or at least exactly true) in other religions, if they have good teaching is because they are striving for the divine but is not the goal to be "good".

[@linuxramblingproductions8554]

I agree there are plenty of religions which encourage atrocities for instance islam is famous for sexism

[@purrlionpony9317]

I feel like anyone who goes after agnostic atheist and says it's fake only wants us to believe in a religion.

[@samflood5631]

Well I think the real reason why Brian became an atheist is because the Christians in this show have done a lot of very terrible stuff. Like the episode where they supported Mayor West’s ban on gay marriage. The episode where the whole town chased the Griffins out of town because they thought Stewie was possessed when all he did was vomit red wine. The episode where the Opal Ring Crusade made up lies to the students of James Wood High into believing that Sex was wrong, and they basically kicked Lois out of the school for teaching teenagers about condoms. And let’s not forget the episode where Lois was ostracized by the town for being a porn star. I don’t have any problems with porn stars. It’s not that Brian doesn’t believe in God, more like didn’t like how the Christians have acted. Remember what he said to Meg in that he just hates to see people hating and killing each other over their own interpretation of what they’re not smart enough to understand.

[@DcFanfic]

That makes sense for me

[@DcFanfic]

The town of quahog are full of idiots

[@josesosa3337]

Very good points. I wish the show did a better job calling back to past experiences of the characters.

[@alexconn7473]

The Christians in the show may have done some horrible stuff but Brian's no stranger to being a major asshole either

[@estebangutierrez160]

Actually the reveal that Lois was a pornstar aired long after Brian was revealed to be an atheist.

[@ErichoTTA]

They should've shown "Atlas Shrugged" being burned and have Brian be like, "Okay, you can burn that".

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

Or the Da Vinci Code, lol.

[@RomaroBrandon]

Family Guy is mostly episodic therefore it doesn't matter if he met Jesus in one episode because as long as it's not connected to the next.

[@samflood5631]

Thank you. A lot of people mistake Family Guy as a serialized show similar to that of Rick and Morty, Praise Petey, Final Space and Rip Digman. Most comedy shows should be episodic and not be a story with character development and lore. Comedy shows like Family Guy, American Dad and South Park should be episodic.

[@TheGreaterGamer1]

​​@@samflood5631 That would make sense but hasn't Lois mentioned the fact that Brian has met Jesus before? And plus there's atleast to some extent a timeline since the Griffins mention and bring up previous events that have happened to them in the past episodes. Not to mention Peter's Chicken fights it all started with that one gag and now they consistently fight in newer episodes.

[@MegaSoulHero]

This show has multiple examples of having continuity.

[@RomaroBrandon]

@@TheGreaterGamer1 yeah but they've also established time travel and the multiverse. The best explanation is the episodes exist on the same timeline but not the same reality unless one episode calls back to a previous episode. So anytime they say "Brian met Jesus therefore he shouldn't be atheist" that episode exists on the same timeline as the one where they met Jesus. Every other time when it's not mentioned it's an alternate timeline where they didn't meet Jesus.

[@RomaroBrandon]

@@MegaSoulHero nobody is denying that, I'm just explaining why continuity doesn't always matter.

[@tmacm2237]

Jesus literally exists there but Brian is still an atheist?

[@thedukeofchutney468]

To be fair pretty much everyone with any education agrees that Jesus is/was real Christian, Atheist or otherwise, the disagreement comes on whether of not he is God.

[@ivanlol7153]

@@thedukeofchutney468 OP meant Jesus appears multiple times in Family Guy

[@linuxramblingproductions8554]

@@thedukeofchutney468thats not true search up mythicism

[@danteeightsix]

God and Jesus have been in the same room in multiple episodes, so how can Jesus be God? It's a fictional cartoon, so it still isn't proof of anything in reality.

[@aaron2nice_]

@@danteeightsixBruh it’s family guy & just like u said it’s just a cartoon… According to the historical document of the gospel’s, jesus christ is God in human form.

[@therotryzit]

Honestly there needs to be more examination of Brian's relationship to Meg, some Family Guy fans say that Brian is the one family member who treat her well but that's only because he usually doesn't actively abuse her like Peter or Lois might do. I would say that Brian is a more sublte kind of abuser who uses their appearance of being reasonable and calm to make sure thier victim stays in their abusive situation. I love that moment in the Family Cat episode where Meg reads Brian for filth on how he really doesn't do much to help or comfort Meg.

[@monstermaker585]

I've been told by an unseen force to say chewbacca and I'm not questioning it

[@Clowner_25]

I'm an atheist, and I hate every time Brian brings It up.

[@JohnSmith-jh6ey]

How has Patrick Stewart not made a guest appearance on the Orville yet?

[@crimsonmaelstrom573]

Wasn’t the Orville cancelled? I honestly don’t know

[@bluespartangaming1514]

@@crimsonmaelstrom573 My grandfather's rewatched Orville very recently and I think that Hulu picked it up for at least one more season subtitled New Horizons, so even if the original television program dropped it (I forget which channel) it was revived for at least one more season.

[@wolftitanreading5308]

I think Seth would lose his mind and be hilarious

[@stormdragon356]

While I don't believe in God, if I have met or seen Jesus himself in the goddamn modern day, I think I will start believing in something. Hell, the most recent episode I could think of from Family Guy's plot is literally Brian going back in time to stop Jesus. He even saw god during his time there. I believe Brian is too self-centred to consider there is somebody better than him, or he's just Seth MacFarlane's favourite character, and Seth Macaroon himself is, in fact (last time I remember,) an Atheist

[@AlecEburhard]

Plus (on that latest episode you were talking about) he did it all because a Christian girl refused to sleep with him because they weren’t married. Regardless how you may view abstinence, that episode really made Brian come off as some bitter reddit atheist incel who was pissed that a Stacy chose her religious principles over him.

[@stormdragon356]

@@AlecEburhard wait seriously that's the reason he travel back in time to stop Christianity you can just you know asked to marry her oh wait he only marries people who are about to die yeah good on that girl she dodged a bullet with that one

[@alexisdogbo7958]

@TheMessianicMilitantuh, no he’s literally not. That’s such a dumb thing to even think that a comedy cartoon character represents an entire group of people

[@AntonioTheTurtle]

He’s not-an atheist

[@weatherman1504]

Yeah, if I met God, I'd definitely go from being an agnostic atheist to a gnostic maltheist real quick.

[@angelagonzalez8250]

Bullock is played by Patrick Stewart who played Captain Picard from star trek. On star trek Picard told Wesley to shut up. Wesley is played by will Weston. That's the joke

[@GabrielleHanna-h4u]

*Will Wheaton

[@scpjack7856]

One thing I kind of like about the McFarlaneverse is that he cast two sci-fi legends as the bosses of the main characters in AD and FG. Bullock and Angela (RIP Carrie Fisher) complemented each other well.

[@tmacm2237]

Wasn't Meg already in a cult?

[@RingoandCarlin]

In the 3rd episode of season 1

[@aljaberhk]

the cult died by poisoned punch and the leader was killed by stewie

[@Lorre982]

Awfull thing, Mila kunich (meg voice) supported danny" the rape scientologist" masterson (actor o 70s show) after his convicion.

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

@@Lorre982 Yep. Despite being a supposed feminist and ironically, running an anti-human trafficking charity with her husband Ashton Kutcher. She knew better and I lost all respect for her.

[@rikothecrazy69]

chewbacca, i love video essays like this, good job. you earned a subscriber!

[@rileyanthony]

Simply coming from an belief he has had for years that predate family guy not mention Bryan is just stand in mc of Seth him self

[@Thatblackcircle]

Guys.. remember the Chewbacca defense?

[@TerraJ-ug6nc]

No... what is it

[@Thatblackcircle]

@@TerraJ-ug6nc it was a cutaway.

[@antitheist3206]

It does not make sense!

[@TerraJ-ug6nc]

@@Thatblackcircle doesn't explain it but okay

[@quinintheclouds]

@@Thatblackcircle ok what was the cutaway

[@princessmarlena1359]

Personally I think it’s because since he is usually surrounded by religious people in Quahog, Brian is atheist not because he actually believes in a lack of evidence proving the existence of a higher power (that would be giving him too much credit), but so he can feel “special”.

[@juanpablorobayo9891]

your takes on faith are so refreshing and nuanced and balanced. subscribed!

[@13wayz70]

1:48 thats extremely based because i also have no sympathy for a judgmental christan, they arent even supposed to be judging people. thats god's job

[@UltraGalaxyify]

Denise Crosby's character, Tasha Yar, was killed in the first season episode "Skin of Evil", which is probably why Stewie killed Denise right away(not even bringing up that Crosby comes back as the half-Romulan daughter of Tasha Yar through a convoluted time warp because that's it's own can of worms)

[@TheTendermen]

36:00 Also no one could make grape juice back then (beyond freshly squeezed off the tree) as the sugars will naturally ferment turning the drink into wine. Grape juice only really took off in the late 1800's when Thomas Bramwell Welch developed a pasteurization method to prevent the fermentation process. (And I assume after the invention of the fridge, but that is just me making a conjecture)

[@vlc-cosplayer]

You know it's going to be a good video when the fursona crosses their arms 🔥

[@Sly88Frye]

14:43 Denise Crosby was a sacrifice character because her character Tasha Yar actually was killed off in season 1 of TNG.

[@Thejigholeman]

Brian doesn't have beliefs. he is against "the man" (which is whoever happens to be in charge on a given day), and wants to seem important. Brian literally met jesus, but is still an athiest. (since jesus/god are real, they are "the man", therefore he is athiest.) if god an jesus just disappeared, and the world became completely athiest, he would be the first man in church, singing praises to the lord.

[@Idunnohowabout7364]

My theory is Brian is the physical manifestation of what a lot of Christians think Atheists are like a lot of Christians believe Atheists and others all believe God exist but choose not to follow him out of selfishness or something. Brian is just an awful person just like how a lot of Christians portray Atheists as. I think my theory holds water hopefully.

[@Sly88Frye]

41:00 You're damn right That would have made this episode so much better. I guess what the family guy riders were going for was trying to make it more funny by Brian saying negative things to Meg like what her family constantly does. Instead of actually doing something gets more believable and more reasonable and quite honestly I think Brian probably would have said such a thing like you said there to Meg if it was the old Brian from the first three seasons and to a lesser extent season 4 and 5 I guess but what you wrote there that you think Brian should have said would have made a much better point and would have made the episode better.

[@laurav5767]

As an Atheist myself, Brian almost feels offensive to me!

[@bjam89]

Yeah, heck there is a way to be a atheist in a world of proven gods, you know god is real, don't mean you gotta worship god.

[@laurav5767]

@@bjam89 exactly, good Point👍

[@icedragonaftermath]

Agreed, just because you believe someone exists doesn't mean you have to believe in them as a person. In many ways, I'd say religious belief is more about that philosophical and moral reasoning when you really get into it with people.

[@Bolbi145]

I’m not even an atheist and I would have told Meg the same things just to get her off my back, she was being unbearable to Brian

[@seeleunit2000]

For many atheists Brian is offensive. For many people, they just flat out don't believe that there is a God. But man is Brian Griffin a strawman

[@RikenzuPlays]

Hey thanks for calling me out, washing dishes and listening to YT essays is how i even found your channel 😂

[@MichelangeloVA]

Compared to shows like south park and the simpsons, family guy religion jokes feel like they were written by an angsty 14 year old R/athiestism member. Not even jokes, just rants all the time and no commitment.

[@MaggotLauncher]

A newer episode addresses this. Stewie saying to Brian "Jesus lived with us for a week. What more do you need?"

[@thedarkone1420]

Yeah, that speech he gave at the end is still my number one most hated thing at all of TV history. I've re written this like 30 times but I keep going into a 10 paragraph rant about my beliefs. So I'm just gonna disconnect and end it like this. You want my full religion breakdown? Just ask in the replies... Assuming KZbin informs me of them.

[@quinintheclouds]

I'd be interested to hear!

[@fisshbone]

Let’s start half way. Do you believe in ghosts?

[@ultratog1028]

36:10 Grape Juice wasnt a thing until the 1800s if I recall correctly. It needs pasturization to not turn into wine.

[@thegreatmarondraith8741]

My issue with Seth is he thinks a complete absence of subtlety equals comedy. I watched his shitty movie "a million ways to die in the west." No I did not watch it willingly. Seth never once shuts up in the entire film and it's as subtle as a trainwreck on a boat.

[@The_Firebrand95]

Denise Crosby was only in 22 episodes of Star Trek the next generation. I don’t think it has anything to do with her dying, maybe I’m wrong.

[@MarcMagma]

16:30 Um...yes, that's literally what they have done historically and what some are still doing nowadays. It's one of the critizisms of anti-religion people and movements. In the Middle Ages, Christians and Muslims would literally give captured enemies of another faith the choice between conversion or death. If that isn't forcefully converting someone, I don't know what is.

[@SupHapCak]

There was only a brief part in Christian history where they spread by the sword, but for the firs millennium and now Christians don’t use violence. Also the fact that some followers did bad things, or some churches are false, doesn’t mean Christianity is wrong or God doesn’t exist. I mean it’s literally one of the 10 commandments, not to murder. The idea that your Christian neighbor is going to come after you is ridiculous.

[@Ginger_Snappe]

6:18 the fact I'm washing the dishes while watching this 😭

[@RingoandCarlin]

28:07-28:13 back when Family Guy was better. Seasons 1-6 also he did tell Stewie he made a commitment to God when he marries Olivia in season 5 if that counts as Brian believing in God before season 7 destroyed the show.

[@Tomha]

The shows are like Sequels. You got the OG Star Trek, The Next Generation which was around my time as a kid, and many more. You can pretty much jump in at any point and be fine I think. TNG is ny favorite, though my favorite character in the franchise is in Deep Space 9.

[@OniSorasousha]

Denise was the sacrifice character because her character was killed off in the show and she was one of the first 'main cast' characters to die, it's a meta joke.

[@Toenail_VR]

Brian is one of my favorite family guy characters.

[@davisthegamelord]

Personally I dont think Brian's an atheist, most atheists dont care if someones religious they just wanna be left alone and leave people alone (for the most part, there are exceptions). Brian doesn't do that. He always tries to tell people religion is wrong and gets annoyed at best angry at worst whenever religion is brought up. He even tried to ruin a Christmas festival once mainly because he didn't like it in one episode. Hes not an atheist, he's an anti-theist, he hates the idea of religion and the fact people practice it. Also another reason is Brian's a contrarian and he lives in a predominantly religious town he has to be in the out group.

[@boozashakes4254]

That’s called anti theism

[@SupHapCak]

The exception is usually a Christian expressing themselves within earshot, in my experience. So if there was a video where the whole comment section was people saying how stupid black people were, would you believe that those people just “want to be left alone” or would you mistrust them? That’s how I feel about atheist videos. Not a single logical commenter in the bunch, all people saying how I’m a terrible person for my beliefs - by mentioning the group I’m part of.

[@MeepChangeling]

You're correct. Most athiests are not anti-theists... Though they should be. Religion might "bring people comfort" but if you're not a part of it, it unfortunately also "shapes world views" and so religious people vote accordingly. Thus forcing their views onto others. Religion. Is. Never. "just personal".

[@MeepChangeling]

@@SupHapCak Look, even if all you do is believe, pay lip service, and go to church once in a while, your mere existence as a Christan supports the views of the nutcases who are the reason we are not able to cure blind children with a shot of stemcells and why women's reproductive rights are a constant political battle. Moderates support extremist posisions. So sorry, but you are part of the problem. The main part of the problem, since if only the extremists existed we'd have them locked in mental institutions. But since there's a billion of you guys that makes their madness scocialy acceptable, and that madness hurts humanity far more than it helps.

[@boozashakes4254]

@@MeepChangeling u could also say that forcing atheism brings nihilism and no sense of purpose

[@DustyHoney]

“Star Trek” isn’t one show, there are several different Star Trek series.

[@constructivecriticism6203]

Because the writers were lazy

[@samflood5631]

No because of the behavior of the Christians in previous episodes. Like the episode where they supported Mayor West’s ban on gay marriage. The episode where the whole town chased the Griffins out of town because they thought Stewie was possessed when all he did was vomit red wine. The episode where the Opal Ring Crusade made up lies to the students of James Wood High into believing that Sex was wrong, and they basically kicked Lois out of the school for teaching teenagers about condoms. And let’s not forget the episode where Lois was ostracized by the town for being a porn star.

[@fettbub92]

This is my first video of yours and I'm washing videos while listening. Star Trek: The Next Generation, is a sequel series that takes place in the same universe as the original 1960s show, but a few decades in the future. Its close enough to have Picard and Kirk existing at the same time, if several years apart in age. Great vid. Subbed now.

[@Attmay]

I noticed this at least 10 years ago. Brian doesn't believe in God even though God is a character on both *The Simpsons* and *Family Guy* which are in the same extended Fox Sunday night cartooniverse. Not only that, in that Kirk Cameron episode, his reasoning for atheism is outright sexist. He tells Meg "there's no God because you're ugly." That's not the exact wording, but that is the message.

[@PixelSpecter377]

Start trek Next generation is a show set a number of years after the original series featuring a new cast and late 80s cheese as opposed to 60s camp

[@mr.perfectcell1887]

Technically, agnosticism isn't the third option to athiesm or theism. Gnosticism pertains to knowledge. So you can be an agnostic atheist, an atheist who isn't sure if there is a god but doesn't believe so, or a gnostic athiest, who makes the positive claim that there is no god. You can also be an agnostic theist or a gnostic theist.

[@OmniDan26]

It's not a positive claim, it's a negative one you mong.

[@Kamithefirst12]

One I would like to say about this show is that isn't linear. Chronological speaking which most people don't notice, understandable so. Which probably why they don't reference Jesus in the episode. If I'm being honest I always vibed with episode purely because I know people like Meg, who most would describe as fanatical due to them shoving their faith and opinions down your throat without a chance to question. And if you didn't like what they are doing or saying, they try to use the surrounding people to bully you into their opinions. P.S. I am not targeting Christianity but just to say that I have had this experience with people of the Christian belief and other beliefs. I always found that this episode to be a commentary/lesson on how finding a religion is good but making you whole personality isn't the best idea and using it to bully other isn't right. Also, that if someone opinion about your life and ideals are enough to shake/shatter them then you probably didn't belief the things in what you said you did. Also, you were probably using it(faith) to project your issues. Note this is just my opinion and don't attack for it. Also sorry for the possible lack of grammar and spelling.

[@theatheistcowboy4227]

Not that it has any effect on the video and I’m sure at least a few people have told you this already, but gnostic/agnostic and theist/atheist answer two different questions. Gnosticism has to do with knowledge, so if you are agnostic, you are saying you do not have knowledge of whether there is a god or not. Theism deals with belief, so if you are an atheist, you do not believe there is a god and if you are a theist you do believe. Therefore, you can be an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist. You could also be a gnostic atheist or theist, but ultimately those are dishonest positions because no one has that kind of knowledge.

[@myyoutubeaccount4024]

So as a now 30 something who was an Evangelical teen watching FG reruns on Adult Swim when this episode aired, I feel like I’m able to clear a few things up: 1. The 2000s was definitely the prime era for non denominational Christianity which has since been reclassified as Evangelicalism. So the generic version of Christianity in the episode and honestly most of the animated fox shows is accurate. 2. Kirk Cameron is a Christian Nationalist, so in hindsight Meg’s jump to book burning after getting entranced by him lines up. 3. Brian was also very much repurposed to be the insufferable militant atheist who identified as such to be a contrarian with few ideological reasons this point in the show, which was the fashion at the time. 4. The Simpsons is too broad a topic. I’d suggest reviewing the single season show made by two of the best talents to come out of The Simpsons: “Mission Hill”.

[@DontLookNowBuddy]

Star Trek is Captain Kirk, the Next Generation is with Picard. It’s a sequel series, essentially.

[@bryon5471]

Family guy video essay is a wild thing to put in the title

[@tauntingeveryone7208]

26:46 that's not what omnipotent means. It means all powerful. All powerful does not mean they take on any form. Of the 5 omnis, omnipresent would be the better one for this. Omnipresent means that a being is present everywhere which could also translate as taking on any form for being all present.

[@blackcatcrew6965]

i think Quagmire put it best when he violates Brian about who he is where the horrible swirl of self-importance and his own self-loathing wants him to feel and be special that he decides to be the opposite of whatever majority he finds himself in, also Chewbacca!

[@Bordie3D]

Family guy is actually genuinely transphobic. I liked Ida and how she took herself seriously but there were jokes made to be actually hurtful and dehumanizing.

[@pinoyjona]

Brian is an example of why I developed a nitpick on adult cartoon shows having atheist episodes in a universe where gods exist and shown evidence. At least with South Park when they had atheists or agnostics, it’s pretty fun to watch. Family Guy doing it makes it sound like if you’re religious, you’re an idiot and without it, the world would be better as shown in two of their “Road to” episodes. And being a Filipino, it’s pretty much a stereotype for me to be a Catholic but I was raised differently from how Western Catholics are portrayed on the media or in cartoons, so with the church comment Brian said, I gotta say, me and my family don’t go to church, only on holidays that depends if the people we ride to their place for Christmas decides to go to church or not. When I was a kid and my dad was alive, it was a yearly thing, but once in my adult years, not even more religious family goes there anymore, granted it’s mainly transportation and work. My grandma uses a Filipino mass through KZbin livestream but due to living in America so time zones are and she’s old with commitments, she compromise by watching the recoded stream on Sunday. Better than nothing for her.

[@C00L_DUD31]

Look you can argue whatever irl (I , myself am atheistic). Jesus Christ himself literally came over to his house and performed miracles as other people saw it. It's not likely to be some hallucination. He is just stupid.

[@ryanmaclean1720]

I feel called out with the dishes

[@crackedspanner]

Isn't the Jesus wine joke a reference to his blood being wine? So it's a transubstation joke, rather than a water to wine joke.

[@Locust_Clips]

She offered every Star Trek fan with that Star Trek question.

[@BennSimonn]

Chewbacca! (What a Wookiee!)

[@fae121]

Ain’t no way you accurately called me out for doing the dishes and listening to your video lmao

[@B4K4xNi]

8:52 girl I know you're young but it was 2009 not caveman times 😭 Netflix streaming was 2 years old and I very much had a TV in my bedroom.

[@themedia1271]

My favorite Star Trek fun fact is that Elvis Presley was a huge fan of the show and named his horse after the show. But instead of naming it after a character or an actor, he just named the horse Star Trek and didn't shorten it or anything. He would just say the full title and would make everyone else say the full title when calling the horse.