I've been reading this thread (and a good part of the comments), and organizing my own thoughts so I can properly say what I think, but it's a long thread, a delicate issue and I can't spend days reading it... There are lots of excellent comments and I just can't mention or reply them all, so I'll just say a (long
) couple of things, even feeling that all that had already been said in some other form...
Minna did a beautiful and funny comic with a relevant social critic.
The dangers of excessive consumerism, many times involving superfluous things, the extreme overvaluation of the self, the deepening of the social divide between "VIPs" and the rest, the use of automated systems to limit free-thinking outside the "safe boundaries", turning everyone in a tool for governmental control...
All that is serious and can become worse if left untamed. So denouncing it is important.
Also, the persecution of minorities (religious, ethnic, cultural, etc...) is a sad reality. And discrimination against Christians is a reality in some places.
(One should add that this persecution isn't limited to Christians. Other faiths, cultures, sexual orientations, etc... suffer too. Basically anything that doesn't adhere or goes against the official way. And also that along History (and today) the "official" way often mixed with a particular religion, each seeking its own advantages. We know that too many times the alleged worry over people's souls and their salvation was (and is) just a cover up for acquiring power and money).So, "Lovely People" could have been not only a beautiful work of art but also an interesting metaphor for all those important issues that should be adressed. But that last page and Minna's afterwords created a level of discomfort and noise that eclipsed everything else.
While Minna's desire to shout out to the World her newfound faith is understandable (even if a bit childish),
the way she did it, using the kind of speech we immediately associate with the worst "flavours" of Christianity, isn't.
I don't think she meant to do any harm, on the contrary, she clearly sees herself as a person with many flaws (who isn't?) that found a new, comfortable place, and wants to show that path to everybody else.
I wasn't expecting that (and I believe few were). I saw the bible references and thought "ok, she's focusing this on the Bible but we could imagine here the Quran or other relevant book"... But then came that final page (if only she stopped on the penultimate one, and skipped the afterwords).
She gave no warning about it. And for many, as shown in the comments, this is as
very sensitive topic. Many still feel, and are indeed, oppressed and damaged by Christians.
(not to mention a long story of abuses and terrible actions).
To make things worst came that final conspiracy theory part that obviously has no basis at all...
(As someone said "anyone that believes in conspiracy theories never acted as a project manager trying to make (just) 10 people do their part in a coordinated way while keeping silent about it").Each alone would be very bad. Together they made the comic a mess. Gone is the opportunity to tackle those relevant issues.
final note:
I grew a Catholic, so Minna's words didn't hurt me immediately, they felt just... uncomfortable, and wrong. The Catholic faith where I grew tempered these "Old Testament" views with an emphasis on each one's ability to become a better person. The Original Sin and Hell in the scriptures were just metaphors.
I remember one priest saying "The only hell is closing yourself and living without love".
I hope Minna finds, by herself or with the help of more mature and moderate minds, a better path.
