1. Comment #256610 by happy on September 29, 2008 at 9:22 am

Still only a few months behind South Park as always!

This kind of thing would be unimaginable five years ago, so well done Family Guy writers.

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2. Comment #256615 by Thirst4knowledge on September 29, 2008 at 9:24 am

Does anyone know when this will air in the UK?

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3. Comment #256620 by Quetzalcoatl on September 29, 2008 at 9:28 am

Thirst4knowledge-

It probably won't be for a while.

Even so- this is another sign of the increasing impact that the book has had. Dawkins has stated that one of his aims in writing it was to raise consciousness about the issues: he has certainly succeeded.

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4. Comment #256628 by Wosret on September 29, 2008 at 9:35 am

I doesn't mention the most important part. Brian says that he is an atheist. I mean, it was clear from before. He has called the bible a book of fairytales and such, but this was the first time he outright said he was an atheist.

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5. Comment #256633 by HandyGeek on September 29, 2008 at 9:43 am

Oh what I miss not having cable. Guess I'll just have to download this episode. :D

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6. Comment #256641 by Isherwood on September 29, 2008 at 9:48 am

I got a hearty laugh out of that scene. I think I may have actually cheered aloud. I'm glad my wife tolerates me so well. :-)

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7. Comment #256672 by tonyK on September 29, 2008 at 10:20 am

This is a huge step for atheism. This may just push the number of outspoken atheists to the critical mass that Dawkins speaks of. My guess is that a large percentage of those who watch Family Guy just need a little encouragement to become outspoken in their agnosticism. Now we all have a friend in Brian the dog.

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8. Comment #256677 by root2squared on September 29, 2008 at 10:27 am

Well, just what I suspected: dogs are smarter than some people.

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9. Comment #256679 by root2squared on September 29, 2008 at 10:29 am

Might be more relevant on this website to say dogs are smarter than fleas.

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10. Comment #256680 by Spinoza on September 29, 2008 at 10:34 am

Important to note: Seth McFarlane has said that Brian basically represents himself (hence, Brian's voice is basically Seth's real voice).

Also interesting note about this episode. The girl turns out to be pretty skanky (hence the genital warts), with Brian as a somewhat honour-ridden foil... showing that atheists are just normal people :) LOL

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11. Comment #256681 by clatz on September 29, 2008 at 10:36 am

There are sites where you can see this episode.

For ex familyguynow dot com

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12. Comment #256682 by dhudson0001 on September 29, 2008 at 10:50 am

love the Barbera Bush meme --how appropriate! (had to quit watching after the "close the window your letting all the stink out" line was delivered though..lol)

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13. Comment #256687 by drl2 on September 29, 2008 at 10:58 am

Fox.com usually makes full episodes of most FOX shows available to stream within a day or two of their initial airtime. If this episode was called "Love, Blactually", then it's up now.

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14. Comment #256688 by Lenny on September 29, 2008 at 11:03 am

I think it's about time for a guest appearance on The Simpsons.

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15. Comment #256689 by JWaltman on September 29, 2008 at 11:04 am

It was really nice to see this cameo on my favorite tv series. In the Netherlands we don't see a lot of FG, some channels tried it, but not for long :(

Sooooo.. I just download it, and buy a box when available, to support my favorite show..

I had a real 'WOW' when I saw this particular scene, great to see it in public now! Seth certainly wants his audience to think :)

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16. Comment #256694 by ggab7768 on September 29, 2008 at 11:16 am

There was an episode a few years back where Peter finds out that he is technically retarded.
If you pay close attention, when the doctor is showing him his test scores on a chart, he scores below the "retarded" line, and above the "creationist" line.
Love that scene.
The episode is called "Petarded" if anyone wants to look it up.

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17. Comment #256696 by Edamus on September 29, 2008 at 11:21 am

Awesome, love Family Guy and this only makes me respect them more.

Good stuff~

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18. Comment #256698 by Peacebeuponme on September 29, 2008 at 11:26 am

This is a huge step for atheism.

Yes, right up there with the drafting of the Establishment Clause and the publication of On the Origin of Species...

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19. Comment #256701 by Elli on September 29, 2008 at 11:48 am

Seth McFarlane is generally outspoken in his atheism and contempt for religion. His writing reflects this frequently, as has pointed out above. There are in fact references in many, many episodes. I always find it amusing that Fox hosts the series, for this very reason, but I tend to think that those who would take offense at the humour and references Seth weaves in to the show in opposition to religion, are just too stupid to realize they are being pwned. It is wonderful that such a show can target a young audience and similarly get away with sending these kinds of messages precisely because it is animation and the crowd that would ordinarily oppose such content just don't realize what the show is really saying, as they assume it is a children's show much like the Simpsons.

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20. Comment #256702 by Steve Zara on September 29, 2008 at 11:49 am

Comment #256698 by Peacebeuponme

Sorry! I missed a link, and tagged your comment offensive! It clearly isn't.

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21. Comment #256704 by Peacebeuponme on September 29, 2008 at 11:52 am

Steve

Sorry! I missed a link, and tagged your comment offensive! It clearly isn't.

You were aiming for the [playful jibe] button, no?

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22. Comment #256714 by Steve Zara on September 29, 2008 at 12:08 pm

Comment #256704 by Peacebeuponme

I wasn't wearing my glasses, assumed that the "On the Origin of Species" in your post was a link, and missed.

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23. Comment #256724 by Duff on September 29, 2008 at 12:34 pm

Elli,
Not sure I agree the Simpsons is a children's show. Pretty sophisticated, both of these animated shows. To show how out of it I am, I chided my post teen daughter for always watching Family Guy. She said, "Dad, this show blasts all the people you can't stand." It turns out she is correct. As usual.

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24. Comment #256733 by Quine on September 29, 2008 at 12:52 pm

You can watch the episode at this link.

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25. Comment #256748 by Koreman on September 29, 2008 at 1:14 pm

Yes. Nice if you have an IP in the US.

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26. Comment #256765 by tieInterceptor on September 29, 2008 at 1:41 pm

pssss, a link to the episode that works in Europe,

don't tell ;) , you need divx player to view btw,

http://www.familyguyx.net/episode/love_blactually/link_1167/

Other Comments by tieInterceptor

27. Comment #256798 by quantum_flux on September 29, 2008 at 2:16 pm

A bigger step for Atheism was that Bender charater on Futuramma.

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28. Comment #256823 by Koreman on September 29, 2008 at 2:48 pm

Psst tieInterceptor

Thank you.

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29. Comment #256829 by theantitheist on September 29, 2008 at 2:56 pm

Quantum flux

He was until he became god, and then met god. Then stole the devils hands.

I don't think he's an atheist, it's just that i think he doesn't give a rats and he'd try to steal the pearly gates and then tell jesus and mohammed to bite his shiny metal arse.

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30. Comment #256844 by David Lambie on September 29, 2008 at 3:11 pm

Are people really thinking that being on Family Guy is some kind of pinnacle achievement for either TGD or atheism? Have you actually seen it?!

David

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31. Comment #256853 by Lucas on September 29, 2008 at 3:20 pm

Brian is awesome, Seth is awesome, the show is awesome. I'm very sorry for those of you who can't watch it, don't understand it, or misapprehend its meaning and import. Like South Park, its one of those things that just isn't as funny for people who have not grown up in the USA over the last 30 or so years.

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32. Comment #256857 by Lemniscate on September 29, 2008 at 3:24 pm

Lucas, Family Guy and South Park are very popular in Britain. They're not as popular as the Simpsons, though.

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33. Comment #256858 by Goldy on September 29, 2008 at 3:25 pm

Lucas, never lived in the US and I love them. I liked the Imaginationland terrorist hijack episode of South Park, especially the argument about whether Jesus and Heaven etc were imaginary or real :-)

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34. Comment #256860 by ColdFusionLazarus on September 29, 2008 at 3:28 pm

Here I am, all dressed up and no place to go. I can't even watch a clip of myself!

I do like Family Guy.

That's it. That's all I got.

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35. Comment #256884 by hobar on September 29, 2008 at 4:25 pm

I love when Peter was teaching some Sunday School kids: "And when you die you go to a wonderful place called heaven. Nah, I'm just jackin' yah, you'll all rot in the ground."

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36. Comment #256904 by Lucas on September 29, 2008 at 5:34 pm

Lemniscate and Goldy - Awesome. My point was just that an awful lot of the context of the jokes on those shows has to do with American self-criticism. I met a cat from Switzerland while I was in Africa and he and I spent a whole evening on the beach drinking and smoking and talking about South Park. He and his friends loved it, but when I explained some things about American culture he loved it even more.

Also, thought I'd mention that Family Guy can be seen on IMDb as well. They just started putting up a bunch of shows and movies for free. If you want to know what my 4-yr-old brain was like, watch some Barney Miller, WKRP in Cincinnati, A-Team, and Hillstreet Blues. It's a trip to see all that stuff now.

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37. Comment #256919 by The Soilworker on September 29, 2008 at 6:22 pm

This is evidence, again, of Family Guy's superiority over South Park. Don't get me wrong, I watch South Park all the time and many parts are humorous but Parker and Stone are politically/ethically/spiritually/wholly apathetic and never take a stance on anything. It's like they are either too dumb or too afraid to commit. At least Seth MacFarlane is not afraid to announce, either with stealth or balls, his disgust with religion and the maddening right-wing.

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38. Comment #256925 by Cartomancer on September 29, 2008 at 6:37 pm

I also sent my copy of The God Delusion to my beloved as soon as I had finished reading it. Sadly it didn't bring him running into my arms either, though I did get to spend a pleasant half hour staring into his beautiful brown eyes as we argued about first causes over dinner afterwards. If only there was a special edition of the book which really did make you irresistible to whoever you gave it to - perhaps with egregious extra chapters extolling the virtues of those generous with improving literature, or a secret pheromone complex worked into the paper.

In retrospect, perhaps a book which lauds modern science and deprecates outdated medieval inanities wasn't the best choice in the circumstances, given that his boyfriend is doing PhD in virology and I'm a fusty old medieval historian. Still, it was worth a shot I guess.

Maybe I can win his heart with Christopher Hitchens or Dan Dennett instead. Or maybe I should just stop taking romantic advice from cartoons...

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39. Comment #256929 by The Soilworker on September 29, 2008 at 6:44 pm

Sam Harris is the way to go. His honeyed words can send anyone rushing to reason (and also perhaps your welcome embrace). He is beginning to be my favorite of the 'horsemen'. I have loaned my copies of his books out, though not in hopes of obtaining affection. Not to mention his boyishly handsome manner as he paces about the dais, destroying strawmen like they were...um...men made of straw.

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40. Comment #256953 by PrexicKehdaki on September 29, 2008 at 7:34 pm

the episode is streaming free on hulu.com as well, which I prefer to fox's site

http://www.hulu.com/watch/36869/family-guy-love-blactually#s-p1-so-i0

I think there's less commercials on hulu too, check it out

Edit: I'm going to try to get the god delusion scene on youtube soon, for those in europe

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41. Comment #256954 by Elles on September 29, 2008 at 7:50 pm

This reminds me of something I said yesterday which I found ironic. I was noting how House and I'm pretty sure Bones are Atheists and I said "there are a lot of Atheists on Fox."

Meh.

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42. Comment #256955 by PrexicKehdaki on September 29, 2008 at 8:01 pm

Elles,

Not only is House an atheist, just about all of his team is too.

I've never watched bones.. what's making you think (the main character?) is an atheist?

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43. Comment #256982 by MaxWeiss on September 29, 2008 at 9:36 pm

That was a great episode... "I'm no meteorologist but I'm pretty sure it's rainin' bitches." I fell on the floor laughing when I heard that.

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44. Comment #256987 by TuftedPuffin on September 29, 2008 at 10:01 pm

House has a large number of shows with atheists. A friend of mine observed that they also have a large number of shows with lesbians. The only theory we've been able to come up with is that Fox's only guiding principle is shock value: their right wing news is merely attempting to be un-PC, just like much of the rest of their (non right-wing) programming.

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45. Comment #256993 by Roy_H on September 29, 2008 at 10:43 pm

Thank you for your interest in FOX.
This episode is currently only available to viewers living in the United States

Oh no .... I love that show!

Comment #256765 by tieInterceptor on September 29, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Thank you !

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46. Comment #257006 by PrexicKehdaki on September 29, 2008 at 11:57 pm

For those of you who that are outside of the states.. I've uploaded the god delusion scene for you

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?oztmtom2atk

Other Comments by PrexicKehdaki

47. Comment #257012 by bumgut on September 30, 2008 at 12:27 am

Thanks, PrexicKehdaki

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48. Comment #257014 by Pertwee's Bouffant on September 30, 2008 at 12:32 am

I've always taken Brian's previously implicit atheism as read.

Great to see TGD featuring in an episode. Makes Family Guy that bit more unmissable.

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49. Comment #257020 by PrexicKehdaki on September 30, 2008 at 12:52 am

Ok, I've uploaded a very short clip. (I'm trying to avoid copyright trouble.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLgmGUi1aM0

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50. Comment #257050 by Lemniscate on September 30, 2008 at 1:34 am

Lucas, I think you'd be surprised at the amount of American self-criticism we 'get' over here, especially the younger ones amongst us, who've grown up with the Americanised internet. Sometimes I feel like I know more about what's going on in American than Britain, especially with the credit crisis and election going on.

There are plenty of people who'd rate South Park or Family Guy as their favourite shows over here. Personally, I think American Dad is better - I love the episode where Stan tries to convert his atheist friend.

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