Anonymous writes...

This last thing I am still very reluctant to say, because it means getting involved in something I don’t think people should do, and even worse, doing it myself; which is to argue in this space. Don’t get me wrong, even I have issues with a couple of things you’ve said throughout the years (you can’t agree with anyone all the time, Right?), but I will never speak about it here, principally because obviously the online and social media comment structures are a failure when it comes to debating (or even having a real conversation, in my opinion). And because, in any, case, I regard this site as the information office, not the complaint department.
However, there is this discussion already started by someone else, and that is of concern to me. I have seen that a couple of fellow atheists have come criticizing you for having openly religious characters. First of all I say that, being an atheist myself, I can’t help but side with you on the arguments as they are: you made very sensible points for yourself, whereas these fellow atheist have strike a certain tone I disapprove of in general: I dislike the way most people today voice out their opinions and/or “criticism” online, even if I agree with them. And, in case some of these atheists are reading this and want to accuse me of some kind of treachery, I say this: No, I’m not been soft, I´m being civil. There is a difference (not that anyone remembers anymore).
All that said, I think I understand where this criticism is coming from, and since it’s already out I’d think it at least deserves to be expressed in a civilized manner, if you’re interested. If not, feel free to read no further, I don’t want to importunate anyone.
On the one hand, from the perspective of laicity, secularity or whichever is the accurate term in English (frankly they are all widely misunderstood anyway), which is independent from atheism, religion is best kept behind closed doors. One of the reasons for that is that is always a confrontational topic. You are now living one of these kinds of confrontation with the whole Halo controversy (I hope I’m not scratching anyone’s wounds here; I apologize if I am). I am not getting into that discussion on itself, I don’t think it’s my place, but the point is even when you acted with the best of intentions you ended up in an eggplant garden, as we say in these parts, and I think that proves my point.
Another reason is that simply set religion aside is the only way to be truly neutral, and therefore, democratic about it; but that is in politics, it doesn’t necessarily apply to you. When you’re telling a story it’s a different matter, and it’s obvious to me that you have been neutral about it, not trying to evangelize anyone. I trust you when you say you do it for the sake of realism, not to sell religiousness. But it remains a thorny subject.
On that note, you’ve also said that you wish to have more opportunities to equally represent atheism, or at least that is what I understood. I really appreciate the thought, and I would love that, but rationally I can’t but advice you against it. If you’ve gotten in some much trouble as it is by talking about religion, who knows what kind of havoc would arise if you have someone voicing our objections to religion on screen. Many believers perceive atheism as a personal attack on their god; even if you’re not the kind that attempts to change people’s minds, and only address the subject when you’re asked, there are many who feel offended or at least unsettled when they hear you are an atheist. They shouldn’t, of course, and I hope to change that much, but for the sake of your sanity and your work I can´t recommend you to get in the middle of it, not on screen anyway.
There is this other thing that might be involved in what has been said, but admittedly that one is completely on us. In my case, and I imagine I’m not the only one, my self-preservation instinct has developed and inner alarm that rings every time someone talks openly about religion; said ringing screams “Indoctrination alert!”. Obviously, there are moments when that feeling is justified and others when it’s simply paranoia; and again, clearly that wasn’t your intent.
I do somewhat like to think that every sensible fictional character I see is an atheist until proven otherwise, but I also understand that isn’t quite realistic. And that forces me to honesty: I live in an overwhelmingly catholic country, so most people close to me, including friends, are either believers or have a much less critical relationship with religion than I do; still, they are my friends. Therefore, I can have no issue with Zatara being a catholic (it does trouble me that he sent Zatanna to such thing as a catholic school, but I predict you’ll say something like there are different kinds of catholic schools, and then we would never end arguing).
I guess that what really feels unbalanced and upsetting is thinking that viewers who are believers will pat each other in the back saying “See? Greg is on our side, he thinks religion is a good thing”; whereas there is nobody inside pointing out that religion isn’t always nor inherently a good thing, let alone defending that going through life without a god-figure has nothing to do with morality and inmorality, or emptiness, or arrogance. Of course it sounds contradictory that I grieve about it when I just wrote a whole paragraph advising you to not do that either, but that’s the tragedy: it’s upsetting our views remain so much more quieted than those of the other side, but you can’t represent them without risk causing a riot.
I don’t know if these explanations are useful at all. I hope that at least I have redeemed my side of the argument. It’s always sad when atheists use a tone that seems to approach the very viscerallity we criticize.
PS: Whoever reads this that is not Greg Weisman, please don’t bother “replying”. This might be a somewhat public space, but I as said earlier I don’t agree in using it as a debate forum between all of us, nor I wish to engage on such use. There’s only one person who is supposed to answer the questions here, and this isn’t addressed to anyone else.