“But every religion says there’s a soul, Bart. Why would they lie? What would they have to gain?” – Milhouse van Houten
“I don’t hear scrubbing.” – Reverend Lovejoy
Dead Homer Society
About
A passionate baseball fan blog celebrating America’s favorite pastime.
Topics
- 23rd Anniversary Yellow Jubilee
- 53% New Text
- Animation Alley
- Behind Us Forever
- Celebrity Voices
- Company Eating Rules
- Compare & Contrast
- Crazy Noises
- Fan Made
- Happy Birthday
- Irresponsible Not to Speculate
- Krusty Brand Seal of Approval
- Lies Make Baby Jesus Cry
- Living Life to Its Fullest
- News
- Permanent Record
- Pies Are Easier to Draw
- Please End This Fucking Show
- Poor Usage
- Pornography Monday
- Primetime Cartoons
- QotD
- Ratings FAIL
- Reading Digest
- Reusing the Same Backgrounds Over and Over
- Reviews
- Rumor Control
- Sacrilicious
- Sight Gags
- Simpsonized
- Simpsons
- Simpsons Alumni
- Simpsons Did It
- Smells Like Otto's Jacket
- Spews Truth from Every Orifice
- Sunday Preview
- Synergy
- The Simpsons
- Thursday Evening Cartoons
- Uncategorized
- Unprofitability Here We Come
- Watching Cartoons
Dead Homer Society 
8 responses to “Quote of the Day”
One of my favourite digs at religion the show has ever done!
Unrelated: I was recently re-watching Grampa Vs. Sexual Inadequacy and I noticed JFK’s line in Homer’s childhood flashback “If I, uh, may Helen, I’d like to respond to that question with yet another flip remark” must have been referring to the recently deceased Helen Thomas. Missed opportunity for a QotD!
What I liked is how Castellaneta did that one. Sure, Quimby ruined it later on, but at the time it was still just as epic.
Um. Quimby existed before then.
Good observation!
What really makes this episode is that even though it acknowledges the fact that the afterlife does not exist, it still manages to produce an interesting discussion of the metaphorical and metaphysical metaphors behind the idea of a soul. Lisa’s final line, suggesting that Bart earned the right to humanity rather than being inherently sentient, is poignant and thoughtful. It raises the question of whether things like evil, good, morality and self-awareness are inherent or learned, and respects the audience enough not to answer it.
This episode could also present the idea that the soul is what you gain when you suffer tribulations, thus becoming more aware and empathetic in the process.
Don’t forget religion does help poor people like Catholic Charities, though some pastors are only in it for the money mainly, as demonstrated here.
I don’t know who to be angry at. Milhouse for snitching or Lovejoy for forcing them to clean some organ piano.
Times like this make me feel glad that I don’t go to church.
Yeah, that’s right. I said it.