This meme is funny in a way. But not, I think, in the way the meme-maker intended.

I confess to an automatic distaste for the crude drawing of the Ugly Atheist. Not in a “How dare they mock me!” sort of way. I get that it’s a common drawing style for those whom a meme-maker wishes to mock. I’m cool with the concept. But as an artist, I cringe every time I see that style.

That’s the point, I suppose.

The other character, the heroic Western Man, is another common meme-style. I’m less bothered by it since it is, at least, rendered well. At the same time, I can’t ignore the possibility that those who often make use of this image perhaps have some underlying homo-erotic fixations.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

The Meme

In this scenario, the Ugly Atheist holds a clenched fist to his forehead in fear and dismay. The realization that his existence is utterly insignificant compared to the vastness of a godless universe is too much for him.

He cries out in consternation, “Looking at the night sky makes me realize how puny and insignificant I am on the cosmic scale?”

Meanwhile, the heroic big-chinned Western Man declares with confidence, “I am the result of God’s infinite brilliance. I am a living miracle, willed by the Father of all. The eternal glory of the Creator blesses me daily.”

Uncertainty vs. Certainty

The point of the meme is to mock the uncertainty and –what believers consider– the inherent stupidity and self-centeredness of atheists, who have turned their backs on God and now fearfully hide in shadows, too scared to face the truth and magnificence of His creation.

In contrast to the weak, ugly Atheist, the heroic (and probably gay) Western Man’s chin professes certainty that he is God’s most brilliant creation; that God miraculously created him by the power if His will alone; and his life is the daily focus of the Creator of All.

Where Is The Frightened Atheist?

In order to work, a meme needs to be based in reality. It’s like a joke (in truth, it’s not “like” a joke - it actually IS a joke expressed in visual terms). If the premise of the joke isn’t grounded in what the audience knows and expects, the twist or punchline will hit flat.

With that in mind, I challenge anyone to show me an atheist who is afraid of the night sky, of science, of cosmology, and all that entails. Show me the atheist who is afraid to contemplate the motion of stars, the moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, or  the vastness of an expanding universe. Where is the atheist who quails at the thought of his/her universal insignificance? Who is the atheist afraid of unanswered questions when it comes to the nature of black holes?

To many of us who discarded theism, the thought of our insignificance in the universe came, not as a source of fear, but as a welcome relief. Saying goodbye to belief in a God peering over our shoulders and judging our every move –to say nothing of our thoughts– was a great weight off our shoulders.

Personally, I’m glad there’s no God watching me poop. The faces I make are for me and the dog alone. Maybe the cat if he choses to stick around.

Contemplating the stars is humbling. That’s true enough. But the only fear I feel when contemplating the Milky Way or pointing my telescope at the Orion Nebula is the fear I might trip and fall into dog shit.

So that’s why the meme doesn’t work for me. The atheist portrayed is a premise untethered from reality.

The Real Joke Is on The Chin

One of the frequent criticisms of atheists I hear is that in turning our backs on God’s Truth^®, we have made ourselves into gods. We’ve become arrogant priests in the Religion of Self.

I would be lying if I said there aren’t arrogant atheists out there. Any memes using that as a premise would hit closer to the mark. But when it comes to contemplating the universe, most or all nonbelievers react with supreme humility and awe. Not arrogance.

On the other hand, what The Chin has to say jives very well with what many –if not most– believers actually believe.

In their minds and doctrines, they are God’s greatest creation, and the metaphorical Center of the Universe. They believe that The Creator of All is actively involved in every little detail of their lives.

Once, when discussing something online, a believer denigrated my atheism as the height of arrogance, called me a Spawn of Satan, and proceeded to say something similar to what The Chin expressed in the meme.

My response was simple:

“Behold! The Believer, who casts himself as his Creator's greatest, most important handiwork made in the very likeness of God, accuses an atheist of hubris.”

That, and that alone, is what makes this meme funny.

So, while I believe Christians can meme (The Babylon Bee is frequently hilarious). Like all of us, sometimes they reveal a bit more about themselves than they do their targets.