Study the Bible, with Robert Crumb’s Book of Genesis
IT’S Sunday. Time to study the Bible, with Robert Crumb’s Book of Genesis.
Greta Christina reviews:
Of course I’ve read Genesis. More than once. It’s been a little while since I’ve read the whole thing all the way through, but it’s not like it’s unfamiliar. But there’s something about seeing the story fleshed out in images to make some of its more striking narrative turns leap out and grab your brain by the root. There’s nothing quite like seeing the two different creation stories enacted on the page to make you go, “Hey! That’s right! Two completely different creation stories!” There’s nothing quite like seeing Lot offer his daughters to be gang-raped to make you recoil in shock and moral horror. There’s nothing quite like seeing the crazed dread and burning determination in Abraham’s eyes as he prepares the sacrifice of his own son to make you feel the enormity of this act. Reading these stories in words conveys the ideas; seeing them in images conveys the visceral impact. It makes it all seem vividly, immediately, humanly real.
Now, that is something of a mixed blessing. Spending a few days with the characters in Genesis isn’t the most relaxing literary vacation you’ll ever take. Richard Dawkins wasn’t kidding when he said, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction.” The God character in Genesis is cruel, violent, callous, insecure, power-hungry, paranoid, hot-tempered, morally fickle… I could go on and on. And God’s followers aren’t much better. They lie, they scheme, they cheat one another, they conquer other villages with bloodthirsty imperialist glee, they kill at the drop of a hat. This isn’t Beatrix Potter here. It’s more like Dangerous Liaisons by way of Quentin Tarantino. With tents, sand, and sheep.
Posted: 10th, February 2013 | In: Books Comments (5) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
February 11th, 2013 at 11:16 am
Intruder – you’re right – they never offer their own lives up, do they…?
February 11th, 2013 at 11:15 am
I think the Baptists and the Born Agains would enjoy it – they seem to enjoy a bit of blood and thunder….
it’s a question of whether you believe or not – those who do will applaud the graphics; those who don’t – like Tarquin – will dismiss it as over-dramatic nonsense.
I don’t think it is going to change anything.
February 10th, 2013 at 5:47 pm
Do you think Crumb is anti-religion? I think his comic book made the Bible more brutal
February 10th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
If anything, the concept is even more mad with graphic representations. I suppose it helps to show the ridiculousness of the nonsense peddled by religions.
February 10th, 2013 at 3:14 pm
When it comes to making a sacrifice, why do those choosing to sacrifice always pick on somebody else? Its like going to the promised land – nobody is in a rush to make the journey. Don’t they trust their stories?