BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012.
- besleybean
- Threatened Knighthood
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- From: Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland.
- Registered: October 4, 2012
- Posts: 21,343
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
And I know it's not the same thing, but we do have previous: people don't go to heaven when they die.
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- ancientsgate
- Reichenbach Survivor
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- From: New Hampshire, USA
- Registered: June 8, 2012
- Posts: 5,532
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
besleybean wrote:
And I know it's not the same thing, but we do have previous: people don't go to heaven when they die.
Sherlock said this? Do you remember in what episode? Just curious.
I have no problem with the idea of his being an atheist. In fact, it's a whole lot easier for the writers to write him as an atheist, rather than as an agnostic or a person of faith. 4.5 hours of screen time every 2 or 3 years doesn't leave them a whole lot of opportunity to make any kind of point at all about his personal beliefs.
- nakahara
- Threatened Knighthood
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- Registered: February 22, 2014
- Posts: 11,979
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
He raised the issue in that setting because he was being a rude you-know-what, as he so often is. He spied a man of the cloth standing there, ripe for the baiting (a sheep in a clerical collar, if you will). Sherlock had just endured several minutes of actually having to be in a church (you're supposed to be quiet and respectful in church, something Sherlock wouldn't give two figs about) and witness the love of his life marry someone else, all the while with John actually having had the audacity to smile and be happy about it, and so.... yeah, Sherlock raised the issue, he didn't mince words, and I'm sure he thought he was giving everyone listening the benefit of his superior insight.
I never meant to imply that he wastes words or that he doesn't say what he thinks. But he is often the most unpleasant, rude, ignorant and obnoxious arsehole anyone could have the misfortune to meet, as he himself admitted.
I don´t really think Sherlock was deliberately rude here. In this scene, Sherlock reminded me a bit of Professor Higgins from G.B. Shaw´s "Pygmalion". In that play, this dialogue appeared:
HIGGINS: About you, not about me. If you came back I shall treat you just as I have always treated you. I can´t change my nature and I don´t intend to change my manners. My manners are exactly the same as Colonel Pickering´s.
LISA: That´s not true. He treat the flower girl as if she was a duchess.
HIGGINS: And I treat a duchess as if she was a flower girl.
LISA: I see. The same to everybody.
"And I treat duchess as if she was a flower girl." - exactly Sherlock´s philosophy. He doesn´t bait people, he just says exactly what he thinks in any situation without any regard for social niceties or feelings he can hurt with his too sincere words. It´s not deliberate maliciousness, it´s disregard of rules he sees as stupid or hypocritical.
He made it no secret that marriages are not his area. With or without the priest in the room, he would say exactly the same thing.
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I cannot live without brainwork. What else is there to live for? Stand at the window there. Was there ever such a dreary, dismal, unprofitable world? See how the yellow fog swirls down the street and drifts across the dun-coloured houses. What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers, Doctor, when one has no field upon which to exert them?
- Harriet
- Most Human Human Being
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- From: 110A Piccadilly
- Registered: August 24, 2012
- Posts: 9,887
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
Sherlock here doesn't "raise the issue". He doesn't raise any issue in this speech.
He explains why he was taken by surprise by John's best man's offer.
So we won't learn anything reliable from this line.
He wouldn't make such statement just to please anybody here.
Eventually everyone will support Johnlock. Independent OSAJ Affiliate
... but there may be some new players now. It’s okay. The East Wind takes us all in the end.
- besleybean
- Threatened Knighthood
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- From: Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland.
- Registered: October 4, 2012
- Posts: 21,343
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
I wasn't even suggesting that.
He just says what he thinks.
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- Harriet
- Most Human Human Being
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- From: 110A Piccadilly
- Registered: August 24, 2012
- Posts: 9,887
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
But he doesn't say "I am an atheist". He doesn't say that anywhere.
So about everyone could come and read those signs and tell us what to think.
Next time they are trying to tell us Sherlock is in love with John. And vice versa.... 
Eventually everyone will support Johnlock. Independent OSAJ Affiliate
... but there may be some new players now. It’s okay. The East Wind takes us all in the end.
- besleybean
- Threatened Knighthood
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- From: Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland.
- Registered: October 4, 2012
- Posts: 21,343
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
Sherlock does state he loves John...and I think the ' ridiculous concept' comment is clear.
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- Harriet
- Most Human Human Being
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- From: 110A Piccadilly
- Registered: August 24, 2012
- Posts: 9,887
Re: is sherlock an atheist ?
Well, I said "in love" but you are right, probably it's no difference.
Eventually everyone will support Johnlock. Independent OSAJ Affiliate
... but there may be some new players now. It’s okay. The East Wind takes us all in the end.
