Is Claire a bigot?

[tenfour1]

It was really annoying to me how bigotted she sounded towards religious people, considering how she herself used to visit psychics.

[Kurzon]

i don't think she is a bigot - i thionk she is just defensive because she dosn't know much about babys and charlie keeps reminding her of that

[cinderellabop]

I do not think that bigot is the appropriate word to use in this instance. A bigot is someone who tends to be racist. The word would fit Sawyer better than Claire.

In this case Claire was reacting to Charlie's unhealthy attachment to the Virgin Mary statue--a valid concern, really, considering what's actually in the statue....

[tenfour1]

A bigot is someone who is intolerant of other races or beliefs. She said Charlie might be a "religious freak" as if being religious is disgusting to her.

[hopelesslydevoted]

I would have to argue that there is nothing wrong with "being religious". Now, being a "relgious freak", on the other hand. I don't fancy those people much myself and would have to side with Claire on that one.

And, remember, Claire is a new mom. All hormonal and such.

[Crandyman]

She said Charlie might be a "religious freak" as if being religious is disgusting to her.

Who cares if she is? Don't get the revelance here?

[Vicardwm]

What's the difference between "being religious" and being a "religious freak"?

Logically speaking, if you are convinced a certain religious viewpoint is correct, then it is only logical to be a "freak" about it. After all, that would be a lot more important than being a Dallas Cowboys freak, or a Star Trek freak, or even a Lost freak. (Sorry, I know that last bit was heresy here.)

If being a freak means getting all skewed and going off and killing other people that don't see things the same way, or doing other nonsensical things such as certain cults do, then I'm all against the freaks. If "religious freak" just means "very religious" in the sense of Mother Teresa or the Pope, then I don't see what is wrong with it.

I thought it was just the anti-religion views of Hollywood making another appearance.

[Jessicaswanlake]

Lets all try to remember that this is a girl who was kidnapped by Ethan, a fellow who seemed normal as anyone then turned out to be a sociopath (if the writers don't twist his story around in future episodes). She also has lost her memory, so she is basically trusting all of the island inhabitants on faith. She has every right to be wary of Charlie- he is stalkerish and clearly obsessed with both Claire, his statue, and chiding her for being a "bad mom".

I don't think her using the term "Religious freak" is bigoted at all, anyway. We all know there are plenty of people in the world who take personal belief a little too far and try to press it on others. Think of abortion clinic bombers. Or current events. If she had called him a religious zealot or extremist would people be as offended? "Freak", as most of us use it, is slang, and a term used to describe someone who takes things too far. That being said, I think hypocrite is the better term for Charlie.

[I Like Freckles]

I interpreted the remark as Claire's expression of her feeling that Charlie is a bit...off (not to mention probably the most annoying character on the island right now, but I digress). His bizarre behavior in Ep1 (when he nearly dropped Aaron to grab the VM statue back from Claire) at least to her vantage point seemed to revolve around some sort of religious enthusiasm. For someone who has a more secular outlook, that kind of out of character behavior might be troublesome.

[Hurley4Prez]

Like I say to the lefties making unprescedented claims about antifeminist character motivations and racist murders: Get over it. It's only a TV show, and they hardly had them drawn and quartered.

Besides, bigotry isn't a word you would attribute to asking why someone suddenly turned religious. It's perfectly normal to notice something so important about a friend/lover that you didn't notice before.
Like finding out they're actually a devoted Catholic and a rock star.

[sawyerhasbestlines]

If I was Claire, I'd call Charlie a control freak - for him telling her how to handle her own child.

I think she's insecure in her new mom role, and is therefore playing victim to his control. She feels intuitively something is wrong, and like a lot of young insecure people, she falls trap that she's the problem, not Charlie. So her anger and intuition get mucked up, and it comes out all distorted and awkward. She senses something is up with his connection to the VM, and because she doesn't know what's inside calls him a religious freak.

[LostSushi]

Who cares, most religious people are off a bit anyways

[Chameleon]

She has every right to be wary of Charlie-

Exactly.
Claire is trying to ascertain what she's getting herself into with Charlie.
Smart girl. :)
Besides, she's been dumped once already.
She has every good reason to be cautious.

Also, Charlie is thinking about the heroin more and more.
That's why he's been so irritable lately.
He's such a nasty little hobbit.
Claire deserves a lot better.

[Doctor Arzt]

I didn't pick up on any anti-religious attitudes from Claire, but I may be forgetting some of the events that led you to ask if she is a bigot. I do think, though, that it's a bit strange to be carrying around a statue of Mary when you're on a deserted island. My first thoughts in that situation, being Claire, would be "whoa, this person is really, really religious," which might be strange if you never knew that about the person (charlie) beforehand.

Cindarellabop - Do you think Sawyer is a bigot? I think he's just equally offensive to everyone. Come to think of it, his attitude towards Sayid at first were pretty biggoted

[Warthawg1]

Bloody Catholics!

[drabauer]

Uh . . maybe the writers just wanted to set up Locke's eyebrows for another swing northward?

[cinderellabop]

Cindarellabop - Do you think Sawyer is a bigot?

No, I don't. I used him as an example, because he has said some racist things to Jin and to Sayid, especially. But I don't think he is a bigot, per se. I think he is the kind of person who's unhappy in his personal life, so he's miserable to everyone. What I'm saying is that just because someone says something that could be percieved as racist, that does not make them a bigot. Just as Claire's thinking that Charlie might be a religious freak does not indicate that she is against all people who are religious. It merely means that she's picked up on something in his current behavior that is a bit freaky. And rightly so...

[Magical Trevor]

I think Sawyer may have started out as a bigot (remember when he accused Sayid of being a terrorist), but now he is just playing that part so he doesn't look like he's gone soft. Look back at the look of guilt on his face when Michael returns, and don't forget he did resuccitate him in Adrift.

[Warthawg1]

Racist comments? I don't think so. I can't recall Sawyer ever making any comments to anyone that indicated he thinks of himself as genetically superior to anyone based on the color of skin.

I'll buy Sawyer making bigoted or prejudiced comments. I'll even buy him making racIAL comments, but not racIST. There's a difference.

[drabauer]

Yes, I agree. Sawyer attacks all comers with equal venom, regardless of race, religion, gender or education.

He is an equal opportunity fully affirmative action equipped @#%$.

[Mike36fan]

I thought it was pretty obvious in that episode where Claire burned a cross in front of Michael's tent. :b

[scottq74]

I thought it was just the anti-religion views of Hollywood making another appearance.

Let's be careful not to throw all of Hollywood (or even all of LOST) in under the label "anti-religion." Remember that one of the episodes (Special?) ended with Rose praying with Charlie. Nothing in the show has made it appear that anyone on the island thinks Rose is a freak for believing in Jesus.

I think that the character Claire Littleton may have a problem with "religious freaks" or may be using that as an excuse to keep from getting attached to Charlie. I do not think that LOST is a show that is hoping that all of its viewers will swear allegiance to some anti-Christianity viewpoint.

[acovell]

I thought it was just the anti-religion views of Hollywood making another appearance.

Oh, please. Give me a friggin' break. Talk about bigotry. . .

Claire knows something's up with Charlie, but she doesn't know what. She's uncomfortable with the fact that Charlie's acting like her husband and Aaron's father when she barely knows him. She's trying to figure out what's going on, and sees him carrying around a statue of the Virgin Mary all the time. It's odd behavior -- not to have one, but to carry it around with you. If you're a practicing Catholic you might carry around your rosary, but not a statue. It's weird. She doesn't know the statue is filled with heroin.

[kilian30]

I do think, though, that it's a bit strange to be carrying around a statue of Mary when you're on a deserted island.

I don't know. I think maybe a haunted island full of pilot eating monsters and the spectre-like "Others" is as good a place as any to carry around a virgin Mary statue. I don't think I'd give it a second thought, unless of course I knew there was heroin in it.

[tenfour1]

After reading this and thinking about it, I take back what I said in the original post. She isn't characterizing all religious people, and what she means by freak could be more literal than I was thinking, like really weird in a creepy way.

[Warthawg1]

Well it is a fact that many non religious people do see religious folk as a bit odd. Especially those who have the "audacity" to speak openly about their religion like Charlie did when he spoke matter of factly about carrying around a virgin Mary statue.

[drabauer]

^ :rollin

And why do they STILL have the filters on!?

Sawyer is an equal opportunity a s s h o l e