Comment by Joshua Chastain on November 29, 2011 at 10:41pm

The people minus the man peeking out represent those who "believe". The man peeking represents a free thinker. He's saying, "Fuck this! I'm out!". 

Comment by Darrell Johnson on November 30, 2011 at 12:14am

@Kir, I’d love some of that strawberry smoothie! 

@Greg, I’d also love some of that apple pie!

So far, atheism “feels” to me like moving *out* of a cozy, old, rambling farmhouse full of tapestries and photos and paintings and a big fireplace with a roaring fire and a mug of hot chocolate beside it . . . to a cold, stark, ultramodern house, all blacks and whites, sharp edges, and high-tech but uncomfortable furniture. I hope it doesn’t stay this way.

When I used to watch the film “The Matrix”, nonbelievers were the “copper tops” and Neo represented the first of the believers, to wake up out of a materialistic universe and become aware of the invisible spiritual world all around us—(“the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elijah”). Now I’m trying to flip things around and see nonbelievers as Neo. 

Comment by Suzanne Olson-Hyde on November 30, 2011 at 6:36am

The smart women are already out of the boxes, up ahead, drinking marguaritas - the men just have to catch up.

Comment by Rocky Oliver (LotusGeek) on December 1, 2011 at 2:46pm

OK, I feel like an idiot. I didn't see the other people laying in the box. I thought it was one guy standing in a box, and a ton of empty boxes around him - and I was pretty confused. NOW I see the other people in the box, and I do get it, to an extent. To me it is saying you're "awakening" and "thinking outside the box" (pun intended) as an atheist. The rest of society is happy being sheep, and living within their box, no matter how restrictive (or silly) it is.

 

Of course, that's my interpretation. I could be wrong.

Comment by Rocky Oliver (LotusGeek) on December 1, 2011 at 2:56pm

Some of your comments about trying to interpret this photo, trying to see The Matrix and Neo's "waking up" differently, etc. reminded me of a quote from a great movie, Pulp Fiction. The quote is spoken by Jules, who has just had an incident where he "could feel the hand of God". While thinking about this, a young couple - who are idiots - decide to rob the diner where they're sitting. Jules has a gun pointed at one of the idiots, and says this...

 

There's a passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon you."

Now... I been sayin' that shit for years. And if you ever heard it, that meant your ass. You'd be dead right now. I never gave much thought to what it meant. I just thought it was a cold-blooded thing to say to a motherfucker before I popped a cap in his ass. But I saw some shit this mornin' made me think twice. See, now I'm thinking: maybe it means you're the evil man. And I'm the righteous man. And Mr. 9mm here... he's the shepherd protecting my righteous ass in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. And I'd like that. But that shit ain't the truth. The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.

 

Man, I love that movie. Tarantino's dialogue is outstanding.

 

Comment by Shelly Anderson on December 3, 2011 at 5:54pm

I think of this more as everyone in this picture being free thinkers but we have to hide our ideas in our separate little boxes because our way of thinking isn't very popular right now and we get hated on a lot. The guy who is looking out of the box is one of the few that has the guts to actually say anything about it. 

Comment by Richard Burton on December 4, 2011 at 2:11am

lol- no women, no ethnic minorities-you can please everybody with one photo!I see the 'man' waking from the dream of theism and looking over the heads of those who are confined in their boxes towards the unknown real mystery on the horizon

Comment by Liam K on December 4, 2011 at 5:10am

It is a great photograph. It's actually from a collection of surrealist photography by ParkeHarrison. I make no assumptions as to its meaning but I find it to be quite powerful nonetheless. If anyone wants to see more of their work here's the link: http://www.parkeharrison.com/index.html This particular picture is from the collection entitled "Architect's Brother".

Comment by Simon Paynton on December 4, 2011 at 11:34pm

i am no longer bound to the material, the fugitive and transparent. i am free.

Kir, that whole paragraph is just lovely. 

Comment by Daniel Green on December 9, 2011 at 4:51pm

Btw it seems to be the same guy in all the other boxes. Make of that what you will.

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