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Is Billy Mumy god?

Folks here may remember the classic Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" starring Billy Mumy as a six year old child with the power to read minds and control events. If he dislikes someone he can turn them into a jack-in-the box, then "wish him to the cornfield" never to be seen again. Just using his mind he took away automobiles and electricity, then he made it snow in the summer ruining everyone's crops. But nobody complained for fear of being his next victim. The entire population of rural Peaksville, Ohio was terrified of this child monster, constantly smiling at him and thinking "only good thoughts" so he wouldn't read their minds and know they really want to kill him.

I doubt this was the TV show's intent, but it occurred to me that this is a classic story of god. Many religions require covering your head with a yarmulke or similar headgear, as recognition that "Someone above watches our every act." When I attended Hebrew School as a child I was told a yarmulke prevents god from reading your thoughts, and so your actions must be noble. Or some such nonsense. Anyway, the monster child in this Twilight Zone episode is a perfect parallel to god: He does whatever he wants and he'll smite you if you complain. You must never think bad thoughts about him either or he'll smite you. Lots of smiting! He can make it rain or snow, or be horrendously hot or cold. I bet he could have parted the sea or walked on water had that been written into the script.

But the parallel goes deeper still. Often I hear believers claim we must never question god's intent because it's beyond our understanding. And whatever he does must be praised because it's "god's will." When something good happens a believer exclaims, "Thank you Lord!" But they never blame god for burning down their house or giving Grandpa terminal liver cancer. It seems to me that from a believer's perspective, literally everything that happens is god's will and must be praised. Just like Billy Mumy's monster where people tell him, "It's good you did that, real good." Clearly god wanted you to trip and break your leg, then limp in pain for the rest of your life. So you have no business going to the doctor because that defies god's will. Same for everything else people believe god does. When believers make excuses for all the horrible things that occur on earth - mass starvation, genocides, droughts, deadly diseases, the Sandy Hook massacre - I think of the movie "Office Space" and want to ask, "What exactly would you say god does around here?" Is god omnipotent and in control of everything, or isn't he? If he helped you get that great job, then didn't he also make that car run over your dog? You can't have it both ways!

EthanWiner 4 June 27
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18 comments

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0

In my opinion, the god of puppy dogs and rainbows is also the god of birth defects and cancer and if this god has a plan then there is no hope. I find comfort and freedom in the notion that the universe is indifferent to my existence.

0

A god , I guess

0

He was in some movie I swear as the son of some woman on a beach and he stands on a fence and says "It's a beautiful day." I was channel surfing, but I swear this is true. And it made me laugh.

I rarely stay on that classic movie station for more than a few seconds unless it is something I recognize.

Someone here might be enough of a film nerd.

And I use nerd in the most affectionate way.

0

I remember that episode. Thank you for posting this, it's another point of view, it makes perfect sense that Billy Mumy's character is god-like.. gives me something to think about.

1

I remember that episode well.... and the Simpsons did a Halloween episode based on it.

One of those Treehouse Of Horrors

2

That was a great contemplative read.

1

Of course he is, and June Lockhart is the mother of god.

Danger, Will Robinson, Dr. Smith is approaching, his dick is already out.

0

I believe he sent others off into the corn field way before "Children of the Corn" was ever made.

1

Billy Mumy is not god. He is a confused adolescent whose space dad always leaves him with the pedophile doctor and the robot while the rest of the family is off having adventures. This will cause him, for some reason, to grow up to become a curiously self-effacing yet ass-kicking alien with a huge bony skull living on a 2.5 mile long space station....

0

I was fairly young when I first saw that episode, and it seriously creeped me out! Looking back, I’m glad my folks didn’t censor or regulate what I watched on TV as a youngster, and, before I went to school, TV was my English language teacher, along with the other kids in my neighborhood. Not a lot of “children’s programming” then, so I watched movies and shows that may have been old, but designed for adults. I like to credit this for some of the edginess in my childhood ...

You mean like the Electric Company? That was my fav.

@UltraViolet76 I was a staunch Captain Kangaroo man!

0

Everyone bow down to the god of fuck you

bobwjr Level 10 June 27, 2019
0

As an adult, I watch the shows I watched as a kid and am often surprised... maybe surprised is not the right word... but i notice how much this idea of god is woven through the old tv shows I enjoyed.

I think a lot of the writers in the day were trying to wake us up. It just took a long time to sink in.

0

Imo that was surely their intent?

1

Yeah, he played little Anthony Freemont on one of the best episodes of one of the best shows ever. There was a sequel of sorts when he played the same role as an adult who had his own little 8-yr old daughter on a previous TZ re-boot back in the 80s or 90s. I watched it. He had taught his little girl to be just as big a monster as he was.

2

Billy Mumy was one creepy kid!

He was Opie's evil twin.

@BufftonBeotch I can see it now, celebrity boxing, Billy Mumy vs. Ron Howard

2

Yeah, I just thought he was Will Robinson. Valid point though.😉

He'll always be Lennier to me.

@greyeyed123 I almost forgot Babylon 5, thanks

@greyeyed123 Absolutely!

0

Yeah but those Christians are tricky. They will say God gives us free will or else they will say the bad things are actually caused by the devil. I think Billy Mumy could be either of those 2 characters in this episode.

God gives free will but if you actually USE it, he punishes you for all eternity in hell.

@SallyInStitches But not if you confess your sins on your death bed - you get the free pass according to Christians. I never understood any of it so I don't worry about what they say, believe, or preach.

@AmelieMatisse I was taught death bed conversions were worthless & you still went to hell because you only converted to avoid punishment, not out of true love for god & repentance of sin. I swear, these people were about as much fun as a funeral march. Sex outside of marriage or sex for fun was sinful, cards, smoking, alcohol for anything but "medicinal purposes" , secular music = sinful. I knew a man who became a Christian & left his job of 20 years at phillip Morris because tobacco was a sin & he was lead to by god". The stupid is so painful.

@SallyInStitches The best one for me was a Christian couple who met each other while still married to other partners. They told me that they prayed to god about this problem and god assured them that they belonged together and should each leave their current spouse. I've found that the ones with the most rules for others to follow are usually the ones breaking at least half the rules. I just laugh any more. I don't care what they do with the exception that I wish they would stay away from voting polls.

2

I can think of a few people I'd like to wish into the corn field 😃

I had never thought as a child that He Who Walks Behind the Rows would be elected president in 35 years. Live and learn. Live and learn.

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