Religion/Spirituality

Wind chimes cartoon – church bells cartoon

Wind chimes cartoon
Church bells cartoon
Trendy vicars cartoon

A church with a very trendy or alternative minister or vicar who has installed wind chimes in the church’s steeple instead of bells.

A cartoon about religion, religious traditions, alternative spirituality.
Original version: Feb 2000

Cartoon reference number: rel017
Bible cartoon. The Ten Commandments on digital tablets

Bible Cartoon
Ten commandments cartoon

The Ten Commandments on stone tablets with self-righting text
(just like modern digital tablets such as the iPad and other digital devices)
A Biblical cartoon showing Moses descending from Mount Sinai with the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments.
Moses pointing out that the text on the tablets rotates to be self-righting when the tablets are turned. This is even though the tablets are stone tablets and not modern digital tablets such as the iPad. It’s obviously a miracle because it defies the laws of physics.
“Truly the work of God!”

A cartoon about computers, iPads, iPad, digital tablets, miracles, the bible, religion, religious myths, tablets of stone.

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: rel016
Guru cartoon – a guru as an authority figure

Guru cartoon
Gurus as authority figures

A cartoon about suspicion of authority.

The cartoon is also related to the tendency towards distrust of experts prevalent in the late 2010s and 2020s (although I personally don’t view gurus as experts!).
It is a cartoon about independent thinking, individualism, gullibility, followers, following authority, suspicion, identifying charlatans, charlatanism, wisdom, wise men, spiritual teachings, false authority, trust, persuasion, anti-authoritarianism.

Cartoon reference number: gur171
Philosophy cartoon. Which is more interesting – the night sky or a night on television?

Philosophy cartoon
Is outer space boring or awe inspiring?

Someone staring at the night sky and finding it boring when compared to a night’s television viewing (or other digital entertainment)

A cartoon about our perception of our place in the universe, spirituality, awe, world views, spiritual perspectives, existentialism

Cartoon reference number: phi610
Galileo cartoon

Galileo cartoon

Galileo discussing the discoveries he made through his telescope with the church
The representative from the church (the Pope?) is thinking of hitting Galileo on the head with his telescope in order to shut him up.
The joke is that Galileo’s telescope made the discoveries and the church wants to use Galileo’s telescope to silence him

A cartoon about anti-scientific religious thinking, anti-science, suppression of knowledge, fundamentalism, religion, doctrine, the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Galileo Galilei, pope Urban VIII.

Original version drawn: 1996

Cartoon reference: rel014
Atheism cartoon – an atheist at the gates of heaven

Atheism cartoon
An atheist at the pearly gates

Where do atheists go when they die?
An atheist dies and finds himself at the gates of heaven. He is saying “I don’t believe it!”

A cartoon about religion, religious belief systems, the pearly gates, St Peter, the afterlife.
(By the way, I’m an atheist myself, in case you thought that this was an anti-atheism joke)

Original version drawn: 2001

Cartoon reference number: rel013
Mother Nature cartoon. Father Nature cartoon

Mother Nature cartoon
Father Nature cartoon

Mother Nature and Father Nature designing animals
Mother Nature designs a fluffy bunny while Father Nature designs a vicious crocodile.
A cartoon that touches on the subject of intelligent design, in which the natural world was created by an external metaphysical creator (God). The cartoon shows the anthropomorphic projection by which we make god in our own image. The cartoon is equally a comment on pagan and similar concepts of the nature and creation of the natural world, with concepts such as the nurturing earth goddess

A cartoon about gender differences, creation myths, evolution, sexism, sexual stereotypes, testosterone, masculinity, femininity, nature red in tooth and claw, earth goddesses, mother earth.

Cartoon drawn: 2009

Cartoon reference number: rel012
Cartoon – in search of paradise by using sat-nav (gps)

Cartoon – finding paradise by using sat-nav (satellite navigation or gps)
GPS cartoon

This may be a cartoon about the great promises held out by western technological progress – or possibly the assumption that things are probably too easy to achieve in the modern world and are therefore undervalued

A cartoon about myth, spirituality, religion, consumerism, aspiration, acquisitiveness

Cartoon reference number: nav001
Cartoon. The search for fulfilment and the pursuit of happiness

Cartoon about the search for fulfilment
Cartoon about happiness and aspiration

A person floating above the world in a hang glider, but thinking “There must be more to life than this”

A cartoon about life quests, satisfaction, contentment, boredom, never being satisfied, acquisitiveness, material wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, spirituality, dissatisfaction, religion

Cartoon reference number: hap001
Cartoon – seeking your True Self or Authentic Self

Cartoon – seeking one’s “True Self”

An idealistic young man on a spiritual quest to find his true self in the mountains of the east (Following the tradition of the hippies of the late 1960s).
He comes across a version of himself from a few years in the future, dressed as a conservative businessman, showing what he is going to become as his attitudes and priorities change with age.

The cartoon was drawn in 1991 when the phrase “True Self” was in vogue. In the 2020s, with its emphasis on identity politics, the phrase “Authentic Self” is popular.

A cartoon about spiritual quests, personal identity, identity politics, seeking, seekers, eastern enlightenment, mysticism, religion, buddhism, eastern spirituality.

This cartoon was a very popular greetings card published by Paperlink.

Drawn: 1991

Cartoon reference number: tru001
Guru cartoon – western businessman seeking the meaning of life

Spirituality cartoon

An eastern guru being asked what’s the meaning of life by a businessman who’s too busy and distracted to listen to the answer

A cartoon about religion, religious purpose, spiritual quests, seeking meaning, cultural determinism, materialism

This design was published as a greetings card by Paperlink.

Drawn: 2003

Cartoon reference number: lif001
Eastern mysticism cartoon. The rejection of materialism

Eastern guru cartoon
Spirituality cartoon
Religion cartoon

An eastern guru pronouncing that possessions and money are meaningless. A westerner listening to him asking him if he can give him fifty pounds in that case.
The cartoon was published as a greetings card by Paperlink

A cartoon about acquisitiveness, anti-materialism, materialism, spiritual values. devotee, buddhism

Cartoon reference number: mys007
Spirituality cartoon. Indulgent materialism and indulgent spirituality

Spirituality cartoon. Religion cartoon.

A materially affluent businessman deciding to work on his spiritual side.

A cartoon about affluence, material indulgence, spiritual indulgence, superficiality, wellbeing.

Cartoon drawn: 2001

Cartoon reference number: rel006
Religion cartoon. Missionaries proselytising and seeking converts

Religious conversion cartoon

A cartoon showing members of a religious group trying to convert people by offering them incentives such as guaranteed everlasting eternal life and the forgiveness of sins.
The missionaries are using the sales methods of door to door salesmen

A cartoon about religious conversion, evangelising, Jehovah’s Witnesses, proselytising, prozelytising, door knocking, converting

Reference number: rel005
Religion cartoon. Would everlasting life in heaven be an eternity of boredom (i.e. hell)?

Cartoon about heaven and hell
Everlasting life as an eternity of boredom – cartoon

A soul in heaven, sitting on a cloud, finding that everlasting life in heaven is so boring that it’s actually hell
I realise that everlasting life in heaven would have no dimension of time, and thus wouldn’t be tedious, but then – why be everlasting if the term has no meaning?

A cartoon about the down side of life after death – eternal tedium, boredom or ennui – possibly it’s a fate worse than death

Cartoon drawn: 2009

Cartoon reference number: rel004
Creation myth cartoon. Cavemen debate the nature of the universe

Primitive creation myths cartoon
Prehistoric cave painting cartoon

Cartoon of cavemen debating the nature of the universe.
The birth of religion.

A cartoon about the possibility that people would rather believe what they want to believe rather than what actually is. We all do this. It’s also about the fact that our caveman ancestors were probably more intelligent and aware than is sometimes thought. They had to be to survive, after all

Cartoon reference number: rel002
Religious literalism cartoon – a holy book taken literally and stifling rational thought

Religious literalism cartoon
Religious fundamentalism cartoon

An illustration of the concept that taking religious texts too literally inhibits rational analysis

A cartoon about religion, fundamentalism, rationality, irrationality, atheism, atheists, bigotry, religious zealots, zealotry

Cartoon drawn: 2008

Cartoon reference number: rel001
The Tree Of Knowledge Discovering What Paper is Made From

Cartoon: the tree of knowledge reading a book, and discovering that paper is made from trees
A cartoon about the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’

A cartoon about the acquisition of knowledge and its possible unsettling consequences

The cartoon can be interpreted as being about the fact that humans are aware of their own mortality due to their level of awareness

Cartoon reference: env118

Cartoon drawn: 1991

Religion/Spirituality

Wind chimes cartoon Church bells cartoon Trendy vicars cartoon

A church with a very trendy or alternative minister or vicar who has installed wind chimes in the church’s steeple instead of bells.

A cartoon about religion, religious traditions, alternative spirituality. Original version: Feb 2000

Cartoon reference number: rel017

Bible Cartoon Ten commandments cartoon

A cartoon about computers, iPads, iPad, digital tablets, miracles, the bible, religion, religious myths, tablets of stone.

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: rel016

Guru cartoon Gurus as authority figures

A cartoon about suspicion of authority.

Cartoon reference number: gur171

Philosophy cartoon Is outer space boring or awe inspiring?

Someone staring at the night sky and finding it boring when compared to a night’s television viewing (or other digital entertainment)

A cartoon about our perception of our place in the universe, spirituality, awe, world views, spiritual perspectives, existentialism

Cartoon reference number: phi610

Galileo cartoon

A cartoon about anti-scientific religious thinking, anti-science, suppression of knowledge, fundamentalism, religion, doctrine, the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Galileo Galilei, pope Urban VIII.

Original version drawn: 1996

Cartoon reference: rel014

Atheism cartoon An atheist at the pearly gates

Where do atheists go when they die? An atheist dies and finds himself at the gates of heaven. He is saying “I don’t believe it!”

A cartoon about religion, religious belief systems, the pearly gates, St Peter, the afterlife. (By the way, I’m an atheist myself, in case you thought that this was an anti-atheism joke)

Original version drawn: 2001

Cartoon reference number: rel013

Mother Nature cartoon Father Nature cartoon

A cartoon about gender differences, creation myths, evolution, sexism, sexual stereotypes, testosterone, masculinity, femininity, nature red in tooth and claw, earth goddesses, mother earth.

Cartoon drawn: 2009

Cartoon reference number: rel012

Cartoon – finding paradise by using sat-nav (satellite navigation or gps) GPS cartoon

This may be a cartoon about the great promises held out by western technological progress – or possibly the assumption that things are probably too easy to achieve in the modern world and are therefore undervalued

A cartoon about myth, spirituality, religion, consumerism, aspiration, acquisitiveness

Cartoon reference number: nav001

Cartoon about the search for fulfilment Cartoon about happiness and aspiration

A person floating above the world in a hang glider, but thinking “There must be more to life than this”

A cartoon about life quests, satisfaction, contentment, boredom, never being satisfied, acquisitiveness, material wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, spirituality, dissatisfaction, religion

Cartoon reference number: hap001

Cartoon – seeking one’s “True Self”

The cartoon was drawn in 1991 when the phrase “True Self” was in vogue. In the 2020s, with its emphasis on identity politics, the phrase “Authentic Self” is popular.

A cartoon about spiritual quests, personal identity, identity politics, seeking, seekers, eastern enlightenment, mysticism, religion, buddhism, eastern spirituality.

Cartoon reference number: tru001

Spirituality cartoon

An eastern guru being asked what’s the meaning of life by a businessman who’s too busy and distracted to listen to the answer

A cartoon about religion, religious purpose, spiritual quests, seeking meaning, cultural determinism, materialism

This design was published as a greetings card by Paperlink.

Drawn: 2003

Cartoon reference number: lif001

Eastern guru cartoon Spirituality cartoon Religion cartoon

An eastern guru pronouncing that possessions and money are meaningless. A westerner listening to him asking him if he can give him fifty pounds in that case. The cartoon was published as a greetings card by Paperlink

A cartoon about acquisitiveness, anti-materialism, materialism, spiritual values. devotee, buddhism

Cartoon reference number: mys007

Spirituality cartoon. Religion cartoon.

A materially affluent businessman deciding to work on his spiritual side.

A cartoon about affluence, material indulgence, spiritual indulgence, superficiality, wellbeing.

Cartoon drawn: 2001

Cartoon reference number: rel006

Religious conversion cartoon

A cartoon showing members of a religious group trying to convert people by offering them incentives such as guaranteed everlasting eternal life and the forgiveness of sins. The missionaries are using the sales methods of door to door salesmen

A cartoon about religious conversion, evangelising, Jehovah’s Witnesses, proselytising, prozelytising, door knocking, converting

Reference number: rel005

Cartoon about heaven and hell Everlasting life as an eternity of boredom – cartoon

A soul in heaven, sitting on a cloud, finding that everlasting life in heaven is so boring that it’s actually hell I realise that everlasting life in heaven would have no dimension of time, and thus wouldn’t be tedious, but then – why be everlasting if the term has no meaning?

A cartoon about the down side of life after death – eternal tedium, boredom or ennui – possibly it’s a fate worse than death

Cartoon drawn: 2009

Cartoon reference number: rel004

Primitive creation myths cartoon Prehistoric cave painting cartoon

Cartoon of cavemen debating the nature of the universe. The birth of religion.

A cartoon about the possibility that people would rather believe what they want to believe rather than what actually is. We all do this. It’s also about the fact that our caveman ancestors were probably more intelligent and aware than is sometimes thought. They had to be to survive, after all

Cartoon reference number: rel002

Religious literalism cartoon Religious fundamentalism cartoon

An illustration of the concept that taking religious texts too literally inhibits rational analysis

A cartoon about religion, fundamentalism, rationality, irrationality, atheism, atheists, bigotry, religious zealots, zealotry

Cartoon drawn: 2008

Cartoon reference number: rel001

Cartoon: the tree of knowledge reading a book, and discovering that paper is made from trees A cartoon about the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’

A cartoon about the acquisition of knowledge and its possible unsettling consequences

The cartoon can be interpreted as being about the fact that humans are aware of their own mortality due to their level of awareness

Cartoon reference: env118

Cartoon drawn: 1991

Wind chimes cartoon
Church bells cartoon
Trendy vicars cartoon

A cartoon about religion, religious traditions, alternative spirituality.
Original version: Feb 2000

Bible Cartoon
Ten commandments cartoon

Guru cartoon
Gurus as authority figures

Philosophy cartoon
Is outer space boring or awe inspiring?

Atheism cartoon
An atheist at the pearly gates

Where do atheists go when they die?
An atheist dies and finds himself at the gates of heaven. He is saying “I don’t believe it!”

A cartoon about religion, religious belief systems, the pearly gates, St Peter, the afterlife.
(By the way, I’m an atheist myself, in case you thought that this was an anti-atheism joke)

Mother Nature cartoon
Father Nature cartoon

Cartoon – finding paradise by using sat-nav (satellite navigation or gps)
GPS cartoon

Cartoon about the search for fulfilment
Cartoon about happiness and aspiration

Eastern guru cartoon
Spirituality cartoon
Religion cartoon

An eastern guru pronouncing that possessions and money are meaningless. A westerner listening to him asking him if he can give him fifty pounds in that case.
The cartoon was published as a greetings card by Paperlink

A cartoon showing members of a religious group trying to convert people by offering them incentives such as guaranteed everlasting eternal life and the forgiveness of sins.
The missionaries are using the sales methods of door to door salesmen

Cartoon about heaven and hell
Everlasting life as an eternity of boredom – cartoon

A soul in heaven, sitting on a cloud, finding that everlasting life in heaven is so boring that it’s actually hell
I realise that everlasting life in heaven would have no dimension of time, and thus wouldn’t be tedious, but then – why be everlasting if the term has no meaning?

Primitive creation myths cartoon
Prehistoric cave painting cartoon

Cartoon of cavemen debating the nature of the universe.
The birth of religion.

Religious literalism cartoon
Religious fundamentalism cartoon

Cartoon: the tree of knowledge reading a book, and discovering that paper is made from trees
A cartoon about the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’