Jesus doll moves into the uncanny valley

This description of a Jesus toy's workings suggests the nearly-humanness of the uncanny valley.  Or just the simulation of torture:

The doll is provided with electrically conductive nails which when inserted through apertures in the hands of the doll, mount the doll to a provided cross and close an electrical circuit which illuminates the cross.

This being a Jesus doll, and hence connected to a huge amount of devotion, reminds me of some of the offended or hostile responses to our last reborn doll discussion.  It's hard for those who love uncanny objects to see the fear others attach to the same beloved items.

(via PZ Myers)

Comments

[peter naegele]

"It's hard for those who love uncanny objects to see the fear others attach to the same beloved items."

I think Negativland summed up the whole situation in "Mashin' Of The Christ".

[Wolf]

I don't know how I missed that last mess, but you certainly attracted a whole bunch of pissed-off people who clearly have NO concept what you're about, and don't seem able to grasp the "uncanny valley" theory in any way.

Even when it was calmly and rationally explained to them, they continued to post as if they were being attacked. There's a lot of defensiveness and paranoia on display in that thread.

[peter naegele]

Read the comments in the BlawgIT entry. They are enlightening.

[Bryan Alexander]

I need to grab that track, peter.

Thanks, Wolf. It really seems to be a sharp divide. I wonder how deep the divide goes - brain chemistry?

The Blawgit comments are fun.