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'''Jack Thomas Chick''' (April 13th, 1924 - October 23rd, 2016) was a controversial American [[Evangelical]] Christian cartoonist who produced religious tracts. According to the Jack Chick publications website, hundreds of millions of copies of Chick tracts have been read worldwide. Jack Chick himself had limited interaction with the public, leading to speculation that he was a pen name for several unnamed authors and artists.  He died on October 23rd, 2016 at the age of 92. <ref>http://www.chick.com/information/authors/chick.asp</ref>

'''Jack Thomas Chick''' (April 13, 1924 – October 23, 2016) was a controversial American [[Evangelical]] Christian cartoonist who produced religious tracts through his company, Chick Publications. According to the Chick Publications website, hundreds of millions of copies of Chick tracts have been read worldwide. Jack Chick himself had limited interaction with the public, leading to speculation that Jack Chick was a pen name for several unnamed authors and artists.  He died on October 23, 2016, at the age of 92.<ref>http://www.chick.com/information/authors/chick.asp</ref> [[David Daniels]] now heads Chick Publications as its main cartoonist and spokesperson.

==Chick Tracts==

==Chick Tracts==

His works are featured in "Chick Tracts," inexpensive [[comic book]]s designed to be left in public places and to reach out to people who might be passing by.  A major theme in his tracts are emotionally wrought portrayals of God's perfect love for his children alongside somewhat more violent images, like homosexuals writhing in agony while being burned alive in the streets of [[Sodom]] and [[Gomorrah]].<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1052/1052_01.asp</ref> Chick tracts take a Fundamentalist approach to the Bible, with an emphasis on the act of becoming saved. Also, Chick tracts emphasize that becoming saved is something that can be done at any time during one's life, whether that person is a small child or a death row inmate minutes from execution.  He is also a member of the King James Only movement.  This movement rejects all other versions of the Bible.

His works are primarily featured in "Chick Tracts," inexpensive [[comic book]]s designed to be left in public places and to reach out to people who might be passing by.  A major theme in his tracts is emotionally wrought portrayals of God's perfect love for his children alongside somewhat more violent images, like homosexuals writhing in agony while being burned alive in the streets of [[Sodom]] and [[Gomorrah]].<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1052/1052_01.asp</ref>

Some recurring themes include non-Christian characters being converted at the end of the tract, Chick's belief that the Roman Catholic Church is a tool of Satan, battles over human salvation between angels and demons, arguments for evolution being presented by old, aggressive and quick to anger teachers, the use of an 'accept Christ' form at the end of tracts and suggestions of demonic influence in even comparatively minor events such as the creation of TV series [[Bewitched (TV Show)|Bewitched]].

Chick tracts take a Fundamentalist approach to the Bible.  Despite his controversial viewpoints on many subjects, the majority of Chick tracts are "Basic Gospel" tracts which emphasize the need for salvation and present it in a manner consistent with traditional Christian theology.  Some of the tracts are retellings of Biblical stories in contemporary settings.

[[Jews]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0014/0014_01.asp</ref> [[Islam|Muslims]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0042/0042_01.asp</ref> Roman [[Catholic]]s,<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0071/0071_01.asp</ref> [[Freemasons]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0093/0093_01.asp</ref> [[Jehovah's Witnesses]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0026/0026_01.asp</ref> [[Mormonism|Mormons]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0061/0061_01.asp</ref> [[Buddhism|Buddhists]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0016/0016_01.asp</ref> [[Hinduism|Hindus]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0070/0070_01.asp</ref> people that practice witchcraft,<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/5012/5012_01.asp</ref> [[homosexual]]s,<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0084/0084_01.asp</ref> [[evolution]]ists,<ref>http://www.chick.com/catalog/comics/0106.asp</ref> [[Dungeons and Dragons]] players,<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp</ref> and Rock n' Roll fans<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0034/0034_01.asp</ref> have all been negatively portrayed in Chick's tracts, often being presented as subjects or tools of Satan. Chick has responded that he does not hate these individuals, but hates the system they belong to that is feverishly working to win millions of souls for Satan.<ref>http://www.chick.com/bc/1999/hate.asp</ref>

Some recurring themes include:

*non-Christian "wicked" characters being converted at the end of the tract while more "moral" non-Christian characters reject Christ (at the end the "wicked" character enters Heaven due to his/her conversion, while the "moral" character enters Hell due to rejection),

*battles over human salvation between angels and demons,

*arguments for evolution being presented by old, aggressive and quick to anger teachers,

*the use of an 'accept Christ' form at the end of tracts (followed by Chick's belief that one should study the King James Bible to better know God), and

*suggestions of demonic influence in even comparatively minor events such as the creation of TV series such as [[Bewitched (TV series)|Bewitched]].

Critics have argued that Chick's tracts rely on stereotypes, faulty logic, and conspiracy theories,<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0007/0007_01.asp</ref> including suggesting that the [[Pope]] is the [[Antichrist]].

*Opponents of the [[King James Only]] movement, of which he was an adherent; whenever a Scripture quote is used in a Chick Tract it is always KJV, and some of his literature claims to show how other translations were from "corrupted texts".

*[[Jehovah's Witnesses]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0026/0026_01.asp</ref>

*[[Mormonism|Mormons]],<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0061/0061_01.asp</ref>

**Although Chick opposed Halloween in general, he took no issue to the custom of passing out candy, considering it an opportunity to pass out his tracts as well.  One notable tract portrays a dying girl, given a Chick tract on Halloween night, whereupon she (and her family) accept Christ before she dies that night.<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0063/0063_01.asp</ref>

*[[evolution]]ists,<ref>http://www.chick.com/catalog/comics/0106.asp</ref>

*[[Dungeons and Dragons]] players,<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp</ref>

*fans of all types of rock music including Christian rock<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0034/0034_01.asp</ref>

 

However, no group was the subject of Chick's writings more than the [[Roman Catholic Church]],:<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0071/0071_01.asp</ref> no fewer than 20 tracts promote his opposition, along with a full-length book and a series of six full-length comics defending [[Alberto Rivera]] (a controversial and supposed former Catholic priest generally discredited as a fraud by both secular media and the majority of Christians, even those who oppose Catholic teachings).  Of the various Catholic organizations, the [[Jesuit]]s are prominently featured as villains in his writings.

Many Chick tracts depict unrealistic plots to help make their points. Often, Chick tracts depict children in elementary school who have never heard of Jesus, or purport that it is illegal to even discuss religion at all in school.

In response to claims that he hates individuals within these groups or who engage in these practices, Chick responded that this is not the case, but rather that he hates the system they belong to, which is feverishly working to win millions of souls for Satan.<ref>http://www.chick.com/bc/1999/hate.asp</ref>

Several Chick tracts - including most famously "Lisa" (currently out of print), in which a father is heavily implied to have had sex with his preteen daughter and even given her an STD - depict morally-heinous actions as being instantly forgiven through the power of prayer or some similar action. While God does forgive even the most heinous sinners, it cannot be denied that tracts such as "Lisa" and similar present such earthly sins as being of little import to others. Other tracts imply that is somehow "normal" for Christian parents to not mourn the death of their child if the child was not themselves a Christian.

All Chick tracts, whether currently in print or out of print, can be read for free on the Chick Publications website, as well as samples of other materials. Out-of-print tracts can be ordered with a minimum printing of 10,000.  Full-length comics can only be purchased, though sample pages are provided on the website.

==External links==

==Criticism==

*[http://www.chick.com Chick Publications]

Critics (not limited to atheists or progressives) have argued that his tracts rely on stereotypes, faulty logic, and conspiracy theories,<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0007/0007_01.asp</ref> including suggesting that the [[Pope]] is the [[Antichrist]] and that Roman Catholicism actually started Islam, Communism, the Nazi Party and Freemasonry.<ref>http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1077/1077_01.asp</ref>  Much of his anti-Catholic work was based on the conspiracy theories of Alberto Rivera, a self-claimed "Catholic bishop" who was later exposed as a fraud and charlatan with a criminal history by Protestant writer Gary Metz in the March 13, 1981 edition of ''Christianity Today''.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2017/11/jack-chicks-lies-real-alberto-rivera-exposed.html Jack Chick’s Lies: The Real Alberto Rivera Exposed]</ref>

==References==

==References==

<references/>

*[http://www.chick.com Chick Publications]

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[[Category:Christian Media]]

[[Category:Christian Media]]

[[Category:Cartoonists]]

[[Category:Cartoonists]]

[[Category:Fundamentalism]]

[[Category:Fundamentalism]]

[[Category:Religion and Politics]]

[[Category:Religion and Politics]]