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Is it OK to make fun of religions?

9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
ChristineES said:
I keep wondering if one makes fun of religion; do they believe it's going to change a religious person's mind? Is it going to let the religious person how silly believing in said religion that the mocker believes it to be?
After this long thread, I think those are questions that could be addressed. :)
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Sometimes, maybe. Other times, it can be about speaking truth to power... kinda like the story of the Emperor's New Clothes.
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
ChristineES said:
I think I may be very sensitive to making fun. When I was in elementary school, I was made fun of because I had an overbite: I was called names like "bucky beaver" and similar. Maybe I am having trouble separating that from when adults use humor to address something.
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FWIW, when I think of making fun of religion, my mind goes more to satire than to teasing.
 
A

AmbiguousGuy

Well-Known Member
9-10ths_Penguin said:
FWIW, when I think of making fun of religion, my mind goes more to satire than to teasing.
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And is it 'making fun' if we address our satire to the whole world, or is it only making fun if we address it to an individual Christian?

Is it evil to draw cartoons of Muhammad? What if -- in a hundred years -- only 10% of Muslims object to such cartoons? Still evil to do it?

How about Zeus. Can we tell Zeus jokes?

It's complicated.
 
MysticSang'ha

MysticSang'ha

Big Squishy Hugger
Premium Member
AmbiguousGuy said:
And is it 'making fun' if we address our satire to the whole world, or is it only making fun if we address it to an individual Christian?

Is it evil to draw cartoons of Muhammad? What if -- in a hundred years -- only 10% of Muslims object to such cartoons? Still evil to do it?

How about Zeus. Can we tell Zeus jokes?

It's complicated.
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There are some religions that are built specifically on satire. You know, like the Church of the Sub-Genius, or the Church of Euthanasia.

I keep thinking of that song with the Ward-Cleaver-looking face smiling at me. "B-O-B"....:D
 
sojourner

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Sunstone said:
I think you're making too light of self-identification. It is, after all, how most of us construct our psychological self. That is, who and what we are is profoundly a matter of the self (or selves) we construct through conscious and subconscious identifications.

I see no point, however, in arguing this issue with you any further, because I doubt either one of us is going to budge an inch.
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Oh, I'm not making light of it at all. I agree with you. I'm simply trying to get you to make the leap to a deeper-yet form of self-identification. I think there's a huge difference between identifying with a movie star and a faith-identity. both merit respect.
 
sojourner

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
ChristineES said:
Brother Max? If he is abusing someone, then he needs to pay for his crime. Mocking is different, to me, that challenging them. Humor is supposed to make people laugh. And, no, I would not be harder on those who mock.

I think I may be very sensitive to making fun. When I was in elementary school, I was made fun of because I had an overbite: I was called names like "bucky beaver" and similar. Maybe I am having trouble separating that from when adults use humor to address something.
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You just brought up a great point. Mock the abuse, not the religion. Abuse is unacceptable under any guise.
 
sojourner

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
steeltoes said:
Humanity as a whole. Seriously?
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Absolutely. "If anyone sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And he is the perfect offering for our sins -- and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2
 
McBell

McBell

Unbound
Jayhawker Soule said:
I'm one of those who view the adolescent comparison with the contempt it deserves.

As a Jew I would not presume to confidently characterize Christian attitudes toward Jesus. I suspect, however, that he is viewed as an entity wholly worthy of gratitude and the source of meaning, hope, and salvation, not just for the individual Christian, but for humanity as a whole. To suggest that there exists no qualitative difference between this and the adulation of a James Bond fan is sophomoric nonsense.
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And yet you have not made anything other than the usual empty claims...

As I have already asked in this thread:
What is the difference other than the height of the pedestal?​

Thus far it seems that the only difference is how much personal feelings one has to one and not the other.

And since no one, yourself included, who has made the claim there is a difference has bothered to actually do anything other than make empty claims about there being a difference...
 
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Sir Doom

Sir Doom

Cooler than most of you
The problem is the inability to correctly evaluate the question being presented. Mestemia is not saying there is no difference between adoration of Jesus and adoration of Bond. And yet this is the position being argued against.

Mestemia is saying the difference is merely the size of the pedestal. And that IS a difference regardless of the significance of this difference to any particular individual (including Mestemia).

The arguments being presented in fact continually reinforce this specific difference in pedestal size, but are being presented as a refutation instead of an agreement.

Quite amusing, to be sure.
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Sir Doom said:
The problem is the inability to correctly evaluate the question being presented. Mestemia is not saying there is no difference between adoration of Jesus and adoration of Bond. And yet this is the position being argued against.

Mestemia is saying the difference is merely the size of the pedestal. And that IS a difference regardless of the significance of this difference to any particular individual (including Mestemia).

The arguments being presented in fact continually reinforce this specific difference in pedestal size, but are being presented as a refutation instead of an agreement.

Quite amusing, to be sure.
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Straw men make things easier.

Wrong, but easier.
 
McBell

McBell

Unbound
Sir Doom said:
The problem is the inability to correctly evaluate the question being presented. Mestemia is not saying there is no difference between adoration of Jesus and adoration of Bond. And yet this is the position being argued against.

Mestemia is saying the difference is merely the size of the pedestal. And that IS a difference regardless of the significance of this difference to any particular individual (including Mestemia).

The arguments being presented in fact continually reinforce this specific difference in pedestal size, but are being presented as a refutation instead of an agreement.

Quite amusing, to be sure.
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Actually, I am flat out asking what difference is there other than the pedestal size.

I mean, if there really is this whole "world of difference" that is being claimed, why is it no one is willing to talk about it?

All this thread has seen is excuse after excuse why this alleged "world of difference" cannot be presented.
 
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