Is it OK to make fun of religions?

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If we can joke about politics, then we must be able of joking about religion.

Or sports team affiliation... something that, like religion, tends to be deeply held by many people.

I've seen plenty of mocking of Toronto Maple Leafs fans on my Facebook page, and while I've seen plenty of retaliatory mocking in response ("my Leafs don't suck! Your Habs suck!"), I've yet to see anyone claim that mocking a sports team is somehow inherently wrong.

 

[Secret Chief]

So a Jew, a Sikh and an atheist walk into a bar. But the black barman refuses to serve them.

 

[Secret Chief]

If Ricky Gervais shouts the word "mong" over and over, in a forest, if there's no Americans there to call him a genius, is it offensive?

(Stewart Lee)

 

[StarryNightshade]

I think that if people cannot tolerate their religion or philosophy being mocked or made fun of, then they possess a weak or inherently unstable faith.

^^ This, pretty much.

 

[StarryNightshade]

The bartender restrains himself from asking why the UU leader is talking to himself.

As a UU, this made me giggle.

 

[Vinayaka]

I think there's a difference between mocking:

mock: tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner.

and poking innocent fun at. There's humour, and then there's a nastier brand of 'humour'.

 

[Knight of Albion]

On the one hand, probably not a good idea as for most people their faith is something they take very seriously.

Then again on the other hand, religion should not be dour, but a joyous expression and it should extend to taking a bit of light-heartedness.

[Mind you there is light-heartedness and there is designed to be offensive mockery, which is going too far.]

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I think that making fun of / mocking specific religions should be viewed much like making fun of / mocking specific races / ethnicities.

Does this view stem from a lack of belief in free will, or is it based on something else?

It's based on the belief that dealing with classes of people is best done with an excess of sensitivity, and that

• humor can be employed for a variety of reasons, and
• there is a world of difference between me making a joke about Reform Jews and me making a joke about Black Americans or, for that matter, Middle Eastern Muslim women.

 

[YmirGF]

It seems that in some societies it's ok to make fun of religions while it is not ok in other societies. So, what are your feelings about making fun of religions? Would a prohibition on making fun of religions in your society amount to according religions a special status that few, if any, other institutions in your society are accorded? Would a prohibition be a good thing? Why or why not?

Should there by any limits on how much or what kind of fun can be made of religions?

The sad truth is that much of all religions is a joke. That some take these jokes seriously is sometimes problematic. That said, just as one does not usually outrage a person in a drunken stupor or try to extinguish a fire with gasoline, there are some limits on what is probably wise to poke fun at.

To my knowledge there is only one religion that does not seem capable of taking a joke, be it an innocent or vindictive jab. Rather than focus on the person making the joke or on the joke itself, it might be more instructive to closely examine the person(s) who are deeply offended and learn from their example lest we succumb to their level of intolerance.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

It's based on the belief that dealing with classes of people is best done with an excess of sensitivity, and that

• humor can be employed for a variety of reasons, and
• there is a world of difference between me making a joke about Reform Jews and me making a joke about Black Americans or, for that matter, Middle Eastern Muslim women.

There's also a world of difference between me (an atheist descended from centuries of Protestant Orangemen) making a joke about Middle Eastern Muslim women and me making a joke about the beliefs that my own ancestors held.

And there's a world of difference between denigrating the disadvantaged and "afflicting the comfortable". The powers that be should never be considered above mockery, and right now, a lot of those powers are heavily influenced by religion.

 

[LuisDantas]

I think there's a difference between mocking:

mock: tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner.

and poking innocent fun at. There's humour, and then there's a nastier brand of 'humour'.

Point taken, and Bobhikes is also at least partially right in that we should consider whether mocking is a good idea at all.

That said, a society that accepts mocking sports teams and political movements would probably need a good, clear reason to disapprove of mocking religious beliefs. I'm not aware of such a reason.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

And there's a world of difference between denigrating the disadvantaged and "afflicting the comfortable".

… and between "afflicting the comfortable" and ridiculing a religion.

 

[viole]

It seems that in some societies it's ok to make fun of religions while it is not ok in other societies. So, what are your feelings about making fun of religions? Would a prohibition on making fun of religions in your society amount to according religions a special status that few, if any, other institutions in your society are accorded? Would a prohibition be a good thing? Why or why not?

Should there by any limits on how much or what kind of fun can be made of religions?

I don't think there should be any limits. There is no clear cut objective criteria to decide when the limits are trespassed.

I think the only acceptable limit we can set is that things should not get explicitely personal.

So, for instance a sentence like "you must stupid to believe In the devil" are not ok, whereas "the devil is very stupid" are ok. You can replace "devil" with other supernatural agents.

If someone is offended by "the devil is stupid" then it is basically her problem.

If someone tells me that B. Roussel was stupid, I do not feel that as a personal attack against me. I simply would feel sorry that someone believes that, or try to argue that he wasn't, and that's it.

The problem, of course, is that some theists see mocking of their divinities as mocking of themselves. But that signals insecurity of their own beliefs, doesn't it? I don't think that an omnipotent being needs heroes that try to save his honor.

Ciao

- viole

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

… and between "afflicting the comfortable" and ridiculing a religion.

That depends greatly on the religion and the context.

Edit: for instance, I consider this to be legitimate comment on the powers that be (warning: profanity):

Tim Minchin - Pope Song

 

[FunctionalAtheist]

If a person will joke around about men/wemon differences, politics, racial stereotypes, etc. whether in good nature or with sarcasm, then they would be hypocrits to put religion on a "special" playing field.

 

[Sunstone]

I find I have four or five conflicting opinions of this, each staunchly held.

 

[Nakosis]

Depends on the crowd.
No purpose is served in blatantly offending people.
Though I suppose if you are real skillful with your delivery a person could pull it off in any crowd.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I find I have four or five conflicting opinions of this, each staunchly held.

You were no doubt Jewish in a former life.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

You should not make fun of Islam.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

It seems that in some societies it's ok to make fun of religions while it is not ok in other societies. So, what are your feelings about making fun of religions? Would a prohibition on making fun of religions in your society amount to according religions a special status that few, if any, other institutions in your society are accorded? Would a prohibition be a good thing? Why or why not?

Should there by any limits on how much or what kind of fun can be made of religions?

Nothing is exempt from humor, and I have a hard time taking anything serious which doesn't have a sense of humor about itself.