From: Wayne Hayes (wayne@cs.toronto.edu)
Date: Sat Jul 01 2000 - 15:00:45 MDT
Amara wrote:
>I suggest that, if any religion or cult can make fun of itself, then
>it really isn't really a religion or cult. I say this because
>religious groups usually take themselves very seriously.
I guess it depends upon how narrowly you define "the religion" per se.
I know several devout catholics, for example, who *love* to tell
catholic jokes. These are not cynical catholics, the ones who are only
catholic-by-association. My former office mate, for example, just
finished a first-rate Ph.D. in discrete mathematics and computer
science. He's also a devout catholic. He doesn't take the bible
literally, of course. He's intelligent, informed, and a wonderful
debater. We often discussed religion in the office. (I don't
subscribe to any of the recognized organized religions.) It was
*fun*. But I digress.
The point is that this guy, who devoutly believed in God and the
Catholic church, told me some of the *best* religious jokes I've ever
heard---including jokes against Catholics and the Catholic Church. And
if the Roman Catholic Church isn't a "serious" religion, I don't know
what is.
Anyway, the jokes were good. :-)
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