# Openly mocking religious beliefs - When is it OK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 13, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808 "2007-03-13T22:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/41 "2007-03-14T18:53:47Z")
**WorkInProgress** , you’re talking about mocking _people_. What’s your view on mocking _beliefs_? **DanBlather** , I don’t see how the passage you quoted relates to _mocking_, specifically. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/42 "2007-03-14T18:59:58Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] **DanBlather** , I don’t see how the passage you quoted relates to _mocking_, specifically. [/QUOTE] You don’t? (either do I really, I looked for a quote on mocking and had to settle for that one) ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/43 "2007-03-14T21:29:14Z")
It becomes okay to mock a religion if a) It hurts people- this needs to be on a widespread scale and officially approved by the church. Fred Phelps fits in this category. b) It is in obvious conflict with known physical laws. Here’s where we put the Breatharians. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/44 "2007-03-14T22:07:01Z")
It’s not OK to mock Xerxes or the Persians, apparently. At least, a bunch of Iranians have taken offence. > [@](#): > > TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - The hit American movie ``300’’ has angered Iranians who say the Greeks-vs-Persians action flick insults their ancient culture and provokes animosity against Iran. > > ``Hollywood declares war on Iranians,‘’ blared a headline in Tuesday’s edition of the independent Ayende-No newspaper. [http://film.guardian.co.uk/apnews/story/0,,-6478028,00.html](http://film.guardian.co.uk/apnews/story/0,,-6478028,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/45 "2007-03-15T00:32:07Z")
It is OK to mock “intelligent design” advocates. In fact it’s practically an obligation. Similarly one may in good conscience mock anyone\* who drags out the old saw “There are no atheists in foxholes”. So what? If fear of impending death induces panic sufficient to cause unbelievers to invoke Baal or Chthulu, what does that say about the rationality of religious faith? \*including the poopiehead who wrote that article in the N.Y. Times Sunday Magazine recently. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/46 "2007-03-15T01:48:43Z")
[QUOTE=FisherQueen] It becomes okay to mock a religion if \ b) It is in obvious conflict with known physical laws. Here’s where we put the Breatharians. [/QUOTE] … and every other religion of which I’m aware (are they a religion? I thought they were a health cult. Anyway.). Is there one that does _not_ conflict with known physical laws? ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/47 "2007-03-15T03:10:43Z")
When religious people go around “witnessing” it’s worse than mocking nonbelievers. They’re proclaiming that they’re saved and headed for paradise and the nobelievers are damned and are possibly evil and following saten. So yeah…it’s ok when you run into any of that. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/48 "2007-03-15T03:41:59Z")
Much of this thread is off topic. The point is why some religions are openly mocked while others aren’t, not the morality of mocking religion at all. No doubt it is more polite not to mock at all, but that’s not the point. Quite simply, **Algher** nails it in post #12. It’s just a power thing: people are amused by the mocking of inanities, but don’t like their own inanities being mocked. So the less powerful are mocked more openly than the more powerful. I guess the other element is that one gets blase about absurdity the more pervasive it is. There’s nothing inherently less ridiculous about the physical impossibilities that are part of the traditions of major religions than those of minor religions. However, the fairy tales that are part of major religions are deepy embedded into the culture in which those religions reside. In particular, they often form an integral part of childhood indoctrination. That’s why you have someone say: [QUOTE=FisherQueen] It becomes okay to mock a religion if [snip] b) It is in obvious conflict with known physical laws. Here’s where we put the Breatharians. [/QUOTE] without apparent consideration of just exactly how many physical laws are in conflict with the fairy tales that form part of the major religions. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/49 "2007-03-15T03:45:23Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] [ **DanBlather** , I don’t see how the passage you quoted relates to _mocking_, specifically. [/QUOTE] Not specifically, but surely you are not suggesting that the Bible is saying it is OK to be set against and make enemies of those who are not of your religion, but not OK to mock them? What are you going to do to make enemies of them? Look at them funny? Mere mockery would seem to be the _least_ of what this passage potentially authorises. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/50 "2007-03-15T03:45:59Z")
It’s always okay - just don’t make it your only reason for being here. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/51 "2007-03-15T12:23:52Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] Which beliefs did Kevin Smith mock, exactly? [/QUOTE] Actually, only the perpetual virginity of Mary (that she was a lifelong virgin after birthing JC). While the power of the Catholic Church to bless objects and grant indulgences & the like are satirized quite heavily, the very premise of DOGMA is that the RCC indeed does have such authority, as JC is God, and the RCC is His original Church, EVEN in the midst of making so many sex & poop jokes. Which is why, as Serendipity would say, Kevin Smith is the King of Fin’de’Siecle Apocalyptic movies of Spiritual Depth and the maker of LEFT BEHIND is a schmuck! ---
**Author:** ![WorkInProgress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@WorkInProgress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WorkInProgress)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/52 "2007-03-15T15:29:46Z")
The verses that I was referring to are Matthew 22:37-40. The part about loving your neighbor as yourself. My answer to the OP is that it is never OK to mock people (to offend them) with the caveat that people should not be so thin skinned. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/53 "2007-03-15T16:45:19Z")
[QUOTE=WorkInProgress] The verses that I was referring to are Matthew 22:37-40. The part about loving your neighbor as yourself. My answer to the OP is that it is never OK to mock people (to offend them) with the caveat that people should not be so thin skinned. [/QUOTE] And in fact, blessed are you when they mock you and utter every kind of slander against you because of Me, for your reward will be great in heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808/54 "2007-03-15T20:48:28Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] And in fact, blessed are you when they mock you and utter every kind of slander against you because of Me, for your reward will be great in heaven. [/QUOTE] I must’ve sent hundreds to heaven, by that standard. I’m a freakin’ saint! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-mocking-religious-beliefs-when-is-it-ok/395808.md?page=2)