OCT. 11, 2004

ELECTIONS
Religious humor heals, helps and sometimes hurts

Religion has been a source of jokes in this election campaign, where many issues are tied to faith or specific faith groups. That's healthy in many respects, according to John Morreall, who runs Humorworks in Virginia, a company that offers humor workshops to religious organizations, corporations and universities. He says humor helps overcome stress emotions such as fear and anger.

But he and other experts say humor also carries the danger of stereotyping at a time when differences between religious groups and people have led to discrimination, hate crimes, violence and even war.

However, gentle jokes, evenhanded satire and self-deprecating humor can break down barriers and build bridges among people with different beliefs. With that philosophy in mind, a rabbi and a Muslim comic are touring synagogues and mosques across the country. At the same time, religious leaders across the country are turning to humor in worship and in workshops to help their congregants find joy and understanding through faith.

Political humor is generally sharper, more satiric and more prone to stereotyping. On late-night talk shows, candidates are frequent guests as well as targets in monologues. Jon Stewart's The Daily Show on Comedy Central and Real Time with Bill Maher both regularly tackle politics and religion. The Simpsons skewers and illuminates issues of faith by showing the characters actually practicing theirs.

Why it Matters
In a polarized electorate, humor, including religious humor, can help people release anxiety, frustration or any sense of alienation from the political process. Increasingly, spiritual leaders also see the value of using humor as a way of expanding their congregants' understanding of faith.

Questions for reporters
• Are area comedy clubs opening their doors for so-called "clean" comedy nights featuring religious comedians? What faiths are represented? How are election politics portrayed, if at all?
• What do voters say are the effects of satirical political jokes that involve religion?
• Are houses of worship and spiritual leaders in your community using humor? Is humor being used to send a message and if so, what kind? What do congregants say?

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Click the map for interview sources in your state and region

National sources

• Steve Lawler is an Episcopal priest in Ferguson, Mo., who advises organizations on ethical questions. He believes that humor-impaired people are the ones that lack faith. Contact him at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 314-521-0138, steven@lawler.org.
• Rabbi Bob Alper of Vermont also works as a standup comedian. He's performed in synagogues, churches, at corporate events and comedy clubs. Currently he is touring the country with Muslim standup comedian Ahmed Ahmed in an effort to send a message of healing and understanding. Contact 1-888-483-3297, info@bobalper.com.
• California-based actor-turned standup comedian Ahmed Ahmed is a Muslim who currently is touring the country with Rabbi Bob Alper in an effort to send a message of healing and understanding. Contact 323-769-5398, ahmed@ahmed-ahmed.com.
• Muslim Azhar Usman is a Chicago lawyer and business consultant who does standup comedy with an Islamic viewpoint. Contact 847-312-9678, azhar@allahmademefunny.com.
• Al Fike of Richardson, Texas, is a longtime Christian comedian and author who moved his act into the secular arena by starting Christian Comedy Nights at Improv Comedy Clubs around the country. Contact 214-766-0969.
• Joel Kilpatrick is editor and writer of LarkNews.com, a Christian satire website in the style of "The Onion." Kilpatrick is a life-long Christian who believes that satire is critical for a healthy community. Contact 805-494-0104, joelkilpatrick@hotmail.com.
• Alex Riggle, a devout Greek Orthodox from the Tacoma, Wash., area, is creator of TheOnionDome.com, which pokes fun at Orthodox Christianity. Contact webmaster@theoniondome.com.
• Robert Darden is editor at the religious satire magazine The Wittenburg Door. The magazine is owned by the Trinity Foundation in Dallas, a public, nonprofit organization aimed at serving the public interest through religious communications. Darden also is an English professor at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Contact 254-710-6891, Robert_Darden@baylor.edu or dooreditor@earthlink.net.

Background

• Read a Jan. 9, 2004, Denver Post article on rabbi and stand-up comic Bob Alper's web site about his partnership with Muslim comic Ahmed Ahmed.
• Read a Nov. 19, 2002, CNN.com article about how humor and religion sometimes clash.
• The Fellowship of Merry Christians' Joyful Noisletter offers a variety of examples of Christian humor. It also has a special section on Holy Humor Sunday, its history and how churches around the country are starting to embrace the old Christian custom of Easter Monday or "Bright Sunday" celebrations, as the early Greek Christians called it. The section also includes a list of churches around the country that have Holy Humor Sundays.
• Beliefnet offers several commentaries, links and stories about religious humor, including an article on the TV show The Simpsons and religion.
• ReligiousResources.org offers a list of various religious humor websites.
• Google offers this listing of religious humor web sites.