Joke is on religion as Christians laugh at themselves

"Religious jokes will be told to hundreds of Christians today in an attempt to determine whether they would fall foul of the Government’s religious hatred legislation. In “The Laugh Judgment” competition, more than 4,000 people voted on 700 religious jokes sent in to the satirical Christian website ShipofFools... Some of the jokes were so offensive that they do not bear reproduction. One of the worst, a masturbation joke about Jesus, so upset the Church in Denmark, where it was first told, that religious leaders raised money to send the comic responsible to Israel to educate him. He gave the money to charity."


Ship of Fools: The Laugh Judgment

"Heard the (banned ) joke about the Rabbi, the Priest and the Imam? While the UK plans to outlaw the vilification of religion, we launch a serious search for the funniest, and potentially most offensive, religious joke ever – while there's still time.

In the garden of Eden lay Adam
Complacently stroking his madam,
And loud was his mirth
For he knew that on earth
There were only two – and he had 'em.

We are not told, in this fragment of early tradition, how the Lord responded to Adam's merriment – a shame, because it might have shed some light on the eternally-funny relationship between religion and humour. Ever since then, they have had a complex and controversial partnership.

Admittedly, the limerick above may not be the most offensive religious joke you have ever heard. Of course, it brings the Bible and breasts dangerously close together – but then so does the Song of Solomon...

Ridiculing religious beliefs, criticising religious practices and offending religious people is surely a mission from God. Not in all cases, necessarily, but certainly in some. It's not a freedom so much as a responsibility.

Ship of Fools has never had much interest in mocking other religions. If truth be told, we're a bit blinkered and don't know enough about them. But to mock the excesses of our own, that's what we were put on earth to do. When Christianity gets dangerous, irrational, nasty, or just plain nuts, then insulting and abusing it is not just a pleasure, but more a profound calling.

The really confusing thing about the proposed law is that if "material that is threatening, abusive or insulting" to religious groups is outlawed, then both the Bible and the Qu'ran will be technically illegal. Both denounce false, wicked and foolish religion in the strongest terms, and have proved only too capable of stirring up religious hatred. The law that is supposed to protect religion could make it criminal."

At least some people out there have a sense of humour. Most of the jokes submitted aren't offensive at all, but a few are really biting.