The Church and Humor

Kathy Griffin, the comedian who stars in her own reality show, My Life
on the D List, that I have never seen, apparently ticked off a lot of
Christians at the Emmy's a couple of weeks ago. I have only heard parts of it. She began by saying that many people thank Jesus for winning their Emmy then continued by not thanking Jesus for her award, stating ,"No one had less to do with this award than Jesus." The big bomb was when she said that her award was her God now and that Jesus could go . . .well . . . you know.

There was a strange response from some Christians to Kathy's humor. The Catholic League was able to get the words edited from the rerun of the awards show on E! I hear an evangelical group of film makers took out a full page add in the New York Times that cost them a ton full of money. I heard from an unreliable source that the add costs $90,000.

First, I think the Church hurts itself when it throws so much energy into what a comedian says about Jesus. They only create more of an opportunity for jokes. If only the Christian film makers would have fed people or taken out a full-page add to shed light on the horrible situation in Sudan.
Secondly, I think (all but for her last statement) Kathy makes a more christian-like point than her critics. I hate when some self-absorbed movie star with her gazillions of dollars steps up to the mic and thanks Jesus for her award. Kathy is right. No one had less to do with her award than Jesus. And Yes, I think it's funny because it is true and she had the guts to make fun of her own "people."
Thirdly, I wonder if Kathy has really gone home and worshiped her Emmy. Of course not and that's also why it's funny.

The Church needs to learn to laugh at itself. It has made enough mistakes in it's life time to where we must laugh even when outsiders make the joke. Monty Python's skit about the Spanish Inquisition--Funny. Rowan Atkinson's monologue about God--Funny. Kathy Griffin-funny. We deserve it for holding so tightly to what is important to us and being so easily offended when someone goes after it. I do have my limits but come on. Lighten up or at least ignore the minor jabs by a comedian that hardly is a house hold name--until now.