Offensive thread started by Moderator

Medina

Hello,

Can the thread entitled 'Who was Jesus? On the Lighter side..' by BrianCalgary please be deleted? If it actually physically cannot be deleted can you please lock it?

The thread is on the Christian forum and was originally stickied, Brian has at least unstickied it at my request..thank you Brian...but it really shouldn't be there at all, I think if a regular poster posted something like that on the Islamic forum about Muhammed, then the post would be deleted and the thread too or locked.

Basically, the thread is posted by a Moderator who claims to be Christian himself.

The joke encourages people to think that it is ok to put Jesus into a joke and that Christians would support this, as Brian is not just a Christian but also a Moderator..the person who kicks out offensive posts, and yet here he is posting this so they might think it must not be offensive to Christians, as they're doing it themselves.

I'm sorry but as a Christian I find that God is the indirect subject of this joke and while I wouldn't dispute with Brian if it was on some jokey forum, it is on the Christian forum.

And as I said, if I did this on the Islamic forum in respect of God or Muhammed, I'd probably be banned for it.

Please delete, for the simple reason some Christians do not condone God at the centre of a joke, but Brians thread appears to make it look like we all do.

ecksor

Can you link to the thread please?

grimloch

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054976765

Here's the thread in question.

WhiteWashMan

Medina wrote:

The joke encourages people to think that it is ok to put Jesus into a joke .

can you prove that god would be offended by this?

Medina

Do I need to?

It offends me as a Christian. And it encourages people to think that 'Christians' as a group must think its ok because they do it themselves.

Brian has the responsibility of moderating bad posts, does anyone moderate the moderators in case they post badly? I thought catmods, smods or admins do?

Brian may have had good intentions, and I recognise that, but I can't agree with his means to the end.

aidan_walsh

The joke encourages people to think that it is ok to put Jesus into a joke

You think the Lord wouldn't like to be treated as one of the lads? He had a large group of friends after all, I'm sure he couldn't take himself as seriously as the book seems to suggest. Nobody could have stuck him ofr that long if he did, surely...

I think if a regular poster posted something like that on the Islamic forum about Muhammed, then the post would be deleted and the thread too or locked.

if I did this on the Islamic forum in respect of God or Muhammed, I'd probably be banned for it.

Irrelevant. Its not happening there, so speculation on what would happen is useless. Besides, the rules could well be different on those forums.

Brian is the (one of the) moderator(s) of the Christianity forum. He knows the rules, whats acceptable and whats not.

Brians thread appears to make it look like we all do.

Meh. You're the only one who complained so far. Stop being insulted for every Christian in general when its only you insulted. If you don't like it, don't read it. Simple as. Let the others have their fun. Frankly, its probably just as insulting to others that you seem to be speaking for a whole when you're the only dissenting voice so far.

Hagar

Medina wrote:

I think if a regular poster posted something like that on the Islamic forum about Muhammed, then the post would be deleted and the thread too or locked.

Therin lies the difference between Christianity and Islam, Medina, second most holy city of Islam.:rolleyes:
Let God defend himself/herself/itself if he/she/it so chooses.
Who are we to interfere?...

ecksor

I have to say I fail to see how comparing various stereotypes which are traditionally used in a humourous context with the gospels is actually offensive. The items in question (lack of a fair trial, feeding a large crowd, starting a new religion etc etc) are all written in the bible to the best of my knowledge, they're merely being being looked at in a different manner that doesn't show disrespect to the stories or the man in question.

Medina

What I think God would or wouldn't like is kind of irrelevant. I am not God's self appointed defender.

What I am is a Christian who is disgusted that the person at the centre of our faith is in a joke where He is made fun of on the Christianity forum. And thats it accepted on the basis of me not knowing what God would /wouldn't like, which is not the point at all.

hullaballoo

Perhaps it was a little insensitive to post that thread there. If someone else did it, they would probably be accused of being a flamer.

At the same time, it's not so offensive if someone who is obviously well-meaning and not attempting to flame people posts it.

aidan_walsh

What I am is a Christian who is disgusted that the person at the centre of our faith is in a joke where He is made fun of on the Christianity forum.

So this would be less insulting to you because its in the Humour forum?

scojones

I think you need to lighten up a little bit. Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open.

ecksor

aidan_walsh, that thread occured to me too but doesn't quite fit the point of having being posted in a christian forum by a christian moderator.

mike65

Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open.

Get that off a forune cookie?

Mike.

Faith

What exactly do you find offensive about it, OP?

stevenmu

I don't see how it's offensive myself. Jesus isn't being made the 'butt' of the joke, he's just a part of it. It's more of a 'laughing with' than 'laughing at' type of thing. Jesus isn't in anyway protrayed negatively in the joke.

I suppose though if you're offended by it, then you're offended by it and there's not much point trying to talk you out of being offended. The question then is should anything that one person considers offensive be removed even if most others don't see any problem with it at all ?

the_syco

ecksor wrote:

aidan_walsh, that thread occured to me too but doesn't quite fit the point of having being posted in a christian forum by a christian moderator.

From reading the post, it would seem that he was trying to put across the point that instead of always taking christanity very seriously, we should sometimes see the lighter side, to encourage people to join their [strike]cult[/strike] religon.

Hagar

Sorry for be-labouring the point but why would a Christian take "Medina", the name of the second most sacred city of Islam, as a username, and then come on complaining about the actions of a Christian with regards to dis-respect of Christ? Do you have an agenda? Are you saying that Muslims are above that, so we should be too?

muckwarrior

OP, I think it's time to get Joe Duffy on the case!

Medina

sjones wrote:

I think you need to lighten up a little bit. Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open.

Look my mind is open, thats why I've said I don't want it on the Christianity forum. No I wouldn't be less insulted, but that is the case where I shouldn't read it. Of course I open up threads in the Christianity forum, because I don't think that God is going to be the centre of the joke.

aidan_walsh wrote:

So this would be less insulting to you because its in the Humour forum?

No it wouldn't be less insulting but even if I complained I wouldn't really have the right to ask it to be removed. I think I do have the right to ask it to be removed now because its on the Christian forum and its from a Christian moderator it gives us the impression of being able to laugh about Jesus.

I know the actions given are in the bible but come on, the way they have been used and the context of the joke is not funny to a Christian who reveres Jesus.

Faith, thank you at least for your open honest perspective of at least asking why i find it offensive, even if you don't agree with me.

It shouldn't be removed just because I find it offensive but because it makes Christians look like they condone jokes about God. Anyone would say thats hypocritical. And a lot of us don't condone such jokes with God in them.

scojones

mike65 wrote:

Get that off a forune cookie?

Mike.

IIRC, it was an automated BitchX quit message years ago.

Endymion

Medina wrote:

Christian moderator it gives us the impression of being able to laugh about Jesus.

Yea imagine that. How terrible would that be. That was probably his intention btw.

Medina

Hagar wrote:

Sorry for be-labouring the point but why would a Christian take "Medina", the name of the second most sacred city of Islam, as a username, and then come on complaining about the actions of a Christian with regards to dis-respect of Christ? Do you have an agenda? Are you saying that Muslims are above that, so we should be too?

Hagar please, stop over analysing my username. I have no agenda, I didn't pick it to say anything about Muslims.

mike65

Of course I open up threads in the Christianity forum, because I don't think that God is going to be the centre of the joke.

Logical non-sequitur.

Mike.

Were you in boyzone?

Asok

Rev Hellfire

I for one certainly don't see anything offensive in the post. Humour does not imply disrespect in my opinion.
The consensus on the forum is very much against you on this one.

On the topic of getting banned for doing something similar on the islam forum, I'm pretty sure you would get a rap on the knuckles, but thats the nature of the mods there, it does not mean that a similar stance must/will be taken elsewhere.

Hagar

Medina wrote:

Hagar please, stop over analysing my username. I have no agenda, I didn't pick it to say anything about Muslims.

Fair enough, but I wouldn't call it "over analysing" in the circumstances.

Stark

If someone sent round an e-mail with my name in those jokes, I'd probably have a good laugh and be chuffed at the attention. The Jesus portrayed in the Bible liked a drink and enjoyed a healthy social life. It doesn't say anywhere that he went around with a fork shoved up his ass all day long, that privilege is reserved for you, Medina. Try lightening up some time, and stop trying to validate your statements by pretending that every Christian is as uptight and easily offended as you.

Medina

Asok


You're only hurting yourself with this.
Thanks for intentionally trying to offend me, appreciate that.

Endymion

So Jesus, Mohammed and Moses walk into a motel room...







... They're there to have homosexual relations

Karl Hungus

Medina, I think you're crazy.

I read the thread in question, and at no point was Christianity "Attacked" as you've said here, or "making God the butt of your jokes" as you've said here. Infact, there's nothing stated in the jokes that are in any way, shape or form disrespectfull to Jesus.

All there is to the jokes is drawing parallels between Jesus and people. Now unless you find comparison between Jesus and people offensive (*cough* God made man in his own image *cough*) then you don't have any arguement at all.

Medina

Stark wrote:

If someone sent round an e-mail with my name in those jokes, I'd probably have a good laugh and be chuffed at the attention. The Jesus portrayed in the Bible liked a drink and enjoyed a healthy social life. It doesn't say anywhere that he went around with a fork shoved up his ass all day long, that privilege is reserved for you, Medina. Try lightening up some time, and stop trying to validate your statements by pretending that every Christian is as uptight and easily offended as you.

Why are you getting so nasty?
Did I attack you some way Stark?

InFront

Seems like a bad choice of place to post it imo, I'm actually completely with Medina on this one - if not for the original post then for some of the stuff that came after it, which certainly isn't befitting a Christianity forum, a place for people who want to discuss their religion.
There are so many forums where this would have been more appropriate

A bit of respect and common sense isn't too much to ask for in these five, or six forums is it?

EDIT: looking at some of these posts above, this thread itself is denigrating into blatant childishness. If the girl is offended the least you could do is stop adding to it with those references.

Karoma

And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who will speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not become anxious about how or what you should speak in your defense, or what you should say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say (Luke 12:9-12).

Je...bus, would you lighten up‽ Even He'd get over it. [The bible's open to interpretation, whether you like to think so or not]
It's not like it was the joke were Jesus walks into an inn with nails...

Er, anyways. Much ado about nothing.
Jokes should go into Humour. I can see how the OP might get offended. I completely disagree with this zealous persecution of all-things-not-100%-ass-kissing but maybe it should be considered moving it?

Medina

Karl Hungus wrote:

Medina, I think you're crazy.

I read the thread in question, and at no point was Christianity "Attacked" as you've said here, or "making God the butt of your jokes" as you've said here. Infact, there's nothing stated in the jokes that are in any way, shape or form disrespectfull to Jesus.

All there is to the jokes is drawing parallels between Jesus and people. Now unless you find comparison between Jesus and people offensive (*cough* God made man in his own image *cough*) then you don't have any arguement at all.

Using that quote to justify the joke is not really good enough Karl.
Jesus is the centre of Christianity and believed to be the Son of God by both me and Brian. Trying to equate us as 'like each other' drawing parallels is outrageous, in the same way as if I said I am equal to the Son of God that would be outrageous. It works both ways.

Look, this is turning into a bandwagon for people to take a swipe at me, because of what I think, which defeats the whole 'attack the post and not the poster'. I haven't gotten personal with anyone but everyones getting personal with me.

At the end of the day no one is really looking at why this might be wrong to post in the Christianity forum. Which is the point. And Jesus is made fun of, He is the butt of this joke.

I'm trying honestly to show that this joke is not right where it is.

Saying I:
-Don't have an open mind
-Am crazy
-have a fork shoved up my ass
-need to lighten up
etc etc are not really serious responses to a serious complaint. But people are allowed have their opinion and so am I, and its just plain wrong.

muckwarrior

Medina wrote:

And Jesus is made fun of, He is the butt of this joke.

That is your opinion, which most people don't share.

I can honestly understand why you believe its wrong. But tbh thats my problem. You're aren't looking at this from a larger perspective. The op was trying put an idea across in laymans terms about why jesus was everyman, which is why people were able to follow him (and still do) so easily. They rcognise a bit of themselves in him.Would you have taken offence to St. Patrick comparing the holy trinity to a weed? Comedy is the voice of the people, and I believe the OP was trying to get a point across to those people. As well as having a laugh (heaven forbid!)

Karl Hungus

Medina wrote:

in the same way as if I said I am equal to the Son of God that would be outrageous.

So we're not all god's children then?

Medina wrote:

I'm trying honestly to show that this joke is not right where it is.

I'd tend to agree with you on that. It's probably something that does belong in the humour forum, and if you look at any of the other religious boards, none of them have jokes about their subject matter. I imagine a joke about Islam would get you banned sharply.

So while there's a place for everything, and I've no arguement with that, what I do have issue with is your spurious claims about how the joke "Attacks Christianity" or how it's making Jesus the 'Butt' of the jokes. It isn't doing any such thing, and you're just being outright apocryphal about it.

Schuhart

There’s a very positive and open attitude to discussion on the Christianity Forum. I can’t see what all the fuss is about over such a minor thing. There are threads there at present on substantial issues like whether there is actually a biblical basis for claiming Jesus is the son of God, stuff which would surely be potentially more challenging than some truly harmless humour.

The Christianity Forum is a place where people of all religions and none explore these topics, and I think we all appreciate the positive attitude that enables this. The thread in question is surely just a minor diversion to lighten the mood, like the Belief-O-Matic thread that’s also going there at the moment.

Vexorg

Hiya Medina

I can accept that you were offended by the thread, I think your choice of thread title may have gotten you off to a bad start here as you are stating that the moderator has created an offensive thread, and im sure a large number of people are disappointed when they are not offended nor do they find the thread offensive.

Its probably reflects in some small way how many of us have become more distant from our religious/spititual beliefs over the last 3 decades or more.

In a situtation like this I would ask WWJD. I would like to think he would have a polite discussion with the forum moderator and suggest that an open and frank discussion in that forum might give a better indication of how other christians felt when they read the thread.

After all it probably easier to poll those forum users first before spreading the word to other fora.

Vex.

BaZmO*

Medina wrote:

But people are allowed have their opinion and so am I, and its just plain wrong.

In your opinion.

So are you saying that if one person is offended that the everybody else has to fall in line with the opinion of that one person?

nebra

Medina, your OTT, if you choose to be offended thats up to you.
I don't see how Brian broke any rules.
Religion / spirituality threads, do you really expect them to be non provocative ?
I see that its easier to drop miss Alther's quote than live by it.

Sarky

Jesus, lol?

Medina

Schuhart wrote:

There’s a very positive and open attitude to discussion on the Christianity Forum. I can’t see what all the fuss is about over such a minor thing. There are threads there at present on substantial issues like whether there is actually a biblical basis for claiming Jesus is the son of God, stuff which would surely be potentially more challenging than some truly harmless humour.

The Christianity Forum is a place where people of all religions and none explore these topics, and I think we all appreciate the positive attitude that enables this. The thread in question is surely just a minor diversion to lighten the mood, like the Belief-O-Matic thread that’s also going there at the moment.

If its such a minor thing to you, then why are you defending it?
Its bigger and harmful to me because:

1) It puts God in a joke which I don't agree with.
2) Its on the Christian forum from a Christian moderator whose job is to kick out bad posts, so therefore it looks like Christians have no problem with this kind of thing.
3) It makes Christians look like we can 'take the piss out of our own religion'.
4) It might make non-Christians feel like they can post jokes about Jesus and if we find it offensive , we might look hypocritical.
5) It then becomes hard to draw a line between offensive joke and non offensive jokes so it's better not to have any in that forum

BaZmO*

Medina wrote:

a Christian moderator whose job is to kick out bad posts

In who's opinion?

Nevyn

The joke tries to take jesus of a pedestal and bring him closer to people to make them identify with him.
This is something that Jesus susposedily did himself, he went among the people to get to know them and to let them know him and his words and deeds.

Medina

Thaedydal wrote:

The joke tries to take jesus of a pedestal and bring him closer to people to make them identify with him.
This is something that Jesus susposedily did himself, he went among the people to get to know them and to let them know him and his words and deeds.

I know, I appreciate the intention but the end doesn't justify the means here in my opinion. I know what the joke is 'supposed' to do, but look at the downsides to what it may do in my previous post. The downside kind of outweighs the good here I think.

Trinity

The Bible is full of quotes about laughter and joy. This is just a sampling of them.
And below the Scripture texts are some quotes from famous people on the
importance of humor in our lives.
Scripture texts
Gen. 21:6: “Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will
laugh with me.’”

Psalms 16:11: “You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in
your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Ps. 68:3: “But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant
with joy.”

Ps. 96:11: “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.”

Ps. 107:22b: “…and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.”

Ps. 126:2: “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of
joy…”

Ps. 126:5: “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy”

Ps. 128:2b: “…you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.” (those who walk in the
Lord’s ways)

Proverbs 3:4a (for everything a season): “…a time to weep, and a time to laugh.”

Prov. 3:12: “I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy
themselves as long as they live.”

Prov: 17:22: “A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the
bones.”

Isaiah 49:13a: “Sing for joy, o heavens, and exult, o earth; break forth, o mountains, into
singing!”

Is: 65:18: “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create
Jerusalem as a joy and its people as a delight.”

Quotes
Victor Borge: “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”

Comedian/actor Alan Alda: “When people are laughing, they’re generally not killing one
another.”

Psychotherapist John McBride: “Laughter is God’s hand on the shoulder of a troubled
world.” (also attributed to country comedienne Minnie Pearl)

Mahatma Gandhi: “If I had no sense of humor, I should long ago have committed
suicide.”

Writer E.B. White: “Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but the thing dies in the
process.”

Newspaperman H.L. Mencken: defined Puritanism as “that haunting feeling that
somewhere, someplace, somebody is happy”

Writer T.S. Eliot: “Humor is also a way of saying something serious.”

Author George Bernard Shaw: “When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden
truth.”

Comedian Jay Leno: “You cannot be mad at somebody who makes you laugh—it’s as
simple as that.”

Author Kathleen Fischer:
Humor …”loosens our perspectives and the tenacity with which we hold to established
patterns of thought.”
“…loosens our bodies and emotions and lightens the connections among us.”
“…softens the edges of our cynicism and reveals the nonsense in what appears to be
sensible–the inconsistencies and incongruity in all human behavior.”
“…humor is an indication that we are still capable of being surprised.” (as happened with
Sarah in the Old Testament)

Writer Anne LaMott: “Laughter is carbonated holiness.” (from her book Plan
Cartoonist Bil Keane (“Family Circus”): “Laughter is not all ‘ho, ho, ho’ and ‘ha, ha, ha.’
It’s also a quiet inner warmth that spreads good vibes throughout the mind and body.”
He also said that without humor we focus on failures, defeats, lack of fulfillment.
Prominent Protestant minister Elton Trueblood: “Never trust a theologian who doesn’t
have a sense of humor” AND “The critics of Christ have, on the whole, been as blind to
his humor as have his admirers.”

Quaker Tom Mullen, in his book Laughing Out Loud and Other Religious Experiences:
“True believers need the perspective humor provides. Otherwise, they become as selfrighteous
and unfunny as Luke’s Pharisee…”

Medina

Why couldn't Brian have posted Psalms like this then to show the lighter side of Christianity?

Do you see what I mean..there are ways and means, I just think he picked the wrong way.

Yes thats my opinion. And no if the Admin guy posted here and still the thread is not locked or removed or moved then its not going to be so my job here is over.

Goodnight all.

Trinity

OOps i was actually trying to emphasise the importance of humour and how light heartedness and being able to laugh about things in these troubled times was of the utmost importance to our well being.

while i can understand you being personally offended, i, as a chrisitan am not. It is a light hearted view. I am sure it was not meant in an offensive way.

I'm from ballymun i laugh at jokes about people from ballymun. I used to be blonde, back then i laughed at blonde jokes!!

without laughter we have nothing and to quote " a cheerful heart is a good medicine but a downcast spirit dries up the bones"

now who are we to say that jesus didnt have a good sense of humour. cheer up