Posted // April 19,2011 -
The Mormons are such easy targets [“Mormon Smash,” Rant Control, April 7, City Weekly], and I’m sure they did it well, but why don’t we try a satire targeting atheists, for once. Atheists would find it even funnier than religious people, if it were done well. Maybe something like a couple of atheists proselytizing door to door with one of the just-published atheist bibles. That could be very funny.
Sean Gallacher
Brisbane, Australia
Actually, it's been done already. C.S. Lewis has done some excellent (but gentle) ribbing of atheism in several of his works, both nonfiction and fiction. See The Great Divorce, Mere Christianity, Miracles, and his space trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength).
In general it is much harder to do and requires a lot more set-up. Many (though not all) atheists spend their lives studiously avoiding any exposure to ridicule. Believing in nothing is a good way to insulate yourself from ever having the appearance of being "taken in", which appearance is what most satire is founded on.
That very fact is the only angle by which they can be ridiculed, but it is a very highbrow sort of humor that perhaps doesn't really fit the label "satire". It takes a very mature perspective to see the humor in someone avoiding belief in anything larger than himself in order to avoid exposure to scorn. Most audiences are not very mature, and therefore this sort of satire doesn't have a very large market.
I am a seventh day atheist and welcome any satire targeting my lack of belief in an almighty, angels, saints and miracles....needless to say atheists unlike their heaven inspired and god fearing neighbours, in general do not do a door to door ptoseltization and a scripture to peddle (they have no hell to fear and no brownie points to score with god). I think a satire on atheists will probably offend believers as it my be more of a spoof on them than the non-elievers.
I am an atheist, and one of my closest friends for nearly two decades is a converted Mormon. We generally don't discuss religion any more, but I have found that we actually have a good deal in common. Both Mormons and Atheists are very misunderstood, both have big problems with PR and portrayals in the media, and both tend to be very well-read on the subject of theology. So I tend to commiserate with her when people make fun of Mormonism, though I admit I have very little intellectual respect for her beliefs.