Inside Jokes: Lucian, Tatian, and Mohammed Cartoons

Description

Essay about humor and religion, related to the question of insiders and outsiders: "At first glance, the contrast between the playfulness of ancient religion and the apparent oversensitivity of Muslim traditions could not be larger. But the differences may be smaller than they appear: in both contexts, the success of humor depends on who is telling the joke. A comparison of two types of ancient jokes about the gods, from pagans and from Christians respectively, shows that the ‘inside’ nature of polytheistic humor played a large role in its acceptance. Distinguishing between ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ jokes can also shed light on the contemporary debate about Mohammed cartoons."