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Christian Improv: What's Funny at Warren's Church
Time ^ | July 27, 2009 | Joel Stein

Posted on 07/28/2009 11:04:39 AM PDT by Cecily

There are many things Evangelical Christians are good at, such as bake sales and talking to me on planes. They're less adept at other things, such as comedy and fighting lions. Christians aren't funny because they tend to be literal-minded. Also because they're sad about having had sex with only one person. So when Kevin Roose, author of the excellent new book The Unlikely Disciple, told me that Rick Warren's giant Saddleback Church has its own improv group, for the first time in my life, I felt my calling. I may not be the Woody Allen or Jon Stewart of the secular world, but in the land of the unfunny Christian, the one-joked Jew is king.

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events; Evangelical Christian
KEYWORDS: antichristian; boycotttimewarner; christians; comedy; evangelicals; liberalbigots; pravdamedia; rickwarren
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More goofiness from Rick Warren's "church."
1 posted on 07/28/2009 11:04:39 AM PDT by Cecily
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To: Cecily; wagglebee; Timesink; martin_fierro; reformed_democrat; Loyalist; =Intervention=; ...
Media Schadenfreude and Media Shenanigans PING

There are many things Evangelical Christians are good at... They're less adept at other things, such as ...fighting lions.

Genocide for laughs. Time magazine declared God dead in the 1960s.

I'll be glad when Time-Lies-Warner-Turner goes belly up and declares (moral) bankruptcy.

2 posted on 07/28/2009 11:07:18 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (There is no truth in the Pravda Media.)
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To: a fool in paradise

Wow. I suppose Jews and ovens is funny too Time Magazine.


3 posted on 07/28/2009 11:10:38 AM PDT by MNDude (The Republican Congress Economy--1995-2007)
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To: Cecily

He’s hot like he’s in an oven or something ... hmmm, not so funny when the target isn’t a Christian, is it?


4 posted on 07/28/2009 11:14:47 AM PDT by ikka (Brother, you asked for it!)
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Jewish people are jealous of Christians. Despite of being declared of God’s chosen people, Christian civilization have achieved far more than Jewish one. Indeed, Jews have only prospered in Christian countries. A Messianic rabbi once told me Christians should make Jewish people very jealous to draw them to Christ.


5 posted on 07/28/2009 11:22:04 AM PDT by jeanguy04
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To: Cecily

Rick Warren is a joke.


6 posted on 07/28/2009 11:24:08 AM PDT by ravingnutter
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To: Cecily
From the article: "After being taught various improv games with the five members of the troupe, none of which involved the Bible or moral lessons, I asked them what the difference was between secular and Christian improv. "We're dirtier," said Jeremy Bryan Barnes. Then he explained why they weren't doing Christian comedy. "When we started, we'd get requests from groups to do jokes about Noah. But it wasn't fun. We'd work too hard to work in Noah. It's our job to entertain." Their goal, Barnes explained, was to give people a way to get friends to the church who have turned down an invitation to a service. This made sense until I thought about the kind of person who would say, "I'm not interested in eternal salvation, but I'd love to spend a Saturday night in a small conference room watching Christian improvisational comedy!"

At least the non-Christian gets it (assuming that the others are, in fact, real Christians as alleged).

So...when the Sunday morning "seeker service" can't draw "seekers" (unsaved and uninterested in/rejecting of the Gospel)...bring on the comedy. It is as funny as hell!

7 posted on 07/28/2009 11:42:36 AM PDT by pby
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To: Cecily
Its funny how many people replying this post are just using it only as an opportunity to take a shot at Rick Warren, and missing totally Time Magazines slam against the whole Christian Church.
8 posted on 07/28/2009 11:43:16 AM PDT by NavyCanDo
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To: Cecily

Here are just some of the “less adept” Believers:

Noah Webster
Kepler
Newton
Benjamin Franklin
Pasteur
Gutenberg
Copernicus
Mendelssohn

And Joel writes for Time. Time magazine. For the benefit of all manlike, Joel leaves the heavy lifting to intellectual giants. Evidence of his aspirations remain in the lobby at some second rate dive. I would suggest his columns, like Obama’s Styrofoam sculptures, deserve a more popular location; the landfill.


9 posted on 07/28/2009 11:53:10 AM PDT by This Just In
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To: Cecily
They're less adept at other things, such as comedy and fighting lions. Christians aren't funny

I have noticed that, that explicitly Christian humor, the stuff you might hear on Christian radio, tends to be kind of flat.

10 posted on 07/28/2009 11:53:56 AM PDT by Lee N. Field ("Dispensationalists say the darndest things!")
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To: Cecily

While I think it is a fair critique that some of us evangelicals need to develop a sense of humor — this article is nothing more than a hit piece on Christianity.

I get the impression that the author would be quite delighted if we were thrown to lions again (coming soon to the Middle East?).


11 posted on 07/28/2009 11:59:16 AM PDT by rom (Israel got Saul before they got David. Where's our David?)
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To: NavyCanDo

“Its funny how many people replying this post are just using it only as an opportunity to take a shot at Rick Warren....”

It’s unfortunate that you’re using this post “only as an opportunity” to criticize individuals whom rightly question Rick Warren’s ministry.

Furthermore, it is obvious that you fail to recognized that most of the posts have been comments on the authors opinions, and not on Rick Warren.

One of the main points in the article concerns Rick Warren and his church. So, Freepers whom are expressing their opinions about Saddleback are not off subject.


12 posted on 07/28/2009 12:00:55 PM PDT by This Just In
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To: Cecily

13 posted on 07/28/2009 12:05:06 PM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Texan. Monarchist. Any questions?)
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To: rom

“...a fair critique that some of us evangelicals need to develop a sense of humor...”

I disagree. Many of our friends, as well as our own family, have a great sense of humor. What the author is saying, and others believe, is that if we don’t find THEIR brand of comedy to be funny, we lack any sense of humor.

“...-this article is nothing more than a hit piece on Christianity.”

Precisely.

I disagree with the first half of your


14 posted on 07/28/2009 12:06:33 PM PDT by This Just In
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To: This Just In

I did say “some” in my first statement — I have some evangelical friends who seem to have lost the capability to smile :)


15 posted on 07/28/2009 12:25:42 PM PDT by rom (Israel got Saul before they got David. Where's our David?)
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To: rom

I know that you did not level a sweeping accusations, but the author sure did.

Boy, if anyone wishes to see a group of individuals that lack a sense of humor, all he/she needs to do is watch liberals.

Better yet, say, “Sarah Palin”. Watch the “humor” and color leave them like jews at Revival.


16 posted on 07/28/2009 12:31:01 PM PDT by This Just In
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To: NavyCanDo
Its funny how many people replying this post are just using it only as an opportunity to take a shot at Rick Warren, and missing totally Time Magazines slam against the whole Christian Church.

Because... Again, Rick Warren opened the door for them to do so.

17 posted on 07/28/2009 12:34:35 PM PDT by pby
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To: This Just In
The humor may leave them, but it sure is funny for us to watch their contortions!
18 posted on 07/28/2009 12:35:55 PM PDT by rom (Israel got Saul before they got David. Where's our David?)
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To: rom

Yeah, as a matter of fact, I pay money just to watch liberals reactions to names, such as:

George Bush
Sarah Palin
Jerry Falwell
Ronald Reagan
NRA
Joe the Plumber
Columbus

:^)


19 posted on 07/28/2009 12:41:01 PM PDT by This Just In
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To: NavyCanDo

Antitheist bias from Time-Lies is nothing new and should not come as a surprise.

20 posted on 07/28/2009 12:43:30 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (There is no truth in the Pravda Media.)
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