. . .
1. As with beauty in the eye of the beholder and one man's junk is another man's treasure . . . so, too, fitting satire and mockery are in the eye of the beholder. It depends on who's ox is gored.
2. Usually, the huge chips on shoulders and the super thin skins tend to decide such, more even, than the blackened glasses.
3. There are probably less than 5 people who post frequently on the Rel Forum threads who seem to have any remotely reliable capacity to take satire or mockery directed at them and their perspectives and roll with such, laughing at themselves or at least noting that the satire or mockery was well done or made some fitting points or some such.
4. I don't know of ANY rabid clique Roman Catholics et al who come remotely close to being the least bit able to laugh at themselves or openly confess that some satire or mockery made some fitting points about them or their perspectives.
5. Generally speaking, it seems that such cliques hereon are pretty much like my hyper liberal associates on various forums and at the univ. They are virtually one and all extremely brittle; with huge chips on their shoulders and super thin skinned--and extremely quick to be hostile, super bitterly defensive and the like.
6. For some reason, it seems that satire etc comprises some of my best writing.
7. I find satire and mockery are potent, pointed, condensed, humorous, concise ways of making some powerful points that might take many pages to make the same points much more poorly.
8. Personally, I don't think that folks for whom the satire or mockery do not apply, need have the least bit of an emotional response to it. Let it be water off a duck.
9. On the other hand, it seems to me that virtually always, WHEN THERE'S A FIERCE RESPONSE, it seems to be a VERY RELIABLE SIGN that the arrow of the satire has struck the bull's eye. And the gored ox can't stand the mirror.
10. Whooooop-T-Do! Grow up! Learn! Grow! Go on!
11. If folks are tooooo thin skinnes, brittle, insecure, with gargantuan chips on their shoulders and more than enough bitterness and bile to curdle water . . . they probably ought not read such posts by me or by anyone else. Their blood pressure might well be better off--along with their blood vessels, hearts, and other organs influenced by cortisol.
12. I usually get a kick out of it when some Roman Catholic et al folks in the rabid cliques try to manage some satire or mockery. Very occasionally, it's witty, humorous and at least a little above average enough to be entertaining. Sadly, most of the time, it just falls flat as a vain, failed effort. Then I tend to feel embarrassed for those of that perspective.
13. My own spiritual growth was immeasureably enhanced by very witty satire & mockery directed at me. Few things could cause me to think as deeply and productively as such presentations of and challenges to my own inherent absurdities. Yeah, some of such assaults left me hurt to furious. Yet, they "hurt good" and left a redemptive result--LARGELY BECAUSE I WAS DETERMINED TO GROW--REGARDLESS OF THE INPUT.
14. I think it is crucial for all Believers to offer up everything in their day and in their lives on the altar--put it all on the altar or The Cross and wait upon God for whatever He hands back as a lesson, reward or rebuke.
15. THEN we are dealing with GOD'S PERSPECTIVE on our stuff and have no business nor any need to be the least bit upset with the mortal(s) involved. God has merely used them as messengers or catalysts.
16. Anyway--I find satire and mockery to be quite efficient and effective ways to communicate in relatively brief ways great import as well as great quantities of points that would require pages or chapters otherwise.
17. And, I love the wit and humor of such--often as much when I'm on the receiving end as when I'm the sender.
Cheers.
Sounds about right to me, dear brother in Christ!
When people poke fun at me I usually laugh. Then again, I am a very clumsy person so I have a lot of experience. LOLOL!