The Encyclopedia of World Religions

210 S humanism, religious

Thus in some Native American cultures “ RIT UAL CLOWNS ” would follow the serious priests about and do humorous burlesque versions of their sol emn rites. In medieval Europe it was customary on certain festivals to name a child as “boy bishop” for the occasion, dress him in appropriate robes, and encourage him to make fun of the real rul ers of the church. In many mythologies the figures known as TRICKSTERS appear, like Coyote in Native American lore or L OKI in Germanic legend. He plays cruel tricks on people, outwits the gods, has a pro digious appetite, but like Prometheus stealing the fire will sometimes use his cleverness for human good. In some cultures like old Russia, there was a place for the “holy fool,” a devout half-wit whose remarks and mocking laughter sometimes struck home. Some societies even have humor-based festivals, like Holi in India, whose main features include raucous pageants and good fun based on the mythologies of gods. One of the “new reli gions” of Japan, Seicho no Ie, has a quasi-religious rite called “laughing practice” that consists simply of laughing ( see J APAN , NEW RELIGIONS IN ). Laughing as a token of the presence of the Holy Spirit has also appeared in Christian P ENTECOSTALISM . Attitudes may vary, but basic to all religions is the belief that there is a difference between what the world seems to be, and claims to be on its own terms, and what it really is. It may claim to be real, to be perfect or capable of getting there, and that its important people are really important. Religion knows otherwise: The world, it says, is illusion and only G OD is truly real; it is sinful and in ignorance rather than perfect; and the impor tant people may not really be as important as sim ple, humble, and obscure SAINTS who see things as they really are. Humor can be a most useful means of puncturing the illusions that keep us from religious truth.

like a prostitute in worshipping other gods, YHWH will not forsake her.

humanism, religious As used today, a reli gious philosophy of life that emphasizes attention to human needs and values in this world, rather than to G OD , the AFTERLIFE , and otherworldly con cerns. Those who believe that putting the good of human life and society in this world first, while living perhaps with a sense of wonder and awe toward human life and nature, can be seen as tak ing a religious path, though one without God in the traditional sense, and may be called religious humanists. Characteristically humanists hold that only that which can be learned through science or direct observation can be regarded as known for sure, and that a good, useful, and happy life can be lived based only on this kind of knowledge. Many would add that religion in the traditional sense is outmoded, unneeded, and causes more trouble than good. There are a number of religious humanists in Unitarian-Universalist churches, and in the American Humanist Association. humor and religion Fun, satire, and laughter that have a role in religion. Humor has often been disdained by the more solemn sort of religionists, such as the Protestant Puritans ( see P URITANISM ). Yet humor can have a positive religious role. People laughing together create a community. Humor can deflate the pride and pomposity that is usually a religious SIN , and show the importance of the meek who not seldom outsmart the mighty. Humor pro vides a way of dealing with the irrationality of the universe, which seems to be there despite the best efforts of theologians, and it can tap off the tension built up by serious religious rites.