Would This Statement Offend You?

[shirleyb]

I'm with you about the bumper sticker thing. Why permanently affix something to your car when you can use a magnet or a cling?

But seriously, they are an expression of oneself. Just like T-shirts and message board signatures, they say something about YOU. Just because someone else has a license plate that has the logo of a football team doesn't mean that hockey fans should be 'offended'. Same with religious or political messages. It's an expression of the individuals preferences, not a way of forcing others to their point of view.

Great explanation!

 

[Narnian_Princess]

I still suspect that it's much easier to find something funny in something we have little respect for - I'm not picking on you, I'm sure I do the same thing. I just don't think we can say we find as much humor in things that we care deeply about, especially if we know the person making the joke has no respect for whatever that is. It's fine to say, "lighten up", but we have to be ready for someone to say that to us, say, if they have some little "funny" about our gay friend or whatever cause is important to us.

What she said.

Great explanation!

Wow, thanks!

 

[Principessa Alba]

Of course there is. Both are personal and subjective as well. Hell, someone out there actually thinks Pauly Shore is funny.



Any topic can lend itself to humor, IMO. No, nothing's sacred when it comes to humor.

a sick child, war and famine in Africa, a friend with AIDS, racists jokes....nothing, really? I guess we just have to disagree about this one.

 

[caitycaity]

I just don't think we can say we find as much humor in things that we care deeply about, especially if we know the person making the joke has no respect for whatever that is.

but that is exactly my point. if we know the person making the statement has no respect for whatever they are making the joke about, then it seems to me that it is not really a joke, but more a statement of their beliefs. there is a difference between a joke and mocking, in my book.

i disagree with you about finding humour in things we care deeply about. sometimes, i think jokes about the things i care deeply about are the most funny. different strokes for different folks.

on another board i read, someone made a joke about 9/11. that's something i take very seriously, but the joke was still funny.

 

[JennyMominRI]

a sick child, war and famine in Africa, a friend with AIDS, racists jokes....nothing, really? I guess we just have to disagree about this one.

Like I said,I have no qualms with people joking about my having AIDS...

 

[Principessa Alba]

but that is exactly my point. if we know the person making the statement has no respect for whatever they are making the joke about, then it seems to me that it is not really a joke, but more a statement of their beliefs. there is a difference between a joke and mocking, in my book.

i disagree with you about finding humour in things we care deeply about. sometimes, i think jokes about the things i care deeply about are the most funny. different strokes for different folks.

on another board i read, someone made a joke about 9/11. that's something i take very seriously, but the joke was still funny.

That really depends on the joke. I can't imagine there are many funny jokes about 9/11, but hey, maybe I just can't take a joke. That's possible.

 

[Fortuosity]

Yes, because atheist is spelled wrong.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

A friend who just 4 months ago was a christian includes in her siggy the following statement: Thank God I am An Athiest

No...I could care less.

 

[Principessa Alba]

One more thing, and then I have to leave the office, I think that at the least, you might want to think twice before making a joke about someone's family member with cancer, or their sexual orientation, or their race....or their religion. I think we're all free to laugh at whatever we want, but not everyone might think we're such a riot...

 

[Maleficent13]

Hell, someone out there actually thinks Pauly Shore is funny.

I refuse to believe this.

 

[mickeyfan2]

How many of us have sat around a funeral home, making sick jokes... hopefully not just me!

Nope it is just you.

 

[Maleficent13]

One more thing, and then I have to leave the office, I think that at the least, you might want to think twice before making a joke about someone's family member with cancer, or their sexual orientation, or their race....or their religion. I think we're all free to laugh at whatever we want, but not everyone might think we're such a riot...

Having a sense of humor (even a "whacked out" one) does not automatically mean we had to give up our sense of propriety, common sense, or ability to evaluate the audience.

 

[PrincessTiff]

a sick child, war and famine in Africa, a friend with AIDS, racists jokes....nothing, really? I guess we just have to disagree about this one.

Ok, i'm about to be flamed like crazy but most racists jokes are funny. I'm white and "white jokes" make me . It depends on your sense of humor, something some people on here lack.

 

[LBelle]

Who really cares???? Live and let live!!! Pretty simple!!!

 

[caitycaity]

One more thing, and then I have to leave the office, I think that at the least, you might want to think twice before making a joke about someone's family member with cancer, or their sexual orientation, or their race....or their religion. I think we're all free to laugh at whatever we want, but not everyone might think we're such a riot...

this is certainly something we can agree on. people who i'm friends with know i can be inappropriate. i assume that is part of my charm. but there is no way that i would ever make a joke about a sensitive topic to people who i didn't know well.

 

[Bob Slydell]

George Carlin once said that someone once told him they didn't think rape was funny. He disagreed and said that he thought it was hilarious, given the correct joke. To prove his point he said...

Imagine Elmer Fudd raping Porky Pig -- now that's funny

 

[Principessa Alba]

Having a sense of humor (even a "whacked out" one) does not automatically mean we had to give up our sense of propriety, common sense, or ability to evaluate the audience.

OK, I'm still here - but I'm not working, I'm just interested in this thread.

You are right what you just said, but I think the question was - what's offensive, not what's funny. I can't help but laugh at Howard Stern sometimes, and he's a pig, but he is offensive/funny. I found in the original post an interesting question. Lots of people have implied here, I think that nothing is off limits, but I just don't agree. Maybe there are some funny AIDS jokes, or 9/11 jokes, maybe, but the question is whether or not they are offensive, and as you said, proprietym common sense, and evaluating the situation is important.

Personally, I don't think the signature mentioned in the OP is either funny or offensive, but this discussion just got me thinking about what is offensive and what is funny. You don't joke about the Holocaust much, around Jews, even if you have some gut buster, can't imagine what that would be, but those of you who think nothing is off limits...

 

[maddiemouse]

It's a amusing little dig at religion is what it is.

Or possibly at atheism

 

[aztecgoods]

I would think that most aetheist would be offended by her use of God in the sig, while at the same time stating she's an aetheist. So she's thanking something that she does not believe exists that she doesn't believe in something that doesn't exists? That's circular.

 

[caitycaity]

I would think that most aetheist would be offended by her use of God in the sig, while at the same time stating she's an aetheist. So she's thanking something that she does not believe exists that she doesn't believe in something that doesn't exists? That's circular.

ummm... that's the joke.