338: Mormons and Humor

Are Mormons funny? Do we Mormons have a good sense of humor—in general, or, more importantly, when it focuses on ourselves? In introducing Mormonism to those who are outside the faith and attempting to share how the gospel and Mormon life make sense to or motivate its adherents, can a light-hearted, humorous approach be more effective than “earnestness”? In this episode, we bring together three people for whom the answer to this last question is a resounding “yes”! Yet each also recognizes that there are lines—sometimes fuzzy, sometimes very clear—that one must not cross. Often it is informed by fear of losing the good will and respect of the Mormon audience who, let’s face it, will be among the majority of readers even for books about Mormons geared toward outsiders. This audience may be comfortable with finding humor in Mormon culture and its quirks but possibly will balk as one seeks to examine via humor (and its gifts of providing at times very stark mirrors for things under its gaze) certain practices or teachings. When writing for outsiders (and it’s a good reminder when the Mormon audience will be reading, as well), a humorous approach must watch out for pitfalls such as stereotyping, caricaturing, or not recognizing that a particular view of theirs that might feel like “safe” humor territory to you doesn’t feel so for them.

A wonderful panel consisting of Latter-day Saints who have written or illustrated wonderful books examining Mormonism through fun approaches—Stephen Carter and Jett Atwood (author and illustrator of the new book,Mormonism for Beginners, as well as two volumes of a Book of Mormon comic book/graphic novel called iPlates), and Jana Riess (co-author of Mormonism for Dummies, and author of The Twible)—examine these and many other questions. How does humor function more effectively than taking a serious, laser approach as an aid in our examining things we sometimes miss because of familiarity, or because we are living within certain patterns of thought, or shells, or structures that we forget are not themselves actually the “real” thing? How important is a humorist’s own feelings toward its subject—affectionate, antagonistic, dismissive—in her or his ability to reach their desired audience—and not just to entertain them but possibly also aid in their shifting certain perspectives? It’s a wonderful conversation that also features their recommendations, along with those of Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon, of favorite examples of Mormon humor done well.

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Links to (Most) Things Discussed in the Episode:

Stephen Carter (with Jett Atwood illustrations), Mormonism for Beginners (New Haven, CT: For Beginners, 2016)

Stephen Carter and Jett Atwood, iPlates, Vol I: Alma in the Wilderness (2012)

Stephen Carter and Jett Atwood, iPlates, Vol II, Prophets, Priests, Rebels, and Kings (2014)

Jana Riess and Christopher Kimball Bigelow, Mormonism for Dummies (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2005)

Jana Riess, The Twible: All the Chapters in the Bible in 140 Characters or Less . . . (2013)

Elouise Bell, Only When I Laugh (Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1990)

Elouise Bell, “The Meeting” (contained in the book, Only When I Laugh) and an online version of the rest of the book available here.

Carol Lynn Pearson, “Walk in the Pink Moccasins,” Sunstone, May 2005

Kristine Haglund, “A Short Post about Equality,” By Common Consent blog, 21 April 2011

Paul Allen, Mormon Tabernacle Enquirer: Latter-day News, Advice, and Opinion (Pince-Nez Press, 2006)

Robert Kirby, The Essential Kirby Canon: 20 Years of Shooting at the Hip at the Salt Lake Tribune (2014)

Robert Kirby, Sunday of the Living Dead (Carson City, NV: Buckaroo Books, 1995)

Robert Kirby, Pat and Kirby Go to Hell (Springville, UT: Slickrock Books, 1997)

Robert Kirby, Kirby Soup for the Soul (Whitehorse Books, 2003)

Fonda AlaMode, Laurie Mecham Johnson, Special Living Lessons for Relief Society Sisters (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1996)

Samuel Woolley Taylor, Heaven Knows Why (Aspen Books, 1994)

Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal (2004)