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→Secular leftist Saul Alinsky and ridicule as a political weapon
[[Saul Alinsky]], an agnostic, was an American secular leftist who championed ridicule as a means to achieve political ends.<ref>{{cite book|title=Radical: A Portrait of Saul Alinsky|year=2010|publisher=Nation Books|isbn=9781568586250|pages=108–109|author=Nicholas Von Hoffman|quote=He passed the word in the Back of the Yards that this Jewish agnostic was okay, which at least ensured that he would not be kicked out the door.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church: A Theological Perspective|year=2011|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=9781589017436|author=Charles E. Curran|page=32|quote=Saul D. Alinsky, an agnostic Jew, organized the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago in the late 1930s and started the Industrial Areas Foundation in 1940 to promote community organizations and to train community organizers.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Understanding Maritain: Philosopher and Friend|year=1987|publisher=Mercer University Press|isbn=9780865542792|author=Deal Wyatt Hudson|editor=Deal Wyatt Hudson, Matthew J. Mancini|page=40|quote=Saul Alinsky was an agnostic Jew for whom religion of any kind held very little importance and just as little relation to the focus of his life's work: the struggle for economic and social justice, for human dignity and human rights, and for the alleviation of the sufferings of the poor and downtrodden.}}</ref> One of his 12 rules of radicals was "'Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.' There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions."<ref>[http://www.bestofbeck.com/wp/activism/saul-alinskys-12-rules-for-radicals Saul Alinsky’s 12 Rules for Radicals]</ref>
[[Saul Alinsky]], an agnostic, was an American secular leftist who championed ridicule as a means to achieve political ends.<ref>{{cite book|title=Radical: A Portrait of Saul Alinsky|year=2010|publisher=Nation Books|isbn=9781568586250|pages=108–109|author=Nicholas Von Hoffman|quote=He passed the word in the Back of the Yards that this Jewish agnostic was okay, which at least ensured that he would not be kicked out the door.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church: A Theological Perspective|year=2011|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=9781589017436|author=Charles E. Curran|page=32|quote=Saul D. Alinsky, an agnostic Jew, organized the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago in the late 1930s and started the Industrial Areas Foundation in 1940 to promote community organizations and to train community organizers.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Understanding Maritain: Philosopher and Friend|year=1987|publisher=Mercer University Press|isbn=9780865542792|author=Deal Wyatt Hudson|editor=Deal Wyatt Hudson, Matthew J. Mancini|page=40|quote=Saul Alinsky was an agnostic Jew for whom religion of any kind held very little importance and just as little relation to the focus of his life's work: the struggle for economic and social justice, for human dignity and human rights, and for the alleviation of the sufferings of the poor and downtrodden.}}</ref> One of his 12 rules of radicals was "'Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.' There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions."<ref>[http://www.bestofbeck.com/wp/activism/saul-alinskys-12-rules-for-radicals Saul Alinsky’s 12 Rules for Radicals]</ref>
== Mocking of Christianity on British television ==
In article about the mocking of Christianity on British television, journalist Jonathan Wynne-Jones wrote in ''The Telegraph'':
Meanwhile, in Hollyoaks, a soap hugely popular with teenagers, the Christian in the show claims to have found an image of Jesus in a potato. The message is clear: Christians are nutters.
The anti-Christianity streak on television has been noted by a media blog, tvscoop.
"As a non-believer myself, and an argumentative one, there's nothing I like more than getting into debates and discussions with religious people," it says.
Yet it continues: "Anti-religious feeling is now reaching saturation point on the box."
Some would argue that Christianity has been being undermined for some time on television.
Even some of the BBC's religious documentaries have tended to challenge traditional beliefs, from claiming Mary was raped by a Roman soldier to arguing that Paul conversion on the road to Damascus was caused by an epileptic fit.
The tvscoop blog goes on to question whether Islam would receive similar treatment, before concluding: "I don't like the snide, cowardly kickings that Christianity is getting at the minute.
"There's no point feigning debate just to have a dig."
And that's exactly what Corrie and other soaps seem to be doing.
Outspoken criticism of Christian beliefs should be expected, but the stealthy attempts to make believers look absurd is much more damaging.
Once faith has been made to look ridiculous, the attempts of believers to rebut the criticism will be met with deaf ears. And then the line between ridicule and persecution becomes even thinner.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jonathanwynne-jones/9541267/Corrie_confirms_an_antiChristianity_trend_on_the_box/ Corrie confirms an anti-Christianity trend on the box] by Jonathan Wynne-Jones, ''The Telegraph'', April 16th, 2009</ref>}}
== Parody and satire have their place - Christian parody of atheism and evolution ==
== Parody and satire have their place - Christian parody of atheism and evolution ==