Expert: Mel and Guyna Horne - 4/26/2008

Question
I was interested in learning about Christian comedy--I did always wonder what draws the line with...Sex. I was thinking, though people shame away from even discussing-- It is afterall a natural thing, and God invented it right? If a joke were to be made about it, would it be inappropiate to talk about it being pleasurable? What if it were more subtle like:
" My wife and I kept praying that God would bless us with lots of kids, ya know, but--It took 5 years until we were finally blessed with our beautiful son--it's been 2 years now, and we're still waiting for our second child...That's why I always pray thanks to God for making it so easy to keep trying!"
or
"Ya know, I had friends of mine who would ask me "How is that you wait until marriage to be intimate? And only with one person?" heheh Now usually I would argue, but it's better to reason with people rather than fight--So I just said to them
"Well-- I guess God figured if we just kept to each other, we wouldn't realize how bad the other actually is in bed--Amen"


...yea, those are ok, but...would jokes like these be considered too much?

Answer
Hi Hammie,

  Those are good jokes.  My wife laughed out loud and she is not easily impressed.

  As for drawing the line, some people do it (no pun intended) . . .  drawing the line that is, on this side of even mentioning it.  I was at a national church conference in the late 60's of about 12,000 people, when an evangelist began talking about the meaning of Song of Songs and how it is a poetically-written guide to lovemaking.  A few dozen people got up and walked out.  The speaker ignored it at the time, but he could have quipped that perhaps some got "turned on" and couldn't wait any longer, an ironic jab at those who, contrary to scripture, are too easily offended, which was one of his points.
 In a college class called Survey of the OT, we were going through the same book, when the instructor quipped, "If you single students think that this is difficult for you to think about, I have to teach five more classes before I can go home and chase my wife around the kitchen."

 To answer your specific question about the pleasurable aspect, like every other aspect, including even saying the word "sex", the audience must be considered.
I recently spoke to a small group whose average age is 10-20 years older than myself, and my presentation included a number of cultural references, which my wife thought were very funny, but they fell flat.  All I got was blank stares.  My wife said it was a cultural gap problem.  One would have had to have watched at least some TV shows or movies involving young African Americans to have understood the references and apparently none of this group had.  There are groups in society that are oblivious to certain other aspects of the world around them.  Even Leno has jokes fall flat when he uses somewhat obscure news stories or cultural or historical references that are more than 10-20 years old.

If they are too young or too old, they may not "get it" and if they are too uptight, they may not want to hear it.  My own mom complained whenever anyone on TV or speaking publicly mentioned the topic, even indirectly.  So on one level, its a generational thing.

For all levels, if the audience is a religiously oriented group, it can be minefield.  Practice runs with smaller groups or individuals is always a good thing.

 The fact that some don't want to talk about it is a source of material in itself.  How some people use substitute words for sex and sexual matters is another source (just as parents and children use substitutes for bathroom terms).  "What is your comfort level?" is another area that could be developed regarding different levels of "uptightness", but one is not careful it could just sound like criticism and not humor.  [Will I get royalties from this when you become famous?" :-)]

 I think you're on the right track with subtle jokes in this area.  One thing I have seen that never works with a religious audience is rude or crass sexual innuendo.  Country singer and Hee Haw TV show host Buck Owens (1970s) did some mildly blue humor and a convention center with about 6,000 church members remained funeral silent.  Owens ended the show after 40 minutes and left.

Hope this helps.
Sincerely
Mel and Guyna