title: God Mocks: A History of Religious Satire from the Hebrew Prophets to Stephen Colbert
author:  Terry Lindvall 
description: "<em>God Mocks</em>leads readers through the comic savagery that believers have perfected over the centuries...Lindvall's book unfurls a delightfully variegated tapestry."-<i>Christianity Today</i><br /><br />I read Lindvalls book with great appreciation and learned a lot. It contained so much more than I expected, a virtual history of religious mockery, which no one has attempted before. It is a significant contribution to religious and cultural studies. Beside that, it is a just plain good read."-Harvey Cox,Hollis Research Professor of Divinity, Harvard University<br /><br />"Lindvall provides a comedic...analysis of the role of satire in religious life across the ages. Lindvall makes the case that satire has been part of religious observances from the outset."-<i>Publishers Weekly</i><br /><br />Lindvalls prose is elegant, and he is a fine guide on this rollicking, significant tour de force that belongs in all academic literature.-<i>Catholic Library World</i><br /><br />"Terry Lindvall, a stand-up comedian cleverly disguised as an academic, makes the difficult art of humor look easy withGod Mocks."-<i>Virginia-Pilot</i><br /><br />"From Balaam's ass to Erasmus to Kierkegaard to <em>The Onion</em>, Lindvall finds redemption in satire's impulse to make us better human beings."-<i>The Christian Century</i><br /><br />"Terry Lindvalls lively and witty prose is perfect for <em>God Mocks</em>, an engaging and fascinating history of the unexpectedly comical ways that prophets and preachers, artists and writers have exposed the sins and foibles of the saints across the ages. This broad and creative study cleverly probes the lighter side of human depravity to reveal how much satirical discourse has always been vital to the redemptive (and oft times entertaining) task of prophetic consciousness raising. A delightful, thoroughly researched, and perceptive contribution to understanding religious communication."-William D. Romanowski,author of <i>Reforming Hollywood: How American Protestants Fought for Freedom at the Movies</i><br /><br /><em>God Mocks</em>is a catalogue of hundreds of years of religious satire, parody, caricature, commentary, and mockery  and most importantly, the differencebetween each and why some are more effective than others  all intended to comment on the influence and practices of various religion orders and organizations over the centuries.-<i>San Francisco Book Review</i><br /><br />"This is a godsend for those interested in the role of humor in Christianity. It is remarkably comprehensive and detailed without being pedantic. Lindvalls writing sparkles with the same wit he is chronicling, making this book a delight to read."-John Morreall,author of <i>Comedy, Tragedy, and Religion</i><br /><br />"This is an excellent overview and introduction to numerous authors of religious satire...will appeal to readers of literary criticism and church history buffs seeking a unique perspective."-<i>Library Journal</i>
zlib_text: Patrick White Riders in the Chariot
  
  First published in 1961
  
  ForKlari DanielandBen Huebsch
  
  _The Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel dined with me, and I asked them how they
  dared so roundly to assert that God spoke to them; and whether they did not
  think at the time that they would be misunderstood, and__ so _be the cause of
  imposition__. _Isaiah answer'd: "I saw no God, nor heard any, in a finite
  organical perception; but my senses discover'd the infinite in everything, and
  as I was then perswaded, and remain confirm'd, that the voice of honest
  indignation is the voice of God, I cared not for consequences, but
  wrote__...." _I then asked Ezekiel why he eat dung, and lay so long on his
  right and left side! he answer'd, "The desire of raising other men into a
  perception of the infinite: this the North American tribes practise, and is he
  honest who resists his genius or conscience only for the sake of present ease
  or gratification!"__
  
  \--WILLIAM BLAKE
  
  PART ONE
  
  1
  
  "WHO WAS that woman?" asked 