Too sacred to jest... unless we do it ourselves

Yesterday on my Facebook I shared something that was deemed offensive by a Mormon relative. In fact I shared this http://myinlawsaremormon.tumblr.com/ Here is description of the tumblr, "I'm in a relationship with a former Mormon. Absolutely love his family, but Mormonism bewilders me." It goes through and shows gifs of the user's feelings when visiting the SO's family who happen to be Mormon and the user never was.

That's when it all went down. I was told that I should have only sent this to my fiancee in a private message and that it's offensive when I knew that my family would have seen it. The problem I have with this is they have no problem poking fun at other religions, but everything in their religion is untouchable to outsiders.

My father and mother went off on how the Book of Mormon Musical was offensive. They said it was not right that a gay man can play a Mormon missionary. That is the only argument they have as to why they won't condone it. They refuse to listen to any of the songs and really look at what it is about even after I explained that the musical teaches no false doctrine. They only get their information on the musical from what the leaders of the Mormon faith have to say.

I've never understood how, according to them, poking fun at their religion and culture is offensive. They always bring up how the Muslims need to lighten up when someone uses Mohamed in a cartoon or show, but you can't use Jesus. They're not as extreme as the Muslims to threaten death, but they condemn anything that makes any jest at their religion or culture, except when they poke fun at themselves.

When I was still going to the Mormon church I was more offended by movies like Singles Ward, The RM, and Baptists at Our BBQ. They take some of the most extreme views of the Mormon culture and make it into something that seems normal and acceptable. The sexism that is rampant in Singles Ward is awful. The message in The RM that you are only worth something if you can find a wife is deplorable, but nothing is wrong with those movies.

In all honesty nothing is so sacred that it cannot be made into a jest. That is all it is a joke. Nothing in the tumblr was demeaning. I have witnessed almost every single one of these feelings while visiting my family, but I laugh it off and I move on. Yes, we can all be a little crazy, and if we can't let others and ourselves make fun of that then what do we have left to laugh at?