Thursday 11 May 2017

Major Project Research - Apostasy and Religious Satire

This is pervious research I did back in 2016 to gather religious information to shape my main character Henry.

My main character Henry at the end of this film journey, is filled with worries and depression as he know he can never be what his family wants him to be.

There is a word which resembles rebellion to ones religion and that word is Apostasy, with within definition means:


The word itself is from the Greek word “apostasia” and is very much like renouncing or disassociating oneself from a particular religion or certain religious beliefs. It is similar to a rejection of beliefs that were once held and accepting different beliefs and might even be a renunciation of the beliefs that were previously held.

Apostasy can also be considered abandonment or defiance of what was previously held to be true and practiced and rebelling against those same beliefs and practices. Someone or some group who does this are considered an apostate.


(pathos.com (2017) At: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2015/05/21/what-is-apostasy-a-biblical-definition-of-apostasy/ (Accessed on 10/05/2017).



So in order to make my main character understand that he must rebel in order to be free he must his visit to the delinquents meaningful. It must be a learning experience he must never forget.

I had previously made sure to research the region so as not to seem to make fun of it, or if controversy was involved that made it look like I knew nothing of the religion, it would make it look offensive to the wrong people.



Deeper Investigations gave me a clearer perspective on Jehovah’s Witness faith and also religious satire.  Le Boeuf’s article and illustration, this helped me develop the part where because of his upbringing; Henry becomes confused when he experiences the so called sinful behaviour of the delinquents.






Le Boeuf, M. (2007) "The Power of Ridicule: An Analysis of Satire" In: Senior Honours Projects. Paper 63 [online] At: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/srhonorsprog/63 (Accessed on 16/12/2016).



like some comedies, some of the content if offensive and most of them have been called into question. That is why in my opinion comedy writing has been trapped within a steal cage the only key is in the hands of lots of religious, sensitive individuals who either can't take the joke or just don't what to be made fun of in general. 

Most comedies are targeted at relatively new audiences. Gamers, geeks, the rich and the powerful but yet nothing so outrageous. 'Father Ted' was on of the first comedies to aim the humour towards at the Christian religion  and became a smash hit. The comedy revolved around making fun of the Christian roles and statuses and the lifestyle that came with that.











From being room mates with other Fathers and priests as well as the funny adventures they could get up to. Making look like a minor sin look like it was the Apocalypse. One episode even revolved around the stealing of a whistle and making the hugest deal out of it. With this however came the comedy, the overtaking to the simplest thing and yet that is why it is funny and the satire worked for this show.

The key is cleaver writing (in my opinion). It is making so that the key target of the comedy isn't ridiculed but yet have sneaky honesty attached to it. As you think around certain situations, you think how would that person react to that. If he or she were to do that, would that be funny? 

That is why I revolved the script around the lifestyles, rules and regulations that the Jehovah's Witness religion. So that my main character would fall into traps set my the Delinquents making you think, what is he going to do? How is he going to react?

Some of the rules involve:
  • Not celebrating Birthdays or Holidays
  • No loud music
  • No sinful video games or content. (Even Harry Potter because it involves witch craft which connects to the Devil).
  • No blood transfusions as they have a rule about eating blood. 

With rules like these I can make the story funny by having the main character getting involved with these activities but also to aim up a little drama to give to the main character reasons to leave and abandon his religion.








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