History Main / ParodyReligion

* The Epsilon Program seen in '' VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''is an equally less-than-subtle take on the Scientologist cult.

* Invisible Pink Unicorn as well.

* [[http://www.tarvu.com/ Tarvuism]], created by the guys behind ''Series/LookAroundYou'' and just as absurd.

* Most recently, there is The Cult of Kek. An occultist sect composed mainly of Internet Trolls, 4Chan users, and Occultists who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. election; dedicated to worship of an Ancient Egyptian chaos god https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kek_(mythology) ForTheLulz (also deriving from the Korean equivalent of "LOL", "ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ"[[note]]pronounced "kekeke"[[/note]]), and was formed partially due to the aforementioned 4Chan users noticing similarities between Pepe and Kek, and partially out of protest of Hillary Clinton and CNN [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer proclaiming that Pepe was a symbol of White Nationalism and Neo-Nazism]]. They practice "Meme Magick", observe repeating digits, and see Pepe The Frog as Kek's prophet. [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cult-of-kek For more]] check those links.

* ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'': Comstock's religion is based of Christianity, but it revolves around American Exceptionalism with the Founding Fathers treated as saints, and Comstock making himself the Prophet of Columbia. And he has [[spoiler: Elizabeth]] as his "Lamb" (of God) and successor of the title of Prophet, the latter of which [[spoiler:she]] becomes in a BadFuture.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Perpetual_Exemption Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption]] was a church started by comedian [[Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver John Oliver]] to lampoon televangelists for siphoning money from their followers through "seed faith," a process that essentially involves sending money to pastors on a regular basis in exchange for blessing. John [[https://youtu.be/7y1xJAVZxXg?t=1011 made a mock commercial at the end of the episode]], also asking for viewers to send their seeds and [[https://youtu.be/lfEG_eo7sCU even providing a number to call]].

* The "Ang Dating Doon" (''What Used To Be There'') sketch in ''Series/BubbleGang'', which is a parody of the Filipino religious programme ''Ang Dating Daan'' (''The Old Path'') by the Members Church of God International (MCGI). Besides its use of the ''Anime/VoltesV'' theme, the sketch substituted Bible expositions with parodic interpretations of nursery rhymes, folk songs and lyrics from popular music. While some expressed concern about the show being irreverent if not outright blasphemous due to it parodying a religious movement, MCGI leader and ''Ang Dating Daan'' televangelist Eliseo Soriano was [[ActuallyPrettyFunny flattered]] by the sketch, stating it [[ColbertBump helped popularise]] the original programme "Ang Dating Doon" was based on.

* Most recently, there is The Cult of Kek. An occultist sect composed mainly of Internet Trolls, 4Chan users, and Occultists who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. election; dedicated to worship of an Ancient Egyptian chaos god https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kek_(mythology) ForTheLulz (also deriving from the Korean equivalent of "LOL", "ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ"[[note]]pronounced "kekeke"[[/note]]), and was formed partially due to the aforementioned 4Chan users noticing similarities between Pepe and Kek, and partially out of protest of Hillary Clinton and CNN [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer proclaiming that Pepe was a symbol of White Nationalism and Neo-Nazism]]. They practice "Meme Magick", observe repeating digits, and see Pepe The Frog as Kek's prophet. [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cult-of-kek For more]] ] check those links.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedi_census_phenomenon The Jedi Census Phenomenon.]]

* The Church of the [=SubGenius=], founded by Ivan Stang in 1979, revolves around a fictitious American salesman named J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, who, in 1953, witnesses a vision of "Jehovah 1" on a TV set he built and spreads a gospel centered around the ambiguously-defined value of "Slack" before being assassinated in 1984. The Church's teachings humorously combine elements of various real-world belief systems (particularly Christianity and New Age spirituality) and fit them around a caricature of American upper-middle-class life in TheFifties, criticizing UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream through this lens.

* This trope was in full effect over 300 years ago: Tsar Peter the Great and his friends formed [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_All-Joking,_All-Drunken_Synod_of_Fools_and_Jesters The All-Joking, All-Drunken Synod of Fools and Jesters]] that not only practiced heavy drinking and orgies, but wore church attire and used religious titles when doing so. The pious Russians were not amused - some even proclaimed the Tsar to be Antichrist.

* Various Cthulhu cults.
* The Church of Google.

* Church of the [=SubGenius=].

* Most recently, there is The Cult of Kek. An occultist sect composed mainly of Internet Trolls, 4Chan users, and Occultists who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. election; dedicated to worship of an Ancient Egyptian chaos god https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kek_(mythology) ForTheLulz ("Kek" is also an onomatopoea for snickering), and was formed partially due to the aforementioned 4Chan users noticing similarities between Pepe and Kek, and partially out of protest of Hillary Clinton and CNN [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer proclaiming that Pepe was a symbol of White Nationalism and Neo-Nazism]]. They practice "Meme Magick", observe repeating digits, and see Pepe The Frog as Kek's prophet. [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cult-of-kek For more]] ] check those links.

''See also:'' AnvilOfTheStory, ReligionIsWrong; the secular version is the BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats. An AnimalReligion or a RobotReligion can parody an actual religion. Contrast SaintlyChurch, ReligionIsRight. If the parody is used to actually deceive people--which, considering PoesLaw, is far from impossible--it becomes a ScamReligion.

* The Epsilon Program seen in '' VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto''is an equally less-than-subtle take on thr Scientologist cult.

* the RECYCULTIST'S HQ in ''OMORI''.

''See also:'' AnvilOfTheStory, ReligionIsWrong; the secular version is the BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats. An AnimalReligion can parody an actual religion. Contrast SaintlyChurch, ReligionIsRight. If the parody is used to actually deceive people--which, considering PoesLaw, is far from impossible--it becomes a ScamReligion.

''See also:'' AnvilOfTheStory, ReligionIsWrong; the secular version is the BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats. An AmimalReligion can parody an actual religion. Contrast SaintlyChurch, ReligionIsRight. If the parody is used to actually deceive people--which, considering PoesLaw, is far from impossible--it becomes a ScamReligion.

''See also:'' AnvilOfTheStory, ReligionIsWrong; the secular version is the BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats. Contrast SaintlyChurch, ReligionIsRight. If the parody is used to actually deceive people--which, considering PoesLaw, is far from impossible--it becomes a ScamReligion.

''See also:'' {{Anvilicious}}, ReligionIsWrong; the secular version is the BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats. Contrast SaintlyChurch, ReligionIsRight. If the parody is used to actually deceive people--which, considering PoesLaw, is far from impossible--it becomes a ScamReligion.

* This page image is of the UsefulNotes/FlyingSpaghettiMonster, the god of Pastafarianism, which originated as a protest against attempts to have intelligent design taught in public schools.

* UsefulNotes/FlyingSpaghettiMonster.

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin--a made-up religion (done intentionally to not make any sense for the viewer) which exists to parody some specific existing religion, a group of religions and religious beliefs, organized religion in general, or just any kind of religious belief. Usually serves as a front on TheWarOnStraw, unless it's a someone enacting a funny GodGuise, then it's just PlayedForLaughs.

Often takes the form of a CargoCult, a GodGuise, some bizarre CrystalDragonJesus cult, or a pastiche of a RealLife religion with SerialNumbersFiledOff.

For extra laughs, a ChurchgoingVillain may follow this faith devoutly, or someone who's HidingBehindReligion may use it as a smoke screen, perhaps also invoking AgainstMyReligion to weasel out of some unpleasant obligation.

Can be a risky move sometimes, since, religious freedom being what it is, people are generally allowed to believe in literally whatever they want - and, at times, [[LifeImitatesArt a specific belief just might dovetail with a parody]].

Bear in mind that "parody religion" can legitimately mean "actual religion that is also a parody", as well as the more direct "parody of religion".

See also PathOfInspiration, which is more or less exactly this with evil instead of funny, CorruptChurch, which is against organized religion, and ChurchOfHappyology, which is a subtrope that parodies a very specific religion.

Note that all examples must be intentional.

See also: {{Anvilicious}}, ReligionIsWrong; the secular version is the BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats. Contrast SaintlyChurch, ReligionIsRight. If the parody is used to actually deceive people--which, considering PoesLaw, is far from impossible--it becomes a ScamReligion.

* Most recently, there is The Cult of Kek. An occultist sect composed mainly of Internet Trolls, 4Chan users, and Occultists who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. election; dedicated to worship of an Ancient Egyptian chaos god https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kek_(mythology) ForTheLulz ("Kek" is also an onomatopoea for snickering), and was formed partially due to the aforementioned 4Chan users noticing similarities between Pepe and Kek, and partially out of protest of Hillary Clinton and CNN [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer proclaiming that Pepe was a symbol of White Nationalism and Neo-Nazism]]. They practice "Meme Magick", observe repeating digits, and see Pepe The Frog as Kek's prophet. [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cult-of-kek For more]] [[http://thecultofkek.com/ information,]] check those links.

* Most recently, there is The Cult of Kek. An occultist sect composed mainly of Internet Trolls, 4Chan users, and Occultists who supported Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. election; dedicated to worship of an Ancient Egyptian chaos god https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kek_(mythology) ForTheLulz, and was formed partially due to the aforementioned 4Chan users noticing similarities between Pepe and Kek, and partially out of protest of Hillary Clinton and CNN [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer proclaiming that Pepe was a symbol of White Nationalism and Neo-Nazism]]. They practice "Meme Magick", observe repeating digits, and see Pepe The Frog as Kek's prophet. [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cult-of-kek For more]] [[http://thecultofkek.com/ information,]] check those links.