Comedians are preachers. Their sermons are full of jokes so most people don’t realize a stand-up routine is a religious experience. Comedy is a form of indoctrination.

The audience at a comedy show is not much different from a church congregation but since there is no formal mission statement, most of the flock thinks it’s ‘just comedy.’ They willingly assemble to receive a message from a charismatic speaker. They are sometimes offended when they sense criticism and when that happens they expect the pastor to apologize and make restitution. Just like church…

Nick Swardson is a comedian who is famous enough that people pay for tickets to hear him preach. Recently, his sermon was so terrible, the microphone was shut-off, he was escorted off stage, and the management issued refunds to the congregation. Swardson blamed alcohol, edibles, and the high altitude for his failure.

Here is an indisputably successful preacher with such little regard for his congregants that before the service begins, he ingests enough substances to incapacitate himself. He doesn’t think the people deserve his best. He’s confident that they won’t even know he is impaired. He doesn’t think they are very smart.

And he’s right.

The congregation knows the preacher. They’ve listened to his sermons. He has told them what he thinks about politics, religion, relationships, and fast food. He has revealed his ethics in a thousand punchlines. They should not be surprised when the preacher’s behavior aligns with the morality he professes. It is a foolish bunch of disciples who believes their ‘non-religious’ pastor will display the virtues of a saint.

When a godless congregation demands their godless preacher treat them in a godly manner; it makes me laugh. People who don’t revere God have no regard for things made in His image. You would know this if you weren’t stubbornly insisting that Christianity is toxic. As long as you keep telling yourself you’re not a religious person, your pastors will continue to abuse you.

(2 Peter 2:12) But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.