God have mercy on the DOT

Jessica McBride blogs on the DOT video in which managers were in choir robes singing a Christian hymn. She suggests that the video mocked Christianity, but I'm not so sure.

According to the news account, the video began with a manager speaking into the camera and saying that "[w]e know last year was tough for you. It was tough for us, as well, so this morning, the southeast regional inspirational choir would like to bring you a song." Then a group of managers in choir robes were shown singing a hymn called "Looking For You", with lyrics that speak of the comfort of Christ. Here's how it begins:

I've been down so long,
I've been hurt for so long,
There were times I thought I would never so the break of day.
It was hard for me,to see your plan for me
And I tried to believe surely it won't last always
But night after night, (Night after night, Night after night)
I pray Lord don't take your joy from me
Then late one night I read in your love letter that it's gunna get betta


Jessica, being a real journalist might know some facts that I don't, but I guess I don't see this as mocking Christianity. Rather, it uses a Christian theme to mock the DOT, exaggerating their "woes" by suggesting they are so burdensome as to require divine sustenance. I see it as self-deprecating.

From what I can gather, the people who were offended seem to see it as an "endorsement" of Christianity or maybe even as subjecting them to a "prayer." But that seems wrong as well. While I don't think the video mocked Christianity, it certainly wasn't intended as a geniuine invocation of Jesus' favor on the DOT.

I suppose some people think you can't use religion to make fun of something. I think it can be a wonderful vehicle for, especially, self deprecating humor. Human beings, even as we seek God, can be absurd and I see nothing wrong with pointing that out.

(I like lawyer jokes, too.)

Others think you ought to have some lock down right never to be exposed to a religion other than your own or to be reminded that you are a religious minority. That type of overwrought sensitivity apparently made some employees oblivious to the fact that this wasn't an invocation of God, but, rather, used a Christian motif to poke fun at whatever "dire" situation the southeastern regional DOT thinks itself to be in. (That's probably a whole other story.)

Are others too sensitive or am I too cavalier?