Religion doesn’t always have to be somber and serious. Sometimes faith can be pretty funny, although the comedy isn’t always intentional. Here are seven stories from 2014 that made us laugh (or in some cases cringe):
1. The singing nun covers “Like A Virgin”
When Sister Cristina Scuccia became a hit on the Italian version of the TV show The Voice, everyone awaited her first big single. And she chose… Madonna’s “Like A Virgin”? Let’s hope something just got lost in translation.
2. Step aside singing nun–here come the dancing priests
Not to be outdone by Sister Cristina’s popularity, two American priests engaged in a spontaneous dance-off that was captured on video and quickly went viral, with more than 2 million views to date. With the video being such a hit, perhaps the priests could use their moves to pack the pews on Sunday mornings, too.
3. The Biebs kicks it at the Vatican
Justin Bieber made news in October when he got a private tour of the Vatican. As seen in the Instagram photo below, the pop sensation showed up in his best attire for the special occassion and, just in case seeing some of the world’s most beautiful art and architecture proved boring, he brought along a soccer ball to keep himself entertained. Surprisingly, people at the Vatican were unimpressed with the soccer skills of the Biebs and gave him a stern talking to. At least Bieber didn’t ask about the “Sixteenth Chapel” again.
4. Kicking it Pope Francis style. Or not.
Speaking of soccer, word is that the pope himself is a big fan of the game. So it wasn’t much of a surprise when a semi-pro soccer team in Francis’ home country of Argentina took the pontiff’s name. The Club Deportivo Papa Francisco team made its debut in April with a stated motto of “no hooligans, no violence and no insults.” The team vowed to play in the spirit of their namesake, a beacon of sportsmanship in an otherwise rough sport.
While it sounded like a good plan, it was easier said than done, as two players from the Papa Francisco team were booted from their very first game for their unsportsmanlike conduct on the field. To make matters worse, Francis himself is not a fan, as his loyalties still lie with his favorite team, San Lorenzo.
5. Blowing up the church
Jesus was known for bringing the gospel to people where they were. But wouldn’t it be great if you could bring an entire church? Now you can, with the inflatable church. Just haul it to any open space, wait three hours for it to inflate, and welcome the people inside the hear God’s word. Please leave all sharp objects outside.
6. Secrets of the Vatican–revealed!
Thanks to the magic of the Internet, illegal downloads and file sharing are commonplace pretty much everywhere–even at the Vatican. A report from the website Torrentfreak found some strange downloads taking place inside the Vatican, showing that someone has a real affinity for the heavy metal band Scorpions, football video games, and dance movies like “Billy Elliot.” Oh, and of course, some more adult oriented content as well.
Torrentfreak founder Ernesto Van der Sar said it was hard to draw conclusions about the rate of downloads or the number of people doing the illegal downloading at the Vatican, but did note a difference when compared to illegal downloads elsewhere: The Vatican’s downloads included almost no current content, showing that even when it comes to their entertainment choices the Vatican tends to be a bit behind the times.
But the Vatican isn’t just big on illegal downloads. A report early in the year found that Vatican City consumes more wine per capita than any country in the world (and no, that doesn’t include communion wine). And still unsolved is the mystery of who was the intended recipient of a box filled with 12 ounces of cocaine that was intercepted en route to the Vatican in March.
7. SNL gets religion
When all else fails, you can always count on Saturday Night Live for a laugh, right? SNL took a few stabs at religion this year, with mixed results (their “Bird Bible” sketch, for instance, didn’t win everyone over). But the show really hit a home run with their spoof of Christmas Mass, which seemed to entertain both believers and secular audiences alike.
Have a favorite funny story of your own from 2014? Share it in the comments section below.
Flickr image cc by Michael Howard
