A
parody religion or
mock religion is a
belief system that challenges
spiritual convictions of others, often through
humor,
satire, or
burlesque (literary ridicule). Often created to achieve a specific purpose related to another belief system, a parody religion can be a parody of several
religions,
sects,
gurus,
cults, or
new religious movements at the same time or even a parody of no particular religion, instead parodying the concept of
religious belief itself. In some parody religions, emphasis is on having fun and being a convenient excuse for pleasant social interaction among the like-minded (e.g., the
Church of the SubGenius). Other parody religions target a specific
religion,
sect,
cult, or
new religious movement.