FUNNY? HOW?

In Martin Scorsese's, Goodfellas, Tommy DiVito, played by Joe Pesci, reacts to Henry Hill's (Ray Liotta) comment that he's "funny", with one of the most memorable scenes in that movie: "I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to [bleep]in' amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?"  Henry was trying to compliment Tommy for his ability to tell an entertaining story and was forced to wonder if he had just insulted his fellow wise guy - not a wise thing to do.

I know a guy who is an aspiring semi-professional comedian.  He and I were talking recently about how religion is a common topic for some of his colleagues.  My friend has been bothered by some mean-spirited, volatile routines he hears from time to time, that seem to denigrate all religious activity, leaving no room for any value in a spiritual life.  So he came to me for advice on developing a routine that valued religion.  He asked, "what can I say to counter these guys?"  That's a hard thing for me to do, we religious types do provide a lot of valuable material for comedians.  I suspect that the basis of some of these anti-religion routines fairly respond to some of the worst parts of religion.  As my favorite folk singer, David Wilcox reminds us, "there will always be a good man in the worst sense of the word." 

I am a bit worried about how I can help my comedian friend, but I am also honoured, because, humour is a powerful spiritual tool.  I am trying to think about the funny parts of what people assume we religious types believe and see if I can enlighten my friend's audience through this routine he wants to develope.

All I have so far is a start:
I know this guy who is a minister in a church.  I doubt that you would have ever heard of him.  He doesn't wear a polyester suit and a toupee on TV; and he's not making many headlines: he only sleeps with his spouse and he doesn't have five cadillacs purchased with the life savings of some naive old lady.  I asked him, 'Is it hard being a minister when religion isn't as popular as it used to be?  He said, 'it is actually a great time to be a minister because, no body is forced to believe in God anymore.  They either do or they don't.  Thank God people have to actually think for themselves when it comes to religion.'   He said that the biggest problem with the modern state of religion is that too many people are taking things literally and not enough are taking it seriously.  Just because someone writing in the Bible a few thousand years ago called God, "him" doesn't mean that we have to picture this old man with a white beard, covering up a "heavenly package" under his robes.  I never thought I'd hear a minister say, 'It was a nice idea for God to make people in God's image, but that doesn't mean, we have to imagine God in  a speedo'.

Got any other ideas for me of how to speak about a 21st century inclusive theology in a humourous way?