Curb Your Atheism

This is a cheeky nod to Larry David's hilarious HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm" with our own little spoofy twist.  The show itself is packed with Jewish humor, characters, and (non)sensibilities. Jewish comedy has a long and brilliant tradition of using neurosis and self-deprecation to communicate truth with humor.  Going all the way back to Jewish writers and comedians like Sholem Aleichem, the 3 stooges, Rodney Dangerfield, Woody Allen and many more, “Curb” is one of the most brilliant uses of this form to date.  

As far as the word play of the design goes, it is a light hearted message to all the militant-type atheists out there: we get it, you’re too smart to be a believer, good for you!  But do you have to tell everyone about it constantly?  Excessively preachy and judgemental atheist types are just as annoying as their religious counterparts, just with an added measure of depressive hopelessness. Convinced they have the truth and everyone else is wrong, they feel compelled to evangelize at every opportunity. The smugness of it all is exhausting. 

One thing I love about us Heebs, we don’t try to recruit, like at all.  Sure, a religious Jew might guilt you about eating bacon or driving on Shabbos, but we’re used to guilt anyway—courtesy of our Jewish mothers. As for the gentiles, we benevolently spare them the schtick while still keeping an open door for anyone nutty enough to join the tribe.

Interestingly enough, studies show religious people tend to report higher life satisfaction and stronger community bonds, maybe worth looking into?!  But hey, if you're an atheist, live your best life. Just maybe curb your enthusiasm about it a bit?  This shirt is a reminder that you can hold your beliefs passionately without being an insufferable schmuck about it.

Not familiar with the show?  A shanda!  Here's a quick clip that perfectly encapsulates the self-deprecating humor of Jewish comedy.

For a really insightful take on the intersectionality of faith in HaShem and Jewish comedy, check out this article from myjewishlearning.com