Comedy and religion

In today's class I thought about the differences between old and new comedy, and how the new comedy's rise to dominance was influenced by religion, especially the condemnation of bawdy humor. In modern religion, mainly Islam and Christianity, God is portrayed as the pinnacle of morality. Humanity is instructed to shape and live their lives in accordance with this impossible standard.
This is sharply contrasted in Greek mythology. The gods, while wise and powerful, display a wide range of human emotions and tendencies. They feel jealousy, lust, and humor. They are even patrons to such things as trickery and debauchery (I don't think there's a patron saint of drunken revelry). A similar pantheon would be the Aesir of Norse legend. Though great in deed and fame, they are capable of being tricked, feeling fear and doubt, even of death.
Some attribute this human fallacy to the religion's eventual downfall. A deity who shares the same weakness as man cannot be expected to sustain the weight of an entire civilizations belief. I believe, however, that such a nature is necessary, for the followers of that religion to feel a connection with their gods.
This may well be the reason for Jesus to be born in the New Testament. But while Jesus was capable of doubt and fear, his virtue was still far above that of many of his followers. He may have turned water into wine, but he didn't stick a lampshade on his head and streak through the alleyways. I believe it is because of these religious standards that old comedy was fully stamped out. Such 'toilet-humor' would be viewed as immoral, or even sacrilegious.