Kurt Vonnegut's book, Cat's Cradle is a satirical comedy about a person who tries to write a book about the day the world ended, however, never completes the book because he dies. Vonnegut uses John's book as a means to ridicule the people he encounters on his journey to completing the book. Cat's Cradle is set in the fictional town of San Lorenzo, where hope is found only in religion. Through the use of humor Vonnegut challenges conventional notions of religion and science while satirizing those who identify with both groups. First, Vonnegut satirizes religion by using Bokononism, a religion based on lies accepted by the people of San Lorenzo. Second, through crude black humor, Vonnegut shows science as a detrimental factor to security and real progress. Vonnegut satirically attacks religion by showing that its purpose is only to provide comfort to its followers, regardless of whether it is based on truth or lies. Cat's Cradle introduces Bokononism, a religion made of “bittersweet lies” (Vonnegut,12) with the sole purpose of providing people with purpose and meaning to their otherwise boring lives. Bokonon, the creator of religion, admits that it is based on lies but also realizes that it does not necessarily have to be true to be useful. The Bokonon books, the biblical equivalent of Bokononism, state: “Live according to foma (harmless falsehoods) that make you courageous, kind, happy and healthy.” (Vonnegut, 6) The city of San Lorenzo is used by Vonnegut to demonstrate the usefulness of Bokononism on every truth. The truth is that the life of human beings has no purpose and this in no way helps San Lorenzo, the poorest country in the world. Besides, St. Lawrence doesn't have... half a sheet... a bunch of Xs in someone's hands, and the kids look and look and look at all those ) In Cat's Cradle Vonnegut criticizes the many institutions and dogmas we hold dear. Vonnegut puts forward the idea that human life has no purpose and any attempt to gain knowledge is futile because, as he wrote in the story, there is "No accident cat, no accident cradle" (Vonnegut, 105), which it means there is no truth. In Vonnegut's satire, Cat's Cradle, he takes a close look at the conventions of religious dogma and the search for truth through science. Vonnegut's primary satire in the book is Bokononism, the religion accepted by the citizens of San Lorenzo regardless of its self-acknowledged lies. Today science is seen as the key to progress, but Vonnegut rejects this notion and shows its dangerous repercussions.