The laughter of the almighty, and guns

[zippy2006]

God never laughs in the Bible.

A glimpse at Jewish humor gives a strong (and true) indication that humor and wit abounds in the Bible. There are a number of scholarly articles published on the topic, and a google search bears less rigorous examples.

Your error is fundamentalist in nature. You expect modern humor to appear in the English translations of the Bible instead of looking to Semitic humor and understanding the Jewish mind.

Here are some that are not based exclusively on Hebraic puns and word-plays:

In Genesis 18 and 19, after Moses goes through so much trouble bartering with God himself, it turns out that there aren't even 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah and so the cities are destroyed! :chuckle:

The exchange in Exodus 3 between God and Moses involves a repartee wherein Moses is trying to trick God into revealing his name, for knowledge of a deity's name was thought to give one power over that deity. God dodges Moses' attempts and provides him with laughable instructions for reporting who sent him, in the process almost chiding Moses that his name was kept secret.

The book of Jonah is quite funny and ironic.

After Ehud's knife is lost in the king's fat he escapes through a window because the servants are under the impression that the king is taking a deuce. (Judges 3) etc..

Whether or not you find the Biblical jokes and word-plays funny in 21st-century America, they were certainly funny to the hearers, although their sense of humor--not to mention purpose for humor--was quite different from our own. :e4e:

 

[Nick M]

Better yet, go into one of those jewelers that have an armed guard on the premises. Bonus points if you keep your sunglasses on the entire time.

Just tell me how it goes. Pics or it didn't happen.

To what end?

Hmm, weird, nobody mentioned robbery at all till you brought it up.

Do you think you are fooling somebody? I mean besides meshak and trsuter.

 

[Nick M]

By the way, that is suspicious behavior 101, armed or not.

 

[Nick M]

Question for everybody: Is there anything even approaching a joke in all of scripture?

Coming from the most miserable person here....:chuckle:

 

[Truster]

''He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: Yah Veh shall have them in derision''.


''Yah Veh shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming''.


''But thou, O Yah Veh, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision''.

 

[Selaphiel]

There are actually plenty of humorous expressions in the teachings of Jesus. We are simply not very good at spotting them because we are so removed from that culture. His wild exaggerations in his parables for example must have been quite funny to those who listened to his teachings. Matt 18:24 for example is quite funny, the forgiving of and the very idea of a debt of 10 000 talents is quite hillarious. 10 000 talents was about 60 million daily wages.

There are quite a few funny stories in the Old Testament as well. One of my favorites is Abraham rolling on the ground laughing (the text literally says he falls down on his face laughing) when he is told that his 90 year old wife shall be with child.

 

[meshak]

So you regard having a sense of humour as weakness? Why on earth do we have one then? Has it also occurred to you that people in dire situations are still able to laugh - even at themselves? How is that weak?

I just commented about it. Reread, please.

thanks.

 

[resurrected]

Question for everybody: Is there anything even approaching a joke in all of scripture?

that would be you, loser

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.

 

[This Charming Manc]

Really?

I think that translation does not help here, I woudl also question what humor as like in the culture when the bible was written?

I dont have answers but placing a 21st century mindset on an ancient document is often problematic.

Pleasure is often a form of mockery, and mocking the system is a form of autonomy that cannot be allowed. Private amusement is a small form of freedom they frown on, as well.

Jehovah never smiles, laughs, so much as chuckles. Jehovah is, in fact, positively Lovecraftian.

 

[Granite]

Coming from the most miserable person here....:chuckle:

That is really rich coming from you.:rotfl:

 

[Arthur Brain]

I just commented about it. Reread, please.

thanks.

I've re-read it and it still doesn't make any sense. There's nothing wrong with humour in life and it's not simply a 'crutch' to avoid dealing with significant issues. Sometimes the best medicine is the ability to laugh.

 

[Rusha]

Oooooookay, anybody else. Seriously.

I never really thought anything about it though, quite frankly, I can't imagine anyone reading the Bible because they wish to read something humorous.

 

[The Barbarian]

Question for everybody: Is there anything even approaching a joke in all of scripture?

A priest once confessed to me that he sometimes suspects that God put us here to see if we could take a joke. How would it work, if He put a little humor into the text? Maybe like this:

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Hey, you look like a wonderful crowd here, today. I just flew in from Nazareth... and boy are my arms tired! (rimshot)

Hey, you know what really gets me? Have you noticed that the poor in spirit are the ones who are getting into the Kingdom of heaven? Makes you wonder why more of us don't get that.

And the meek? God bless 'em; they'll inherit the earth. But Caesar will have the mineral rights. (these are the jokes, folks)...

Nope. Not quite the same thing, um?

 

[Granite]

A priest once confessed to me that he sometimes suspects that God put us here to see if we could take a joke.

Well at least he was honest.

Seriously though, does this not seem to ring...false?

The most perfect work and not a bit of genuine, joyful joy?

That seems pretty odd. Who doesn't like a good laugh?

 

[PureX]

Can't argue with any of that. The more puritanical or zealous a person is the less likely they are to have anything resembling a sense of humour I've noticed in my experience. It's almost like the notion of levity is sinful or some such so expand that to a totalitarian regime and it's pretty much a crime to enjoy a good laugh either for extremist religious or political reasons.

Humor requires humility to understand. Because it's mostly self-depricating. We are laughing at our own foolishness, even when we are laughing at the foolishness of others. It's the universality of the foolishness that makes us laugh.

Authoritarians don't believe in humility. They sometimes talk the talk of it, but they never actually practice it. What they practice is HUMILIATION. Not humility. Because humiliation is an expression of power, and power = authority to the authoritarian.

 

[MrDeets]

Here is your Scripture

Pr 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

Pr 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your fear cometh;

What a loving god. The scripture you find of him laughing is at one of his children's expense. :vomit:

 

[meshak]

Originally Posted by OCTOBER23 View Post
Here is your Scripture

Pr 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

Pr 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your fear cometh;

This kind of scripture is appalling. that's why I say not all in the Bible is inspired. I disregard it if it does not harmonize with Jesus' word.

 

[Ktoyou]

That is really rich coming from you.:rotfl:

You can be strange Granite:hammer::hammer::hammer:

Hard head?

 

[fzappa13]

Oooooookay, anybody else. Seriously.

You've been here long enough to have had the opportunity to peruse more than one of the "Does God have a sense of humor" threads. Why should anyone repeat themselves only to have you pretend you never heard them? ... again

 

[quip]

He mooned Moses. :zakath:

And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. Exodus 33:23