The laughter of the almighty, and guns

Granite said:

God never laughs in the Bible.

Oh, he sneers, sure. Feels derision, and mockery. But schadenfreude seems to be the only form of humor Jehovah ever experiences throughout the entirety of scripture.

Anybody else find that, a little, ya know, odd?

The creator of the universe never once felt a genuinely good-hearted laugh?

In fact, the Bible is remarkably short of laughter, or humor. Even Sarah's laughter can only be construed as the justified snickering of an old woman.

Jesus never did, either. Though he wept.

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This Charming Manc said:

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

I don't have answers but placing a 21st century mindset on an ancient document is often problematic.

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Well...There is this...I mean you have to admit that OUR LORD had to have been chuckling inside when he re-named the Disciples (kind of a dry English-type humor) lain:

The Barbarian said:

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

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....And then there is this. The first thing which entered my mind was that how do you know he doesn't and that it's just that, at this particular point in time, we aren't in on the joke? :idunno:

quip said:

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

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:chuckle: Nice...never heard that one before.

God made sheeps lol

Totton Linnet said:

God made sheeps lol

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Aaaaannd interestingly enough, he tends to spend a great deal of time comparing us to them. :AMR:

TomO said:

....And then there is this. The first thing which entered my mind was that how do you know he doesn't and that it's just that, at this particular point in time, we aren't in on the joke? :idunno:

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It is hard to see the DBR for the justification of people like as some kind of a joke. Maybe the joke is just on some people like God'sTruth and meshak.

fzappa13 said:

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

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Actually I can't remember seeing one before.

Oh, Granite.

First to see humor in God's format you have to see if you can relate to Him at all...

You say He sneers. I don't see that at all, I see He keeps this world spinning and does not end it no matter how bad or evil you or any of us are. If you see bad down here and blame God you obviously don't look to yourself or humanity very honestly. And do you count your blessings? Or do you think many cannot? And as for suffering, which is very real can you relate to people who are downcast or in pain?

I think you have to be able to relate to God and to humans to see His humor.

BUT I agree with others - joy and humor are not synonymous - humor is about something other than happiness. You must have thought about that.


So when The Lord comes into Jerusalem and ..."the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen":

““Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

The Pharisees in the crowd tell Him to make them be quiet.

And He says if they were quiet the rocks and stones would cry out.

But then He weeps over Jerusalem.

Granite, joy and sorrow are present and joy is not clear of the other.
Would you laugh at that?


But here is something you might laugh at as I often do:

There was a prophet who was doing everything he could to please the Lord. And he also had a heart for the people -even though they could be very mean and wicked and idolatrous and deceptive.

This prophet was just a human like you or me. And when The Lord was very angry and had put aside His anger for too long and was going to do something , He called the prophet to tell and warn the people what bad things were coming. The warnings would be in the form of actions the prophet would do. And the prophet willingly listened to do them.

But then The Lord told him he would have to cook -
over human feces. :noway: :jawdrop: :noway:

Even now I cannot help laughing. You cannot ask someone who had been taught and eaten clean vs unclean all his life to do this.

Not even those of us who do not eat according to clean vs unclean could do that!

lol. The prophet stopped dead in his tracks (loose translation here.)

The Lord relented and let him cook over something else (probably after the prophet woke up from his dead faint.)

You say God never laughs? This was hilariously funny. That He should have even asked it of the guy is scary.

Now for your "schadenfreude" remark.

He does have a strong dislike for mockers and scoffers.
Just like with those who do violence, He thinks they should all be reminded no matter how tough they are He is tougher.

How can you object to that? Mockers and scoffers can be very cruel and unfair to others.. and wicked, like people who do violence to others unjustly and unfairly.

zippy2006 said:

..

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:...

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Moses? Try reading those verses again.
And no, I don't think that bit is supposed to be funny.

The story of Balaam and the donkey is meant to be funny.
Why would you expect to find humor in a religious text anyhow?

Rainee --

I appreciate the comment you made to me but the last paragraph is still 100% accurate and true. I can't help that.

Granite said:

Actually I can't remember seeing one before.

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Oh yeah, there have been several. But with the yearly pruning that must go on here none remain that I am aware of. Maybe another is in order.

We can start with the fate of those who absconded with the Ark of the Covenant.

chair said:

The story of Balaam and the donkey is meant to be funny.
Why would you expect to find humor in a religious text anyhow?

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I'm kinda with Granite on this one ... I would like to think God has a sense of humor. I mean, I do and I was supposed to be made in His image.

Granite said:

God never laughs in the Bible.

Oh, he sneers, sure. Feels derision, and mockery. But schadenfreude seems to be the only form of humor Jehovah ever experiences throughout the entirety of scripture.

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Luke 10:21

21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

Psalm 37:12-13 The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees his day is coming.

chair said:

The story of Balaam and the donkey is meant to be funny.
Why would you expect to find humor in a religious text anyhow?

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Well that's actually kind of a scary thought, chair--you mean to tell me the path to finding eternal happiness is devoid of laughter? If the Bible is the all-encompassing work of the creator and provides within its contents all we need to know him and follow him, some humor is to be expected. Jehovah is remarkably humorless. (Does Jesus ever laugh? Don't think so.) This is odd, I'd say.

As a Jew, you of all people should appreciate the ability of a religious people to find humor (at least wryness) in all manner of situations--it's a way our mutual ancestors coped. Are you saying religion is inherently devoid of humor?

Humour is an act of aggression

is it always at the expense of another?

chrysostom said:

is it always at the expense of another?

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:mock: chrysostom

Oh and happy new year

OCTOBER23 said:

Pr 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

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MrDeets said:

What a loving [G]od. The scripture you find of him laughing is at one of his children's expense.

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Why would you say that? We aren't all God's children (Jn 8:44).

Granite said:

...[T]he Bible is remarkably short of laughter, or humor. Even Sarah's laughter can only be construed as the justified snickering of an old woman.

Jesus never did, either. Though he wept...

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I don't know what Bible you're reading Satanist. :dizzy: Yes, Jesus joked and insulted guys in a group like men do--How many fish have you caught, there? :smokie: Jn 21:5

He's not just the Son of God (Matt. 28:19). He's also the Son of Man (Ez 2:1, RSV). He liked that name for himself (Mt 8:20).

You think you know how to parTey :freak: and he doesn't? He invented wine (Isa 55:1-3, Song 5:1; Joel 3:18), Graniteheart.

See:

Names of Jesus

Why are you always missing our Lord's humour? Oh, that's right. You're a Satanist (2 Pe 2:1). :burnlib:

See:

The Eye of the Needle by Michael Youssef