CNN asked about religion and humor and put together this fun video, which includes some great images--and clips (from "The Colbert Report" and two Monty Python films.) Also, an article that talks about Jesus and humor.
Here’s a serious question about levity: The Bible clearly paints a picture of Jesus of Nazareth as a clever guy, but he never seems to laugh, much less crack a smile. Did Jesus really have no sense of humor; didn't he ever laugh?
Well, one difficulty with finding humor in the New Testament is that what was seen as funny to those living in Jesus' time may not seem funny to us.
For someone in first-century Palestine, the premise (or “setup” as a comic would say) was probably more amusing than the punch line. "The parables were amusing in their exaggeration or hyperbole," Amy-Jill Levine, a New Testament scholar at Vanderbilt University, said in an interview. “The idea that a mustard seed would have sprouted into a big bush that birds would build their nests in would be humorous."
People in Jesus’ day would probably have laughed at many of his intentionally funny illustrations: for example, the idea that someone would have lit a lamp and put it under a basket, or that a person would have built a house on sand or that a father would give a child stones instead of bread.
But contemporary Christians may be missing the humor that Jesus intended and that his audience understood.
My comment also contained other things such as the inappropriateness of a Pastor or in this case a pope making a joke out of somebody's physical appearance.
I used the word confabulation which is not the same as lying and I am sure that you know that.
So now it is both me and Wojtyla on record mentioning the Archbishop's weight but me in his defence and the Pope in an offensive way.
My use of the word decided in the sentence you quote above was to underline my argument that regardless of how we see ourselves or portray ourselves it is not right for others to take that on face value because there can be a deeper feeling hidden.That was also in my comment.
To be honest I think my true crime lies elsewhere but it is a Sunday and I don't want to cause anymore offence.
Those in Gotham city are safe tonight as this joker is going to bed :).
Thanks a lot for responding and I appreciate the policies and accept that I was not charitable.
David Power
And the children who approached him would not have gone to an unsmiling man.
Just because something is not in the gospels, does not mean it didn't happen.
Telling Peter to take the four-drachma piece out of the fish's mouth was funny.
What did I say wrong??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYkbqzWVHZI
See You in the Eucharist...
There is so much humour in it all I don't know where to start.
What was supposed to be a linking of disparate elements in an attempt
to make religion trendy and all embracing ends up as the youtube video I posted depicts.
Control and fear.
Truly Religion and humour are miles apart.It seems.......
The spirit however goes where it wants and no amount of rote religious learning can change that.
:)