Made in the Image of a Humourless GOD

by unclebruce 12 Replies latest jw friends

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos
    just like Shakespeare's 'comedies' the Bible's 'comedies' don't have anything to raise an actual smile or a laugh, unless you know of any specific funny examples, of course?

    That's where the cultural distance steps in I guess. For instance, a big part of ancient humour is not in "good taste" by modern standards.

    In addition to the above examples (Jonah strikes me as a very funny novel, for instance, even from a modern standpoint), take the story of the Ark in Philistia in 1 Samuel 4--6. The Philistines capture the Ark and have a lot of embarrassing problems (tumors/hemorroids, mice) because they don't know how to deal with it; then they have to sent it back with golden tumors and mice as a guilt offering. We may find the story "in poor taste" but I suspect it once was deemed hilarious.

    Or, in Wisdom literature, Proverbs 11:22: "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without good sense." It may not be politically correct by modern standards (sexist, misogynist, whatever) but it was certainly a damn funny picture.

    I could have added the Balaam story as a globally funny one (from the dialogue with the donkey to the reversal of curses, infuriating the king). And many Gospel stories (the denarius, the blind man in John 9, etc.). Even Paul in Acts can use some humour (26:29).

    Cheer up.

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine

    oh, you damn bible thumper you, Narkissos! *shakes fist*

  • silentWatcher
    silentWatcher

    unclebruce,

    God has a sense of humor. For example, the part of the world literally floating on oil
    (the Middle East) is filled with a bunch of lunatics (anyone who kills someone else over a cartoon is crazy). Why, couldn't all that oil be in a place filled with sensible, calm people like Switzerland or Northern Europe?

    -silent

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