Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: dhosek@euler.claremont.edu (Don Hosek) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Humor in the Bible (was Re: Hell) Message-ID: Date: 26 May 91 05:45:27 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Harvey Mudd College Lines: 37 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , trondst@mack.uit.no (Trond S. Trondsen) writes: > As most of us know, the Bible is an incredible book indeed. It even has > the potential of changing the life of the person willing to humble his/her > intellect and take God at his Word. This book, I think, must contain (and > has certainly inspired) all genres of literature. Poetry, tragedies, > drama, crime,.... you name it. But there is not very much humor > to be found. > Does God have a sense of humor? Or is 'humor' just a result of > our fallen nature? Or..? Personally I think God has a sense of humor and see evidence of it in every day life. In the Bible, the passage that always makes me smile (actually, I have to admit I almost burst out laughing when it was read is in John's resurrection story where Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. Perhaps its just a side-affect of the NAB translation: Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener [and here I have to restrain myself] ... (John 20,15) The bit in Genesis where Joseph is pulling the elaborate practical joke on his brothers is another that I'm fond of (actually most of the parts of the Pentateuch which are traditionally ascribed to "J", tend to have a humorous touch to them). I sure hope god doesn't mind my enjoying the Bible in this way. -dh -- Don Hosek dhosek@ymir.claremont.edu Quixote Digital Typography 714-625-0147