Bryan W. Alaspa 1God’s sense of humor
October 21st 2009 21:23
Sometimes it amazes me how people who are so devoted to religion react when people make jokes about them or their deity. I am thinking, in particular, of Christians and Jews and those who follow one version or the other of the “biblical” God. They get so worked up whenever someone produces anything, says anything or does anything that questions things or pokes fun at things in their religion.
I am thinking about the movie “Monty Python’s the Life of Brian” when I write this as the IFC channel has been showing this great Monty Python documentary all week and re-showing their movies and TV shows. When that movie came out, Christians reacted like crazy and started picketing theaters as they are wont to do. Of course, all this did, like it always does, is generate more publicity for the film and, thus, generally make it more popular than it would have been if they had shut up about it. To me, this shows that God really does have a sense of humor.
I cannot fathom why they get so upset about these things. Let’s look at it from the beliefs they supposedly adhere to. The first is that God made man in his own image. Therefore, everything that we are is within God. Of course, the whole evil and sinful nature was something not created by God, but I feel that humor and laughing are generally good things. Even Jesus was known to smile and crack a joke or two. When he first re-appeared after being crucified to his disciples who had gone back to fishing for a living, he stood there on the beach, tapped one on the shoulder, and asked how the fishing was. Not exactly Don Rickles, but not bad for a man who had just died on a cross, you know? As such, I think God has a sense of humor and can take a joke.
Secondly, it is the espoused believe that God always was and always will be. He also supposedly knows everything that will happen and ever will happen, until the very end of existence. As such, he is well aware of the fact that Monty Python was going to direct a parody about the New Testament. He was well aware that “The Last Temptation of Christ” was going to be written and made into a movie. And, if it is to be believed, He has known about it since the very beginning of time itself. I think that would be enough time for him to cope with it and get over it.
Still, humans love to get so caught up in their beliefs and the things they like that any slight against them gets them riled up. I once wrote an article poking fun at hockey and to this day hockey fans still get so mad at me and leave such nasty comments. I mean, really folks, it’s a sport and all sports, when you really look at them, are very, very silly and stupid.
I guess I just feel like it’s OK to have questions about God. It’s OK to poke fun. It’s OK to laugh in general. Maybe someday I will find out I am wrong about that and God has been hurt and sulking in a corner for millennia, but I kind of feel like God is kind of busy with an entire universe and not so worried about any jokes I might be telling at his expense. Dammit, I just think “Life of Brian” is funny and makes some very good points.
So, I say, laugh it up. I bet God would be great at a roast of himself. Man, when he finally stood to say something he’d know everything about everyone. It would be hilarious!
I am thinking about the movie “Monty Python’s the Life of Brian” when I write this as the IFC channel has been showing this great Monty Python documentary all week and re-showing their movies and TV shows. When that movie came out, Christians reacted like crazy and started picketing theaters as they are wont to do. Of course, all this did, like it always does, is generate more publicity for the film and, thus, generally make it more popular than it would have been if they had shut up about it. To me, this shows that God really does have a sense of humor.
I cannot fathom why they get so upset about these things. Let’s look at it from the beliefs they supposedly adhere to. The first is that God made man in his own image. Therefore, everything that we are is within God. Of course, the whole evil and sinful nature was something not created by God, but I feel that humor and laughing are generally good things. Even Jesus was known to smile and crack a joke or two. When he first re-appeared after being crucified to his disciples who had gone back to fishing for a living, he stood there on the beach, tapped one on the shoulder, and asked how the fishing was. Not exactly Don Rickles, but not bad for a man who had just died on a cross, you know? As such, I think God has a sense of humor and can take a joke.
Secondly, it is the espoused believe that God always was and always will be. He also supposedly knows everything that will happen and ever will happen, until the very end of existence. As such, he is well aware of the fact that Monty Python was going to direct a parody about the New Testament. He was well aware that “The Last Temptation of Christ” was going to be written and made into a movie. And, if it is to be believed, He has known about it since the very beginning of time itself. I think that would be enough time for him to cope with it and get over it.
Still, humans love to get so caught up in their beliefs and the things they like that any slight against them gets them riled up. I once wrote an article poking fun at hockey and to this day hockey fans still get so mad at me and leave such nasty comments. I mean, really folks, it’s a sport and all sports, when you really look at them, are very, very silly and stupid.
I guess I just feel like it’s OK to have questions about God. It’s OK to poke fun. It’s OK to laugh in general. Maybe someday I will find out I am wrong about that and God has been hurt and sulking in a corner for millennia, but I kind of feel like God is kind of busy with an entire universe and not so worried about any jokes I might be telling at his expense. Dammit, I just think “Life of Brian” is funny and makes some very good points.
So, I say, laugh it up. I bet God would be great at a roast of himself. Man, when he finally stood to say something he’d know everything about everyone. It would be hilarious!
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