Ha!

Author: Peter Kreeft
Publisher: St. Augustine's Press
ISBN: 9781587313189
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 100

Book Description
"This book almost didn't exist. I was about to write a serious, heavy book entitled How To Save Western Civilization, as a sequel to my book How To Destroy Western Civilization and Other Ideas from the Cultural Abyss. But writing it was not making me happy, and reading it was not going to make anybody else happy either. And then I stopped just long enough for my guardian angel to squeeze through that tiny window of opportunity that I had opened up by my silence and to whisper this commonsense question into my subconscious: "Why not make them happy instead?" (Angels specialize in common sense.) I started thinking: Western civilization is neither healthy, happy, nor holy. Humor is all three. Humor is not only holy, it's Heavenly. And if you are surprised to be told that humor is Heavenly, you need to read this book because you reveal your misunderstanding of both humor and Heaven. If you ask, 'Is there laughter in Heaven?' my answer is: 'You can't be serious!'"

What's So Funny About God?

Author: Steve Wilkens
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830855459
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 205

Book Description
Jokes often touch on the biggest topics of our existence, but many Christians haven't taken humor seriously. This insightful yet delightful crash course from philosopher Steve Wilkens argues that viewing Scripture and theology through the lens of humor helps us understand the gospel and avoid the pitfalls of both naturalism and gnosticism, while facilitating a humble, honest, and appealing approach to faith.

Christianity and the Triumph of Humor

Author: Bernard Schweizer
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429589662
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232

Book Description
This book traces the development of religious comedy and leverages that history to justify today’s uses of religious humor in all of its manifestations, including irreverent jokes. It argues that regulating humor is futile and counterproductive, illustrating this point with a host of comedic examples. Humor is a powerful rhetorical tool for those who advocate and for those who satirize religious ideals. The book presents a compelling argument about the centrality of humor to the story of Western Christianity’s cultural and artistic development since the Middle Ages, taking a multi-disciplinary approach that combines literary criticism, religious studies, philosophy, theology, and social science. After laying out the conceptual framework in Part 1, Part 2 analyzes key works of religious comedy across the ages from Dante to the present, and it samples the breadth of contemporary religious humor from Brad Stine to Robin Williams, and from Monty Python to South Park. Using critical, historical, and conceptual lenses, the book exposes and overturns past attempts by church authorities, scholars, and commentators to limit and control laughter based on religious, ideological, or moral criteria. This is a unique look into the role of humor and comedy around religion. It will, therefore, appeal to readers interested in multiple fields of inquiry, including religious studies, humor studies, the history of ideas, and comparative literature.

No Laughing Mutter

Author: BABY CHRISTIAN
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1475975007
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 70

Book Description
LAUGHTER IS THE BLESSED MEDICINE Chicago-born author/comedian BABY CHRISTIAN is only interested in excelling at one thing (which is the reason he didnt graduate kindergarten until he was 37): using humor to spread the Good-news Gospel! With several Christian-humor books already under his belt, many people have come to the conclusion that its time for him to buy a bigger belt. WAIST no time in getting to know this nutcase extraordinaire better at www.thurd-wirm.com. For the finest in Christian entertainment, discover the hilarious happenings at THURD/WIRM MEDIA EUGENICS online at www.thurd-wirm.com. Or call us at (818) 288-2901. A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

How to Tell God from the Devil

Author: A. Roy Eckardt
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351293869
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 304

Book Description
How to Tell God From the Devil is the first book to depict the relationship among comedy, the Devil, and God. Drawing from Jewish and Christian theories, Eckardt describes comedy as a means to distinguish the divine from the diabolic. He presents a thorough critique of efforts throughout history to justify God in the presence of radical evil and suffering. How to Tell God From the Devil is a sequel to Eckardt's fascinating earlier study Sitting in the Earth and Laughing. Eckardt offers a theological vision of the comic, and shows its practical use in differentiating God from the Devil. The viewpoint presupposed is a special application of the incongruity theory of humor, which sees humor as an attempt to deal with inexplicable occurrences. Eckardt shows how humor can make faulty explanations tolerable for examining evil and suffering, particularly the notion that God can somehow be "excused" for the terrible evils extant in the world. Eckardt critiques dualistic views that make the Devil and God independent sovereign beings, and monistic views that try to reduce evil to non-being. Eckardt holds God to be ultimately responsible for evil, in such ways that the only final resolution of evil-if there is such-is a form of divine comedy. Eckardt employs a variety of historical, psychological, sociological, philosophical, and theological sources. He discusses and assesses such diverse figures as Martin Luther, Reinhold Niebuhr, Zen Buddhists, Conrad Hyers, Nancy A. Walker, Jon D. Levenson, and Harvey Cox. How to Tell God From The Devil is an exceptional work, and will be significant and enjoyable for sociologists, theologians, philosophers, and specialists concerned with the study of humor.

The Humor of Christ

Author: Elton Trueblood
Publisher: Harper San Francisco
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 136

Book Description
The Humor of Christ inspires Christians to redraw their pictures of Christ and to add a persistent biblical detail, the note of humor. Throughout the Gospels, Christ employed humor for the sake of truth and many of his teachings, when seen in this light, become brilliantly clear for the first time. Irony, satire, paradox, even laughter itself help clarify Christ's famous parables, His brief sayings, and important events in His life.

God at the Improv

Author: Anthony J. Petrotta
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532690835
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 169

Book Description
Asking if there is humor in any religious text might seem blasphemous to many readers. Religious texts are there to instruct us, not entertain us. Religious texts are serious works, not frivolous. However, if part of being human entails having a sense of humor, then it would be more surprising indeed for Scripture not to have humor. Humor instructs us as much as it entertains us. God at the Improv seeks to show that being religious and being humorous are not opposites, but actually work in tandem to enhance and enliven our faith and practice.

Religious Humor in Evangelical Christian and Mormon Culture

Author: Elisha McIntyre
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1350005509
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 232

Book Description
Incorporating perspectives from religious studies, humor studies, cultural and film studies, and theology, as well as original data from textual analysis and the voices of religious comedians, this book critically analyses the experiences of believers who appreciate that their faith is not necessarily a barrier to their laughter. It is often thought that religion and humor are incompatible, but Religious Humor in Evangelical Christian and Mormon Culture shows that humor is not only a popular means of entertainment, but also a way in which an individual or community expresses their identity and values. Elisha McIntyre argues that believers embrace their sense of humor, actively producing and consciously consuming comic entertainment that reflects their own experiences. This process is not however without conflict. The book argues that there are specific characteristics that indicate a unique kind of humor that may be called 'religious humor'. Through an examination of religious humor found in stand-up comedy, television sitcoms, comedy film and satirical cartoons, and drawing on interview data, the book outlines the main considerations that Christians take into account when choosing their comedy entertainment. These include questions about ideology, blasphemy, taboos around the body, and the motives behind the joke.

Laughing with God

Author: Gerald A. Arbuckle
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 0814683886
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 212

Book Description
When Sarah overhears God tell Abraham that she will give birth to a son, she laughs. She laughs to herself at the impossibility of her, in her old age, bearing a child (Gen 18:12). But God’s ways are not Sarah’s ways; God is far more wonderful than Sarah imagines. Of course, Sarah does give birth to a son and names him Isaac, whose name means to laugh: God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me (Gen 21:6). Surely, the ancient audience—aware of the many incongruities in this story—did laugh. But can we in modern times recover the divine humor, the paradox and promise, in this and other biblical accounts? Can we use that sacred laughter as a means to evangelize a world that longs for God every bit as much as the ancients did? In Laughing with God: Humor, Culture, and Transformation, Catholic priest and cultural anthropologist Gerald Arbuckle helps us do just that. With Arbuckle, readers will enter many rich biblical stories and come away laughing, not laughter as in response to a joke or comedy, but a profound laughter of the heart. Readers will laugh at Sarah as she laughs at God, and they will laugh together with Sarah and God. Readers will discover divine humor in the parables of Jesus and even in his suffering and death, the ultimate paradox for Christians. In addition to uncovering and recovering humor in Scripture, Arbuckle’s work is a treasure trove of modern examples of humor—from literature, movies, and television—that surprisingly can be a means of transforming cultures to better reflect the kingdom of God. In the end, readers will want to turn the phrase, He who laughs last, laughs best, into, They who laugh with God, evangelize best. Gerald A. Arbuckle, SM, PhD, is co-director of Refounding and Pastoral Development, a research ministry, in Sydney, Australia. He is internationally known for his expertise in helping church leaders minister effectively in a postmodern world. Arbuckle’s most recent books include: Confronting the Demon: A Gospel Response to Adult Bullying; Violence, Society, and the Church: A Cultural Approach; and Healthcare Ministry: Refounding the Mission in Tumultuous Times (2001 Catholic Press Association Award), all published by Liturgical Press.

Discovering Humor in the Bible

Author: Howard R. Macy
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1498292593
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 141

Book Description
Some folks are surprised to find humor in the Bible; they don't think it has any. Others are embarrassed; they worry about being sacrilegious. Some laugh and don't tell anyone; others laugh out loud and share it with those around. However people respond, the Bible does, in fact, use humor. This book examines why it's there, why it matters, what it looks like, how to look for it, and what to do with it when you find it. The author's goal is to help people become better Bible readers, growing in both skill and insight. So the book doesn't just display a collection of museum pieces, showing the treasures of other explorers. Instead, it offers readers tools and field guides to become explorers discovering on their own. It's a fun how-to manual, dealing with what is routinely overlooked in teaching about biblical interpretation. Individuals will enjoy reading it, but it's also a rich resource for reading groups, Bible study groups, and classes.