Difference between revisions of "Talk:Mystery:Does God Have a Sense of Humor?"

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*[[User:FrancisB52|FrancisB52]] 16:01, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
 
*[[User:FrancisB52|FrancisB52]] 16:01, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
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Of course God has a sense of humor.  Archbishop Fulton Sheen did an episode on that in his show Life is Worth Living, and you can look it up on YouTube (look for Fulton Sheen Divine Sense of Humor).  Humor is a recognition of the Truth, and pointing that out.  So, of course God has a great sense of humor.  --[[User:Wayfinder|Wayfinder]] 15:57, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
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I most definately believe so. There are many times where I feel a force beyond this world is playing a joke on me. Who else but God has that power? I'm also no stranger to joking around, so I can take it. It's never anything serious, just things like PSN always doing maintenence when I try to log on. There's also the times when I need to mentor younger kids and I get the ones that are exactly like me at that age. When I get annoyed by something they did, my parents or some other adult that knew me at that age will say "you were just like that." Whenever things like that happen, I just casually look up and think/pray "haha I see what you just did." A practical joke by God or not, it sure does help with the minor irritants in life. Plus we are created in God's image. I like to interperate that as "asside from sin, God has all the traits we have and then some." Humor wasn't a sin last time I checked.--[[User:Pokematic|Pokematic]] 21:29, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
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:If God made man "in His image" then every good human quality must be a reflection of God's character. Our capacity for enjoying humor, like our ability to appreciate humor, is a God-given quality. And you can't "give away" what you don't have. So I think God can appreciate a good joke now and then. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] <sup>[[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]]</sup> 09:49, 19 February 2013 (EST)
  
 
== No ==
 
== No ==
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:Pre-Christian Greek "humor" tends to be very simple, and barely funny by today's more sophisticated standards as developed by the Christian world.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:34, 10 March 2012 (EST)
 
:Pre-Christian Greek "humor" tends to be very simple, and barely funny by today's more sophisticated standards as developed by the Christian world.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:34, 10 March 2012 (EST)
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::Really?  Maybe you just got a bad translation.  Aristophanes is pretty good, although his humor is pretty 'adult' (or would juvenile be a better word?).  Anyway, I would expect someone who was brought up with modern, western humor to find Ancient Greek humor slightly less funny than someone that was brought up on it. [[User:Cmurphynz|Cmurphynz]] 20:26, 20 September 2012 (EDT)
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Frederick, you're assuming that if man reflects God in any way, then God must reflect man in all ways. Even Aristotle would have rejected such a [[logical error]]. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] <sup>[[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]]</sup> 09:51, 19 February 2013 (EST)
  
 
== Atilla the Hun ==
 
== Atilla the Hun ==
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::A non-response requires no answer, but humor developed immensely along with Christianity, and arguably did not exist except in a very simple way before Christianity.
 
::A non-response requires no answer, but humor developed immensely along with Christianity, and arguably did not exist except in a very simple way before Christianity.
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::"[humor]arguably did not exist except in a very simple way before Christianity." - Ever read any Aristophanes? Or Plautus?--[[User:MihailD|MihailD]] 16:41, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
  
 
*'''politics''': atheistic political figures are known for their lack of a sense of humor, such as [[Attila the Hun]], which suggests that the opposite of God is a lack of sense of humor.
 
*'''politics''': atheistic political figures are known for their lack of a sense of humor, such as [[Attila the Hun]], which suggests that the opposite of God is a lack of sense of humor.
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:::::The problem with using this sort of probability computation for this sort of coincidence to determine whether it arose due to chance is that you are doing it ''ex post''.  To borrow an example from John Allen Paulos's ''Innumeracy'', it would be nonsense to look at a bridge hand of 13 cards from a deck of 52, conclude that the probability of that particular hand's having been dealt is less than 1 over 600 billion, and therefore conclude that it must not have arisen due to chance.  Seeing a coincidence and then trying to examine after the fact what the probability would have been for such a coincidence to occur to illustrate miraculous behavior is a classic example of the [[sharpshooter fallacy]].  [[User:GregG|GregG]] 16:00, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
 
:::::The problem with using this sort of probability computation for this sort of coincidence to determine whether it arose due to chance is that you are doing it ''ex post''.  To borrow an example from John Allen Paulos's ''Innumeracy'', it would be nonsense to look at a bridge hand of 13 cards from a deck of 52, conclude that the probability of that particular hand's having been dealt is less than 1 over 600 billion, and therefore conclude that it must not have arisen due to chance.  Seeing a coincidence and then trying to examine after the fact what the probability would have been for such a coincidence to occur to illustrate miraculous behavior is a classic example of the [[sharpshooter fallacy]].  [[User:GregG|GregG]] 16:00, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
 
:Andy, I just want to make sure I understand correctly: The duck-billed platypus was designed to amuse us, red autumn foliage was designed to impress us with its breath-taking beauty, Tebow's 316 yard pass was guided to promote John 3:16. Fine. On the other hand, last year's tsunami was entirely due to entropy, right? No humorous message there? --[[User:FrederickT3|FrederickT3]] 16:25, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
 
:Andy, I just want to make sure I understand correctly: The duck-billed platypus was designed to amuse us, red autumn foliage was designed to impress us with its breath-taking beauty, Tebow's 316 yard pass was guided to promote John 3:16. Fine. On the other hand, last year's tsunami was entirely due to entropy, right? No humorous message there? --[[User:FrederickT3|FrederickT3]] 16:25, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
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::I don't think anyone claims that God is responsible for '''''everything''''' that happens in the world.  Surely no one would suggest that the CEO of a company is responsible for everything that happens in his company.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 00:55, 17 March 2012 (EDT)
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:::So God simply let the 2004 tsunami kill '''230,000''' people? Because he was busy cracking jokes somewhere else in His creation? [[User:Onestone|Onestone]] 11:09, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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::::I don't think God spends all his time watching everything that happens or might happen in this world.  Why would He?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 12:15, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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::::::Because He is omniscient. [[User:CarsonP|CarsonP]] 12:26, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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:::::::God is omniscient only when He wants to be.  Frequently in the [[Old Testament]] God makes inquiries to gain knowledge about what people are doing.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 12:51, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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::::::::Partial omniscience? Are you serious?! [[User:JohanZ|JohanZ]] 15:21, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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::::::::God is always omniscient.  [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06612a.htm#IID1]  God is also immutable, that is unchanging.  [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06612a.htm#IIC]  When God asks a question, He already knows the answer, cf. [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3&version=NIV Genesis 3].  There are many attributes and actions of God that we men cannot comprehend.  To attempt to pigeonhole the Almighty into human terms is a disservice to His omnipotence.  [[User:GregG|GregG]] 21:26, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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::::::Maybe He knows, but He wants the person to make an honest report. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] <sup>[[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]]</sup> 12:53, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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:::::::@Aschlafly: so devastating disasters may catch God unaware (while many people must have shouted out to Him), but at the same time He chooses to unleash brutal snowstorms in regions that promote the global warming hoax? The snowstorms are His work, but the tsunamis are not? How can anyone love a God who jokes around while 230,000 people are drowning? [[User:Onestone|Onestone]] 14:32, 18 February 2013 (EST)
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::::::I don't think every weather event is a [[miracle]]. I daresay God leaves the climate "on automatic" most of the time. As to devastation, if people would cooperate better they could get through storms and hurricanes much better.
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::::::The thousand people who drowned when [[Hurricane Katrina]] hit New Orleans '''could have''' stayed on higher ground. Authorities '''might have''' require evacuation of all parts of the city that are below sea level. But as I understand it, the mayor and governor (both Democrats) refused assistance and rejected advice of the federal government (led by a Republican president).
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::::::It's not God who is uncaring. I blame politicians who are more interested in maintaining their power base than in actually helping people. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] <sup>[[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]]</sup> 09:44, 19 February 2013 (EST)
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:::::::Ed Poor, let's say better cooperation could have saved 100,000 people in the 2004 tsunami. That would still have left 140,000 innocent people dead. A caring God? Being omnipotent, He could have intervened in New Orleans when He saw Democrats making a mess of it, but somehow He chose not to, letting almost 2,000 people die. A caring God? [[User:Onestone|Onestone]] 11:18, 19 February 2013 (EST)
  
 
== Seriously? Revisited... ==
 
== Seriously? Revisited... ==
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:It's been ages since I read that book, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that their argument was based on a flimsy argument from silence.  [[User:DavidE|DavidE]] 11:43, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
 
:It's been ages since I read that book, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that their argument was based on a flimsy argument from silence.  [[User:DavidE|DavidE]] 11:43, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
 
::Yes I think so, but my point is that some people historically have considered the question of God's sense of humor (or lack of it) a crucial theological question. I doubt Eco made the idea up out of nothing. So this discussion has a fine pedigree.--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 12:04, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
 
::Yes I think so, but my point is that some people historically have considered the question of God's sense of humor (or lack of it) a crucial theological question. I doubt Eco made the idea up out of nothing. So this discussion has a fine pedigree.--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 12:04, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
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:::As always, your comments are insightful, CPalmer.  I think there are instances reflecting humor in the Gospels, but they are not easy to find.  One instance may be when Jesus caused the tree to wither upon realizing that it had no fruit.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 01:14, 17 March 2012 (EDT)
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== Scripture as a guide ==
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1 Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. Using this as a guide, God's blandest humor is funnier than the planet's most celebrated comedian. Personally, I think it will be challenging to document emotions. --[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 16:44, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
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== I don't think it is a mystery of whether or not God has a sense of humor ==
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I don't think it is a mystery of whether or not God has a sense of humor as can be readily seen through this verse of the Bible: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." - Psalm 2:4 (KJV)[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 11:12, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
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:As always, the Bible is the best source. [[User:DavidE|DavidE]] 11:37, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
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::There are other reasons to laugh than humor, though. This sounds more like a laugh of defiance.--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 11:43, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
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:::CPalmer, I realize there are multiple definitions of the word [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/defy?s=t defy], but in most cases it means challenge the authority of.  God is the ultimate being in terms of power so to speak of God being defiant seems odd. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 00:58, 17 March 2012 (EDT)
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::::Challenging authority, exactly. That is what the passage is about - the worldly leaders are sure of their own authority, but God rejects it with a laugh. I don't think God is amused - He just wants to show His scorn for those who set themselves against Him.--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 10:40, 21 March 2012 (EDT)
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:::::(I'm not saying that I definitely think God doesn't have a sense of humour. I just don't think that one verse closes the case.)--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 11:07, 21 March 2012 (EDT)
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== Attila the Hun ==
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[[Attila the Hun]] was notorious for his lack of a sense of humor, and hence he should remain as an example.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 14:57, 10 April 2012 (EDT)
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== Question ==
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Hi Andy. Based on your reading of the available evidence, what kind of material is God most likely to find humorous? I've got a few script ideas kicking around and it would be nice to tailor them for maximum divine amusement. --[[User:JohanZ|JohanZ]] 15:24, 10 April 2012 (EDT)
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== Easter Island  ==
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Are you saying that archeologists are mistaken in saying that the statues were created by the Rapa Nui? [[User:RayM|RayM]] 09:21, 29 July 2012 (EDT)
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:Yeah, that one's pretty silly to be honest. [[User:Cmurphynz|Cmurphynz]] 20:27, 20 September 2012 (EDT)
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== Guillen ==
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Guillen was suspended for voicing admiration for ''Castro'', not his longevity, in Miami, a town with a large anti-Castro, Cuban refugee population. He could have spoken favorably about Castro's ''beard'', and he probably still would have been suspended. There is no humor in his comments. [[User:SharonW|SharonW]] 17:15, 5 August 2012 (EDT)

Revision as of 22:07, November 21, 2014

Yes

He does, but He doesn't intervene with modern times. Tim Tebow's 316 yards is just a coincidence, and there isn't much reason to think otherwise. JLefkowitz 17:55, 10 March 2012 (EST)

If God has a sense of humor, then it seems highly implausible that He would not intervene to enjoy the humor. Under your view, what would God find funny if not by intervention?--Andy Schlafly 18:23, 10 March 2012 (EST)

Obviously, God is infinitely great, a sense of humor is a good quality. If He was lacking it, He wouldn't be infinitely great. Therefore he must have not only a sense of humor, but an infinitely great and perfect sense of humor. --CraigF 14:04, 11 March 2012 (EDT)

Of course God has a sense of humor. Archbishop Fulton Sheen did an episode on that in his show Life is Worth Living, and you can look it up on YouTube (look for Fulton Sheen Divine Sense of Humor). Humor is a recognition of the Truth, and pointing that out. So, of course God has a great sense of humor. --Wayfinder 15:57, 12 March 2012 (EDT)

I most definately believe so. There are many times where I feel a force beyond this world is playing a joke on me. Who else but God has that power? I'm also no stranger to joking around, so I can take it. It's never anything serious, just things like PSN always doing maintenence when I try to log on. There's also the times when I need to mentor younger kids and I get the ones that are exactly like me at that age. When I get annoyed by something they did, my parents or some other adult that knew me at that age will say "you were just like that." Whenever things like that happen, I just casually look up and think/pray "haha I see what you just did." A practical joke by God or not, it sure does help with the minor irritants in life. Plus we are created in God's image. I like to interperate that as "asside from sin, God has all the traits we have and then some." Humor wasn't a sin last time I checked.--Pokematic 21:29, 13 March 2012 (EDT)

If God made man "in His image" then every good human quality must be a reflection of God's character. Our capacity for enjoying humor, like our ability to appreciate humor, is a God-given quality. And you can't "give away" what you don't have. So I think God can appreciate a good joke now and then. --Ed Poor Talk 09:49, 19 February 2013 (EST)

No

Not applicable

God is not a human being and is above human psychological traits. The "logic" argument appears to create God in the image of man, which verges on the blasphemous. The argument is fallacious: Just replace "sense of humor" with some less pleasant traits, like "Man has to relieve himself regularly in the bathroom. Does God have to go to the bathroom?" Obviously not! As regards the history argument, you should read the comedies of Aristophanes, written around 400 BC. They are very funny! --FrederickT3 18:09, 10 March 2012 (EST)

Emotions like humor are not physical. God surely does have other emotions like love, anger, sorrow, joy, etc., and man has them as well after being created in God's image.
Pre-Christian Greek "humor" tends to be very simple, and barely funny by today's more sophisticated standards as developed by the Christian world.--Andy Schlafly 22:34, 10 March 2012 (EST)
Really? Maybe you just got a bad translation. Aristophanes is pretty good, although his humor is pretty 'adult' (or would juvenile be a better word?). Anyway, I would expect someone who was brought up with modern, western humor to find Ancient Greek humor slightly less funny than someone that was brought up on it. Cmurphynz 20:26, 20 September 2012 (EDT)

Frederick, you're assuming that if man reflects God in any way, then God must reflect man in all ways. Even Aristotle would have rejected such a logical error. --Ed Poor Talk 09:51, 19 February 2013 (EST)

Atilla the Hun

I had no idea this guy was a leading political leader! Which elections did he run in? Which party did he belong to? - was it the Democrats? Just joking - this article is supposed to be about a sense of humour. By the way, watch the British comedy 'The thick of it' if you want to fully appreciate political humour. On second thoughts maybe 'yes minister' might be more your style - it's less sweary. EJamesW 18:13, 10 March 2012 (EST)

Politics is a broader concept than democracy. Or do you think that Julius Caesar was not a political leader?--Andy Schlafly 18:25, 10 March 2012 (EST)


Here's the last known clip of Julius Caesar meeting a voter! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvs4bOMv5Xw He he EJamesW 18:33, 10 March 2012 (EST)

Of course he was a political leader, but I hadn't realised that Atilla was an atheist. I would have expected him to worship whatever pagan gods the Huns worshipped at the time. Very few non-Christians at that time would have been atheists; or is there a specific reference to support Atilla's atheism?--CPalmer 11:33, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
Note that Conservapedia's own Attila the Hun article says that he "relied on seers and "gods"".--CPalmer 11:34, 12 March 2012 (EDT)

Seriously?

  • logic: man has a sense of humor, and man was created in the image of God. Hence God has a sense of humor.
Man, possesses many qualities that God would have no need for, both psychological and biological. Conversely God has boundless abilities that man does not posses. Therefore it's pointless to speculate on qualities God may have based on those manifested by mankind.
  • history: man's sense of humor improved with the discovery and expansion of Christianity, which indicates their strong correlation.
This doesn't even make sense.
  • politics: atheistic political figures are known for their lack of a sense of humor, such as Attila the Hun, which suggests that the opposite of God is a lack of sense of humor.
And the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini was a regular barrel of laughs.
  • religious: the encounter on the road to Emmaus, described at Luke 25:13-31, strongly suggests that God has intervened in amusing ways.
You may have a point with this one, I am sure atheists, theists of other faiths, and non-literalist Christians, find much to laugh at.
  • scientific: snowstorms have disrupted global warming conferences; regions that promote the global warming hoax have been subjected to brutally cold weather.
So when God causes record breaking warm winters, are those the jokes that bomb?
  • athletic: Tim Tebow's completion of ten passes for 316 yards, at 31.6 yards per competition, in his stunning playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, echoed his promotion of John 3:16.
I wasn't aware that statistical anomalies, commonly known as coincidences, were considered "humor".--JoshuaB 19:38, 10 March 2012 (EST)

Each point is addressed below:

  • logic: man has a sense of humor, and man was created in the image of God. Hence God has a sense of humor.
Man, possesses many qualities that God would have no need for, both psychological and biological. Conversely God has boundless abilities that man does not posses. Therefore it's pointless to speculate on qualities God may have based on those manifested by mankind.
No, this would deny many other emotions that God sure does have: love, joy, sorrow, anger, etc., all documented in the Bible.
  • history: man's sense of humor improved with the discovery and expansion of Christianity, which indicates their strong correlation
This doesn't even make sense.
A non-response requires no answer, but humor developed immensely along with Christianity, and arguably did not exist except in a very simple way before Christianity.
"[humor]arguably did not exist except in a very simple way before Christianity." - Ever read any Aristophanes? Or Plautus?--MihailD 16:41, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
  • politics: atheistic political figures are known for their lack of a sense of humor, such as Attila the Hun, which suggests that the opposite of God is a lack of sense of humor.
And the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini was a regular barrel of laughs.
Again, a non-response requires no answer. Are you claiming something about his sense of humor?
  • religious: the encounter on the road to Emmaus, described at Luke 25:13-31, strongly suggests that God has intervened in amusing ways.
You may have a point with this one, I am sure atheists, theists of other faiths, and non-literalist Christians, find much to laugh at.
That doesn't merit a response either.
  • scientific: snowstorms have disrupted global warming conferences; regions that promote the global warming hoax have been subjected to brutally cold weather.
So when God causes record breaking warm winters, are those the jokes that bomb?
You have to explain yourself better if you want a response.
  • athletic: Tim Tebow's completion of ten passes for 316 yards, at 31.6 yards per competition, in his stunning playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, echoed his promotion of John 3:16.
I wasn't aware that statistical anomalies, commonly known as coincidences, were considered "humor".--JoshuaB 19:38, 10 March 2012 (EST)
The likelihood of such "statistical anomalies" is vanishingly small.--Andy Schlafly 22:29, 10 March 2012 (EST)
"The likelihood of such "statistical anomalies" is vanishingly small." Well, let's see. A QB is going to throw for some number of yards between 0 and (say) 600 and complete somewhere between 0 and (say) 40 passes. Given how Tebow was used last year, the range is probably much smaller for each, but let's go with that. So the odds of coincidentally completing 10 passes for 316 yards is (at most) 1 in 24,000. Then we'd have to divide that by the number of other verses he's had on his eye black (there are at least two: Proverbs 3:5-6[1] and Philippians 4:13 [2]). So now we're down to at most 1 in 8,000. We could stop there, but I'd probably divide by the number of NFL games he's started (1 in 571) or at least the number of playoff games he's started (1 in 4,000). I suppose it's open to interpretations, but I wouldn't call that "vanishingly small" and think it's well within the realm of coincidence. JustinD 01:07, 11 March 2012 (EST)
Your analysis is interesting, but does not include the small likelihood of the Broncos making the playoffs and defeating America's most (or second most) popular team, the Steelers - and thereby generating the enormous publicity. That probability alone was probably only 1 in 1000. Using your 1 in 24,000 likelihood for throwing for 10 passes for 316 yards, the overall probability of what happened is less than 1 in a million - far less than a reasonable coincidence. The other verses, by the way, do not compare with John 3:16 in significance.--Andy Schlafly 08:41, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
But the question remains: what is so funny about something being unlikely? I think most people, atheists and Christians alike, would call such a statistical anomaly striking rather than funny. As far as the other examples are concerned: if that is supposed to be God's repertoire, I am afraid He would make a lousy stand-up comedian. Baobab 10:46, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
Perhaps it takes a good sense of humor to appreciate it. Some (other than God) do take sports games very, very seriously, but to most people they are a source of entertainment and amusement. Cal Berkeley's unlikely last-second victory over John Elway's Stanford team in 1981 or 1982, with the repeated laterals on the final kick-off return, was very serious to some (including Elway and the players), but was replayed repeatedly on television for amusement rather than serious news.--Andy Schlafly 13:21, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
The problem with using this sort of probability computation for this sort of coincidence to determine whether it arose due to chance is that you are doing it ex post. To borrow an example from John Allen Paulos's Innumeracy, it would be nonsense to look at a bridge hand of 13 cards from a deck of 52, conclude that the probability of that particular hand's having been dealt is less than 1 over 600 billion, and therefore conclude that it must not have arisen due to chance. Seeing a coincidence and then trying to examine after the fact what the probability would have been for such a coincidence to occur to illustrate miraculous behavior is a classic example of the sharpshooter fallacy. GregG 16:00, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
Andy, I just want to make sure I understand correctly: The duck-billed platypus was designed to amuse us, red autumn foliage was designed to impress us with its breath-taking beauty, Tebow's 316 yard pass was guided to promote John 3:16. Fine. On the other hand, last year's tsunami was entirely due to entropy, right? No humorous message there? --FrederickT3 16:25, 11 March 2012 (EDT)
I don't think anyone claims that God is responsible for everything that happens in the world. Surely no one would suggest that the CEO of a company is responsible for everything that happens in his company.--Andy Schlafly 00:55, 17 March 2012 (EDT)
So God simply let the 2004 tsunami kill 230,000 people? Because he was busy cracking jokes somewhere else in His creation? Onestone 11:09, 18 February 2013 (EST)
I don't think God spends all his time watching everything that happens or might happen in this world. Why would He?--Andy Schlafly 12:15, 18 February 2013 (EST)
Because He is omniscient. CarsonP 12:26, 18 February 2013 (EST)
God is omniscient only when He wants to be. Frequently in the Old Testament God makes inquiries to gain knowledge about what people are doing.--Andy Schlafly 12:51, 18 February 2013 (EST)
Partial omniscience? Are you serious?! JohanZ 15:21, 18 February 2013 (EST)
God is always omniscient. [3] God is also immutable, that is unchanging. [4] When God asks a question, He already knows the answer, cf. Genesis 3. There are many attributes and actions of God that we men cannot comprehend. To attempt to pigeonhole the Almighty into human terms is a disservice to His omnipotence. GregG 21:26, 18 February 2013 (EST)
Maybe He knows, but He wants the person to make an honest report. --Ed Poor Talk 12:53, 18 February 2013 (EST)
@Aschlafly: so devastating disasters may catch God unaware (while many people must have shouted out to Him), but at the same time He chooses to unleash brutal snowstorms in regions that promote the global warming hoax? The snowstorms are His work, but the tsunamis are not? How can anyone love a God who jokes around while 230,000 people are drowning? Onestone 14:32, 18 February 2013 (EST)
I don't think every weather event is a miracle. I daresay God leaves the climate "on automatic" most of the time. As to devastation, if people would cooperate better they could get through storms and hurricanes much better.
The thousand people who drowned when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans could have stayed on higher ground. Authorities might have require evacuation of all parts of the city that are below sea level. But as I understand it, the mayor and governor (both Democrats) refused assistance and rejected advice of the federal government (led by a Republican president).
It's not God who is uncaring. I blame politicians who are more interested in maintaining their power base than in actually helping people. --Ed Poor Talk 09:44, 19 February 2013 (EST)
Ed Poor, let's say better cooperation could have saved 100,000 people in the 2004 tsunami. That would still have left 140,000 innocent people dead. A caring God? Being omnipotent, He could have intervened in New Orleans when He saw Democrats making a mess of it, but somehow He chose not to, letting almost 2,000 people die. A caring God? Onestone 11:18, 19 February 2013 (EST)

Seriously? Revisited...

Mr. Schlafly, for some reason you chose to respond to my post to basically state that my post... wasn't worth... responding to... huh? Anyway, to cut to the chase, I'm not sure what's creating this "mystery" for you. The Bible contains several examples of God laughing which, to me, would seem like case closed. So instead of writing an article cataloging God's humor as expressed in scripture, you instead trot out a list of dubious claims. I think the only true mystery here is why you wrote this article. --JoshuaB 19:06, 11 March 2012 (EDT)

Umberto Eco

This is a key question in the novel The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. There is a faction of monks who insist that Jesus never laughed, since if He had a sense of humor it would destroy their particular interpretation of the Gospels. I'd recommend that novel to anyone interested in this topic.--CPalmer 09:46, 12 March 2012 (EDT)

It's been ages since I read that book, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that their argument was based on a flimsy argument from silence. DavidE 11:43, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
Yes I think so, but my point is that some people historically have considered the question of God's sense of humor (or lack of it) a crucial theological question. I doubt Eco made the idea up out of nothing. So this discussion has a fine pedigree.--CPalmer 12:04, 12 March 2012 (EDT)
As always, your comments are insightful, CPalmer. I think there are instances reflecting humor in the Gospels, but they are not easy to find. One instance may be when Jesus caused the tree to wither upon realizing that it had no fruit.--Andy Schlafly 01:14, 17 March 2012 (EDT)

Scripture as a guide

1 Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. Using this as a guide, God's blandest humor is funnier than the planet's most celebrated comedian. Personally, I think it will be challenging to document emotions. --Jpatt 16:44, 12 March 2012 (EDT)

I don't think it is a mystery of whether or not God has a sense of humor

I don't think it is a mystery of whether or not God has a sense of humor as can be readily seen through this verse of the Bible: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." - Psalm 2:4 (KJV)Conservative 11:12, 13 March 2012 (EDT)

As always, the Bible is the best source. DavidE 11:37, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
There are other reasons to laugh than humor, though. This sounds more like a laugh of defiance.--CPalmer 11:43, 13 March 2012 (EDT)
CPalmer, I realize there are multiple definitions of the word defy, but in most cases it means challenge the authority of. God is the ultimate being in terms of power so to speak of God being defiant seems odd. Conservative 00:58, 17 March 2012 (EDT)
Challenging authority, exactly. That is what the passage is about - the worldly leaders are sure of their own authority, but God rejects it with a laugh. I don't think God is amused - He just wants to show His scorn for those who set themselves against Him.--CPalmer 10:40, 21 March 2012 (EDT)
(I'm not saying that I definitely think God doesn't have a sense of humour. I just don't think that one verse closes the case.)--CPalmer 11:07, 21 March 2012 (EDT)

Attila the Hun

Attila the Hun was notorious for his lack of a sense of humor, and hence he should remain as an example.--Andy Schlafly 14:57, 10 April 2012 (EDT)

Question

Hi Andy. Based on your reading of the available evidence, what kind of material is God most likely to find humorous? I've got a few script ideas kicking around and it would be nice to tailor them for maximum divine amusement. --JohanZ 15:24, 10 April 2012 (EDT)

Easter Island

Are you saying that archeologists are mistaken in saying that the statues were created by the Rapa Nui? RayM 09:21, 29 July 2012 (EDT)

Yeah, that one's pretty silly to be honest. Cmurphynz 20:27, 20 September 2012 (EDT)

Guillen

Guillen was suspended for voicing admiration for Castro, not his longevity, in Miami, a town with a large anti-Castro, Cuban refugee population. He could have spoken favorably about Castro's beard, and he probably still would have been suspended. There is no humor in his comments. SharonW 17:15, 5 August 2012 (EDT)