Can laughing too hard be sinful?

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I sometimes have a period in which I am laughing and constantly making jokes. Most of the jokes aren’t funny at all and people are usually laughing because they find state I am in funny. It is like I am on drugs or something… Now, drugs are sinful because they get you to a state of radical unseriousnes in which God doesn’t want us to be. When I am ib crazy period I can control, but I didn’t because I haven’t really considered it’s sinfulnes until recently. I still can control myself and I understand what’s right and what’s wrong. It is probably something psyhological… Is it sinful then?
 
To sin is to go against the teachings of God, Jesus and the church, to hurt others, or to hurt yourself. If your laughter is not at the expense of others, it is fine. St Philip of Neri is a saint you could pray to - he is the patron saint of JOY.
 
From the Rule of St. Benedict
Chapter 6: Restraint of Speech
1Let us follow the Prophet’s counsel: I said, I have resolved to keep watch over my ways that I may never sin with my tongue. I was silent and was humbled, and I refrained even from good words (Ps 38[39]:2-3). 2Here the Prophet indicates that there are times when good words are to be left unsaid out of esteem for silence. For all the more reason, then, should evil speech be curbed so that punishment for sin may be avoided. 3Indeed, so important is silence that permission to speak should seldom be granted even to mature disciples, no matter how good or holy or constructive their talk, 4because it is written: In a flood of words you will not avoid sin (Prov 10:19); 5and elsewhere, The tongue holds the key to life and death (Prov 18:21). 6Speaking and teaching are the master’s task; the disciple is to be silent and listen.
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7Therefore, any requests to a superior should be made with all humility and respectful submission. 8We absolutely condemn in all places any vulgarity and gossip and talk leading to laughter, and we do not permit a disciple to engage in words of that kind.
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You might benefit from studying R of B. osb.org/rb/
 
If you think you might be in a manic state during those times, see your doctor. If that’s not the problem, work on your jokes. 😉
 
lifesoldier said:
I sometimes have a period in which I am laughing and constantly making jokes… Is it sinful then?
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Most everyone likes a good laugh. The key is moderation and purity of heart.

Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
 
lifesoldier said:
I sometimes have a period in which I am laughing and constantly making jokes. Most of the jokes aren’t funny at all and people are usually laughing because they find state I am in funny. It is like I am on drugs or something… Now, drugs are sinful because they get you to a state of radical unseriousnes in which God doesn’t want us to be. When I am ib crazy period I can control, but I didn’t because I haven’t really considered it’s sinfulnes until recently. I still can control myself and I understand what’s right and what’s wrong. It is probably something psyhological… Is it sinful then?
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Short answer: No. Not sinful. God’s not against us being happy or joyful. Remember, he changed water into wine. 😉

Laughing hard can’t really be compared to drug addiction, so don’t worry about that. Drug use is sinful, not from feeling happy or light-hearted, but from purposefully trying to escape and lose control of our reason and intellect. And because it abuses our bodies.

Laughter, on the other hand, is spontaneous and something you really have no control over. It also is nowhere near the seriousness of getting high or drunk. You may feel delirious while it’s going on, but I highly doubt you lose all control over your actions.

Even if you did, for something to be sinful, you have to be able to freely choose it, which you’re not doing. You can never accidentally sin.

If you feel you might have a psychological problem, you should talk to a doctor. But as far as sinning goes, don’t worry. You’re fine. 👍
 
lifesoldier said:
Thank you all for response, but it seems that my action of boundless and immoderate laughing was sinful (venial). I have a strong feeling that paragraph of Catechism mentioned on this thread describes my situation:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=20388
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If you are determined to find sin, you will find it. You are not in a monastery, so I don’t think laughing is any kind of sin, as long as you are not laughing at someone.

Both my husband & I have found ourselves laughing uncontrollably at the most inconvenient times - in church, at prayer, in the middle of serious discussions, and so forth. Sometimes something just strikes us as funny! And we have never ever thought we were sinning. We’ve often said God must have a sense of humor since he made people like us. 😃

And remember, a great saint, St. Teresa of Avila, said: “From sour-faced saints and silly devotions, good Lord, preserve us!”

I think she would have been a lot of fun! 🙂
 
Bonnie said:
If you are determined to find sin, you will find it. You are not in a monastery, so I don’t think laughing is any kind of sin, as long as you are not laughing at someone.

Both my husband & I have found ourselves laughing uncontrollably at the most inconvenient times - in church, at prayer, in the middle of serious discussions, and so forth. Sometimes something just strikes us as funny! And we have never ever thought we were sinning. We’ve often said God must have a sense of humor since he made people like us. 😃

And remember, a great saint, St. Teresa of Avila, said: “From sour-faced saints and silly devotions, good Lord, preserve us!”

I think she would have been a lot of fun! 🙂
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What I am talking about is not laughing in innapropriate situations. It’s something else. Immoderate laughter is crazy and sick laughter in which everything is funny. I used to move my arm and laugh at it, because of freedom to move my arm… It’s complicated. You haven’t seen real thing in the link above. What I was talking about was Catechism paragraph. And it simply says that immoderate laughter is venial sin.
 
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