Is Humor a SIn?

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cynic

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The Bible says that we must make account for every idle word.
There’s also the passage “he that regards the day should regard it to God” What dos this mean? Is all humor and non essential conversaton a form of vanity? Would any of the Saints ever have had ‘idle converstions’, or joked about anything?
 
I don’t see how either of the texts you cite even remotely refer to humor, as such. You’d have to really stretch to read into it to find a prohibition of humor.

By an “idle word” it is more likely referring to gossip or careless speech that could cause trouble–like inciting anger or bitterness. Against this sort of talk, the Bible, especially the wisdom books, has much to say.

Since the Bible itself contains humor (the book of Jonah and some of the stories about Elijah come to mind), we would hardly expect to find any kill-joy prohibitions.
 
You aren’t serious are you? You do need better things to do with your time.
~ Kathy ~
 
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cynic:
The Bible says that we must make account for every idle word.
There’s also the passage “he that regards the day should regard it to God” What dos this mean? Is all humor and non essential conversaton a form of vanity? Would any of the Saints ever have had ‘idle converstions’, or joked about anything?
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I read St. Teresa of Avila’s autobiography, and at one point one of her “sins” was talking too much to other nuns.

So who knows.
 
If humor was considered a sin, then there’d be so many sinners on earth!
 
I’m not aware of any humor in the Bible. To me humor and joking - even if seemingly innocent - seem to always be derogatory of something or someone.
 
If you don’t think God doesn’t want humour go to www.google.com and search Giraffe!

On a more serious note, read this article. John Paul II had a great sense of humour, and he was a very pious, holy man.

catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0694.html

Humour is a good thing. Today’s “humour” isn’t, its derogatory yes. As I remember reading in Peter Kreeft’s *Angel’s and Demons *he said angels have a sense of humour because they can see the irony in everything.

This article points out the goodness in humour aswell-
catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0373.html

He makes an excellent point:
“What often passes for humor these days, unfortunately, is either Vulgar, Irreverent, Cruel, or Empty-headed. The initials of these four epithets spell out VICE.”
 
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canadianlife:
If you don’t think God doesn’t want humour go to www.google.com and search Giraffe!
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Or “platypus”! Or “proboscis monkey”!

I don’t see how humor is always derogatory. I think a life without humor would be very, very sad.

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It seemed to me when I read the Gospels that Jesus has a sense of humor. A lot of his comments can be read as possibly having a somewhat absurd or satirical tone to them.
 
but isn’t pointing out irony still a form of conceit? seems like it’s about showing how ‘witty’ we are in front of others.
 
St Augustine in ‘City of God’ (I think it was that book) made one of the best drily witty and ironic statements I’ve ever heard. He says ‘Give me salvation Lord - but not just yet!’

And I agree about the platypus - whoever created that animal definitely has a sense of humour, though I find tapirs and hippos pretty funny too.
 
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cynic:
I’m not aware of any humor in the Bible. To me humor and joking - even if seemingly innocent - seem to always be derogatory of something or someone.
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So if you had a young child and they said or did something funny, rather than laugh you would prefer to look miserable?
 
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cynic:
but isn’t pointing out irony still a form of conceit? seems like it’s about showing how ‘witty’ we are in front of others.
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No, it all depends on your intent again. As an earlier poster said, a life without humour would be very, very sad. If someone says something ironic, they’re just pointing it out, not taking pride in it or anything.
 
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cynic:
I’m not aware of any humor in the Bible. To me humor and joking - even if seemingly innocent - seem to always be derogatory of something or someone.
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Yes, we should all be perfectly miserable here on Earth. We should do nothing but pray, beat ourselves up for being such bad people, get no enjoyment at all from life, and never smile or laugh at ANYTHING. To actually get any enjoyment from life would be a SIN!! We must all be MISERABLE AT ALL TIMES.

:banghead:
 
I have wondered about this in a different form. So much of our humor as adults is sexual and offcolored, that is a sin-stuff for confession. But I have had some really good, well needed laughs on this site. Some (not all ) of you here at CA have a very funny side :rolleyes: But to get back to the thread, I think that Jesus must have danced and laughed at the Wedding at Cana. Joyful humor. I don’t know< I wasn’t there, but saying the Rosary has made me think of that-and seeing a movie on the Miracle at Cana.
 
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cynic:
but isn’t pointing out irony still a form of conceit? seems like it’s about showing how ‘witty’ we are in front of others.
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Please don’t take this personally, because I don’t mean it that way, but I think that walking around with a sour puss on one’s face all day, and refusing to see the humor in anything is just another form of conceit – and a rather self-righteous one, at that.

Crazy Internet Junkies Society
Carrier of the Angelic Sparkles Sprinkle Bag
(Looking for a new Sprinkle Bag hosting site)
 
I was argueing that humor itself is a form of conceit, even though the subject matter may be innocent. In fact I cant think of any humor where the subject matter isn’t mocked or made fun of, from funny looking animals, to absurd situations, word games, whatever, It all involves a derision and disrespect.
 
We need to be aware that there are two strains of thought about laughter in the Rule. Benedict is never very favorable to laughter or jest, but the Chapter on Lent indicates that he was aware that laughter and jesting were part of normal life. Laughter and jest are realities that also can build up or destroy. When a person destroys with laughter and jest, perhaps there is worse blame because that which should be joyful is being used for destruction.
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The eleventh degree of humility is, that, when a monk speaketh, he speak gently and without laughter, humbly and with gravity, with few and sensible words, and that he be not loud of voice, as it is written: “The wise man is known by the fewness of his words.”
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The tenth degree of humility is, when a monk is not easily moved and quick for laughter, for it is written: “The fool exalteth his voice in laughter” (Sir 21:23).

But coarse jests, and idle words or speech provoking laughter, we condemn everywhere to eternal exclusion; and for such speech we do not permit the disciple to open his lips.

(54) Not to speak useless words and such as provoke laughter.
(55) Not to love much or boisterous laughter.

…all from the Rule of St. Benedict…

I hope this helps…

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