Laughing

[Blind_Didymus]

Is there any spiritual significance to laughing?

Is laughter a sign of being made in the image of God?

What moral issues surround laughing?

Comments and further discussion beyond these initial questions welcome.

 

[Mary_Ellen]

All depends on the circumstances. Laughter can be joyful or cruel.

 

[DaveBj]

In general (and I’m speaking VERY generally), the early Church Fathers were against it. When they did mention it, it was in the context of condemning hilarity and joking. Offhand I can’t remember a single comment in favor of laughing, but then I’m only up to the early 4th century; I welcome correction. But it does seem like they were baptized, if not marinated, in vinegar.

 

[Yago]

Sometimes, however, the sinner’s will is directed to a thing containing a certain inordinateness, but which is not contrary to the love of God and one’s neighbor, e.g. an idle word, excessive laughter, and so forth: and such sins are venial by reason of their genus.

Summa Theologica, Q88, Article 2, “I answer that”; CCC 1856

 

[Yago]

Read this and this, both from the Summa theologica.

 

[WilT]

In general (and I’m speaking VERY generally), the early Church Fathers were against it. When they did mention it, it was in the context of condemning hilarity and joking. Offhand I can’t remember a single comment in favor of laughing, but then I’m only up to the early 4th century; I welcome correction. But it does seem like they were baptized, if not marinated, in vinegar.

 

[WilT]

TrueChurch wrote a thread on joking and laughter. He’s been banned but there was some very good responses nonetheless.

 

[DaveBj]

On the other hand, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” – Prov. 17:22a

 

[suko]

Is there any spiritual significance to laughing?

Here’s a good article by Fr. James Martin, S.J., on the humor of St. Teresa of Avila. Also, here’s one quote from the great Doctor of the Church:

“A sad nun is a bad nun,” she said. “I am more afraid of one unhappy sister than a crowd of evil spirits….What would happen if we hid what little sense of humor we had? Let each of us humbly use this to cheer others.”

And one of my favorite quotes that’s attributed to her (though, it’s not actually found in any of her known writings), I actually made into a meme.

As for what the Catechism says about laughter, though, I’m only familiar with paragraph 1856, where it states:

“…But when the sinner’s will is set upon something that of its nature involves a disorder, but is not opposed to the love of God and neighbor, such as thoughtless chatter or immoderate laughter and the like, such sins are venial.”

Fr. Charles Grondin, one of the CAF apologists here, says this about “immoderate laughter”:

"The theological phrase “immoderate laughter” might be better understood through the culture term schadenfreude, which is generally defined as:

Malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else’s misfortune.

*Finding humor in something that causes another person pain (physical or emotional) would be wrong. Another element of this would be being amused by inappropriate “jokes” (i.e. racist, sexist, etc).

Its not that laughter, in and of itself, is wrong. Its that what is causing us to laugh is an attitude that is contrary to the virtue of charity. "*

 

[Anglewannabe]

Whenever someone is laughing, they are also smiling. How can God not want us to smile?

 

[fred_conty]

Well it just seems to me that “picklepusses” don’t make a hit.

It reflects a good nature of a person. A smile reflects that. We don’t take ourselves so serious that we bear down on others. A laugh can be the honey of the human.

Maybe laughing at others instead of laughing with them is the bad side of the coin. There are so many good benefits to laughing and helping others to laugh.

It may be used for good or bad. But we certainly need more of the right kind.

What kind of movie do you like…tragedy or comedy?

We can be safe if whatever we do we do in the name of …

 

[Yago]

Here’s a good article by Fr. James Martin, S.J., on the humor of St. Teresa of Avila. Also, here’s one quote from the great Doctor of the Church:

“A sad nun is a bad nun,” she said. “I am more afraid of one unhappy sister than a crowd of evil spirits….What would happen if we hid what little sense of humor we had? Let each of us humbly use this to cheer others.”

And one of my favorite quotes that’s attributed to her (though, it’s not actually found in any of her known writings), I actually made into a meme.

As for what the Catechism says about laughter, though, I’m only familiar with paragraph 1856, where it states:

"…But when the sinner’s will is set upon something that of its nature involves a disorder, but is not opposed to the love of God and neighbor, such as thoughtless chatter or immoderate laughter and the like, such sins are venial."

Fr. Charles Grondin, one of the CAF apologists here, says this about “immoderate laughter”:

"The theological phrase “immoderate laughter” might be better understood through the culture term schadenfreude, which is generally defined as:

*Finding humor in something that causes another person pain (physical or emotional) would be wrong. Another element of this would be being amused by inappropriate “jokes” (i.e. racist, sexist, etc).

Its not that laughter, in and of itself, is wrong. Its that what is causing us to laugh is an attitude that is contrary to the virtue of charity. "*

:thumbsup:Thank you.

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

Well it just seems to me that “picklepusses” don’t make a hit.

You remind me of one of the earlier press releases about Pope Francis. Not laughter specifically, but about joy:

Sourpusses hurt the church’s witness, mission, pope says at Mass

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Using a phrase that translates literally as “the face of a pickled pepper,” Pope Francis said that when Christians have more of a sourpuss than a face that communicates the joy of being loved by God, they harm the witness of the church.

“The Christian is a man or woman of joy,” the pope said May 10, giving a homily during his morning Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

While happiness is a good thing, the pope said, it’s not the same as the profound joy that comes from “the certainty that Jesus is with us and with the Father.”

 

[WilT]

**Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. **26

from the words of Jesus. Luk 6:25

 

[WilT]

In general (and I’m speaking VERY generally), the early Church Fathers were against it. When they did mention it, it was in the context of condemning hilarity and joking. Offhand I can’t remember a single comment in favor of laughing, but then I’m only up to the early 4th century; I welcome correction. But it does seem like they were baptized, if not marinated, in vinegar.

 

[helec338]

Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26

from the words of Jesus. Luk 6:25

mmm…under what context did he say this?

 

[WilT]

mmm…under what context did he say this?

Open up the scriptures to find out. It’s under the beatitudes under the woe unto you section.

 

[suko]

Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26

from the words of Jesus. Luk 6:25

Imo, this does not mean Jesus is condemning or is against laughter in general.

Haydock’s commentary says this about that verse:

*“As before he promised blessings to those that hunger, that weep, that are outcasts for Christ’s sake; so here, and in the next verse, he denounces curses to such as are filled, that laugh, and are praised; i.e. to such, **as so far seek their beatitude in present enjoyment, as to become indifferent with regard to the good things of the next world. ***(Haydock)” ~ I’ve bolded the key parts to understanding the context of what Jesus is saying.

And if u read the commentary from Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, u can tell that Jesus is saying these harsh words in the context of those that are "comfortable of the world whose prosperity and notoriety have turned them away from God and the demands of his covenant." Jesus is thus not denouncing laughter, in it of itself, but instead those that have turned away from God and live a worldly life. This is basically the context of what is said surrounding verse 25 of Luke Chapter 6.

In short, laughter ≠ evil in all cases. It just depends on the circumstances and intentions surrounding the laughter.

 

[suko]

Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26

from the words of Jesus. Luk 6:25

Imo, this does not mean Jesus is condemning or is against laughter in general.

Haydock’s commentary says this about that verse:

*“As before he promised blessings to those that hunger, that weep, that are outcasts for Christ’s sake; so here, and in the next verse, he denounces curses to such as are filled, that laugh, and are praised; i.e. to such, **as so far seek their beatitude in present enjoyment, as to become indifferent with regard to the good things of the next world. ***(Haydock)” ~ I’ve bolded the key parts to understanding the context of what Jesus is saying.

And if u read the commentary from Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, u can tell that Jesus is saying these harsh words in the context of those that are "comfortable of the world whose prosperity and notoriety have turned them away from God and the demands of his covenant." Jesus is thus not denouncing laughter, in it of itself, but instead those that have turned away from God and live a worldly life. This is basically the context of what is said surrounding verse 25 of Luke Chapter 6.

In short, laughter ≠ evil or harmful in all cases. It just depends on the circumstances and intentions surrounding the laughter.

Pope Francis himself also seems to be a man that isn’t afraid of laughter and joking around:

ncregister.com/images/uploads/laughing-pope-francis.jpg … i1.huffpost.com/gen/1526965/thumbs/n-POPE-FRANCIS-ECONOMY-large.jpg … encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR__0t5LyCqTupk1bX352DDvw7q-WWBXCmlMxw-SqGTDMPTYuvD

Yes, that is a red clown nose on his nose! To read more on that story, see this article: patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2013/11/fun-and-games-at-the-vatican-pope-francis-sports-a-clown-nose/

An excerpt from that article: "At the Wednesday Audience on November 6, one of the newlywed couples were volunteers with the Rainbow Association Marco Lagulli Onlus, a charity that runs clown therapy sessions for children with cancer. The bride and groom presented the Holy Father with a book explaining their unique ministry; and Pope Francis, eager to join in the fun, popped on a red clown nose to match theirs."

 

[WilT]

There are over 138.000 words in the 27 New Testament books. How many good things are said about laughter? The lack of #'s should be telling you something.