No laughing matter

  • Thread starter Thread starter Roguish
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
KevinK said:
You seem to be allowing that he misspoke. This would have serious consequences on the words attributed to him.
Click to expand...
Yes, it seems a paradox that the Word could utter a wrong word, and yet he may have – just as every human person has – but if he did, it was no sin, and surely some good came out of it (as, for example, correcting himself would show humility and respect for the truth).

At the age of twelve in the temple, he showed great wisdom. By that age, he must have cultivated the habit of thinking before he spoke. His parents and teachers, aided by the grace of God, brought him up well.
 
Last edited:
there is absolutely nothing in the bible to suggest Jesus ever laughed
Click to expand...
And here we find an extreme take on Sola Scriptura, one that itself seems ignorant of some of what Scripture says in John 21:25: “There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.”

Furthermore, by this logic, there’s a ton of human things we can say Jesus never did because they weren’t explicitly referenced in Scripture. Why stop at laughter when we can also point out that nothing in Scripture suggests that He ever went to the bathroom?
Is there anything funny about God’s creation? No.
Click to expand...
This person has never spent time around a cat or dog. Come to think of it, I’m not sure they’ve ever left their house.
 
I find this scene on the road to Emmaus rather humorous:

“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”

🤣
 
Last edited:
It seems pretty common among the Fathers to acknowledge that Jesus was never seen laughing and to give this significance. Here’s one example:

St. John Chrysostom:
If you also weep thus, you have become a follower of your Lord. Yea, for He also wept, both over Lazarus, and over the city; and touching Judas He was greatly troubled. And this indeed one may often see Him do, but nowhere laugh, nay, nor smile but a little; no one at least of the evangelists has mentioned this. Therefore also with regard to Paul, that he wept, that he did so three years night and day, both he has said of himself, and others say this of him; but that he laughed, neither has he said himself anywhere, neither has so much as one other of the saints, either concerning him, or any other like him; but this is said of Sarah only, Genesis 18:12-15 when she is blamed, and of the son of Noe, when for a freeman he became a slave. Genesis 9:25
…
Therefore it is that Christ discourses to us much of mourning, and blesses them that mourn, and pronounces them that laugh wretched. Luke 6:25 For this is not the theatre for laughter, neither did we come together for this intent, that we may give way to immoderate mirth, but that we may groan, and by this groaning inherit a kingdom.
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200106.htm
Click to expand...
It is also in the Rule of St. Basil:
Since the cheerfulness of the mind need only be indicated by smiling, it is unseemly to lift up a cackling laughter in a loud din, which is certainly wont to happen, even involuntarily, through intemperance of mind. Such laughter usually softens and undermines gravity and constancy of mind, whence Solomon says: “Of laughter I have said it is madness (Eccl 2:2)” and “as the crackle of thorns under the cooking pot, so is the laughter of fools (Eccl 7:6)” and again, “The fool raises his voice in laughter, but the wise man will scarcely smile discreetly (Sir 21:20).” The Lord, too, showed that he had in himself passion of the flesh, that is, those which tend to evidence of virtue, such as weariness and tears and grief. But never is he found to have used laughter, so far as the gospel narrative touches on it. We find instead that those who laugh shall lament even more when he says "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall weep (Luke 6:25).
Click to expand...
Even modern saints have taken this to heart:

St. Anthony Mary Claret’s autobiography
  1. I was convinced, too, that a missionary should be at peace with everyone, as the Apostle Paul tells us.243 Thus I never quarreled with anyone but strove to be kind with all. I avoided all clowning and disliked silly and mocking talk. Although I always appeared joyful, pleasant, and kind, I disliked laughing because I remembered that Jesus was never seen laughing, although He did cry on occasion. I also remembered the proverb, “A fool raises his voice in laughter, but a prudent man at the most smiles gently.” Sirach 21:20
Click to expand...
In any event, the Catechism notes “immoderate laughter” as an example of a venial sin (CCC 1856). The Lord certainly did not do that.
 
Last edited:
Genesis315 said:
In any event, the Catechism notes “immoderate laughter” as an example of a venial sin (CCC 1856).
Click to expand...
And, in context of St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings, “immoderate laughter” is laughter directed at the expense of others (i.e., mockingly laughing at them), not for the appreciation of the joy of life…I would like to think that Jesus let out more than a few, deep, belly laughs in appreciation of joy!
 
Genesis315 said:
In any event, the Catechism notes “immoderate laughter” as an example of a venial sin (CCC 1856).
Click to expand...
I would presume that would mean when you are laughing at something you shouldn’t find funny, like laughing at a person who is suffering or a sacrilegious joke or something else.
 
HOMM said:
And, in context of St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings, “immoderate laughter” is laughter directed at the expense of others (i.e., mockingly laughing at them), not for the appreciation of the joy of life…
Click to expand...
I’m not sure that it is strickly equated with mockery (which is dealt with elsehwere in the Summa), since that would be contrary to love of neighbor. Whereas St. Thomas says:
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.
Click to expand...
He speaks merely of excessive laughter having a kind of inordinateness itself, even if not contrary to love of God or neighbor.

There is also discussion by St. Thomas and other saints about when mirth can become senseless and therefore sinful, being contrary to temperance, moderation, or sobriety of heart. I’m guessing laughter becomes excessive when it becomes like that.
 
Last edited:
Jesus was fully human and fully divine. He laughed, cried, ate, danced, got dressed, bought things, He was like us in all but sin, and laughter is certainly not a sin!
 
Sickness is the result of Original Sin, so, no as He was like us in all BUT sin and it’s effects.

He was/is all knowing and all powerful. He could not have misspoke, that would violate His Divine nature. Forgetting is not possible for someone who literally knows everything.
 
HOMM said:
40.png
Genesis315:
In any event, the Catechism notes “immoderate laughter” as an example of a venial sin (CCC 1856).
Click to expand...
And, in context of St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings, “immoderate laughter” is laughter directed at the expense of others (i.e., mockingly laughing at them), not for the appreciation of the joy of life…I would like to think that Jesus let out more than a few, deep, belly laughs in appreciation of joy!
Click to expand...
But if “immoderate drinking” is drinking too much, why wouldn’t “immoderate laughter” simply be laughing too much, regardless of the focus of the laughter? I never realized that laughter at some point became sinful. Probably safest to avoid the old TV situation comedies that I used to find funny.
 
Pitcairn17 said:
But if “immoderate drinking” is drinking too much, why wouldn’t “immoderate laughter” simply be laughing too much, regardless of the focus of the laughter?
Click to expand...
Depends on definition of “immoderate”…It might not mean “too much”, but the purpose for drinking.

If one drinks at a wedding or other celebratory event, that is not necessary immoderate. However, if one uses the event as an excuse or rationalization for getting drunk then it might be immoderate.
 
Immoderate dressing usually doesn’t refer to “wearing clothes that cover up too much of your body”.

immoderate: not sensible or restrained; excessive.

synonyms: excessive, heavy, intemperate, unrestrained, unrestricted, uncontrolled, unlimited, unbridled, uncurbed, self-indulgent, overindulgent, imprudent, reckless, wild; More
 
Roguish said:
40.png
Irishmom2:
Actually, the author of the blog you linked to says that he believes Jesus did laugh. The people in the comments section afterward mostly agreed. Why would anyone think that Jesus never found anything funny enough to laugh about? What an odd premise.
Click to expand...
My link was to one of the comments, one that argued why Jesus would not have laughed. The link wasn’t to the original article. Perhaps this kind of link does not work in your browser.
Click to expand...
Oh, it worked, but i didn’t think you started a thread about that one comment that disagrees with the blog author’s comment that Jesus did laugh. My bad, but again, an odd premise.
 
KevinK said:
Further to this, is it possible for Jesus to laugh, but not the Father or the Holy Spirit?
Click to expand...
“If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans.”

And when I landed teaching fifth grade for a year, I’m pretty sure it led to earthquakes . . .
 
St Genesius is patron saint of clowns and comedians - so laughter well and truly has a place in the Christian life. True, we should be mindful not to be mocking or hurtful in our laughter, or cause scandal by laughing at things that deserve respect. But otherwise a shared laugh (and people very rarely laugh alone) has all sorts of social, psychological and even physical benefits.
 
Last edited:
This delightful scene from The Passion of the Christ has Jesus laughing with Mary during their “hidden” life in Nazareth.

Of course the scene is pure conjecture, but I like to think it’s possible and that life for them may have had moments such as this.

 
there is absolutely nothing in the bible to suggest Jesus ever laughed or told a joke or was even amused at any of God’s creation. He may have felt joy and happiness but never laughter. Is there anything funny about God’s creation? No.
Click to expand...
There’s nothing in the Bible to suggest that He wiped his face with a napkin or yawned or rubbed his tired feet, either. There’s also no recording of George Washington laughing, either. We take for granted that any human born in human form laughs.

By the way, there’s God’s creation can be quite funny. If you don’t believe me, go to Youtube and enter “funny cats.” 😺
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top