#45. Jesus Had a Sense of Humor

Dare I ask? "Was Jesus a standup comic?" The Gospels paint a portrait of Jesus as over-flowing with humor and wit, full of irony and satire, and over the edge with mocking exaggerations. Can you just picture in your mind’s eye the cartoon caricatures Jesus created, such as the “blind leading the blind and both falling into the ditch”! Or how about “straining out a gnat, but swallowing a camel”? Or better still, consider “having a log in your eye while trying to remove a splinter from another’s eye”. Do you see his humor?

Jesus told Peter that one should forgive a friend -- not seven times -- but 70 times 7 (ie, 490 times). To his followers, he posed the following question: “With all your worrying, which of you can add 18 inches to your height?” To the religious leaders, Jesus stated, “You are so careful to polish the outside of the bowl, but the inside is foul with extortion and greed.” And that is just the beginning. There is much, much more in your Bible.

Lots of religious humor has been created about Jesus. Do you suppose he would be offended by it? I think not. Here is my own picture of Jesus returning to the earth, saying to his fellow-Christians:

 

 “I said WHAT ???”

Here is one of my favorite jokes:

A Jewish Rabbi congratulated a newly ordained Catholic Priest. The former said to the Priest, "By the way, can you work your way up the ladder?" The priest stated that indeed some priests do become Bishops. “How about Bishops – can they advance?” continued the Rabbi. The priest was taken back, but added that a few can advance to become Archbishops. The Rabbi was relentless: “And beyond that?” The poor priest was shaking, but uttered that the Pope would be the highest honor. The Rabbi asked, “Is that all?”

The Priest blurted out defensively, “What in the world do you expect -- that the Pope could someday become God?

The Rabbi concluded, “Well, sure! One of our guys made it!”

Now it's your turn . . .

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