An Absolutely Profitable Joke

[InSlaveryToChrist]

Is the profit/benefit/edification of a joke dependent on the listener? If yes, then doesn't that mean we cannot condemn ANY joke based on our interpretation of it? So, is there even such a thing as an absolutely profitable joke, or an absolutely unprofitable joke?

 

[py3ak]

I suppose it depends on how you are thinking about profitability. But I would suggest that "profitability" is not the best criterion by which to judge a joke, or perhaps any speech, because we are not in control of outcomes. Foolish jesting is not convenient - no matter what the result is. God could overrule the foolishness of the jest and use it to make someone seriously consider their ways: that doesn't change the foolishness of the original jest. So what you rather have to ask yourself is if a joke is good (not merely in the sense of funny, but also in the sense of pure) and if it is the right moment for it.

 

[InSlaveryToChrist]

I suppose it depends on how you are thinking about profitability. But I would suggest that "profitability" is not the best criterion by which to judge a joke, or perhaps any speech, because we are not in control of outcomes. Foolish jesting is not convenient - no matter what the result is. God could overrule the foolishness of the jest and use it to make someone seriously consider their ways: that doesn't change the foolishness of the original jest. So what you rather have to ask yourself is if a joke is good (not merely in the sense of funny, but also in the sense of pure) and if it is the right moment for it.

Thank you. I would still want to ask one more question. Should we not always mean what we say, and say what we mean? I just cannot see why we should conceal a truth from others, and after having made fool of them, reveal the truth to them, instead of just immediately delivering the truth. I just don't get joking. It's feels so pointless to me.

 

[Bookmeister]

Samuel,
Jesus laughed. Are you married. Have kids. Lighten up. There is a reason it is called a "sense" of humor. Life is not worth living without laughter.

Just some observations.

 

[EverReforming]

Thank you. I would still want to ask one more question. Should we not always mean what we say, and say what we mean? I just cannot see why we should conceal a truth from others, and after having made fool of them, reveal the truth to them, instead of just immediately delivering the truth. I just don't get joking. It's feels so pointless to me.

Not all jokes are are lies or deceptions. Yes, we need to be honest, as the 9th commandment instructs us that we are not to bear false witness against our neighbor. However, joking around does not necessarily mean you have to be cruel and deceptive with those, and does not mean you have to have fun at the expense of someone else's dignity. We're not meant to be sour and cranky. Lighten up and learn to laugh a little.

 

[InSlaveryToChrist]

Thank you. I would still want to ask one more question. Should we not always mean what we say, and say what we mean? I just cannot see why we should conceal a truth from others, and after having made fool of them, reveal the truth to them, instead of just immediately delivering the truth. I just don't get joking. It's feels so pointless to me.

Not all jokes are are lies or deceptions. Yes, we need to be honest, as the 9th commandment instructs us that we are not to bear false witness against our neighbor. However, joking around does not necessarily mean you have to be cruel and deceptive with those, and does not mean you have to have fun at the expense of someone else's dignity. We're not meant to be sour and cranky. Lighten up and learn to laugh a little.

That I don't joke around does not mean I don't, or cannot laugh. I do laugh.

---------- Post added at 06:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:24 PM ----------

Life is not worth living without laughter.

Disagreed. I'm totally satisfied with my relationship with God, and I need no additional jokes to make me happy.

 

[Pergamum]

What if a joke is about a duck or a chicken? I know a few duck jokes.

The 9th commandnment doesn't apply to poulty, right?

 

[LeeJUk]

The bible condemns crude joking, not joking in general. Since the bible doesn't prohibit joking who exactly are you to prohibit joking?

We do get our greatest joy out of our relationship with the Lord but the Lord also created other things to give us joy. That's why were not all mystics sitting in monasteries because we recognise God wants us to live in the full spectrum of his creation as well as having a relationship with him.

He created differing types of food for us to enjoy, created relationships and sex for us to enjoy, created music for us to enjoy and I could go on forever.

You really should get some help or relaxation or something. The tone of your last few posts/threads sounds similar to that of someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown or someone under huge amounts of stress.

 

[Pergamum]

I suppose it depends on how you are thinking about profitability. But I would suggest that "profitability" is not the best criterion by which to judge a joke, or perhaps any speech, because we are not in control of outcomes. Foolish jesting is not convenient - no matter what the result is. God could overrule the foolishness of the jest and use it to make someone seriously consider their ways: that doesn't change the foolishness of the original jest. So what you rather have to ask yourself is if a joke is good (not merely in the sense of funny, but also in the sense of pure) and if it is the right moment for it.

Thank you. I would still want to ask one more question. Should we not always mean what we say, and say what we mean? I just cannot see why we should conceal a truth from others, and after having made fool of them, reveal the truth to them, instead of just immediately delivering the truth. I just don't get joking. It's feels so pointless to me.

I do not think that we always have to say exactly what we mean. I do not think we are always obligated to be as absolutely truthful as we could be in all occasions. Also, human speech has the purpose of imparting information, but also speech is used for relational purposes as well.

I also don't get joking at the expense of people. Maybe this has happened to you. These sorts of jokes demean others. So I agree with much of what you are saying. Also, much sarcasm is mean-spirited.

However, much joking is not to demean any one person but often points out the present indignities of man or his condition in life. Or they play with intellectual conventions and keep your mind operating quick.


by the way,




What do you get if you divide the cirucmference of a jack-o-lantern by its diameter?


Pumpkin Pi!

---------- Post added at 04:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:22 PM ----------

Also:

What does the zero say to the the eight?

Nice belt!

or, consider this true story that I heard

A visiting pastor went to a village to preach through a translator. Wanting to greet them, and not mindful to avoid American idioms, he began, "It tickles me to death to be here.."

The confused translator announced to the crowd, "Pastor says, 'scratch me 'til I die!?!"

 

[Philip]

Thank you. I would still want to ask one more question. Should we not always mean what we say, and say what we mean? I just cannot see why we should conceal a truth from others, and after having made fool of them, reveal the truth to them, instead of just immediately delivering the truth. I just don't get joking. It's feels so pointless to me.

I can think, actually, of a clear example where the joke makes the point so much more poignant and benefits everyone involved.

Last year, my siblings, my mother, and I decided to throw my dad a surprise birthday party. Now, to pull a thing like this, one has to come up with all kinds of ways to hoodwink him, because he's fairly observant. Lots of sneaking around, especially the day of, when we had to rearrange transportation in such a way that he would be without a car (an unexpected flat tire was eminently helpful in this regard). But really it was all worth it when he stepped into the party, astonished to find friends and family all waiting to wish him a happy birthday.

In this case, I submit that it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun for or honoring to him if we hadn't pulled the joke. I can't think of a better joke on someone than to have them walk in and be surprised to see family and friends from all stages of life gathered to say "here's to you. God has blessed us immensely through you." Yet I also can't think of anything more honoring than a surprise of that nature.

 

[py3ak]

Thank you. I would still want to ask one more question. Should we not always mean what we say, and say what we mean? I just cannot see why we should conceal a truth from others, and after having made fool of them, reveal the truth to them, instead of just immediately delivering the truth. I just don't get joking. It's feels so pointless to me.

That isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think of a joke, actually. But you're not obligated to tell jokes, play jokes on people, or indulge any vein of humor you may find yourself to possess. You just need to bear in mind that you can't condemn laughing, merriment, or finding delight in the absurd in other people.