Christian Meme of the Week

Your weekly dose of funny (or at least until I run out of ideas).

The Christian Humor-ectomy

This will have to be a fast post, as I’ve got several things to do this morning, but after reading some of the Tweets during last night’s S—r Bowl (don’t want to infringe the copyright), I have decided that many people of faith have a humor-ectomy at some point after their conversion. I’m not sure when this happens, or why, but for some of my brothers and sisters the only unforgivable sin is laughter.

There’s nothing that these humor-fasting folks can’t make holy. Doesn’t matter if the topic is as fluffy and ridiculous as a championship game for a sport played primarily in America yet deemed a global title, they’ll find some way to add the trombone of sadness.

It really struck me last night, in the midst of the Big Game Blackout, when approximately 4 billion Christians decided that the world needed 30 minutes of extended metaphors on darkness, spiritual blindness, evil, pain, suffering, and the efficacy of being the Light. Sure, some of my less holy friends made jokes about the outage, but far more people commented on the “message” of the moment: the message being, apparently, that we should always be on the lookout for Debbie Downer.

I’m the opposite. I sat there and tried to think of as many good jokes as possible. That says something about me, I’m sure – probably something unpleasant – but mainly it just means that in the face of absurdity I like to laugh. It’s sort of my family’s main way of dealing with the world; we subscribe to the idea of “If you ain’t laughing, you’re crying, and ain’t nobody got time for that.” My grandfathers taught me the power of a good laugh, and I incorporate humor into my teaching and writing because it helps make connections.

Heck, if you’re a parent, you know full well how powerful laughter can be. Either you laugh at the stuff your kids do, or you waste your life seething. I would prefer to teach my children laughter rather than unending rage. Maybe it’s just me.

Is there a time when humor is inappropriate? Absolutely. I’m not talking about being jester all the time. But the converse is true: we don’t have to be serious all the time either. Solomon said it first, but The Byrds made it culturally accessible: to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to laugh is included in the “everything.”

I believe that we can look at our daily lives and find ample evidence for the grace and power of God at work. I think we can stare deeply into the sadness and seriousness of life and find God’s truth; I believe equally that we can look into the joy and laughter of life and find His DNA as well.

So relax, Serious Christian. Have a laugh. Find a funny. It’s okay. And for you newer Christians out there, don’t feel like you have to cut off your sense of humor to be holy.

Honestly, it’s probably the opposite.

Christian Meme of the Week

Just a little humor for your Monday. (Assuming you find this sort of thing funny.)

And for those who don’t understand the context: in the South, the “wine” served in communion cups is often grape juice. Thus the reference to “the fruit of the vine” as opposed to wine. Don’t want to be misleading, you know…

Christian Meme of the Week

Happy New Year!

Since we’ve entered 2013, I’ve decided to add a new feature to the blog to stir conversation and give me a really lazy entry for at least one day of the week.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Christian Meme of the Week.

If you have no idea what memes are, don’t sweat it – just ask the nearest person to you who’s under the age of 18. They should be able to clear it up for you. All memes are created by me via Meme Generator unless otherwise specified.

This week’s meme: The Socially Awkward Penguin

Questions I’d Ask During Tonight’s Debate

There’s a presidential debate tonight, in case you didn’t know (which, if you didn’t, what’s it like to live in a world devoid of phones, TV, computers, electricity, and angst? And what, exactly, does it mean to be Amish?). It will be America’s first time to see the two men vying to lead our great nation go head-to-head on domestic policy issues: the economy, healthcare, the role of government, and governing. In the grand tradition of presidential debates, someone is certain to come off like a doofus.

I’m sure that the estimable Jim Lehrer, he who moderates all serious debates, will have done plenty of prep work concerning the questions the candidates will answer. And I’m also sure that both candidates will do their best to try and get some digs in on their opponent, while saying that sound substantive but lack flavor (think of rice cakes; now imagine them as words coming from a person’s mouth). Given both of those things, it’s sure to be a fairly standard debate.

But I don’t want standard. I think we should spice it up. I think we need to throw in questions that no person in their right mind would ask a potential president, questions that cut to the soul of a man and reveal his true mettle.

If I were Jim Lehrer, here’s some questions I’d like answered during tonight’s debate:

• A man lies dead, in a room with no windows and doors. His shirt is wet and bloody. He has been obviously stabbed in the chest, only there are no weapons found in the room. How would you make this the fault of your opponent?
• I’m going to say a word, and I’d like you to give me a five minute, extemporaneous speech based on that word. The word is: lock-box.
• Why do the Oreoes people insist on misspelling the word “Stuft”?
• Iran is on the verge of nuclear capability. Israel is going to nuke the snot out of them before they can activate the bomb. On a scale from 1 to 10, tell me how scared you are of each country, and then tell me where I can find a good Kosher deli in Denver.
• Is has been asserted that you, Mr. Romney, are out of touch with the average American because of your wealth. Mr. Obama, in the office of the president you receive a nice salary, a free house, free travel, free security, free food, free TV coverage, and a bullet-proof office. So, what else do you and Mr. Romney have in common?
• Given what I just said about the presidency, Mr. Romney, how will you handle a downgrade in your living conditions?
• I’m going to say a word and I want you to say the first thing that comes to your mind: strategery.
• Have you ever drank Tab?
• Who’s a better James Bond: Sean Connery or Daniel Craig?
• You have made many promises during this election cycle. If I were to ask your wife how many promises you’ve broken to her, what would her answer be, and which broken promise hurt her the most?
• If you’re elected, would you ever be tempted to just wear gym shorts and a faded Batman t-shirt into the office on a random Monday?
• Your favorite Beatles song. Go.
• Which would you rather eat: fried green tomatoes or boiled okra?
• If you accidentally passed gas during a State of the Union address, would you A) pretend nothing happened; B) blame your Vice-President; C) own up to it by making it into a joke; or D) do whatever the recent polls told you to do.
• What is your favorite Interweb meme?
• Given your access to classified information, if you’re elected president would you finally reveal to the American people which individual or group was responsible for letting the dogs out?
• And finally, gentlemen: if you lose the election in November, will you consider the abuse, speculation, animosity, divisiveness, hatred, screed, and rigmarole heaped upon you, your families and your campaign workers worth it?

Let’s see Jim Lehrer top that.