Spinoff: What's OK to laugh at church about?

[PaperClip]

The "First Sunday" thread got me thinking about the (fine) lines between innocent jokes/laughter and malicious mockery....

So there are some things that clearly head toward blasphemy (defined as " A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity.").

But then there are some things about church work and church life that are funny to the point that you gotta laugh to keep from crying.... And then there's some stuff that is LAUGH OUT LOUD HILARIOUS!!!!

We also know that in recent years, there's been an influx of entertainers who call themselves "Christian comedians". What do they joke about? CHURCH! Here are a couple of clips to offer a range of examples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9bED1nPWFw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8hYD9wus_0

Thursday Dec 20, 2007
http://www.tbn.org/index.php/2/37.html
Paul Crouch, Jr. hosts Christmas Comedy Night with John Gray, Nazareth, Lamont Bonman, Jeff Allen, Arthur Blessitt, Ron Pearson, Michael Junior and John Cusimano in Costa Mesa, CA.

 

[Shimmie]

RR, I when I taught Sunday School, I used to write the plays and songs for our Christmas and Easter presentation to the congregation; I also made the costumes.

Needless to say, there was always a costume that turned 'side-ways' or a prop that was dropped; and most of all a line that was 'missed' or said in opposite of what was written.

The congregation loved 'my' children ...cause not only were they cute, they 'was' funny. And I do mean 'funny'. Many of the 'babies' knew they were funny and of course 'ran' with it.

I totally 'hear' what you are asking in this thread. I know I've laughed at other things, but I thought I'd share what I thought was 'appropriate' to laugh at. Children say and do the 'darnest' things.

Oh! Here's another laugh:

When my granddaughter was very young, she used to call my Pastor "Jesus"....(It's a Long story ) It's just that I talked about Jesus to her so much, and had her in service with me so much of the time, that she somehow perceived that's who Jesus was.

Love you, precious sister. I hope I didn't take away from your purpose in this thread.

 

[PaperClip]

RR, I when I taught Sunday School, I used to write the plays and songs for our Christmas and Easter presentation to the congregation; I also made the costumes.

Needless to say, there was always a costume that turned 'side-ways' or a prop that was dropped; and most of all a line that was 'missed' or said in opposite of what was written.

The congregation loved 'my' children ...cause not only were they cute, they 'was' funny. And I do mean 'funny'. Many of the 'babies' knew they were funny and of course 'ran' with it.

I totally 'hear' what you are asking in this thread. I know I've laughed at other things, but I thought I'd share what I thought was 'appropriate' to laugh at. Children say and do the 'darnest' things.

Oh! Here's another laugh:

When my granddaughter was very young, she used to call my Pastor "Jesus"....(It's a Long story ) It's just that I talked about Jesus to her so much, and had her in service with me so much of the time, that she somehow perceived that's who Jesus was.

Love you, precious sister. I hope I didn't take away from your purpose in this thread.

Not at all! This is good talk here! Thank you for sharing!

Per your Jesus story:

At my great-grandfather's funeral (I believe it was that one), we all came home and my brother (who was maybe 2-3 at the time), said he saw Jesus at the funeral home. My mom was like "huh"? and he said it again.... Turns out he was talking about our pastor!

When I was 16 years old, I fainted in the choir stand during Sunday morning service. I got carried out of the choir stand and after church one of my mother's friends came and pressed her fist into my stomach. I asked my mom why she did that and my mom said she was checking to see if I was pregnant.... Oh...I guess that wasn't funny HAHA but funny to keep me from crying at the accusation (and nope, I wasn't with child!)

 

[Shimmie]

Not at all! This is good talk here! Thank you for sharing!

Per your Jesus story:

At my great-grandfather's funeral (I believe it was that one), we all came home and my brother (who was maybe 2-3 at the time), said he saw Jesus at the funeral home. My mom was like "huh"? and he said it again.... Turns out he was talking about our pastor!

When I was 16 years old, I fainted in the choir stand during Sunday morning service. I got carried out of the choir stand and after church one of my mother's friends came and pressed her fist into my stomach. I asked my mom why she did that and my mom said she was checking to see if I was pregnant.... Oh...I guess that wasn't funny HAHA but funny to keep me from crying at the accusation (and nope, I wasn't with child!)

I think as parents we talk to our chidren so much about our Pastors and Jesus, that to them they can only see one connection.... Praise God!

But RR, don't people do the 'dumbest' things. I mean instead of that woman making sure you were okay, she passed an unnecessary judgement upon you and then abruptly 'acted' upon it. Crazy woman! ! I'm sorry that happened to you.

I know of 'many' choir experiences where someone fainted or almost did. It's hot up there and the robes and the crowd of 'heaters' (no, not haters ), but it's too many human bodies up there and if you come to church without breakfast or without water in your system, you will get dizzy and feel faint.

OH! Now you and I can 'tell' some stories. I know we can. I remember during campmeetings, we had all kinds of 'funny' things occurring. Especially from the visitors.

Let me stop...before I get in trouble But you know I can tell it.

I think you should have named this thread, "How Funny Was It? What have you laughed at in Church?"

 

[PaperClip]

""How Funny Was It? What have you laughed at in Church?"

Awww! LOL!

This one guest speaker (well known) was preaching and she was giving an example. She had a man come up and she began to tell him to take off his clothes--as part of what she was illustrating. She got to the bare chest.

She didn't come back to our church for a LONG time after that incident....

 

[Nice & Wavy]

This is a good thread, RR.

I remember when we were about to do a play and dh had the first lines in the play. When it was his turn, he forgot his lines....I knew it because he gave me "that" look. I couldn't help him because I didn't know his lines. Well, he turned to the congregation and begin to pray in tongues. Well, the whole congregation fell out...I mean, you had to see his face when he did it...it was hysterical. Our pastor kept laughing throughout the whole play and after it was over, he came over to dh and said "you did what I would have done....!"

Now, some would say...what's funny about that? It was funny because we as believers know that when you need help, call upon the Name of the Lord, anyway you can! He did and right away he remembered his lines and the whole play was a blast!

I enjoy laughing in church...I think its a good thing to have fun and enjoy laughter....

Thanks for the thread.

 

[ladyofvirtue]

Good thread RR.

At this one service, as soon as a lady saw the video/cameraman coming towards her, she started to shout. When he moved on, she stopped shouting. I thought that was really funny.

Many years ago, we had a candlelight processional for our youth choir. As we stood on the stairwell waiting to march in, the girl behind me started talking to the girl behind her. All of a sudden I heard someone shout, "Her head's on fire!" When I saw the smoke and felt the heat, I started to run. It didn't help that, earlier that day, I had sprayed a ton of Afro Sheen on my great big fro. Thankfully, they quickly patted my head and put out the flames. It barely touched my ends, but I smelled like burnt wood chips throughout the evening. And the back of my hair was singed.
The poor girl who did it was mortifyed (sp.?) and apologized profusely. I couldn't get mad at her cause she didn't do it on purpose.
My Dad ended up taking me to a barber who, after studying my head for a few minutes, combed all of my hair to the front, and ended up giving me a big chop. Back in the day, this was so not cute.
I can laugh about it now but back then, it wasn't even funny.

While walking up to give my offering, my jacket got caught on the pew that was located in front of me. Just imagine walking briskly and getting snatched outta your skin by a pew!

My DH and I were standing during the climax of a sermon. I swung my arms out and mistakingly hit him in his groin. The look on his face was priceless.

I have 1000's more.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

Good thread RR.

At this one service, as soon as a lady saw the video/cameraman coming towards her, she started to shout. When he moved on, she stopped shouting. I thought that was really funny. Now, she should have sat down on some fiberglass after that one....

Many years ago, we had a candlelight processional for our youth choir. As we stood on the stairwell waiting to march in, the girl behind me started talking to the girl behind her. All of a sudden I heard someone shout, "Her head's on fire!" When I saw the smoke and felt the heat, I started to run. It didn't help that, earlier that day, I had sprayed a ton of Afro Sheen on my great big fro. Thankfully, they quickly patted my head and put out the flames. It barely touched my ends, but I smelled like burnt wood chips throughout the evening. And the back of my hair was singed.
The poor girl who did it was mortifyed (sp.?) and apologized profusely. I couldn't get mad at her cause she didn't do it on purpose.
My Dad ended up taking me to a barber who, after studying my head for a few minutes, combed all of my hair to the front, and ended up giving me a big chop. Back in the day, this was so not cute.
I can laugh about it now but back then, it wasn't even funny.

While walking up to give my offering, my jacket got caught on the pew that was located in front of me. Just imagine walking briskly and getting snatched outta your skin by a pew!

My DH and I were standing during the climax of a sermon. I swung my arms out and mistakingly hit him in his groin. The look on his face was priceless.

I have 1000's more.

You not kidding...i'm sure you have tons of stories...

 

[Shimmie]

RR, I love this thread. You 'done' started something, cause I have more stories...

1. Okay, I won't name names...

But we used to have guest speakers who were well known on TBN. Annny hoo, I think he must of passed gas, because Pastor had a hard time standing close to him....It was just too obvious.

2. I grew up going to Seventh Day Adventist, Catholic services and some Baptist services. The Services were pretty laid back. Epecially in the Catholic services. Imagine my 'horror' when I attended my first 'shout' service. I thought the women were going to break their backs with all of the 'bucking' and falling out. I'm used to it now, but I still don't have the 'dance' down.

3. I used to wear 'grannie panties' all the time when I got Saved, because I thought is was a 'sin' to wear pretty underwear. They were huge on me and one Sunday, I kept feeling something falling down my hip area. I had to stay seated during the entire service because the elastic in my panties was so loose that they wouldn't stay up on me. I was terrified that Sunday and could not focus on the message. When it was time to leave, I had to wobble to the parking lot I couldn't walk normally because I was trying to keep from losing my 'grannies'... I got some very strange looks that day. I'm back to sexy underwear now.

4. More elastic drama. One day, my skirt kept falling. It was loose elastic again and I did not have a safety pin. The thing is, I didn't realize it until I was greeting people in the congregation and I almost lost my skirt. Each time I stood up, I was holding my skirt up with one hand and my Bible with the other.

5. One more elastic story...(I've got a million of them ). My pantyhose somehow got twisted when I was 'finishing' in the ladies room. I was so uncomfortable. But the funny thing is that they kept getting more loose throughout the service. I had to walk out of the Church with baggy, twisted, loose pantyhose all around my ankles.

6. Should I tell you about my mal-function bra? Well, as I was sitting in Service one Sunday, I noticed something pushing itsself up through my blouse. The underwire in my bra was sliding up and out of my blouse and there was nothing that I could do about it. It was 'there' in full view and everyone knew.

7. One day, the heel of my shoe got caught in the crack of the tile floor and I was trying to walk and couldn't move my left foot. It was stuck in the crack....

 

[ladyofvirtue]

You all are too funny!

 

[klb120475]

If it's funny....I laugh.

I likes to laugh.........