Recently I shared a (what I thought was) funny meme on my Facebook where Jesus was depicted making a joke (see below). It turns out, not everybody has a sense of humor when it comes to Jesus. I got some reactions from people who were ‘offended’ and ‘disappointed’ that I would post something like that.
I admit, it bothered me a bit, and you know why? I never even hesitated before posting it. To me, it was so clearly funny, and not even close to being offensive. Or a profanity, as one commenter labeled it.
It has really made me wonder:
Where do you draw the line with Christian humor?
Take Jon Acuff for instance. I think he’s brilliant and I love his sense of humor. Every time I see or hear a Jesus juke, I chuckle.
And I’m pretty sure God has a sense of humor. There’s the fact that He made us in his image, and a lot of people have a sense of humor — though admittedly, some don’t, and the British seem to have gotten twice the amount everybody else on the planet got.
Plus, He made giraffes.
Have you ever seen a giraffe up close and personal? You cannot see a giraffe, and be unconvinced God doesn’t have a sense of humor.
So if God has a sense of humor, Jesus must have one as well, which means He must have cracked a joke or two when He walked this planet. Would He really mind of we made some funny jokes about Him, ones that don’t diminish the Gospel in any way?
I took that post down (which is why I’m feeling like a bit of a rebel for posting it here again!). Not because I agreed — I still think that meme was hilarious — but because I don’t want to cause strife or irritation. That’s not why I’m on Facebook.
It does make me wonder, however:
Bill says
What you shared was funny and thoughtful. I can also understand some people being uncomfortable with it. But Jesus consistently made people uncomfortable, sometimes with humor.
It raises the question of “the heckler’s veto.” Someone will always take offense – do we give them veto power over everything?
Rachel Blom says
Good question. No, I don’t think we should take something down from for instance Facebook because someone disagrees with it. But in this case I did it because it caused strife and people were truly offended, which obviously was never my intention. But it does raise the question where you draw the line in giving in to other people’s lack of humor 🙂
Eric Dye says
You’ve raised some great questions, Rachel. We were faced with some similar questions with the April Fools Day posts on ChurchMag earlier this month. Humor can be a tricky thing — much like religion and politics — so when you mix the two — YIKES!
Rachel Blom says
I saw some people indeed exploding over April Fools jokes which I thought were hilarious…it shows that humor is a very personal thing, But it does make me wonder why those who can’t see the humor also can’t seem to shrug it off. I have a more British than American humor I guess, because I don’t like a lot of American comedies. That doesn’t mean I have to trash them though, or that Hollywood should stop making them (although in the case of Adam Sandler – yes please, do stop making them!). Why can’t people see others do find it funny and leave it at that?
Eric Dye says
Well, that’s a good question. Perhaps they lack a sense of humor….
Michael Beck says
Its all about the heart. If you are mocking God (especially out of a place of hurt or hate) then its over the line. If you are pointing out something that is funny (even if it stings to have it pointed out) its funny! We tend to take things too personally and get offended for Jesus way too often. If Jesus can still love us with all our faults.. surely he knows hot to take a joke!
Rachel Blom says
Good call Michael, I like your approach. And I know Jesus has a sense of humor, He must have had one to hang out with the 12 most unlikely disciples He chose, right?
Kelley Langkamp says
First, Rachel, thanks for making me smile on what has been a really difficult day. I’m in total agreement about the giraffes and the British (although my husband does frequently does not get their humor).
I think Michael is right about the heart. There are times where people cross the line into hurtful or hateful in the name of humor. There are also plenty of times where people just get offended way to easily.
For me, I think it is a balance. I want to show that Christians can/do have fun and a sense of humor. I also know that there are always going to be some that are offended. There are a few people in my life that are the mark that I judge against. Would my mom/aunt/best friend/etc be offended? If not, then I figure I’m safe.
Rachel Blom says
That’s a good approach Kelley, to ask yourself what your best friends would think of it. Glad to have made you smile, hope today will be better for you 🙂
Carol Saddington says
Personally, I love the joke, Rachel, and the ensuing discussion is excellent! Because we are made in God’s image, I agree that humor is among the many gifts we’ve been given to enjoy our journey. Your decision to remove the cartoon to avoid offending other children of God reflects kindness, another of these gifts. You used it well.
Rachel Blom says
Aw, thanks Carol for your kind words!
Susie says
I have to agree that funny and “making fun of” are different. Jesus was definitely a funny guy – look at Luke 24, Two of his followers are walking along, sad and upset, discussing what had happened and here comes Jesus walking with them and he asks them why they’re upset. Now, I could just be making up my own version of how the conversation went down but I always picture Jesus like a little kid that has a secret and wants to tell, but is savoring the moment. Like he’s playing a joke. He’s like “heeey guys what’s wrong? why are you sad?” and they’re astounded because EVERYONE knows that Jesus was dead. they tell him and he asks why they think that, then goes through the old testament explaining what was prophesied. And he keeps waking all the way into town and they tell him he shouldn’t continue alone because it’s not safe. He had to be thinking “ha ha you don’t even know who I am! But I’m going to show you and you’re going to be soooo shocked.”
I may be picturing it all wrong, but to me it’s one of the funniest parts of the bible.
I like the Yahweh joke by the way – it is funny. People get offended at anything. I don’t want to offend anyone but I have to say that we’ve become a bunch of babies. It’s so easy to say whatever we want when hiding behind a keyboard (and I’m no different) but Jesus offended TONS of people and although I’m sure there was a part of his heart that was like gee I’m sorry I offended you, he kept right on with what he knew was right. He didn’t stop preaching or teaching or talking or loving because a handful of people got offended. He moved forward and didn’t look back. You either followed him or didn’t, but he didn’t change his message to be more politically correct.
Rachel Blom says
Ha! You preach it sister 🙂 I’ve never looked at that story that way, thanks for the brilliant funny perspective!
Bob Miller says
I have to admit when I first read the lines and seeing the cavalier language used about the sacrifice and the symbolism of Communion here in the Easter season, I definitely hesitated. (I also cringed at the spelling mistake but that’s neither here nor there! lol) But then…the last line…I couldn’t stop laughing. I mean, hilarious, hilarious, hilarious!!
Anyway, I wonder if some of it was just the timing and the seriousness of His sacrifice, the meditation and prayer and fasting that many people do is a serious thing. I will say too that for anything people take very seriously, their humor drops way off and they get incredibly sensitive. So I avoid anything controversial like the plague just so I can be available (in person) to give an articulate answer to big controversies (like homosexuality) and avoid being stigmatized or labeled so I can be used. So I definitely understand your reasoning for taking the post down and would’ve done the same thing. Maybe next time just post to Close Friends or something. Oh wait..they’re sensitive too? lol
But wow, Yahweh….I can’t stop laughing!
Rachel Blom says
To be clear: I posted this a while ago on Facebook, so not around Good Friday or Easter. That timing would have been bad, I agree. Anyway, glad you could see the humor in it 🙂
Jonathan says
From a Jewish standpoint, it would be considered blasphemy. Given Hebrews 11:1, I believe that everything from the OT applies just as much as the NT. Does G-d have a sense of humor? Most likely. Should we use grace as an excuse to sin and mock Him? Doesn’t seem wise to me…but to each his, or in this case, her, own…
Rachel Blom says
Good perspective, thanks for sharing.
Jeff says
I think it’s a fine line. I have seen a few of these memes and some are more offensive than others.
To me humor is defined that you got to be able to take what you give – hence everyone’s level of humor is very different. Personally I find the humor of these particular meme’s hard to wrap my head around even if they provide me with a chuckle now and then. I think it is because Jesus is Holy and we worship him. He sets a level to which we aspire to live by.
The bible has humor in it at different places, but I don’t ever think that the humor used is degrading to a person. That is why I think these meme’s are not 100% right with everyone. It’s like a black guy can joke about other black people, but you better not be white when saying that same joke.
Making fun of the words Jesus uses to describe himself even if it is in another language means to me that you don’t fully respect what it means and by that don’t put him in the place that he is worthy of being.
Now I am not perfect either and I am the first to say I struggle with some of the Jesus meme’s. I know Jesus has a sense of humor because we are made in his image and I think my wife will be very confused if she doesn’t believe that either, but I think what let is stand apart from the crowd is what we express our humor in.
Rachel Blom says
Thanks for chiming in Jeff, I appreciate where you’re coming from! Personally, I don’t think this is degrading to Jesus, since it doesn’t deny anything He’s done, just gives it a humorous twist…but that’s where different senses of humor come in I suppose!
min.alwalker says
A group of us ministers used to say all the time “I know God has a sense of humor, just look at how he chose us to represent him” and then we would laugh and remember how if it wasn’t for God’s grace we definitely would not be preaching his word. When I minister I would sometimes say jokingly that God has a sense of humor even if he’s the only one laughing at times. And I say that because there are some things I do or screw up on I can see someone else laughing thinking it’s funny but for me I may be more sore about it; mostly because of my own pride being hurt. I’m sure I do a lot of stuff that just makes God laugh and say “that’s my son there”. It’s just the kind of relationship we share. By the way the Yahweh joke was funny lol – be blessed and a blessing
Rachel Blom says
I love your perspective on this! I see my 6 year old son do stuff all the time that makes me giggle, even if he doesn’t see the humor of it, so I guess God must look at us the same way…Great thought to hold on to!
Virginia Smith says
I always believed God has a sense of humor. How could he not? I do and say things that cause people to laugh, and I didn’t realize it was funny at the time. I did get in trouble the other day. My husband is doing a 3 day sleep study at home for his snoring. He had to wear this contraption on his face that looks very funny, to me anyway. I took a picture of him with it on while he was sleeping. I probably shouldn’t have posted the picture, but I did anyway with what I thought was a funny comment. I’m or was a big Star Trek fan, and my comment was something like…and the Borg invasion continues. My darling husband is beginning to receive the Borg implants and will soon be assimilated into the Collective. Oh dear, what is a wife to do, what is a wife to do? I received plenty of funny comments, but he was angry and his sister thought he was on oxygen. (Which, I’m sorry to say, I thought was funny). Even though I was kinda laughing to myself the entire time I was writing it, I should have realized not everyone is a Star Trek fan and wouldn’t know what a Borg was even if they tripped over one. ( I just found my last sentence funny and am giggling. ). Just the name Borg is funny and I can’t understand why anyone would think my husband was on oxygen after reading my comment. I guess there’s a thin line between funny and offensive to some people and Jesus jokes might be one of those subjects. As long as the joke is in good humor and not profane, I think they’re funny. Your Jesus meme was very funny, however, there will always be people out there that just don’t get it, but I wouldn’t allow them to run the show, so I’ll probably continue with my Borg jokes.
Virginia Smith says
Just to clear up something. My reference to my husband and the Borg was made in good faith and not meant to be hurtful in any way. I was not making fun of his character, just the snoring contraption. As far as the Jesus meme goes, I don’t find it blasphemous. It makes Jesus sound like one of the guys putting a humorous spin about something that actually happened and the Yahweh thing at the end made me laugh out loud. That meme took nothing away from what Jesus did back in the day. Thanks for sharing it.
Rachel Blom says
Oh my, you made me laugh…I could totally picture your poor husband with the whole contraption! Poor man. The thing is, I would have thought it was funny too (even though I’m not a Trekkie, I would recognize the reference…and I would never get offended over something like that!). Then again, I come from a family where we’ve made laughing about ourselves into a rich art 🙂 We deal with life through humor I guess, but not everyone is that way, especially on Facebook or other social media. I’ve learned to triple check before I post anything, but even then to accept that sometimes people will find offense no matter what. Which, at the end of the day, really says more about them than about me or you, right? Thanks for sharing, gave me a good laugh!