Replies

FWIW, there were no "winners" here today.

What a strange thread. I totally agree with you about letting the record stand, I know I can always learn from some of the dumb things I've said.

But don't consider this a total bust. After all , the theme of this thread is, "what is man?" and mayber we've had a better answer by demonstration than by argument.

I was going to make a suggestion about how you ought to have tried to keep this thread on theme, but then I got side-tracked as much as anyone else. I, for one would like to return to the original theme sometime.

Anyway, I forgive you for bing so mean, and saying all the nasty things you did --- (Just kidding, it's me that did that, not you. So thanks for putting up with it.)

Knowing what is serious and important means knowing what isn't. Not everything is serious, and some serious things are best laughed at.

Do you laugh when you read the Bible? Some of the greatest sarcasm in the world is in the Bible, and you ought to laugh when you read it. Here are a couple of my favorites:

This is the answer of the man who had been blind from birth who had been given his sight by Jesus. He is answering those Pharisees who had been badgering him and his parents trying to get something they could use against Jesus:

John 9:26-32 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

I can just see those old stuffy Pharisees quivering with anger when he said, "will ye also be his desciples?" And did he ever put them in their place with that marvelous (and certainly sarcastic speech, ("why this is a marvelous thing...."), at the end.

The book of Job is full of sarcasm, but the best is Job to his advisors:

Job 12:2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

(Do you know anyone like that?)

Here is one I used on this thread:

2 Cor. 12:12-13 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

But no doubt the champion of Biblical Sarcasm is Elijah:

1 Kings 18:26-28 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

Those old prophets of Baal must have been furious. Here they are cutting themselves and frantically seeking for their home-made god to do someing, and here's that fanatical prophet of the God of Israel taunting them, "you need to cry out louder. He's probably on the phone, or out hunting. Maybe he's on vacation or taking a nap. Yell louder. Yell louder!"

And here's one for this thread:

Gal. 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Most people miss the sarcasm of this verse, but once you notice it, it becomes much more meaningful.

Hank