[Alex Murphy]

THIS IS SATIRE. HUMOR.

You all remember "laughing" - that thing that you used to do, in response to watching "Gilligan's Island", before you became a Christian? Laughter is what your pastor is trying to provoke in you, when he tells those bad jokes at the beginning of his sermon. Right before "putting His enemies under his feet" (Psalm 110), IMO "getting Christians to laugh" must be the second-to-the-last thing that Christ will accomplish before the Second Coming.

In Ecclesiastes 2:2, the author complains that laughter is "madness", asking "what does it accomplish?"

Psalm 2:4 tells us that God, in heaven, laughs and scoffs at the kings of this earth "in derision".

Psalm 37:13 says the Lord laughs at the wicked, for "their day is coming".

But for the faithful, Genesis 21:6 tells us that laughter is an appropriate response to God's blessings, Job 8:21 promises laughter for those afflicted by Satan, and Psalm 126:2 says laughter is a sign to unbelieving nations that God has done great things for us.

As Christians, we should learn to laugh more.

That said, why do I include all these warnings, sirens, and sledgehammer-to-the-head graphics telling you not to take this seriously? Recently, a poster claimed that every one of my posts "end up making FReepers look publicly stupid." Please remember that those are not my words. While I'm appreciative of the compliment, I can't exactly brag about my I.Q. (I know at least four current- and former-FReepers who have I.Q.s from twenty to fifty points HIGHER than mine, so what bragging rights does that leave me?). Said poster insisted that I provide sufficient warnings on all my humor threads, in advance, telling you that you're about to read something ficticious and humorous. This is needed, apparently, to prevent you from having to think about what you're reading, and hurting yourself in the process. If it makes you feel any better, please know that I give you all more credit than that, but others don't. They thought that you looked stupid on my earlier threads, and that you needed these warning labels.

Mel Brooks (not a Christian) once defined laughter in this way: "Tragedy is me cutting my finger. Comedy is you getting eaten by a tiger." Take that for what it's worth.

[Alex Murphy]

THIS IS A HAIR PLUG

Oh, praise the Lord! Free Republic has a new ping list! And YOU can join it now! FReepmail me if you want to be added to The Free Republic PTL Ping List and HAIR Club!

This should never happen to anybody. Don't let this happen to you! Join the pinglist now!

So what are YOU waiting for? Join The Free Republic PTL Ping List and HAIR Club TODAY! FReepmail me for details!

PTL=Pardon The Laughing
HAIR=Hilariously Ablutionary Irreverent Reading

[GreyFriar]

Non-mega church ping

[dangus]

They (RCC) tried to downsize a few plants in Boston, and everyone got all mad and everything...

[ThomasThomas]

What do you mean by Satire?

[Larry Lucido]

Our megachurch is having merger talks with a megachurch across town, but that may mean closing down one of the amusement parks. Also, we have to vote on whether we will be pre- or post-tribulationists. We may settle on mid-tribulationism, but will have to get all new videos for the bookstore. And we're certain to lay off some parishoners, but some of that goal can be met by attrition.

[stands2reason]

But would a Christian find this funny? You tell me.... I though it was, but I not a Christian...should I feel guilty?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsccgEjLqMc&NR

[VOA]

What you wrote is satire...and truth.

In Los Angeles, one of the biggest churches of the African-American community
basically has a membership contract establishing the minimal activities
a person will expect do in order to be a member in good standing.

As sociologists like Rodney Stark have pointed out...growing and
vibrant churches are usually those that actually demand/expect
something of the people in the pews.

[A.J.Armitage]

I don't like this letter idea. Haven't they read Matthew 18? Not as bad as that story about mascots in worship, but still.