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The Fine Art of Godly Mockery
Zianet ^ | April 20, 2003 | Al Maxey

Posted on 03/23/2010 10:58:16 AM PDT by delacoert

An acquaintance of a noted Greek philosopher once lamented, "They deride thee, O Diogenes!" Unperturbed, the philosopher replied, "But I am not derided." Diogenes, who lived from 410-320 B.C., understood that truth, if it is truth, can never be truly harmed by mockery, ridicule or derision .... nor can those who promote it. Falsehood, on the other hand, will easily wither under intense and finely focused disparagement. Thus, ridicule and mockery have long been employed as legitimate devices for distinguishing fact from fallacy.

There is a fine line, however, between responsible ridicule and malicious mockery, and what begins as an honorable effort to separate truth from falsehood can quickly deteriorate into vicious villainy. Thus, there is indeed a fine art to practicing what might be termed godly mockery. Since so few people have mastered this art, most critics suggest this device should not be utilized at all. Some even believe it sinful to employ it. That is a case of casting out the baby with the bath water, however. There is no need to be so radical, if one is simply willing to be responsible.

A scalpel in the hands of a surgeon may result in healing for the one upon whom he uses this blade. In the hands of a sadist that same instrument will inflict harm. It is not the device itself, but the mindset of the one who would employ it, that determines the nature of the outcome. The same with mockery. It can result in suffering or salvation depending upon the heart and mind of the mocker. Some young lads, for example, mocked Elisha and were torn up by two female bears (2 Kings 2:23-24), whereas Elijah mocked the false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:27) and won a great victory over them at Mount Carmel. The latter was skilled in the fine art of godly mockery, the former were not. The difference was one of life and death!

While it is certainly true that there are perversions and abuses of mockery, ridicule, sarcasm and other legitimate biblical devices, and that these have on occasion been maliciously employed to stir up strife and generate schisms, it is equally true that these devices have been employed responsibly resulting in positive outcomes. Just because there are fake diamonds being manufactured and sold on the market as genuine jewels doesn't mean there are no real diamonds to be found. One must simply be discerning.

The Pharisees likely did not take kindly to the picture Jesus painted of them as blind men guiding blind men head over heels into a pit (Matthew 15:14), or as legalists straining out gnats while swallowing camels (Matthew 23:24), but this was subtle mockery with a spiritual message! Earlier in the latter chapter, Jesus mocked the rigid religious leaders with these words (aptly paraphrased in the Living Bible) -- "You would think these Jewish leaders and these Pharisees were Moses, the way they keep making up so many laws! And of course you should obey their every whim!" (Matthew 23:2-3). Mockery! But, godly mockery! Jesus sought to alert the people to the arrogance, as well as the dangers, of their leaders, portraying them as Moses-mimes and mandate-makers, men whose whims were expected to be obeyed as though their pronouncements had fallen from the lips of Moses himself. I believe the people got the message. So did the leaders, who wasted no time in seeking to destroy Him. The truth conveyed by the mockery was unmistakable, and it made a lasting impression upon impressionable minds.

As noted earlier, Elijah, one of only two men spared the pain of death, as he confronted the false prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, "mocked them" (1 Kings 18:27). Through this device the people came to perceive the ridiculous plight of these men as they called out to their lifeless idols and cut themselves in frustration over the deafening silence of their deities. The godly mockery utilized by Elijah presented a profound message to those assembled to witness this duel of deities. What was the outcome? "And when the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God" (1 Kings 18:39).

The prophet Ezekiel was instructed to prophesy to the people of Jerusalem that God would bring mockery against them for the purpose of shaming them. When sin has brought a people low, derision is one device which just might help facilitate their repentance. "You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations, and a mocking to all the lands. Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you" (Ezekiel 22:4-5). The ultimate intent of godly mockery is to restore a people, not to ruin them! Responsible ridicule will bring reformation in its wake, although its barbs may initially be quite painful to bear.

In the first chapter of Proverbs we find Wisdom, personified, speaking rather bluntly to those who have rejected her. "Since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you" (Proverbs 1:24-26). As with Jerusalem during the time of the prophet Ezekiel, sometimes mockery becomes necessary as a means of bringing a people to an awareness of their spiritual plight. Godly mockery can indeed be used effectively to bring about godly responses from those who have succumbed to the folly of falsehood.

Some of God's people today are ill-informed and misguided. For a few, however, these characterizations are much too generous! A healthy dose of responsible ridicule and godly mockery might just be what the Great Physician requires for some professing His name! Some people respond well to subtleties .... others need a two-by-four between the eyes! That's where mockery, derision, sarcasm and ridicule come in. Used sparingly and responsibly by Spirit-led disciples it may well bring about spiritual healing and reformation.

Joshua Clark, from Washington state, in an article entitled "Satire and Sarcasm" (published on the Internet: July 18, 2002), made some insightful remarks that we would all do well to carefully and prayerfully consider:



TOPICS: General Discusssion
KEYWORDS: antimormonthread; beck; glennbeck; lds; mormon; mormon1; mormonism
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To: svcw

They were good. That is probably my favorite episode along with “Have you got any ‘unpasturized Stilton’?”


121 posted on 03/26/2010 7:38:02 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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To: Elsie

LOL.


122 posted on 03/26/2010 7:38:46 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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To: restornu; svcw

Those are reaganaut words...

- - - - - - - -
What, no ping?

And they are God’s words, not mine.

Sigh.


123 posted on 03/26/2010 7:39:35 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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To: svcw

oh snap


124 posted on 03/26/2010 7:39:53 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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Comment #125 Removed by Moderator

To: Invincibly Ignorant

Leave the thread.


126 posted on 03/26/2010 8:24:22 PM PDT by Religion Moderator
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To: reaganaut

Still, you did know the movie. LOL


127 posted on 03/26/2010 8:26:36 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: Vendome

Sad, isn’t it? A good chunk of our casual conversation at home is movie references.


128 posted on 03/26/2010 8:34:59 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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To: reaganaut

I get around my house to. I think I hang out with girls to much....

Nawhh! Can’t ever get enough.


129 posted on 03/26/2010 8:41:01 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
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To: Religion Moderator

I wondered who was ZOTTED those 3 times!


130 posted on 03/26/2010 8:58:59 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie

Ooooh!

I scrolled backward and found out it was MUCH more than 3!


131 posted on 03/26/2010 9:00:21 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Religion Moderator

Geez why I was not even here?


132 posted on 03/26/2010 10:59:17 PM PDT by restornu
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To: Religion Moderator
I am looking forward to the day the deminted potty spam poster is asked to leave the thread!

....but in the meany time won't hold the breath!

133 posted on 03/26/2010 11:07:40 PM PDT by restornu
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To: Vendome

We are watching “Miracle at Morgan’s Creek” right now. Classic.


134 posted on 03/26/2010 11:26:50 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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To: restornu

Who would that be?

BTW, love the cat pic.

Do you have any pets?

We have 2 cats right now.


135 posted on 03/26/2010 11:27:59 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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To: reaganaut
That was a faulty mouse trap...


136 posted on 03/26/2010 11:32:30 PM PDT by restornu
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To: restornu

ROFL. I like that.

Seriously, do you have any pets?

We have 2 cats - Ronnie (Ronald Wilson Reagan) and Stanley (the retarded one). Want me to post a pic?


137 posted on 03/26/2010 11:48:28 PM PDT by reaganaut ("I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see")
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To: reaganaut

Sure


138 posted on 03/26/2010 11:50:25 PM PDT by restornu
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To: restornu
So you see Mormon Doctrine as “Spam”...

Interesting...

139 posted on 03/27/2010 6:18:52 AM PDT by ejonesie22 (Palin bashers on freerepublic, like a fart in Church...)
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To: restornu; reaganaut
So when you say those are reaganaut words.............Are you now saying that lds believe that salvation comes though works? Because you posted to me that salvation comes from grace and that works has nothing to do with it.

So which is it grace or works? You have now said both in a matter of two days.

140 posted on 03/27/2010 6:25:05 AM PDT by svcw (Jesus comforts the uncomfortable and makes uncomfortable the comfortable.)
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