When I was reading the comedy chapter of the "Telling the Truth" book, it just wasn't hitting home with me. I really wasn't understanding how the Gospel could be considered comedic. It wasn't until we discussed the topic further today in class that I finally understood. I realized that I had been trying to relate to 'stupid' comedy (which, perhaps there is a better word for). The Gospel is not a comedy that is funny. It doesn't have a punch line or a hilarious cartoon visual that makes you howl like an idiot. It comes from somewhere deeper. As we discussed, comedy-deep comedy, if you will-is the unexpected break in a world of inevitable and expected tragedy. Something comes along in our mundane lives, something we never thought possible, (like having a child at the age of 91) and emotions bubble up from our souls and escape from our lips, the laughter often surprising us just as much as the thing that made us laugh.
That said, I don't think that stupid laughter is by any means a bad thing. Howling like an idiot can be refreshing. Who doesn't love silly cartoons?
I thought this image was kind of funny in itself; she's so old it just doesn't look natural.
But we've all laughed at this, too.
That stuck out to me too, that there are different kinds of laughter. It's something that once pointed out seemed kind of obvious, yet I'd never really thought of it before. I liked the whole idea of 'deeper laughter' that you mentioned. I think it's very true.
ReplyDelete