Adam wrote:As a pondered the issue, it seemed to me that it is inappropriate for us as Christians to laugh and joke about sin. But satire, parody, and sarcasm, often seems to do just that--laugh at sin. Rather, I think we should mourn over sin and never ever take it lightly or joke about it. Rather we should work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
What do you think? As Christians should we avoid the use of Satire, Parody, and Sarcasm, especially when it relates to discussing sin? Can you think of any instances in the Bible where Satire, Parody, and/or Sarcasm are employed as a godly means to counteract sin?
It's hard to discuss one post taken out of context without seeing what the others were saying, but I don't get the impression he is laughing, I think he is calling out something he believes is wrong. There's a bite to what he is saying. He thinks they have misunderstood the teaching of the Bible and is using biting humor to point that out.
I think Jesus does this when speaking out against self-righteous sin in verses like these:
- You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
- “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
- “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
- For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem!
Those are vivid, humorous images, but each one has a bite.
And perhaps this has the same biting humor:
- Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.
I think your concern is valid - it's easy to get stuck in this kind of speech, which can get quite toxic. Some groups of Christians do get stuck in this. It rarely goes well on a forum thread.
But I also think it's true that Jesus uses it at times. And we're often most sensitive to this kind of biting humor when it is pointed in our direction, many people seem not even to notice it when they are directing it toward others.
Is it biblical? Is it Christlike? Is it loving? Is it true? How can I find out?