Every Friday I’m going to ask a question. The questions I choose might be ambiguous on purpose. The goal is to have you answer the question according to your beliefs, where you’re at in life or a circumstance that might have recently impacted you. The only thing I ask is that you provide an explanation for why you answered the way you did.
It’s my hope to understand you better through this and also to gain a greater understanding of humanity and how people make decisions.
What’s not funny (that joke, TV show, biting remark, etc.)?
*photos by flickr
Any thing that is degrading to another person. Humor found by bringing another person down simply reflects insecurity. It may receive a good laugh and seem to be "good times," yet the shallow endeavor will only foster shallow relationships. Christ as our model, we need to be in the business of building each other up!
ReplyDeleteI have a niece with special needs, who is such a blessing to our family. My hot button is when people toss the word retarded or call someone a retard when they feel a person is stupid.
ReplyDeleteA person does not choose to have mental retardation. It's not a label, people. It's a condition that affects so many by no fault of their own.
We, as society, need to have a better understanding of what these wonderful people and their families deal with on a regular basis.
Great thought-provoking question!
I don't think it's funny on the cartoons like Family Guy, South Park, The Simpsons, when they degrade or insult Christ or his followers - or any religion for that matter. It makes me sad. Needless to say, we don't watch those at my house.
ReplyDeleteGreat question!
I agree with all the other comments so far. The "R" word grates on my ears and my heart. I don't like it when people of any faith are mocked for their beliefs, especially Christians. I also don't like racial jokes. I've seen how hurtful they can be---students using them to cut each other down. It's not funny---it's painful.
ReplyDeleteThis winter is not funny. No, it is not.
ReplyDeleteAnything that takes humour in judging others...unfortunately thats usually the point of a joke :S
ReplyDeleteHumor that degrades others is not funny. but here is something that's funny....
ReplyDelete"It was so cold outside that the snowman knocked on our front door and asked if he could sleep on the couch"
Using the f-word to punctuate a joke, as if that makes it funny.
ReplyDeleteBack-handed compliments are rude - an insult disguised as a compliment. "You look great - for your age." Sarcasm or irony that's designed to cut or give pain to a person. Potty mouth, double entendre, laughing at another person's misfortunes -- all not funny. Wow, sounds like I don't have a funny bone in my body....
ReplyDeleteWhen someone uses the text message term *omg*. I even hate typing that. It is a shortened version of taking God's name in vain and it grates under my skin like taking a cheese grater to it, when I see people using it-especially Christians.
ReplyDeleteIt's not funny when my son decides to do his "business" by himself in the bathroom and lock me out. Heaven knows what I find in there when he lets me in. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think jokes that make light of a tragedy are funny.
ReplyDeleteJokes about overweight people. So not funny. I especially hate it when guys joke about how "ugly" they think a woman is. That whole coyote ugly, bar scene thing. So terribly mean. It's even worse when I heard Christian men do this. It makes me want to scream at them. As if somehow laughing while you talk about it makes it harmless or okay.
ReplyDeleteThat goes for cheap sexual humor as well. I also hate jokes about nagging wives or abusive husbands. How is that funny??? Stupid stereotype crap!
Making others feel bad. Not funny.
ReplyDeleteHow are you? I hope you have great weekend planned!
Rudeness.
ReplyDeleteBut something that IS funny? Katie's comment on my blog today. :))
Bullying.... even from a loved one. :O(
ReplyDeleteWendy:
ReplyDeleteI have a low tolerance for any name used in slang that refers to a person's disability. Our son was born with spina bifida. When I taught teens in Sunday School,I had to ask a friend's grandson to explain to another boy in the class why I didn't like to hear the word,'gimpy'. I don't know if the second young man learned anything from what we said that day or not.
Dirty jokes.
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say? I'm a prude. ;-)
In all seriousness, though - As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, an overcomer of pornography addiction, someone who has had to deal with healing from a very promiscuous adolescence and someone who worked with women coming off the street, many of whom were prostituted, I'm very sensitive to all kinds of sexual deviance in our culture. Dirty jokes are just the beginning of a very slippery slope. They cause disrespect for and a skewed view of something that should be protected as beautiful and special and private.
Hi Wendy -
ReplyDeleteI don't like shows that bash or joke about Christians. When asked why he did that, one talk-show host replied, "because they won't kill me."
Such attitudes create a negative perception in the people's minds. We saw this happen when the man in California attacked the Congresswoman and others. They tried to blame Conservatives/ Christians for the man's mindset. This proved untrue, but they planted the seed.
Definitely a hot-button issue for me.
Blessings,
Susan
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteSadly, what is considered "Family Shows" on T.V. today usually involve some kind of humor, but they always seem to make sure God's name is in the script, but not in an honoring way, but just as part of the humor, and thats not funny, because it grieves the Lord to hear His name dishonored :o(
God bless you, and your day,
Michele
I don't like when anybody makes "someone" the butt of their jokes. If I'm going to get a laugh I'll make fun of myself(plenty of material there:) ) And I don't like vulgar jokes, because well they are vulgar and they usually paint a picture in my head that takes me forever to get rid of.
ReplyDeleteThe loss of a loved one isn't funny. And not understanding the pain of those left behind isn't funny. I've actually come across some people who make jokes about it and then they wonder why I don't laugh. :(
ReplyDeleteI had a really hard time with Adam Sandler's movie "Grown Ups". My husband thought it was hilarious! But I had a hard time seeing friends picking at each other, at times almost being cruel, and supposedly doing it "in fun." Now I think that is something guys can do, but it makes me wince everytime.
ReplyDeleteAnything that is a put down to another person is not funny.
ReplyDeleteWhat's not funny?
ReplyDeleteAnything that's meant to be funny at another person's expense.
I will just never understand why putting down someone else is supposed to be amusing.
Violence. Everything that embodies hatred and harm to another human being. My heart especially aches for the children that fall prey.
ReplyDeleteJesus said, what you do the little children you do unto me. That should scare more people.
When someone makes fun of a foreigner trying to speak English. AS IF any of us can speak a SECOND language that well!! (okay, some of us can, but usually not the person doing the mocking)
ReplyDeleteI don't like anything mean-spirited. Period.
ReplyDeletelaughing or poking fun at another's shortcoming - period. Or hurting someone else's feelings and then saying "it was just a joke". Also, it's not funny when adults make fun of kids.
ReplyDeleteLike others here, intentional cruelty is never funny to me, no matter how lightly one tries to make it.
ReplyDelete