Is there any evidence that god(s) from any major religion has a sense of humour?

Question

It seems to me that a sense of humour is not one of the more outstanding personality trait of gods from any religion, even though it is a cherished human trait. Someone should really start a religion based on having a sense of humour.

Answer 1

God has to have a sense of humor . Just look at the ...

Answer 2

Once an Institute teacher at the University of Utah got the class to laugh by having us stop and consider the humor in the analogy used by Jesus Christ on how we judge others. The reference was Matthew 7:3-5, where He is telling us to be more tolerant, and stop putting so much attention on a mote (or large sliver) that might be caught in someone else's eye (or point of view) while we still have a beam (which coming from the carpenter's profession must be a good sized 2 by 4 or cross-beam) in our own eye. Can you imagine someone staggering around with a huge beam sticking out of their eye, all the while saying, "Now where did I put those tweezers to pull out that sliver in your eye?" That's a good verse to remember, and when some questions on this site start to get my goat then I have to remember, "Hey, this is my goat, and I'm not letting them have it!" There are also examples of humor in the Book of Mormon, but space is limited here.
P.S. check out www.beliefnet.com for daily jokes from a variety of religions - they're way funny.

Answer 3

The Norse had Loki. But my favorite myth, is Greek. Before the Gods made man, they lived on a mountain, surrounded by fog. And every morning, out of the fog, came four armed, four legged, two headed creatures. They cartwheeled up the mountain, and battled the Greek Gods. Zeus got tired of this, and cut them all in half. Now they are so busy fighting each other, they never climb the mountain, and pester the Greek Gods. The new creatures are called men, and women.

Answer 4

The closest I can think of is found in the Book of Job when God is describing the horse... It's found in the chapter immediately before He talks about the dinosaur [behemoth] and the 'Loch Ness monster' [leviathan]. ...So that makes it around Chapter 39.

I like the line about the horse's nostrils being "terrible"... LOL. But a few verses down you'll also read "Ha ha," apparently being uttered by God to Job.

Now THAT could be construed as being humorous by most readers' standards, methinks...

Answer 5

God created humour! It is humans who are so serious and humourless. God wants us to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. I do not believe that believing in God precludes us from having a sense of humour.

Sure, start that religion friend, I don't think God would mind! :)

Answer 6

Sorry if this grosses anyone out. Have you seen the human male scrotum? I mean, c'mon! God has to have a sense of humor if THAT'S what is supposed to ensure the survival of the human race. What is it? Just a piece of dust (dust of the earth) he had left over and said, "Hmmm...what will I do with this? Oh I know!!! I'll stick it right THERE!"

Answer 7

well theoretically God created the Universe and all that is in it. So the mere existence of humor would indicate that humor is a trait of God. God doesn't just represent things that are way serious and boring and human-centered in the universe. He represents the emptiness of rock and space. He represents that which is blamed on the "Devil" for all is within His realm of creation. So I would say the universe is evidence of His humor.

Also, male baldness and flatulence are good indicators of humor. So is the dodo bird (rest in peace). :)

Answer 8

:)

Humor can be very effective in showing up the foolishness of false religion, its hypocrisy and sanctimoniousness. The Bible itself uses this type of humor in some places. For example: The prophet Isaiah describes how a woodcutter chops down a laurel tree, uses part of the wood to make a fire by which he cooks his food and warms himself, “but the remainder of it he actually makes into a god itself, into his carved image. He prostrates himself to it and bows down and prays to it and says: ‘Deliver me, for you are my god.’”—Isa. 44:14-17; compare Jeremiah 10:2-5.
The Bible tells us that the Creator is a “happy God,” and that he made man ‘according to his likeness.’ (1 Tim. 1:11; Gen. 1:26) The ability to be happy, to have fun, to enjoy a sense of humor, innate to all races of men, must logically have come from the Creator.

Many animals perform humorous antics. Who can refrain from smiling at a kitten chasing a ball of wool? Who can help but laugh at puppies playing together, the mischievous pranks of monkeys, or the comical expressions of parrots? Jehovah has made certain animals very amusing to us humans, and this provides an unending source of happiness and fun. A sense of humor is clearly God’s gift.

Though the various forms of verbal humor are not limited to any one country or nationality, many people are more or less noted for certain types. Americans are said to be fond of hyperbole, an intentional exaggeration for emphasis or humorous effect. “It’s raining cats and dogs,” is an example. Also, “I nearly died laughing.” “I tried a thousand times.” Such statements, of course, are not literally true and this is usually understood by the listener.

The British are noted for dry humor, that is, when the speaker says something funny in a casual way and with a straight face. The British are fond also of the understatement. In this regard, the book Humour in Memoriam by George Mikes says: “Understatement is not simply a manner of making jokes; in England it is also a way of life. Other people use understatement too—the English do not own the copyright. A cartoon in the New Yorker showed two men on the flying trapeze and one has just missed the other’s hand, ninety feet up in the air. The man who made the somewhat absentminded mistake said: ‘Ooop, sorry.’ Surely, an understatement and an American understatement at that. But in other countries understatement is casual, incidental; in England it flows from the national character; it is in the air. It is, more often than not, not even meant as a joke.”

As an example of understatement, George Mikes relates the following: He says that a steamer was crossing the English Channel. “Only another man and myself were on deck and a violent storm was raging. A tremendous gale was lashing mountainous seas. We huddled there for a while, without uttering one single word. Suddenly a fearful gust blew the other chap overboard. His head emerged just once from the water below me. He looked at me calmly and remarked somewhat casually: ‘Rather windy, isn’t it?’”
The Irish brand of humor has its own appeal. Stephen Leacock gives an example in his book "Humour": “An order has been made that ‘the last carriage shall not be attached to railway trains, as it is always subject to unpleasant shocks and oscillation.’ ” Also: “Don’t come down the ladder, Pat, because I have taken it away.”
The same writer gives the following example of Scottish humor, which, reputedly, is sometimes grim: “A Scotchman’s wife was taken ill and, seemingly, died. At her funeral as the coffin was being carried through the churchyard gate, the pall-bearers accidentally bumped it against a gatepost. The shock resuscitated the woman. She was taken from the coffin and survived for many years. Then she was taken ill, and, this time, really died. At the funeral, as the coffin approached the churchyard gates, the bereaved husband said to the pall-bearers, ‘Steady, lads, steady; dinna bump her.’”
Spanish humor often illustrates the propensity for self-depreciation. A cartoon in the magazine 'El Triunfo' shows 2 men conversing. One says: “Culture is now the fashion. We have a Ministry of Education . . . a Ministry of Culture . . . and a Cultural Adviser to the President.” The other replies: “Excellent! Now all we need are schools.” To laugh at one’s own weaknesses is an important aspect of humor.
Since Germans love to eat, jokes about this go over well.

Answer 9

Jesus had a better sense of humor than most of his followers give him credit for. I love the part (Gospel of Matthew, I think) where the apostles misunderstand him for the umpteenth time; he loses his patience and tells them "I swear to Me, the prostitutes and tax collectors are gonna make it into heaven before you guys!"

Then there's the wedding at Cana, where he has to make wine -- even though they have an alternate supply -- just to make his momma stop nagging him!

Answer 10

Yes. The duck-billed platypus. heh, I'm laughing just thinking about one.

That and I think Buddists believe humor to be the spice of life and value it greatly. I don't have any reliable sources on that though.