Dear Potatobugs:
I was chatting with a friend of mine a few days ago about how, in the middle of the most serious sitiations, it is impossible to maintain decorum and good judgement. Don't understand what I mean? Let's refer to this as the "Fart in Church" theory. Where "Pew" meets "P-ewwww."Think about it...everyone is sitting there being all reverent, trying to show respect and love for our maker, with a look of consternation that can only come from a liver complaint. Then ...some poor old man, who has been holding it in until his false teeth start flapping, suddenly bombs us in the middle of a moment of silence. You know you aren't supposed to laugh and yet, that is all you wanna do. You feel bad for the man, you feel terrible that you haven't shown the Lord more respect, but most of all, you feel sorry for the minister who has to try to reel the congregation back in with his limited bag of tricks (prayers and hymns) after a gas explosion has just taken out the organist and half the choir.
What is it about our nature that we find humor in other people's pain? The German's call this "Schadenfreude, which is defined as "happiness at the misfortune of others" and it is amusing that we Americans don't have a word for it, since we seem to revel in it. Isn't it so much easier to let that friend walk around with that booger hanging from their nose because we are too embarrassed to tell them about it?...as if, somehow, our own humiliation is wrapped up in drawing attention to that pendulum of snot! How about watching someone slip on the ice? We all pretend to be really concerned and such, but isn't our first instinct to laugh a little...even if it is just on the inside? We are all hateful, miserable people and that is why I love America. Our first instinct is to laugh...almost always...and I think this is a good thing. Why do you think we enjoy shows like Jersey Shore and the Bachelor? We love laughing at the follies of others.
So folks...fart in church when you need to. People will spend the rest of the day talking about how funny it was, and let's face it, the world can use a whole lot more humor as this is NOT a pretty place to be. If God created us in his image, he will be sniggering with the rest...and the next time you hear thunder, you know he's doing his share toward the effort of laughter. He likes us to be human and you know what, I think he'd like us to smile more. Even if, as they say about babies laughing,..."It's just gas."
I was chatting with a friend of mine a few days ago about how, in the middle of the most serious sitiations, it is impossible to maintain decorum and good judgement. Don't understand what I mean? Let's refer to this as the "Fart in Church" theory. Where "Pew" meets "P-ewwww."Think about it...everyone is sitting there being all reverent, trying to show respect and love for our maker, with a look of consternation that can only come from a liver complaint. Then ...some poor old man, who has been holding it in until his false teeth start flapping, suddenly bombs us in the middle of a moment of silence. You know you aren't supposed to laugh and yet, that is all you wanna do. You feel bad for the man, you feel terrible that you haven't shown the Lord more respect, but most of all, you feel sorry for the minister who has to try to reel the congregation back in with his limited bag of tricks (prayers and hymns) after a gas explosion has just taken out the organist and half the choir.
What is it about our nature that we find humor in other people's pain? The German's call this "Schadenfreude, which is defined as "happiness at the misfortune of others" and it is amusing that we Americans don't have a word for it, since we seem to revel in it. Isn't it so much easier to let that friend walk around with that booger hanging from their nose because we are too embarrassed to tell them about it?...as if, somehow, our own humiliation is wrapped up in drawing attention to that pendulum of snot! How about watching someone slip on the ice? We all pretend to be really concerned and such, but isn't our first instinct to laugh a little...even if it is just on the inside? We are all hateful, miserable people and that is why I love America. Our first instinct is to laugh...almost always...and I think this is a good thing. Why do you think we enjoy shows like Jersey Shore and the Bachelor? We love laughing at the follies of others.
So folks...fart in church when you need to. People will spend the rest of the day talking about how funny it was, and let's face it, the world can use a whole lot more humor as this is NOT a pretty place to be. If God created us in his image, he will be sniggering with the rest...and the next time you hear thunder, you know he's doing his share toward the effort of laughter. He likes us to be human and you know what, I think he'd like us to smile more. Even if, as they say about babies laughing,..."It's just gas."
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