Learning to Laugh

Since resigning from the faith of my youth I have found something I had lost; My sense of humor.

So did I not laugh as a Christian? Of course not, I laughed a lot.

But I never laughed at God, or my faith, or even myself (spiritually).

It is only recently that I have learned to laugh at these things,
As well as at other serious issues of life.

So does laughter mean disbelief? Of course not.

One can and should laugh at what one holds most dear.

For laughter does not pertain only to mockery but also to enjoyment.

If you cannot laugh at the spiritual, the incorporeal, the eternal then how valuable can they truly be?

Growing up my faith was always separated from my sense of humor.

I never allowed myself to appreciate how ridiculous many of things I believed were and still are.

So again does the fact that a belief is ridiculous make it false? Of course not.

Rather it makes it far more enjoyable and in many ways far more real.

If everything is serious then nothing is serious.

Perhaps that is one of the greatest shortcomings of the Christian God, he doesn’t laugh.

Both Christianity and Islam worship a humorless God who would not make for a fun dinner guest.

But where Christianity and Islam have failed Judaism still succeeds.

Jewish spiritual has always maintained a sense of humor about their God.

And it provides them a source of strength and insight that just is not there for Christians and Muslims.

Laughing at beliefs I used to have encourages me to laugh at beliefs I now have.

And laughing at the beliefs I now have has allowed me to start to enjoy and appreciate my life for what it is; a gift, an opportunity and a journey.

If humor cannot be found in the spiritual then who wants to be spiritual?

What is the value of believing you will exist forever if forever is without fun?

So now even though I no longer believe he is there I do laugh at God.

Not because he cannot be real but because if he is real he’s got to have a sense of humor.

My continuous quest for meaning has led me to see that I need to lighten up.

Not because the search is unimportant but rather because it is far too important not to be enjoyed.