nick manho

check out this article from today's guardian:


How Jesus told a good gag

Sophie Arie in Rome
Wednesday February 16, 2005
The Guardian

It's not a book known for its comedic value, but look beyond the death, disease and destruction of the Bible, and lo, you will find a joke or two.

That is the view of theological scholars who have gathered in Italy to try to dispel the idea that ancient Christians were a po-faced lot, who struggled for a sense of humour.

In a three-day conference at Turin University, entitled Laughter and Comedy in Ancient Christianity, experts have been presenting papers on themes such as Laughter in the Old Testament and Comedy in the Bible Today.

Some have found indications that Jesus Christ had a sense of humour and references to laughter and comic moments in the scriptures.

She cites the example of a disciple who, referring to Jesus's home town, asked: "How could anything good ever come from Nazareth?"

Another example is in Luke's gospel, when Zaccheus, a short man and despised tax collector, has to climb a tree to see Jesus. Jesus picks Zaccheus out of the crowd and asks if he will put him up for the night.

The scholars also point to the fact that the Old Testament patriarch Isaac's very name means laughter in Hebrew, and was chosen because of the joy his parents Abraham and Sarah experienced when he was born.





i have to admit that i didn't notice any chuckles myself when i read the bible, but i'm always ready to give a guy a second chance. ok, let's run these jokes up the flagpole and see if anybody sings "america, the beautiful":

"How could anything good ever come from Nazareth?"

hehehehe, yeah, that's a good one. i can't imagine how i missed that one. that's a rib-tickler, alright.

Zaccheus, a short man and despised tax collector, has to climb a tree to see Jesus. Jesus picks Zaccheus out of the crowd and asks if he will put him up for the night.

boy, oh, boy, i bust a gut on that one. this stuff makes mel brooks look like jay leno, right?

Old Testament patriarch Isaac's very name means laughter in Hebrew.

a wowser! i'd call it more of an aphorism than a joke, though.

anyway, the article convinced me i had it all wrong. that jesus was a wag. and the more you think about it, right? the false beard, the sandals, the juggling tricks...



birthday greetings to a regular reader

that nad, 13, from liverpool mailed me to say it's her birthday today. she sent me this photo:



she looks cute, right? anyway nad, i've commissioned a special birthday poem for you. it's based on the great dominic behan song, "liverpool lou". you can hear the tune here and sing along if the festive spirit moves you:

o, liverpool nad
lovely liverpool nad
it's your 14th birthday
i guess you're quite glad
switch on your ipod
you got from your dad
and play "happy birthday"
o, liverpool nad