I made a joke when I saw a man walking around in a tanktop and it was -10. I said that he must be from Winnipeg. The joke being that since its usually so cold out there he would not even notice it.
I still think that when I see people wearing spring clothing when its -5, -10 below zero, and the best thing its not an insult. You have to be used to that type of cold.
I always joke with my wife that I am >that< much closer to the Arctic circle now that I am living in Canada heehee =]
God Bless,
Will

Tom,

That was the only thing you posted in that post in that very serious and really sad topic, which came across the wrong way to me.

It goes to show how careful we need to be when saying things like that.

I am glad you intended it in a positive light, even though I took it in an entirely different light.

This goes to show that we, myself included, need to be more careful in our humourous remarks.

I am not against humour, however, I need to be on my guard in my printed/posted humourous remarks.

I believe our Saviour isn't a sad-faced person, but rather a happy-faced person, a humourous person, but never at the expense, perceived or otherwise, of others, therefore, I need to be on my guard, as do all of us.

I think if we are ever going to direct a joke at someone it should be at ourselves, that way the joke will truely be on us

Redfog

Good point. Plus it provides an almost endless source for comedy!

There seems two be three main different kinds of laughter emerging here:

1 - Laughing at others.
2 - Laughing with others.
3 - Laughing at ourselves.

What about not taking ourselves so seriously that we missinterpret our brothers and sisters?

Oh man tell me about it

Humor and laughter interesting subjects.

I just want to through out a few questions about laughter for thought and discussion. I am warning in advance I don't know that I have the answers.

What exactly is laughter? Is it a reaction? An emotion? Can we control it? Is it a sin if we can't control it?

After you have answered these questions in your own mind or in a post, then shift to the other end of the scale. What is crying? Is it a reaction? An emotion? Can we control it? Is it a sin if we can't control it?

In some way laughter and tears are closely connected. "Tears of joy", "She laughed so hard she cried" "I laugh to keep from crying" "It is a nervous laugh"

Yes, we the sombre faced, with sackcloth and scattered ashes shall be by our merit found worthy.
(by the way, the above statement is a JOKE, NO LAUGHING MATTER! )

Maybe we would all benefit if we would show and have NO EMOTION in the sanctuary???

Over the past decade I have been more cognizant of the use of humor. I have decided it is often most likely a tool used subconsciously by a person.

A few observations:

You can get away with saying thing under the guise of humor.

In a group I have seen it used by people to direct attention to themselves.

Sometime to deflect tension.

When embarrassed making a joke to save face.

Many don't seem to be cognizant that they are being manipulated.