Humour

Humor in spirituality is a critical issue, because for many, religion and Christianity are deadly serious, and there's little sense of the good news. Humor is important to us because it brings lightness into our lives. And the wisest and most profound people we know have laughed.
This is evidenced by the old "Easter laughter," which has unfortunately been largely lost. Here, the pastor's task during Easter services was to make the congregation laugh, so that the joy of life's victory over death could be felt. Death, it was said, for example, had swallowed Christ and was exposed to ridicule.

But rest assured, dear readers. The jokes on this site are completely serious.

Our favorite joke, which is older and a bit longer, is here

Rome. Middle Ages.

The Pope wants to expel the Jews from Rome. The situation escalates. Civil war threatens. Finally, the Pope offers a public debate with a representative of the Jews. If the Jews win the public debate, they may stay. If the Pope wins, they must leave. The Pope establishes another rule: The discussion will be entirely nonverbal. The Jewish community already sees the end result clearly: How can they prevail in a nonverbal dispute when the Pope is both participant and judge? Finally, a synagogue servant speaks up and offers to debate with the Pope. The community agrees.
The debate begins: The Pope clenches his fist and points vigorously toward heaven with his raised index finger. The synagogue server points just as vigorously toward the earth. The Pope reacts immediately, pointing his index finger toward heaven again. The synagogue server raises his right hand and, with a decisive gesture, shows three fingers. The Pope falters somewhat. But after a brief hesitation, he reaches into his coat and reveals a wonderfully round, red apple. Without hesitation, the synagogue server reaches into his coat and, somewhat awkwardly, pulls out a bag. He opens the bag and reveals a Jewish flatbread. The Pope bows his head and says: "You have won. You may stay."

The Pope retreated with the shocked cardinals. "I'm sorry," he said, "the man was extremely quick-witted, a master of debate, I didn't stand a chance." The cardinals asked what had happened, because no one had understood what was going on. The Pope analyzed the sequence of events: "It was obvious. I pointed my index finger to heaven and said: There is only one God. My Jewish opponent countered by pointing to the ground: But there is also a devil in hell. And what can I say to that? That is, after all, our Catholic faith. Then I said: But God is more powerful. And my Jewish colleague responded with three raised fingers: But only because it is the triune God! And what can I say? That is, after all, our own faith. Then I wanted to trick him and showed him an apple as a symbol for this false doctrine that the earth is a sphere. And what does he do? He shows me a flatbread and uses it to say that the earth is actually flat. Yes—and I lost."

But even the rabbis were astonished and perplexed by the course of the debate, and especially by the magical speed with which the synagogue servant had turned the tide in their favor. They questioned him how he had done it. He said: "In my opinion, the whole thing was a farce. First, the Pope showed me his fist with a raised finger and threatened: 'You're going to be kicked out of Rome!' But I showed him that we were staying no matter what. Then he showed me his fist again with a raised finger and said: 'And you're going to be kicked out anyway!' I told him: 'You can say that three more times, and we'll still stay.' And what does he do then? He suddenly reaches into his coat and shows me his supper. Then I showed him my supper. ... And hey presto, we were allowed to stay."
after Bernhard Trenkle

“I have seen God!”

“I have seen God!” said one monk to the other in horror.
"It's a miracle! Just tell me, brother, why are you so pale?"
“She’s black!”

gratitude

An old farmer (feel free to use a dialect from a rural area here...) gets up every morning and thanks God: Good God – thank you that I am still alive.
He gets into his pants: Good God – thank you that I can still move and get into my pants myself.
He brushes his teeth: Good God – thank you that I still have my own teeth that I can still brush.
He leaves the house and goes to the mailbox: Good God – thank you that I can still walk.
A pigeon poops on his head. He wipes the droppings from his bald head with a handkerchief, looks at it thoughtfully, and says: Good God—thank God cows can't fly.

The priest and the bus driver

A priest arrives in heaven, but is immediately sent to the side entrance. Everyone waits for the bus driver. The red carpet is rolled out, and he is greeted with much hallelujah. Both are astonished and ask Peter: Why does the priest come to the side entrance, while the bus driver, who, on top of all that, drove badly, is greeted with all the fanfare? Oh, you know,” Peter replied, “when the priest was preaching, everyone was asleep; but when the bus driver was driving, everyone was praying!

Someday we will die

– “Yes,” says the other, “but we only die once. Living – we do that every day.”

When a person comes to heaven,

– During his lifetime, he wasn't a member of any church, but was kindhearted and loving towards his fellow human beings – Peter welcomes him. The apostle leads him around and shows him this wonderful place, where people sing and laugh, enjoy themselves, and have a good time. Everywhere he encounters kindness. "If I had known, I would have believed," he said. "But, dear Peter, why is it so quiet back there, and such a large wall? That's not so funny, and one always has to be quiet there?" "Oh," says Peter, making a dismissive gesture. "There are the Christians who think they're alone here..."

Buddha statue im Tempel mit Bild von Dalai Lama

Humor among Buddhists:

A monk dies and encounters Buddha. The Buddha looks at you critically: "It wasn't all that great, well, you need at least five more lives before you can escape samsara and reach nirvana." The monk leaves contrite – "five more lives, five more lives," he repeats despairingly.
A short time later, a scoundrel approaches Buddha, who looks even more critical: "Well, that was nothing. You, you need at least 40 more lives before you can escape samsara and reach nirvana."
The rascal walks along, repeating jubilantly “40 more lives, 40 more lives!” and jumping for joy.

Humor among the Jews:

Neighbor A comes to the rabbi and complains about neighbor B.
The rabbi listens to him seriously and says: You are right.
Satisfied that the rabbi has agreed with him, he leaves.

Then neighbor B comes to the rabbi and complains about neighbor A.
The rabbi listens to him seriously and says: You are right.
Satisfied that the rabbi had agreed with him, he too left.

The rabbi's wife gets upset and says: You can't agree with both of them!
The rabbi listens to her seriously and says: You are right.

Humour

Rome. Middle Ages.

“I have seen God!”

gratitude

The priest and the bus driver

Someday we will die

When a person comes to heaven,

Humor among Buddhists:

Humor among the Jews:

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