The Dark Joy of Schadenfreude

by Wayne Greeson The cartoon shows a man standing before a rack of greeting cards. A sign over the rack reads “Schadenfreude Greeting Cards”. The cards in the rack include “greetings” such as: “Glad you were fired”, “Glad your home was repossessed” and “Glad you got divorced.” Schadenfreude (shaa-duhn-froy-duh) is a German word brought into…

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Is it wrong to say something that is not true when joking?

Question: Sometimes when I’m joking, I will mostly say jokes like “There’s a cockroach on your shoulder!” when there isn’t. I like to use sarcasm too. Are these jokes counted as sin? Is sarcasm bad? Answer: Lying is always wrong. “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers…

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Is dark humor sinful?

Question: Is all dark humor a sin? Answer: Dark humor refers to making something that is shocking, morbid, or disgusting into a joke. A part of its appeal is the strength of the conflicting emotions that it brings about. The problem is that it treats serious subjects as if they were not serious. This would…

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Does God have a sense of humor?

Question: I have wondered many times if God had a sense of humor. I’ve watched many videos where Jesus had conversations with many people. During some conversations, people admit that Jesus had this sweet, soft type of humor behind some of his remarks. So this brings me to the question, does God (the Father, Jesus,…

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Is joking lying?

Question: Hey Jeffrey, I was reading your articles on lying and it got me to thinking about something. Is joking or teasing lying? For instance, if someone asks me what I do for a living and as a joke I say I “push semi-trucks with my hands” for a living as a joke, only then tell…

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I appreciate your definition of course jesting

Question: I read your definition and explanation of coarse jesting on Google, and I appreciate it. It helped me to understand the term better in the context in which it is written in Ephesians 5:4. Thanks for your input. Answer: Happy to be of service.

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Is it wrong to tell jokes?

Question: Please, I want to know the difference between jesting and comedy. Is being a comedian godly? Answer: Humor is an important part of communication. There is nothing wrong with telling jokes, so long as they are appropriate. You would not make a joke that implied you would (or did) commit a sin. You would…

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Are pranks sinful?

Question: Hi, I just wanted to ask whether pranks are a sin. I’m aware of the passage in Proverbs 26:19 where it states we shouldn’t lie and then say we are joking. Does that mean all pranks are sinful? Thank you very much. Answer: “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, is the…

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