Hi,<\/p>\n
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?<\/p>\n
Thank you very much.<\/p>\n\t
“Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, “I was only joking!”<\/em>” (Proverbs 26:18-19).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The word “deceives” literally means to throw or shoot with a bow. Figuratively it means to beguile or deceive, such as when Laban gave the wrong daughter to Jacob to marry. “So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?” <\/em>” (Genesis 29:25).<\/p>\n
Causing someone harm with lies cannot be passed off as a joke. Harm is no laughing matter. Or putting it in a positive sense, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law<\/em>” (Romans 13:10).<\/p>\n
If a prank involves no sin and causes no harm, then there isn’t anything wrong with having fun.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[706,707],"class_list":["post-32388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-humor","tag-jokes"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":43824,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-started-out-joking-with-a-coworker-but-it-has-gotten-out-of-hand-how-do-i-stop-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":32388,"position":0},"title":"I started out joking with a coworker, but it has gotten out of hand. How do I stop it?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi again! You answered a question I had previously, but I was wondering if I could ask you for some more advice. I realize there are people in my life who are good Christians, I'm just not sure how to ask for advice when I'm the one usually giving\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31346,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-you-say-one-thing-in-a-joking-manner-but-then-do-the-opposite-is-it-still-a-lie-just-because-the-other-person-missed-the-joke\/","url_meta":{"origin":32388,"position":1},"title":"If you say one thing in a joking manner, but then do the opposite, is it still a lie just because the other person missed the joke?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was wondering about lying. 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Can a Christian be a serious actor\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41076,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-tell-jokes\/","url_meta":{"origin":32388,"position":3},"title":"Is it wrong to tell jokes?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"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)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51163,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-joking-lying\/","url_meta":{"origin":32388,"position":4},"title":"Is joking lying?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hey Jeffrey, I was reading your\u00a0articles 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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24997,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-i-come-across-as-sincere-in-my-apologies\/","url_meta":{"origin":32388,"position":5},"title":"How can I come across as sincere in my apologies?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 19, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: It seems that when I apologize to\u00a0people, they refuse to accept.\u00a0I understand that the majority of apologies come across as insincere. If this is the case, how can I be sincere in my apologies to people? 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