Humor And Tragedy

SAT., MAR. 9, 1991, 6:17 AM
FARM, STUDY

Do not forget, o son, that this week ahead – the break week – must be used to produce another Ruminations. You know it shall be on humor and fun as part of your God-given nature. With that special session on humor and health coming up the next week this shall be appropriate. You see that you truly shall have little time to relax and just play. Too bad.

That, in itself, is both tragic and humorous. It is tragic that a man your age and in your position cannot have a true break from productive activity. It also is funny that your responsibilities and opportunities just seem to compound, with each one quite worthwhile. Yesterday’s presentation, for example, took some time in preparation, but it was quite rewarding to you… and the ladies seemed to enjoy it.

There shall be some emphasis on the fact, that I reiterate, that there are many instances in Holy Scripture that seem utterly serious, or even tragic, but that also have a humorous side. Be sure to go over earlier Teachings that speak of such… the woman caught in adultery and My birth as Jesus, as examples. The Jonah story is one of the best illustrations. It is tragic that Jonah tries to flee from the task I would have him do… which is to condemn the inhabitants of a whole city. I send a storm, which I usually don’t do. Jonah, in a semi-noble gesture, admits that he is the cause, and he is thrown overboard. Complete tragedy thus far.

One of the hallmarks of humor is exaggeration. I send a big fish that swallows Jonah whole but does not digest him. It speeds to the shore of Ninevah and regurgitates him on the beach… which a sight for any Ninevahns strolling the beach! Reluctant Jonah now preaches repentance to Ninevah, and they repent. That is also pretty funny. Then Jonah gets angry, sits under a vine that withers and dies… and the great epic story ends with “and also much cattle.” This is Holy Scripture at its most serious and most absurd.

In the economic life of your country it is tragic that the debt increases greatly each year, with no way for elected officials to balance the budget and still be elected. Yet all of the posturing about responsibility… to those in need and to taxpayers is comedy. The most powerful nation on the earth is also the most in debt. That’s another exaggeration that qualifies as humor.

Your country’s recent war didn’t last long enough to be funny. The glee of your military in relation to the success of weapons was, in itself, both tragic and comic. To be so pleased that missiles can kill people and destroy property so effectively certainly has elements of each extreme.

Yes, death is ultimate tragedy in your dominant cultural perspective. So of course it becomes the subject for humor. Put a bit more emphasis on this in your current class and subsequent ones. Songs and stories can help. And I tell you that it is humorous when a person who has been a fervent believer in “death is the end” does die and then finds that life goes on, with quite a number of choices. Emphasize also, as My old servant Ram Das does, that death is fun for one who is enlightened and is properly expectant. It shall be your challenge, at the end of your life, to live in accordance with this knowledge and pass on over smiling and ready for the next experience.

Much humor denies the basic premise of your culture’s way of thinking – either/or. It exaggerates realistic situations. It shows the comic side to tragedy. You didn’t appreciate Cosby’s routine this week, where the humor was in relation to a drunk, smoking gambler, yet it was funny to some, despite the seriousness of consequences from gambling, smoking, and drunkenness. The twist was that he was winning all the money.