Chocolate Theology

[there buster]

Some concern has been expressed about whether humor is appropriate to serious Bible students.

I offer here, a delicious little piece by one of my favorite theologians, a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. Chocolate Theology.

A merry heart is good medicine, so humor must have been invented by God.

[Nan]

A little off topic but not totally -

Anyone working in the health field will know that the current trend is towards Evidenced Based Medicine. The best evidence for any practice comes from Randomised Controlled Trials, even better double blinded randomised controlled trials, when both subjects and authors are blinded about the treatment arm in which the subject has been placed.

Last year one of the very prestigious British medical journals had an article on the lack of randomised controlled trials for the use of parachutes in sky diving. In spite of the lack of best evidence, people continue to use parachutes.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Michelle]

Ed--I was thinking of that verse exactly. I know there are some who think everyone/thing should be black-veiled and sombre and speak in lowered tones (except when voices are raised in . . . um, discussion!). Tiptoe and all. I love seeing people's sense of humor--to me, that is what shows a person's real self. I grew up surrounded by people with off-beat senses of humor and feel right at home with it. Why can't serious Bible students have a sense of humor?????

M

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: "Last year one of the very prestigious British medical journals had an article on the lack of randomised controlled trials for the use of parachutes in sky diving. In spite of the lack of best evidence, people continue to use parachutes.... "

It is a misunderstanding of science to think that science always requires randomized, double-blind, studies. Science can properly study the use of parachutes without doing so. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Data does exist on people who have descended from an aircraft without using a fully deployed parachute. The effect on those people can be compared with the data that exists on those who have descended using a fully deployed parachute. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

In fact, such a study could be quite helpful. The existing data supports a gradient. i.e. People have descended with a partially deployed parachute, and with flyable, and non-flyable types. Introducing such variables into the study of the data would likely provide well substantiated conclusions.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/coolhello.gif" alt="" />

[Gregory Matthews]

On a more serious side: I round with Internal Medicine Residents. The teaching professor constantly challenges them to provide their "evidenced-based" medicine. Yet, at times he simply states: There is no evidence to support that. But, it makes common sense. I also would have done that.

Common sense has not departed from medical practice.

[Nan]

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It is a misunderstanding of science to think that science always requires randomized, double-blind, studies. Science can properly study the use of parachutes without doing so.

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Taking my professional life in my hands, I will only say that you are talking science - I was talking of medicine <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> .......and running very hard.

Common sense does seem to be conspicuous by its absence sometimes but I believe the author of the parachute article was trying to draw attention to the need to employ same. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

[Jeannieb43]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

I offer here, a delicious little piece by one of my favorite theologians, a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. Chocolate Theology.

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Is this Dr. Augsburger related to the late Dr. Daniel Augsburger who taught at Andrews University for many years??

[there buster]

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Is this Dr. Augsburger related to the late Dr. Daniel Augsburger who taught at Andrews University for many years??

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Not to my knowledge. Dr. Augsburger at Andrews was one of my favorite professors, favorite Christians, and favorite human beings, with whom I was privileged to have a relationship outside the classroom as well.

I mourned his passing, as recorded in the AU alumni journal, but have no doubt that his sleep is peaceful and temporary.

[Jeannieb43]

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Dr. Augsburger at Andrews was one of my favorite professors, favorite Christians, and favorite human beings, with whom I was privileged to have a relationship outside the classroom as well.

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Well, I wasn't privileged to work with him after graduation, but I did take one undergrad class from him many years ago. And at my 40th* class reunion he surprised me by coming up to me at the luncheon, calling me by name and embracing me fondly. I was overwhelmed. Found out later that it was his habit to study the yearbooks of each of the honored classes, just before the alumni weekend, and memorize names and faces all over again -- so he was able to call each alum by name when he met them.

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* Afterthought: Maybe it was the 35th.

[NormF]

Nan said,

Quote:

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Common sense does seem to be conspicuous by its absence sometimes but I believe the author of the parachute article was trying to draw attention to the need to employ same.

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... all of which brings us back to one of my favorite aphorisms, the self-evident nature of minds and parachutes, and how they work better when open.

Unfortunately, I am contributing to the stray towards OT.

Regards,

Norm

(We now return you to our regularly scheduled chocolate ...)

[jasd]

elliptically soliloquizing, sorta…

There is humor that uplifts, causes merriness of spirit and brings a smile to the lip.

There’s Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Linus; and there’s Beavis and Butthead.

There is the humor of a Jay Leno and there is that of a George Carlin.

There is humor that is ironic, insinuative, allusional, illusional, sarcastic, farcical, etc.

And there is humor that is plain dinkin’ mean, disgustingly mean, aberrantly mean, …

And there is the alliteratively snip, snit, snide, snicker mean; ignoble, base, mean.

There is transparent humor and there is opaque humor.

There is oblique humor, and there is directed humor.

There is the villainous humor that needs a butt --someone else’s.

There is the humor that is perverted smut --not limited to sexual depravity.

And then there is the humor likened to a suppurating and leprous ear

beneath softly covering strands of sycophancy --and secret handshakes.

And there is the Sawyeresque humor whitewashing pickets of the pale,

with wash of water, size, and lime --the lime of latrine pits and carcasses.

The recoil caustic and the jellyroll chortle

The chocolate and the schmocolate -- that’s humor.

And, the gosh-thankful Jewish: “Oedipus, Schmedipus, just love your mother.”

And the Xtian sublime: “It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.”

Or is it? depends upon the voice, doesn’t it?

“…define your terms.” --Voltaire

[wicklunds]

Actually religious people are some of the most funny you'll ever meet. Can you think of any funny theologians or religious upper-crustmen (or women)? I sure can. There are those that are prune-faced and torturously pious but I think the ones who are more humorously charismatic make the memories stick better.

[DaveM1936]

I understand that Jesus smiled a lot. He was pleasant and cheerful. "Chritians" who are soar faced and grim drive people away. I have never enjoyed being around humorless people. Even God has a sense of humor. Giraffes. Duck-billed platypus. dogs. Hummingbirds. Turtles. etc. I believe He must have enjoyed Himself when He created all the varieties of flowers, birds, fish, animals.

EGW tells us to pick the flowers and leave the thorns alone. Looking for the pleasant and good things in people, animals, birds, etc makes life easier and more happy.

By the way, chocolat is my major weakness. I wait for the after holiday candy sales to stock up on the left-over chocolat so that I have some to last until the next holiday.

Your friend,

Dave M

[Planey]

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Actually religious people are some of the most funny you'll ever meet.

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And some of them even intend to be...

Graeme

[wicklunds]

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And some of them even intend to be...

Graeme

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Hehe

toucheeee Graeme