Heavenly Father has a sense of Humor too

What do David Burnett, Arie Van De Graff, and Jeremy Lamb have in common? They are all Mormon Authors or better yet, cartoonists. Some of you may have even read their stuff. I know I have. All 3 authors (cartoonists) write and illustrate the silly side of being mormon. Yes, they make fun of and laugh at the silly things that go on in wards and stakes throught the world. For we are "Peculiar people". Has anybody read any of the works by these authors? David Burnett is best known for his work , " And it came to Laughs" and "Laughter day Saints". Arie Van De Graff is best known for his work "Mormon Life" and Jeremy Lamb is best known for his work, "The Missionary Chronicles". What is your reactions when you have read one of these books? "ha ha ha, Hoo hoo hoo, hee hee hee, that is so true". "I knew a bishop like that" "I had a home teacher like that once". We are engaged in these books because we can relate. We have all been in a ward where something was just plain and simply funny! I believe a modern day Prophet once said, "life should be enjoyed, not endured" . Aww, such fine words of counsel. Why do we laugh at cartoons or movies that make fun of or better yet identify the funny things that go on in the church? Why are we not offended by these movies or books? Because they are Fiction? or are they? Most of what a cartoonist or writer writes, they have often experienced at one point in their life.  Do these movies or books degrade the Priesthood or the Church etc? No. They simply illustrate that God has a sense of humor too. Then why would he allow such books to be published and sold in Desseret Book? We, after all, have all been created in his image. That doesnt mean just physically that means the whole 9 yards. Looks, spirit, and sense of humor.  It was by the power of the Priesthood that the world was created and everything on and in it. Ah ha ! Proof Heavenly Father has a sense of Humor. If it was by the power of the Priesthood that all things were created, then that proves Heavenly Father has a sense of humor. You can not help look at a Platypus and wonder "what in the world was going on there" Left over animal parts? All things on earth were created for our enjoyment. The platypus was obviously created for us to laugh at. So that proves that Heavenly Father has a sense of humor as well as everything we are taught that He is.

My point to this post is, why do we take everything so serious? A loving God wants us to enjoy life and laugh. I can't help but think that during the grand council in Heaven that there wasn't a little bit of joking and laughing etc. I just can't see my Heavenly Father as having a dry sense of humor or no humor at all. All that being said. Why can't we find humor in the events of our own ward? Why does it offend others when we want to share those silly moments with others? Are the Authors of the books I have mentioned earlier shunned from their ward or stake because they have drawn a cartoon illustrating a funny event that most likely had taken place in their ward, stake, or mission? Why does a funny event that happened in a local ward draw so much contention?  The Author of the original post " The Mormon Campaign trail" was going through a trial where her faith and testimony was shaken and found humor in a certain event for which she nor I have ever been apart of. We never knew how a future bishop was called or selected. Being a trained observer (police officer) I have observed a situation or incident that seemed out of the ordinary and brought that to the attention of my companion to cheer her up. She thought the situation was humorous and decided to post that incident on her Blog (this one) yet it has caused so much greif and rumors and tempers to flair. We, by no way, were "Mocking God" . We were trying to get through a difficult time where our testimony was shaken due to what we saw at the time was unanswered prayers or blessings. We were by no way meaning to make fun of or belittle the brethren who we thought were acting out of their normal characteristics. From a trained observer's point of view, it looked like a Campaign for a presidential race.  The original post was not meant to bring anybody down , but was suppose to lift other up with a little sense of humor to illustrate that Church is a fun place to be. There is so much excitement and humor. In a world full of evil, violence, pornography,where else are we going to find joy and humor? In our own Ward. We have all done something funny or embarassing. I know I have. Why cant we laugh at those things?  Heavenly Father has a sense of Humor Too. Nobody was being put down or mocked. It was the situation that was funny and by no means were we looking to make fun of or belittle or offend. Elder Bednar in a talk has said, We can only offend ourselves. I love and value the priesthood. I will sustain any of the brethren in the ward who might be called to bishop or any other calling for that matter. Again as Gordon B Hinkley has said, Life should be enjoyed not just endured. I feel sorry for those that found offense in the "Mormon Campaign trail" . We should all look for the funny things in life. Some of God's greatest blessings come from the silly things that we do. So why is it ok for producers or writers to make a movie or books poking fun of being an RM or a Singles Ward, but so offensive when we look for the same silliness in our own wards. We need to lighten up.

This Post was written by Popeye.