Laughing Out Loud & Other Religious Experiences

Laughing Out Loud & Other Religious Experiences PDF Author: Tom Mullen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780944350119
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 133

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Book Description
In the end, this book makes a convincing case for the value of laughter in our lives. "Sometimes we laugh for sinister motives, and sometimes we use humor for noble reasons. But, thank God, we often laugh for the same reason fishermen laugh -- for the halibut. Life is serious, and in the back of our minds we recall we're eventually heading for the cemetery. Fortunately, the Christian faith says the graveyard is not the last stop. Thus, we are free to enjoy funny things that happen along the way."

Laughing Out Loud & Other Religious Experiences

Laughing Out Loud & Other Religious Experiences PDF Author: Tom Mullen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780944350119
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 133

Get Book Here

Book Description
In the end, this book makes a convincing case for the value of laughter in our lives. "Sometimes we laugh for sinister motives, and sometimes we use humor for noble reasons. But, thank God, we often laugh for the same reason fishermen laugh -- for the halibut. Life is serious, and in the back of our minds we recall we're eventually heading for the cemetery. Fortunately, the Christian faith says the graveyard is not the last stop. Thus, we are free to enjoy funny things that happen along the way."

Laughing Out Loud and Other Religious Experiences

Laughing Out Loud and Other Religious Experiences PDF Author: Thomas James Mullen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Wit and humor
Languages : en
Pages : 133

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Book Description


Laughing Out Loud and Other Religious Experiences

Laughing Out Loud and Other Religious Experiences PDF Author: Thomas James Mullen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780849903298
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description
"Tom Mullen shows how in this thoughtful/hilarious anatomy of the human laugh. He spends some time exploring just what makes humor tick--Why do we laugh? What does our laughter mean? What does our humor have to do with our health, our relationships, our faith? He suggests several possible answers in the course of this book." --Inside cover.

The Varieties of Religious Experience

The Varieties of Religious Experience PDF Author: William James
Publisher: The Floating Press
ISBN: 1877527467
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 824

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Book Description
Harvard psychologist and philosopher William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature explores the nature of religion and, in James' observation, its divorce from science when studied academically. After publication in 1902 it quickly became a canonical text of philosophy and psychology, remaining in print through the entire century. "Scientific theories are organically conditioned just as much as religious emotions are; and if we only knew the facts intimately enough, we should doubtless see 'the liver' determining the dicta of the sturdy atheist as decisively as it does those of the Methodist under conviction anxious about his soul. When it alters in one way the blood that percolates it, we get the Methodist, when in another way, we get the atheist form of mind."

Laughter in a Time of Turmoil

Laughter in a Time of Turmoil PDF Author: Richard P. Olson
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1621892026
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description
Here's a different angle on humor--it can be a spiritual practice, an expression of a theology of joy, hope, and grace. Humor is so valuable, for it offers self-care, healing, and renewal, precious gifts in times of pressure and tension. Olson begins by telling of three unforgettable friends who lived their lives with joy and zest--a practice that opened doors and aided their own sense of well-being. Playfully, he continues by exploring the known benefits of humor. Next considered is the amazing variety of humor in the Bible, a basic theology of a laughing God, and the caring ethic of humor that emerges from this theology. Finally, there is a discussion of how this practice of humor enriches worship, caregiving, and administration. Laughter in a Time of Turmoil draws to a close considering spiritual disciplines/practices and why humor belongs among these practices. Suggestions are then offered on how to grow in this spiritual practice. Discussion questions are provided for each chapter to help groups enjoy their conversations about the book. This book will help you think and laugh, or laugh and think (take your pick) and then be on your way rejoicing.

1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking

1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking PDF Author: Michael Hodgin
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310871239
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 416

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Book Description
You have something important to say. Are you sure your audience is listening? Clocks start ticking in the minds of your listeners the minute you begin your presentation. These clocks measure the amount of time you have to interest them before their attention wanders elsewhere. Could be three minutes. Could be thirty seconds. But make your audience laugh and they forget about their clocks. They are too busy listening. Make them laugh and they will listen. Humor is one of your most powerful tools as a speaker, and 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking lets you wield it with power. Michael Hodgin has compiled hundreds of humorous anecdotes on dozens of topics and brought them together in one book. From "Ability" and "Accidents" to "Work" and "Worship," Hodgin's illustrations are arranged according to topic and indexed to help you quickly find the perfect anecdote. The book also provides space to record the times and places you use each illustration, so no one will hear you tell the same joke twice. Ideal for preachers, teachers, executives, and anyone else who speaks publicly, 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking will keep your audience laughing -- and listening to every word you say.

Praying with Body and Soul

Praying with Body and Soul PDF Author: Jane E. Vennard
Publisher: Augsburg Books
ISBN: 9781451410747
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description
Praying with Body and Soul involves the whole person: our senses, our bodies at rest or in motion, our imaginations, as well as our minds and emotions. By paying prayerful attention to the body people will not only recognize the ways in which they already pray, but will learn how to deepen their relationship with God. Each chapter includes questions for reflection, and practical exercises, such as drawing, walking meditation, fasting, making music, dancing, and praying in sickness and disability. This guide to prayer can be used by individuals, prayer partners, and small groups.

Religions and Nonviolence

Religions and Nonviolence PDF Author: Rachel M. MacNair
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 144083539X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 329

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Book Description
Covering the nonviolence traditions in all the major religions as well as the contributions of religious traditions to major nonviolent practices, this book addresses theories of nonviolence, considers each religion individually, and highlights what discrete religious perspectives have in common. Covering all the major-and some of the larger minor-religions of the world, Religions and Nonviolence: The Rise of Effective Advocacy for Peace examines the rich history of how human thinking on nonviolence has developed and what each religion offers to the theory and practice of nonviolence, providing a counterpoint to the perspective that religion has largely inspired violence and intolerance. It also traces the contributions of religious traditions to secular nonviolent practices, recognizes and explains why religion has historically inspired violence, and provides additional resources for investigating the crossroads of religion and advocacy of nonviolence and peace. The author addresses the nonviolence traditions in religions such as Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Ethical Atheism, the First Nations of North America, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Tenrikyo, and Revitalized Paganism. Ancient religions with important contributions to nonviolence-Zoroastrianism, Taoism, and Jainism-receive attention, as do Mo Tse and other Chinese philosophers as well as Pythagoras and other classical Greek thinkers. Students of religion, history of religion, sociology, or psychology will find this book key to achieving a balanced and therefore more accurate understanding of both religion and history. General readers will gain insights into the commonalities among different religions as well as each major religion's historical and current stances on issues of violence, such as human or animal sacrifice, slavery, war, and the death penalty.

The Gospel According to the Simpsons

The Gospel According to the Simpsons PDF Author: Mark I. Pinsky
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 9780664224196
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 220

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Book Description
Examines the treatment of religion and spirituality in the animated television series, including its depiction of God, Jesus, heaven, hell, and prayer in chapters devoted to Homer, Lisa, Ned, Reverend Lovejoy, Krusty, and Apu.

Laughing with God

Laughing with God PDF Author: Gerald A. Arbuckle
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 0814683886
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 212

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Book Description
When Sarah overhears God tell Abraham that she will give birth to a son, she laughs. She laughs to herself at the impossibility of her, in her old age, bearing a child (Gen 18:12). But God’s ways are not Sarah’s ways; God is far more wonderful than Sarah imagines. Of course, Sarah does give birth to a son and names him Isaac, whose name means to laugh: God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me (Gen 21:6). Surely, the ancient audience—aware of the many incongruities in this story—did laugh. But can we in modern times recover the divine humor, the paradox and promise, in this and other biblical accounts? Can we use that sacred laughter as a means to evangelize a world that longs for God every bit as much as the ancients did? In Laughing with God: Humor, Culture, and Transformation, Catholic priest and cultural anthropologist Gerald Arbuckle helps us do just that. With Arbuckle, readers will enter many rich biblical stories and come away laughing, not laughter as in response to a joke or comedy, but a profound laughter of the heart. Readers will laugh at Sarah as she laughs at God, and they will laugh together with Sarah and God. Readers will discover divine humor in the parables of Jesus and even in his suffering and death, the ultimate paradox for Christians. In addition to uncovering and recovering humor in Scripture, Arbuckle’s work is a treasure trove of modern examples of humor—from literature, movies, and television—that surprisingly can be a means of transforming cultures to better reflect the kingdom of God. In the end, readers will want to turn the phrase, He who laughs last, laughs best, into, They who laugh with God, evangelize best. Gerald A. Arbuckle, SM, PhD, is co-director of Refounding and Pastoral Development, a research ministry, in Sydney, Australia. He is internationally known for his expertise in helping church leaders minister effectively in a postmodern world. Arbuckle’s most recent books include: Confronting the Demon: A Gospel Response to Adult Bullying; Violence, Society, and the Church: A Cultural Approach; and Healthcare Ministry: Refounding the Mission in Tumultuous Times (2001 Catholic Press Association Award), all published by Liturgical Press.