I’m convinced that in order to become a Christian these days one must not only accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior but also renounce sin and divest yourself of your sense of humor. I’m not sure how I managed to get through my period of religious belief and escape with my sense of humor intact. Perhaps that’s a sign that I was never really accepted by god.
Nothing’s funny to Jesus. And if you love Jesus, nothing should be funny, enjoyable or humorous to you, either.
Let’s look to the fine Christian folk of Reedsburg, Wisconsin for an example of sacred seriousness.
An elementary-school event in which kids were encouraged to dress as members of the opposite gender drew the ire of a Christian radio group, whose angry broadcast prompted outraged calls to the district office.
Students at Pineview Elementary in Reedsburg had been dressing in costume all last week as part of an annual school tradition called Wacky Week. On Friday, students were encouraged to dress either as senior citizens or as members of the opposite sex.
A local resident informed the Voice of Christian Youth America on Friday. The Milwaukee-based radio network responded by interrupting its morning programming for a special broadcast that aired on nine radio stations throughout Wisconsin. The broadcast criticized the dress-up day and accused the district of promoting alternative lifestyles.
“We believe it’s the wrong message to send to elementary students,” said Jim Schneider, the network’s program director. “Our station is one that promotes traditional family values. It concerns us when a school district strikes at the heart and core of the Biblical values. To promote this to elementary-school students is a great error.”
Schneider co-hosts “Crosstalk,” a nationally syndicated call-in Christian radio show.
After the program aired, both the school and Reedsburg School District office were flooded with calls complaining about the event.
The response surprised Principal Tammy Hayes, who said no one had raised any objections beforehand. She said a flier detailing Wacky Week had been sent home with children the prior week, and an announcement was also included in teacher newsletters.
The dress-up day was not an attempt to promote cross-dressing, homosexuality or alternative gender roles, district administrator Tom Benson said.
“The promotion of transgenderism – that was not our purpose,” Benson told the Baraboo News Republic. “Our purpose was to have a Wacky Week, mixing in a bit of silliness with our reading, writing and arithmetic.”
Obviously this sacrilegious abomination was the work of Satanical, homosexual, liberal, anti-war, godless heathens. Right?
The theme for Friday’s dress-up day came from students, Hayes said.
“It’s different every year. They basically present the ideas, and they vote on what they would like from Monday through Friday,” Hayes said. “… They did not mean anything by this day. They were trying to have fun and come up with a fun dress-up day.”
Oh well, anyway, this is a prime example of how being lighthearted and having fun can lead right into the main gate of the devil’s garden. If god had wanted us to enjoy life, he would have said so. And I don’t see where Jesus ever said, “Go forth and have a good time”.
(Source of quoted material)
