Article November 14, 1970 Issue

"Ye shall laugh"

STELLA DENISE COUSINS

There is ample evidence to support the claim that laughter and humor are essential to the well-being of mankind. We need only turn to Jesus' words in Luke's Gospel to realize the value he put on laughter. He says there, "Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh." Luke 6:21;

One unpleasant form of laughter expresses scorn or derision, but there is no reason to think that this is the kind of laughter Jesus said would replace the gloom and down-in-the-mouth weeping. "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted," Matt. 5:4; says the parallel statement in the Sermon on the Mount. The laughter Jesus promised is provoked by joyful feelings. It makes one bright and sparkling. It is an expression of Soul, God.

While it is true to say that we don't see many people actually weeping publicly, we do find ample evidence of deep-rooted sadness. Many people are finding it a real challenge to be able to laugh—to be jolly, gay, and have a sense of humor and fun. Many present, sometimes unknowingly, a picture of somberness and burden or the pious holier-than-thou attitude so long associated, however mistakenly, with high religious standards. Countless others, who recognize their lack, seek a solution in material aids and stimulants. But such means only lead to greater problems, both mental and physical, and do not get to the root of the trouble. These means of achieving gaiety and laughter are evil parading in the guise of good; they are the counterfeit of the true source of laughter and merriment, which is Soul.

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