A review by missbryden
Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life by James Martin

3.0

One thing that I thought was a really good point, and inspires further study, or reconsidering viewpoint, is that some of the Bible is humorous or would have been to its initial audience, in a way we no longer understand today. That’s the kind of thing I’d like to know more about, like when original language didn’t translate quite right into a English, and we misunderstand details.
I'm not one of those that thinks religion and spirituality has to be all serious, so a lot of the book concept I just agreed with and didn't need persuading on.
I did appreciate his mentioning and explaining of how various spiritual people and religions have recognized and incorporated joy, laughter, and humor, especially the more specifics about Jesuit spiritual practice of imaginative prayer, imagining yourself in God's or Jesus' presence, and taking joy in that.
I didn't like some of his sense of humor, and in other cases I am one of those that "doesn't get it", but I don't see that all humor has to be gotten by everybody, some humor needs context of experience.