Pranks, Lying, God and April's Fool
Pranks, Lying, God and April's Fool by Matthew Michael (1 April, 2020) I don't normally wade into the controversies of God and theology in online discussions--but I'll make exception for this. I think there is a difference between lying and playing pranks. Culturally, April fool is rooted in the desire to play pranks--and have fun among friends. Prank is defined as "a practical joke or mischievous act" which is not intended to cause harm. Similarly, it could also be defined as the act of "playing trick on someone with the intention to be funny and not to harm a person." There is nothing wrong in enjoying a healthy sense of humor; the God of the Bible is a serious deity but he is also a deity full of humour--and at times plays humourous pranks himself too. Modern studies have shown several humorous literary devices employed by God and biblical writers in conveying their messages. For example, the humour over the wordplay surrounding the names of Isaac...