• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday a topic is printed inviting a response. Submissions are edited for content and
• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday a topic is printed inviting a response. Submissions are edited for content and length. Thoughts or suggestions for future topics are always welcome. Next week’s topic is the new year. The topic at the end of the column is for the following week.
Pastor Wayne Patton
Anahola Baptist Church
Laughter celebrates the goodness of God. It celebrates the world God created and the life God gives. It is an accepted belief of medicine that laughter is good for our physical health. It is usually the best way of coping with the trials and disasters that come our way.
Abraham and Sarah’s distress at not having a child is a case in point. We read in Genesis 17:17 when God promised Abraham a son that “Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
Some time later (Gen. 18) when Sarah heard the words that she would give birth to a son, she immediately thought about how old she and Abraham were, and laughed to herself. The Lord asked Abraham why Sarah laughed. Sarah denied that she had laughed. But in the difficulty of the moment, one of the great rhetorical questions of the Bible is stated: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
The miraculous birth of the son (Gen. 21) was accompanied by a laughing revival. Sarah said, “I once laughed and now God has brought me laughter.” Sarah’s laughter illustrates the important theological point that what the Lord was about to do to fulfill His promise to Abraham was a matter too wonderful even for His own people to imagine. Both Abraham and Sarah had laughed at the thought of having a son, so Isaac, which means laughter, became his name.
There is plenty in life to laugh about. A forgiven person walks lightly upon the earth and with childlike freshness is quick to smile and easily brought to laughter. That person is hopeful of the future, confident of who he is, and able to lift up and bear the burdens of others. Our lives are made better by genuine laughter.
Kahu James Fung
Lihu‘e Christian Church
Laughter is a universal language. No matter what language others speak when they laugh, we know what it means. Laughter is one of God’s good gifts that he gives to us to be what has often been referred to as the great “lubricant of life.” Laughter helps us, at times, to just get through the day. It’s been said that laughter is good medicine. And when we are able to laugh at ourselves, we reveal that we have learned something about humility.
One kind of laughter is a response to something that strikes us as being funny. But there is another kind of laughter. It’s when everything around us says “no,” when we can’t see any options in our particular situation, when life seems impossible — and then something happens that show that God is in charge. Not the rhythms or ways of secular culture that constrain us and tell us what we can and cannot do.
Christmas is a time for laughter. Why? Because God has shown us surprises after surprises in the story of Jesus’ birth that inspires us to laughter. The Christmas story in the Bible goes against the grain of conventional wisdom. An unmarried woman is pregnant. Her husband-to-be ignores the cultural pressure to abandon her. Instead he takes the advice of an angel who speaks to him in a dream about them having the most amazing child, who is to be the Christ — the anointed spiritual savior of all of humankind.
Want a good laugh? Watch again that favorite Christmas special, “Miracle on 34th Street.” At the end when the Post Office employees heap piles of letters to Santa before the Judge at the courthouse, when all the evidence to prove that something isn’t so, something can happen to show that things aren’t always going to turn out in the negative way that it seems. God has a way of shining His promising light in the midst of the apparent darkness of futility and despair. This is what Christmas is all about.
The Baha’is of Kaua‘i
Scientific studies have demonstrated the positive effects of laughter and humor on human health. Dr. Clifford Kuhn, author of “The Fun Factor,” included the following in his list of the findings of many laboratory studies: Laughter “reduces the level of stress hormones, perks up the immune system, relaxes muscles, clears the respiratory tract, increases circulation and eases perceived pain.” After a good laugh, it has been shown that endorphins — the feel-good hormones — increase, blood pressure settles down to below the norm and increased oxygen to the brain revs up creativity.” Among the most interesting findings about laughter is that it works best in a group and the ability to laugh and a good sense of humor even after a bad experience is a measure of mental fitness and the ability to adapt.
In his book, “Healthy Aging,” Dr. Andrew Weil also promotes the positive effects of laughter. He stated: “Laughter may indeed be the best medicine and, like optimism, it can be learned.” ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Son of Baha’u’llah, Prophet-founder of the Baha’i Faith, gives this instruction to assist in the learning: “You must live in the utmost happiness. If any trouble or vicissitude comes into your lives, if your heart is depressed on account of health, livelihood or vocation, let not these things affect you. They should not cause unhappiness,” he adds, “for Baha’u’llah has brought you divine happiness. He has prepared heavenly food for you; He has destined eternal bounty for you.”
While imprisoned with his father ‘Abdul-Baha modeled how there can be laughter even under the most dire of circumstances. The following is from an interview with ‘Abdul-Baha. “It is good to laugh. Laughter is a spiritual relaxation. When they were in prison, He said, and under the utmost deprivation and difficulties, each of them at the close of the day would relate the most ludicrous event which had happened. Sometimes it was a little difficult to find one but always they would laugh until the tears would roll down their cheeks. Happiness, He said, is never dependent upon material surroundings, otherwise how sad those years would have been. As it was they were always in the utmost state of joy and happiness.”
Lama Tashi Dundrup
Kaua‘i Dharma Center
Laughter is medicine for the mind and body, as is all spiritual practice. Its basis is joy and happiness and produces a sense of well being. We laugh at ourselves and our stupidity in believing that we exist separate as an “I” or “self centric” individual existing apart from everyone and everything else. We laugh at the way government, corporations, armies and even religious organizations tell us what to do, how to live and how to be happy. The best living example of laughter and Joy is the Dalai Lama, we call him “Smiley.”
Topic for two weeks from today
• Will you speak to us on music?
• Spiritual leaders are invited to e-mail responses of three to five paragraphs to afrainier@
thegardenisland.com.
• Deadline each week is 5 p.m. Tuesday.