Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Funny isn't happy

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."
"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world." -- Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society

I was getting ready to go to talk to someone about their role in the church when I heard the news that Robin Williams has died, apparently at his own hand. I can't put my finger on it, but it moved me in a thousand ways.

I pondered it on the drive to see the person I was scheduled to see. Then I saw at some point last night this message on Facebook: Being funny is not the same thing as being happy.

And there you have it.

My comedy heroes were at one point or another in my life, Richard Pryor, Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams. All were daring, funny, sometimes quite risqué. And most were not happy for large chunks of their lives. I think back to the Smokey song, Tears of a Clown, when there's no one around.

How can that be, one can legitimately ask?

How can the people who make us laugh find it so hard to, well, laugh?

In a story by Peter McGraw and Joel Warner we see that it is rather common to find these funny people finding sadness. "The Laugh Factory, one of the biggest comedy clubs in L.A., has an in-house therapy program. Two nights a week, comics meet with psychologists in a private office upstairs, discussing their problems while lying on a therapy couch formerly owned by Groucho Marks." Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada says, "Eighty percent of comedians come from a place of tragedy. They didn't get enough love. They have to overcome their problems by making people laugh."

Robin Williams always made me laugh. Period. And there have been times I forgot to laugh at all.

Someone recently noticed that I have a tendency to knock myself as a way to make people laugh, running myself down in the process. I know that's true (one of the few things I truly know... see, see what I did?), but it goes on.

But I'm not alone. One theory about humor is called the benign violation theory. It says that humor arises when something seems wrong or threatening but is simultaneously OK or safe. "If  comedians are going to mine their lives for material, they're naturally going to start looking for violations, the foibles, neuroses, and bad behaviors that are great for a laugh (and might make others think they've got a screw loose."

Well, uh, yeah.

Robin picked on himself and his addiction problems. I've done the same. Robin made parody of famous folks; I've done it too.

But I've never had a moment where I thought of killing myself. I can't believe he did that to himself; I can't believe he felt the need to.

In Deuteronomy, God speaks to his people. He says:
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life..." (NLT)
We all have our issues. All. But I pray they are never more than we can handle, never more than we can go through with the help of the one who loves us most.

In the end, even for those so depressed they falter and fall, I believe this: 
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
It is imperative that we understand and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord. If that be the case, and we profess it with our mouths (Romans 10:9), I believe we are saved. Period.

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