Comments on: It’s a Comedy Bit…I think…It does sound familiar…

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:22:32 +0000

I found myself chuckling at both, perhaps for different reasons. The Vicar is how many folks see Christians, and the young couple is funny in their own right.

The Good Samaritan piece got me chuckling in spite of myself. I revere and worship Jesus. He would not speak of people in the way the video has him speak of Samaritans, as is evidenced by his actions. I also found the way the disciples contradicted him ridiculous. But the way they reflected modern-day attitudes and used modern phrases was so incongruous it got me laughing.

Samaritans were basically universally hated by the Jews of the day (Pharisees and others), and vice-versa. That’s the main point of the parable. Jesus was describing who our neighbor is. There are other points, too. The priest and the Levite who went by were obeying the law – the cleanliness law. They ranked that law higher than helping their neighbor. The Samaritan treated the man as a neighbor.

By: Wonders for Oyarsa

Wonders for Oyarsa — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:21:42 +0000

“As an aside, my understanding of the parable is that Jesus Himself is the Good Samaritan. Does anyone else understand it that way?”

Most of the early Church fathers did.

By: treebeard

treebeard — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:01:45 +0000

Both are hilarious. Thanks!
It’s a good juxtaposition also. The two muddle-headed visitors in the first skit are just like the “let’s all be good to each other” Jesus in the second.

As an aside, my understanding of the parable is that Jesus Himself is the Good Samaritan. Does anyone else understand it that way?

By: Leo

Leo — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:32:05 +0000

Loved them both…laughed long and loud…great way to start a Monday morning…

AND…as a Christian, and a Pastor, I am more offended that there are churches actually like this than I am by the skit itself. If we can’t laugh at ourselves, and hopefully LEARN…well, then we are all in trouble…

But then…I also laughed through “The Life of Brian”…and most other things Monty Python did…all you have to say is “parrot” to get me going…

By: Giovanni

Giovanni — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:31:50 +0000

Was that a Lutheran church? Or was it just Anglican?

By: K.W. Leslie

K.W. Leslie — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:12:21 +0000

See, and I figured the “Good Samaritan” bit made a good pointâ€”not everyone back then was automatically prejudiced against Samaritans. But Pharisees largely were, and Jesus was speaking to Pharisees at the time. Had He told that parable to secular Jews or Romans, they’d have said pretty much what the group in that sketch said.

Nowadays when I retell that parable, I replace “Samaritan” with “Mormon” in talking to Christians, and “Republican” when talking to pagans. (Before you get offended, you have to remember what sort of pagans I talk to.)

By: Keith

Keith — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:27:48 +0000

As I wrote above, I did find the “Good Samaritan” bit funny. For me it was in part just a matter of the incongruity of putting late-20th-Century words and thoughts into the mouths and minds of these 1st Century characters. But I do think that it in part was due to having Jesus as the main character. I did not see this like iMonk does: as showing how others see Jesus. At least not necessarily — maybe iMonk is right. Maybe this was a case of the creators of the skit taking “a friendly [or not-so-friendly] pop at” Jesus, and by extension, his followers. But I instead thought that it was supposed to be a funny take on the telling of the parable — funny precisely because this is not what we or they think of Jesus as being like. But, as I’ve already admitted, maybe I’m wrong and the creators [I guess this would be the proverbial case of man "returning the favor" and creating God in man's own image] are saying that this is how they view Jesus.

By: willoh

willoh — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 05:37:54 +0000

I am glad it OK to be not OK with some things. Thanks for that.

By: iMonk

iMonk — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:00:06 +0000

I assume that Christians would be offended by elements of both. But both are windows into non-believers see us and see Jesus and his teachings. If I were challenged on the story of the Good Samaritan along those lines, I’d be quite put off. But I think I need to see that perspective. My faith and the scriptures aren’t a slam dunk to all who encounter them.

By: willoh

willoh — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:47:24 +0000

I guess I am a dinosaur or worse, but I find the good Samaritan routine offensive. First of all it would not be a bit funny if it were not about Jesus. If you like that sort of thing, OK. But there is so much ignorance about the Saviour and so many who wish to view him in this “He was just another bloke” light , that is just doesn’t sit well with me. Also I have an aversion to White, Anglo Jesus. Just my own tastes, don’t hate me, it is bad for your soul.