{"id":78647,"date":"2020-12-15T00:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T07:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=78647"},"modified":"2021-01-03T14:54:45","modified_gmt":"2021-01-03T21:54:45","slug":"pwj-s4e19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2020\/12\/15\/pwj-s4e19\/","title":{"rendered":"PWJ: S4E19 &#8211; TSL 11 &#8211; &#8220;I love to Laugh&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/S4E19-YouTube.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78749\" srcset=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/S4E19-YouTube.png 860w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/S4E19-YouTube-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/S4E19-YouTube-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Screwtape teaches a seminar on the different kinds of laughter and explains which serve the purposes of Hell. I was joined by David Niles and Adam Minihan, lifelong friends and co-hosts of <em>The Catholic Man Show<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>S4E19: Letter #11 &#8211; &#8220;I love to laugh\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;(<a href=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/PWJ-S4E19.mp3\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/PWJ-S4E19.mp3\">Download<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/PWJ-S4E19.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you enjoy this episode, you can subscribe&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/TheEagleAndChildPodcast\" target=\"_blank\">manually<\/a>, or&nbsp;any place where good podcasts can be found&nbsp;(<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-eagle-and-child-podcast-restless-pilgrim\/id1289456381\" target=\"_blank\">iTunes<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Ixvobfgi2wk4rkdegdnbdqjjh44?t=The_Eagle_and_Child\" target=\"_blank\">Google Play<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Pints-with-Jack\/dp\/B08K57WLYB\/\" target=\"_blank\">Amazon<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/podcast-detail\/wqkqe-5e798\/The+Eagle+and+Child\" target=\"_blank\">Podbean<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/s?fid=159766&amp;refid=stpr\" target=\"_blank\">Stitcher<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/tunein.com\/radio\/The-Eagle-and-Child-p1079872\/\" target=\"_blank\">TuneIn<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/overcast.fm\/itunes1289456381\/pints-with-jack\" target=\"_blank\">Overcast<\/a>), as well as on&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCcYFlFuyOmYL6LcuicqzULw\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube<\/a>. The roadmap for Season 4 is&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/pints-with-jack-season-4\/\">available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More information about us can be found on our website,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pintswithjack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">PintsWithJack.com<\/a>. If you\u2019d like to support us and get fantastic gifts,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/pintswithjack\">please join us on Patreon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Timestamps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">00:00 \u2013 <em>Entering \u201cThe Eagle &amp; Child\u201d\u2026 <\/em><br>00:14 \u2013 <em>Welcome<\/em><br>00:53 \u2013 <em>Chit-Chat<\/em><br>01:53 \u2013 <em>Adam and David<\/em><br>09:38 \u2013 <em>Song-of-the-week <\/em><br>10:22 \u2013 <em>What makes you laugh?<\/em><br>15:28 \u2013 <em>Quote-of-the-week <\/em><br>15:48 \u2013 <em>Drink-of-the-week <\/em><br>20:26 \u2013 <em>Toast <\/em><br>20:42 \u2013 <em>Chapter Summary <\/em><br>21:28 \u2013 <em>Discussion <\/em><br>53:01 \u2013 <em>Unscrewing Screwtape<\/em><br>56:28 \u2013 <em>&#8220;Last Call&#8221; Bell and Closing Remarks<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">YouTube Version<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-sAsBtuNbFY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">After Show Skype Session<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About a month after posting this episode I recorded a short video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4TaJl09tXjk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Show Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Opening Chit-Chat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>I had Dave and Adam introduce each other. <\/li><li>I first came across their podcast, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/thecatholicmanshow.com\/\">The Catholic Ma<\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/thecatholicmanshow.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">n<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/thecatholicmanshow.com\/\"> Show<\/a><\/em>, while I was walking the Camino De Santiago. I was apparently one of their first listeners outside of Oklahoma. Adam took the opportunity to apologise for getting my name wrong when they gave me a shout-out! I&#8217;ll have to check, but I think they called me &#8220;Steve&#8221;&#8230;<\/li><li>I asked them to give a quick pitch for their podcast. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Chatting.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"450\" src=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Chatting.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Chatting.png 810w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Chatting-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Chatting-768x427.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Song-of-the-week<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Today we were discussing <em>Letter #11<\/em> from <em>The Screwtape Letters<\/em>, a letter which Adam and Dave mentioned on an <a href=\"https:\/\/thecatholicmanshow.com\/captivate-podcast\/philosophy-of-humor\/\">episode<\/a> of your show a couple of months ago.<\/li><li>Since this chapter is on the subject of laughter and humour, the episode title comes from a song in my favourite childhood movie, Marie Poppins. The episode title is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yNHRXNvFmZ8\">I love to laugh<\/a>, which for those of you who haven\u2019t seen the movie, is sung in a scene where the children have a tea party on the ceiling&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yNHRXNvFmZ8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>I asked Adam and Dave about their favourite comedy shows. Since both of them are fathers, I asked them to demonstrate the virtue of <em>hilaritas<\/em> by sharing with the listeners some of their best Dad jokes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quote-of-the-week<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The quote-of-the-week came from today&#8217;s letter:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em><em><em><em>\u201cAmong flippant people the Joke is always assumed to have been made\u2026 If prolonged, the habit of Flippancy builds up around a man the finest armour-plating against the Enemy that I know&#8230;\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drink-of-the-week<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The drink-of-the-week is a blend, <strong><em>Buchanan\u2019s Deluxe<\/em><\/strong><ul><li><strong><em>Nose: <\/em><\/strong><em>Slight hints of peat, orange zest and vanilla cream.&nbsp;<\/em><\/li><li><strong><em>Palate: <\/em><\/strong><em>Vanilla continues, with plenty of orchard fruit in tow. Caramel sweetness. <\/em><\/li><li><strong><em>Finish: <\/em><\/strong><em>Cigar box and peat smoke.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Adam made the pitch for me and my wife moving to Tulsa.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Patreon Toast<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Each episode we toast one our our Gold-level supporters on Patreon and today we are toasting <strong><em>Alex Swetz<\/em><\/strong>, but since I\u2019m in the presence of greatness, I\u2019d like you guys to do the toast!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Alex, may you always be free from flippancy and filled with joy\u2026<\/p><cite>Patreon Toast<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chapter Summary<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Moving on to the one-hundred word summary of today\u2019s letter, which was first published in <em>The Guardian<\/em> on 11th July, 1941&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Hearing that the patient\u2019s worldly friends are great laughers, Screwtape describes four kinds of laughter\u2026 <br><br>\u201cJoy\u201d is the kind of laughter which appears between friends reunited on the eve of a holiday. It must be avoided at all costs! <br><br>Next there is \u201cFun\u201d, emotional froth arising from the play instinct. It is not much use, except as a distraction. <br><br> The next is \u201cThe Joke Proper\u201d, which stems from the perception of incongruity. It can be used to destroy shame. <br><br>Finally, there is \u201cFlippancy\u201d which is to be encouraged as it protects the patient from God like a suit of armour.<\/p><cite>One-hundred word summary of Chapter 11<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Discussion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>The Coterie<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Listeners will recall that Wormwood\u2019s patient had recently made two new friends and Screwtape was overjoyed at this, their being worldly, skeptical and superficially intellectual. And Screwtape\u2019s joy continues in today\u2019s letter, because the patient\u2019s new acquaintances have introduced him to their whole circle of friends. Screwtape notes with glee\u2026<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>All these, as I find from the record office, are thoroughly reliable people; steady, consistent scoffers and worldlings who without any spectacular crimes are progressing quietly and comfortably towards our Father\u2019s house.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This reiterates the lesson from <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2020\/11\/17\/pwj-s4e12\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"78487\" target=\"_blank\">Letter 7<\/a>, in that Screwtape is perfectly happy with fairly unimpressive faults as long as it ultimately results in the capture of a soul. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape\u2019s comments also show the importance one&#8217;s friends play in getting you to your final destination, either Heaven or Hell. As a supporter of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/thecatholicmanshow\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Catholic Man Show<\/em> on Patreon<\/a>, I get to experience their online community, <em>The Council of Man<\/em>, and I\u2019ve seen the good that community, even an online community can foster. I think we\u2019ll find the description of these folks as \u201cscoffers\u201d important as we go through this latter.<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/32UrP-5ZqNc?list=PL62_a9YAWpbHdTnnka8Imzsk2jEjROyrP&amp;t=150\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adam hates mint-chocolate chip ice-cream<\/a> &#8211; please pray for him.<\/li><li>I ended this section by quoting St. Paul:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Do not be misled: \u201cBad company corrupts good character.\u201d <\/p><cite>1 Corinthians 15:33<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>The Four Laughters<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>From what Screwtape says next, it seems that Wormwood in his last letter described this broader group of friends as being \u201cgreat laughers\u201d. Screwtape is suspicious of this description, receiving the impression from his nephew that laughter is always in Hell\u2019s favour. He therefore devotes the rest of this letter to describing the different types of laughter and which of them can be used for their cause. <\/li><li>So, C.S. Lewis, the author of \u201cThe Four Loves\u201d now writes to us (through the voice of  ) about \u201cThe Four Laughters\u201d&#8230;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Laughter #1: Joy<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The first kind of laughter Screwtape describes he calls \u201cJoy\u201d. This is always a rather loaded term with Lewis. Here\u2019s how Screwtape describes it:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>You will see\u2026[Joy] among friends and lovers reunited on the eve of a holiday. Among adults some pretext in the way of Jokes is usually provided, but the facility with which the smallest witticisms produce laughter at such a time shows that they are not the real cause. What that real cause is we do not know.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>I think it\u2019s worth noting that Screwtape is confused by joy. He doesn\u2019t really know the cause and it all seems rather disproportionate to him &#8211; small witticisms produce great laughter. I suggested that the cause of this joy is love, which is why it\u2019s utterly incomprehensible to the demons. Joy also requires humility and self-forgetfulness, something which isn\u2019t in abundance in Hell:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;humor involves a sense of proportion and a power of seeing yourself from the outside. What ever else we attribute to beings who sinned through pride, we must not attribute this. Satan, said Chesterton, fell through force of gravity. We must picture Hell as a state where everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment&#8230;<\/p><cite>&#8211; C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (1962 Preface)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Screwtape connects joy to music somehow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Something like it is expressed in much of that detestable art which the humans call Music, and something like it occurs in Heaven \u2014 a meaningless acceleration in the rhythm of celestial experience, quite opaque to us. Laughter of this kind does us no good and should always be discouraged. Besides, the phenomenon is of itself disgusting and a direct insult to the realism, dignity, and austerity of Hell.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter #11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>Laughter #2: Fun<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The next king of laughter Screwtape calls \u201cfun\u201d. He says:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>[It] is closely related to Joy \u2014 a sort of emotional froth arising from the play instinct.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This kind of laughter is of very little use to Screwtape:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>It is very little use to us. It can sometimes be used, of course, to divert humans from something else which the Enemy would like them to be feeling or doing: but in itself it has wholly undesirable tendencies; it promotes charity, courage, contentment, and many other evils.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Laughter #3: The Joke Proper<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Next up, Screwtape describes \u201cThe Joke Proper\u201d, laughter from jokes, which he says depends on the <em>\u201csudden perception of incongruity\u201d<\/em>. Screwtape says this kind of laughter is much more promising.<\/li><li>Rather surprisingly, he says that he\u2019s not primarily thinking about indecent or bawdy humour. He says second-rate tempters rely on that but the results are often disappointing. In fact, in a rare moment of humility, Screwtape even admits to trying to rely on indecent jokes when he first started out! He says it\u2019s often disappointing because people can have different kinds of relationships with bawdy jokes:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The first sort [of person] joke about sex because it gives rise to many incongruities: the second cultivate incongruities because they afford a pretext for talking about sex.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In post-production, this reminds me of a comment by Douglas Gresham in a documentary:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uVw2_QKtgpE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;start=47&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I compared this issue to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1%20Corinthians%208&amp;version=RSVCE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what St. Paul said<\/a> about eating food sacrificed to idols:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother\u2019s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.<\/p><cite>1 Corinthians 8:12-13 <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Screwtape then points out that a profitable use for jokes is in destroying shame. He says that it\u2019s particularly effective with one particular nation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;it is specially promising among the English who take their \u201csense of humour\u201d so seriously that a deficiency in this sense is almost the only deficiency at which they feel shame. Humour is for them the all-consoling and (mark this) the all-excusing, grace of life. Any suggestion that there might be too much of it can be represented to him as \u201cPuritanical\u201d or as betraying a \u201clack of humour\u201d<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jokes are all-excusing. Cruelty can be disguised as humour. How many times has someone said something nasty and then hidden behind \u201cJust kidding! It\u2019s a joke!\u201d It makes me think of nasty characters Jane Austen novels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Laugh #4: Flippancy<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Screwtape comes to the final type of laughter, flippancy, making light of something important in a disrespectful manner. Screwtape says that it is the best kind of laughter, in part because it doesn\u2019t require cleverness:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;any of them can be trained to talk as if virtue were funny. Among flippant people the Joke is always assumed to have been made. No one actually makes it; but every serious subject is discussed in a manner which implies that they have already found a ridiculous side to it.<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We might not think this too&nbsp; bad, but Screwtape tells us what will happen over time once the habit has been established:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>If prolonged, the habit of Flippancy builds up around a man the finest armour-plating against the Enemy that I know, and it is quite free from the dangers inherent in the other sources of laughter. It is a thousand miles away from joy: it deadens, instead of sharpening, the intellect; and it excites no affection between those who practice it&#8230;<\/p><cite>C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Book III, Chapter 11)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Lewis\u2019 word choice here puts me in mind of his spiritual autobiography, <em>Surprised By Joy<\/em> where he speaks about loosening his \u201carmour\u201d towards God, opening himself up to God. <\/li><li>What does Screwtape love so much about flippancy? We said that i t\u2019s lazy and doesn&#8217;t take God or virtue seriously. It&#8217;s inherently sacrilegious.<\/li><li>I commented how flippancy escalates in a way which reminds me of Psalm 1, where the man goes from walking, to standing to sitting:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers&#8230;<\/em><\/p><cite>Psalm 1:1<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Screwtape Unscrewed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Do: <\/strong>Pay attention to who is influencing  you<\/li><li><strong>Do: <\/strong>Build a supportive community<\/li><li><strong>Do:<\/strong> celebrate joy!<\/li><li><strong>Do:<\/strong> have fun!<\/li><li><strong>Do:<\/strong> make jokes, (but be careful!)<\/li><li><strong>Do not:<\/strong> be flippant<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Providence eLearning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gF7nooJLMsc?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Screwtape teaches a seminar on the different kinds of laughter and explains which serve the purposes of Hell. I was joined by David Niles and Adam Minihan, lifelong friends and co-hosts of The Catholic Man Show.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":78751,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3111],"tags":[3902,5012,3901,2969,1078,3903,4438,4822],"class_list":["post-78647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-adam-minihan","tag-c-s-lewis-2","tag-david-niles","tag-featured","tag-laughter","tag-the-catholic-man-show","tag-the-eagle-and-child-podcast","tag-the-screwtape-letters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/S4E19-Blog.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78647"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79304,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78647\/revisions\/79304"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}