Reply #26: Thank you,

[Joe Chi Minh]

DARE to HOPE. Yes, I see Jesus as a bit of a roughneck, truth to tell. He seems more thoroughly working class to me than any of his Apostles. And humour, since much of it involves our recognition of the mad inversion of the values and priorities of the World, is much more a part of the working man's ethos. And of all women's, I suspect, because though they realise the importance, as future protectors and nurturers, to deal with the World, as much from a position of strenght as possible, they are intuitive enough and have been marginalised for long enough, to know the real score. Maybe that's why they are said to like a man with a sense of humour. It's always gratifying to know that others can see the madness of the World as clearly.

The element of subversiveness probably particularly lifts the spirit, since "respectability", however spurious and hypocritical, is of the essence of the higher reaches of worldly power. Unfortunately, we, like Christ, seem to be called to try to be respectable, as well as having a bit of a tearaway spirit! Even though the rough diamonds are great company. Still, if we make Heaven, we'll probably be pretty much surrounded by scapegrace Samaritans and finally be able to let it all hang out! It'll be like being a private in the army again!

That's not to say that academically educated people can't have a brilliant sense of humour, too. Many do, of course. I remember, after I'd had a triple bypass op, the porter bloke wheeled me into this tiny old elevator, which could just about take the two of us.

A group of young surgeons approached the elevator (everyone's young, when you're in your mid-sixties), and this hulking great surgeon with a nine o'clock shadow, braced himself like a boxer, and said to me, (a wizened little old geezer hunched up in my wheel-chair),
"Fight you for it!". I retorted, "Why is it that the more distinguished you characters are, the more thuggish you look!" I think the porter pushed the lift button smartly, while he could!