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Such humor can be an honest attempt to make sense of a puzzling and tragic world; scratch a cynic and find a romantic. For people who don't have a coherent worldview with a loving God at the center, it may be the best they can do.

The online newspaper parody The Onion produces some of the best humor, such as "Clinton Deploys Vowels to Bosnia" (an airdrop of E's so "the people &#hellip; can have some vowels in their incomprehensible words"). In an essay titled "I Wish I Was One of the Golden Girls" an aged woman naïvely wishes she had friends like those on TV. As she guilelessly contrasts her lonely life with Hollywood's phoniness our sympathy and affection grow, but there isn't a laugh on the page.

Is this humor? Is it wrong? Thoughtful black humor can be both repellent and a solemn teacher. Sometimes when you laugh it's only to keep from crying.

Christianity Today sister publication Today's Christian Woman reported on how laughter has helped women cope with breast cancer. They also feature a regular humor column written by Liz Curtis Higgs.

Beliefnet.net excerpts a chapter of Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul that discusses how laughter can catch us by surprise, even during difficult moments.

Newsweek ran an article earlier this year that looks at the prevalence of irony in American culture, especially in the area of entertainment. Britannica.com has entries for 'irony' and 'dramatic irony,' as well as an excellent and extensive entry for 'humor.'

For something completely different, an interesting (although somewhat shrill) article from The Christian Courierdefends Jesus against the claim that he didn't laugh. Books in this same vein include The Joyful Christ and The Humor of Christ.

If you could use a good laugh yourself, try About.com's Christian Humor page, which is maintained by Greg Hartman. Other fine sources of Christian humor include the magazines Ship of Fools and The Door.

Visit Frederica Mathewes-Green's Web site at www.frederica.com

Earlier "Your World" columns by Frederica Mathewes-Green columns include:

• Sex and Saints (Apr. 11, 2000)
• Psalm 23 and All That (Feb. 15, 2000)
• The Abortion Debate Is Over (Dec. 28, 1999)
• The Thrill of Naughtiness, (September 6, 1999)
• Escape from Fantasy Island, (July 12, 1999)
• Men Need Church, Too, (May 24, 1999)
• My Spice Girl Moment, (January 11, 1999)
• Moms in the Crossfire, (October 26, 1998)
• Gagging on Shiny, Happy People, (September 7, 1998)
• Whatever Happened to Middle-Class Hypocrisy? (July 13, 1998)
• I Didn't Mean to be Rude, (May 18, 1998)
• So I'm Sorry Already, (April 6, 1998)
• Don't Blame the Publishers! (February 9, 1998)

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May 22 2000, Vol. 44, No. 6