NotreDame Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Somebody told me recently that "God's ways are not our ways." This is just another way of saying the same thing. You might have your own idea in your head of how you expect life to turn out, but quite often God has other plans. At some point, when you can laugh at all the unexpected twists and turns you've been on, then you'll enjoy this phrase. Personally, I can't think of any saint whose life turned out like they had planned it. Therese wanted to be a missionary, not die from TB. You think John the baptist thought he'd waste away in a jail cell? They could be upset that things didn't go their way, or they could enjoy how God has used them for His greater glory. If an individual was truly open to divine providence, maybe they would never make any plans and therefore have nothing to laugh at, but for sure they wouldn't be able to anticipate the twists and turns they'd go on during their journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oremoose Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Exactly. I think the issue with it is how absolute and dismissive it is. It hinders imagination, dreams, and creativity. I've never heard it used in a sense of self-deprecation, but rather used in a "Haha, you and your friends are all so young, and yet you have dreams to be this or that? God's laughing at the very notion of you having goals and dreams." sort of way. I have personally rarely heard it used in that way. In my personal experience I have mostly heard it when Someone was trying to micromanage and fit all in one box, which I would say Hinders Dreams and Creativity. When I have heard it used in a way that is demeaning it was always done in a way to forewarn the person receiving the quote to not be 100% set on one goal. To know that God might throw curve balls, If not Yea! you get married or what ever but if God's plan makes you change your plans not be stiff necked, take it in good humor and carry on following God's plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 I have personally rarely heard it used in that way. In my personal experience I have mostly heard it when Someone was trying to micromanage and fit all in one box, which I would say Hinders Dreams and Creativity. When I have heard it used in a way that is demeaning it was always done in a way to forewarn the person receiving the quote to not be 100% set on one goal. To know that God might throw curve balls, If not Yea! you get married or what ever but if God's plan makes you change your plans not be stiff necked, take it in good humor and carry on following God's plan. Of course. You should always be open to other things, and not being open is quite obviously bad. But the phrase is so closed-minded and absolute that I think it fails what it's trying to convey and it is very easily used to do more damage than good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oremoose Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Of course. You should always be open to other things, and not being open is quite obviously bad. But the phrase is so closed-minded and absolute that I think it fails what it's trying to convey and it is very easily used to do more damage than good. I wouldn't say the statement is Closed minded it just needs to be taken with a sense of humor. It should be said in a light hearted manner and taken as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightofChrist Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Well, as we've established in the other thread, God is incapable of laughter, because laughter stems from a pattern the brain doesn't recognize or expect, and since God knows everything, this means there is no pattern he doesn't recognize. We've established no such thing, lol, I took a different position in that discussion. See here, here and here about the Divine Humor. That being said, don't you think it's kind of demeaning to say God thinks it's funny and adorable when we have plans, even if we are mature adults who have discerned our plans? No, because to Him we are still children, His children, children who at times think we know everything but in comparison we know nothing. And we must be as children if we wish to enter into Heaven. I would think that there may be a danger of pride should someone find it demeaning that God would or could find humor in our plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 i was just thinking that perhaps we are confused between the difference between being light hearted and taking things lightly. This saying could in truth be a warning of sorts or a rebuke am unsure of it's exact contexts, and not to be taken lightly, light hearted and joyously in the hope of salvation in faith, hope and love perhaps but not lightly as in brushed off as a whatever or a comical genius formulated by the brains of a hollywood script writer. As i said i think it is from a passage in the O.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightofChrist Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 We've established no such thing, lol, I took a different position in that discussion. See here, here and here about the Divine Humor. No, because to Him we are still children, His children, children who at times think we know everything but in comparison we know nothing. And we must be as children if we wish to enter into Heaven. I would think that there may be a danger of pride should someone find it demeaning that God would or could find humor in our plans. A short part of Bishop Sheen's teaching on Divine Humor... A Divine Sense of Humor No one can ever understand the sacraments unless he has what might be called a "divine sense of humor." A person is said to have a sense of humor if he can "see through" things; one lacks a sense of humor if he cannot "see through" things. No one has ever laughed at a pun who did not see in the one word a twofold meaning. To materialists this world is opaque like a curtain; nothing can be seen through it. A mountain is just a mountain, a sunset just a sunset; but to poets, artists, and saints, the world is transparent like a window pane--it tells of something beyond; for example, a mountain tells of the Power of God, the sunset of His Beauty, and the snowflake of His Purity. God can see through everything and everyone, using Bishop Sheen definition of humor I think it is likely God can laugh when we tell Him our plans. Because He can see through them, from the beginning to the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I think there is a difference between having good sense of humour and being humorous, between being light hearted and taking things to lightly. Can anyone e search for me please and find out whether this saying is from holy scripture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 The issue with the phrase is that people use it so much and so absolutely that it bars anyone from doing anything in their lives, and it discourages people from pursuing vocations and dreams. The issue is not with the phrase, the issue is with the people who would actually allow it to discourage them from pursuing their dreams. If a person is so weak-willed that's a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 The saying " God laughs at our plans " that is, is it from holy scripture? If it is it ain't no joke, it may be a light hearted rebuke and of good humour light of heart in the hope of salvation if it is, but not a joke nor do i think should it be used in jest(jester) comically as if it is a joke to be laughed at, like a comedy movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) The issue is not with the phrase, the issue is with the people who would actually allow it to discourage them from pursuing their dreams. If a person is so weak-willed that's a problem. Of course. Anyone who would let this get in the way of doing something they truly wanted to do, that's an issue. That doesn't stop the phrase from being any less useless, in my opinion. I honestly can't even see a situation where the phrase is appropriate, to be honest. "I want to be a doctor!" *Wizened chuckle* "Haha, well, if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans!" = Not appropriate. "I just came to a point in my studies in medical school where I realized I wouldn't be happy if I pursued them." *Wizened chuckle* "Haha, well, as they say, if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans!" See how it just doesn't seem appropriate in any sort of context whatsoever? It just seems like such a cynical phrase. Edited January 22, 2014 by FuturePriest387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossCuT Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Never heard the phrase before. Sounds stupid like a lot of other phrases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotreDame Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I just don't see how this is any different than Steinbeck's "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray." It's not cynical at all, it's humble and it's often said about oneself, not others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) Never heard the phrase before. Sounds stupid like a lot of other phrases. Don't drink with drunkards is a phrase from the holy bible also. Is that stupid too ? Why the holy scripture says don't drink with drunkards is because...dat dat dat. I have meditated on this before and have a few possibilities and even some probables. At first we have to accept holy scripture as the word of God the truth as far as we understand it, and think upon the wise and even if drawing no cement conclusions as to why than still accept as the truth and practise it, i don't know why holy scripture says things sometimes but i accept it as the truth, the holy word of God the meaning sometimes a mystery tome yet to be revealed, this has something to do with faith i think. Edited January 22, 2014 by Tab'le De'Bah-Rye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbTherese Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) I think that "if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans" is a light hearted way of saying that things can go amiss in life - and also a light hearted way of saying that sometimes I can want something, but God's Will is elsewhere. It is also a quite light hearted way of saying that God's Will takes precedence. I don't think it is meant to be a serious and literal theological statement at all - and to cover all instances without exception as a theological statement - and a big mistake to treat it as such..........someone posted previously "over analysed" . ____________ As for God laughing being an anthropomorphization of God - Jesus is both God and fully human and remains so in Heaven, and doesn't cease to be God when He is fully human and vv. This is a great Mystery and Truth of our Faith. Edited January 22, 2014 by BarbaraTherese Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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