If Die Liao, How Come Still Can Hear Baa-ing and Moo-ing?

Friday, 17th April 2009

I have been following a series of discussions on fellow Best Christian Blog of the Year awardee Stan's blog. Stan has been accused of being sarcastic in his dealings with one such annoy-ny-mouse, oops I mean anonymous, commentator.

Stan's reply to him was that he would have been even more sarcastic had he not been a grace-embracing believer :-D

Here is an extract from Stan's blog...

Mouse said...
Just curious. Does Christianity make a person more sarcastic ? Cause I see plenty of it here.

Stanley Wong said...
Hi Mouse, No, Christianity does not make me more sarcastic ... it's just my style ... if anything, Christianity tends to hold me back sometimes as I bite my tongue and resist the temptation to rub more salt.


The question arises then whether Stan is being "un-Christian" by being sarcastic.

Personally, I find that sarcasm is an art because, when executed correctly, it is able to achieve a dual purpose. The one it is directed at will not find it in the least bit funny (and will even feel hurt if what is said about that person is true). But those who are not at the receiving end, yet privy to what is being said, will.

Consider the following passage in 1 Sam 15 which records how God had led the Israelites under King Saul to victory over the Amalekites.

In verse 3, we read how God, through the prophet Samuel told them
3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.' "

Alas in verse 9, we find that
9 Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

The next morning, Samuel goes to meet Saul, and we read in verse 13
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions."

What brought a smile to my face (and I believe to many of yours as well) was Samuel's reply to Saul:
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"

Samuel could have told Saul directly, "Nope. You did not carry out God's instructions!" but he chose a response that was laced with sarcasm!

The Singlish version would have read
Samuel said, "Izzit? If the sheep and cow die liao, how come still can hear baa-ing and moo-ing ar?"

LOL indeed :-D

It brought the point across in a humorous way. Yet Saul did not see the humour in it. The shoe fitted and he wore it.

So my take to Mr Mouse (and others like him) is this. If what Stan says about you isn't true, you should be able to appreciate and even marvel at his wit and sense of humour. On the other hand, if you do not find it funny (like how Saul did not see the humour in what Samuel said), then just perhaps there is an element of truth in what Stan is saying?