Have you ever heard of corpsing?

Perhaps like most people you have no idea what it is and have never even heard of the word. Perhaps you think it relates to a theological debate on the incarnation of Jesus or perhaps you just arrived here after a google search gone wrong.

Regardless of how or why you are reading this, I am so glad that you are – because despite the unusual word, corpsing is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Let me first show you one of the most famous examples, namely Dustin Hoffman being inadvertently asked a particularly religious question, and then, more importantly, please read on and let me explain the concept and how this has anything to do with the Bible.

What is corpsing?

The simplest definition of corpsing is when someone is laughing uncontrollably and unable to stop. It is often used to describe when an actor breaks character during a scene because of the overwhelm urge to giggle. In short there is nothing quite like the joy of corpsing, or more specifically watching someone else ‘suffering’ from it (such as the Christian phone in show host)

Where does the word come from?

While the word itself could easily and comfortably find its way into an Easter sermon, no one really knows where the term comes from: a common idea is from the idiom to ‘die laughing’; others say it refers to actors ‘murdering’ the scene; while some say it originated from the theatre when there was a corpse on stage, acted by a living actor, and there was a tendency or challenge by the other actors to try to make the ‘corpse’ laugh.

But why are we talking about it on Christian Funny Pictures?

We’re so glad you asked as this is Part 4 of our Bible study series on laughter:

So what does the Bible actually say, if anything, about corpsing?

Well firstly, if you remember (or have just read or reread) the previous posts in the series, the Bible is not against laughing, and in fact even states that there are certain times we should laugh. Not only that, God even named one of Israel’s patriarchs Chuckles, so He certainly isn’t against laughing itself (which is in fact it is the basis for this whole series that we worship a God, who among many other things, is a God who laughs).

But what type of laughing are we talking about here? An important point as there are more than one hundred words in the English language that indicate some type of laughing, such as cackle and crow, chuckle and chortle, crack up and cachinnate (and that’s just the ‘C’s), and there are even more now since the advent of Internet lingo such as LOL, ROFL, or MUAHA.

There can be fun, witty, and humorous type laughing, but another type of laughing is the foolish variety. Laughter can be the best medicine, but if you are laughing for no reason at all, then it may be that you need some medicine. The book of Proverbs, (which could easily be called the book of Fools, given the over 70 references) says at Chapter 29:9:

“If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet”

And while Ecclesiastes acknowledges that there is a ‘time to laugh’, the writer also says of laughter “It is mad” and of pleasure. I assume it is exactly this type of laughing, uncontrollable laughter at nothing at all that really is quite mad.

But while the type of laughter and manner of laughing is important, perhaps more important is what you are laughing at.

So have you ever ‘corpsed’ on stage or otherwise?

Have you ever descended into the madness of laughter at work or school or church? Have you ever started laughing for no reason at all and been unable to stop? Does Christian Funny Pictures descend into such foolishness, wasting our lives and yours?

Our goal has always been to laugh AS Christians not AT Christians, but even that has its limits. We don’t laugh AS Christians for the sake of laughter itself. We laugh AS Christians because God has blessed us in that way. While God can often show us the horror of living in a sin stained world, and show up our folly in terrible ways, he also shows us the silliness of this world and how ludicrous we can be trying to run our own lives, or a life without any reference to Him.

Whether you ‘corpse’ regularly or have never had a fit of uncontrollable laughter in your life, only the Fool says in his heart, there is no God, and our folly can only be solved through Him.

Do you know any other funny examples? Please leave them in the comments below, or feel free to enjoy a few more examples

The host of this Christian phone-in show does his best to appreciate a caller’s monstrous singing voice, but the belly laughs soon take over:

A news reader who gets a fit of giggles during a serious news story:

A couple who can’t stop laughing during their wedding vows:

And here is a longer explanation of the “Art of Corpsing”: