By Mallory Mattingly
Anthony Russo, a comedian and creator of the card game, The Bible is Funny, believes that God wants us to experience joy.
“Suffering is something that we find very spiritual. Pain is something we find very spiritual. Grief is something we find very spiritual, and we almost definitely, to our own detriment, I think we take the joy and we’re like, well, that’s got to be not good for us, not as spiritual. It’s not a spiritual thing that’s just for fun,” the comedian told THE 700 CLUB.
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Russo continued: “You’ll see a lot of the really fun stuff going on, probably at anybody’s church right now. Like, the funnest stuff going on, [and] they kind of sideline it for the kids or the youth, and they say, like, ‘They’re allowed to have fun. The adults are all business over here. Get out your Latin Bible, and that’s all we do.’ And it’s like, no, I think God talks so much about us experiencing joy, and I think that’s a gift that God has given us, is that joy. There’s strength in joy. And so I think anytime we kind of split that out, that’s why I think it’s important, because I think it’s a gift.”
He knows all about making faith joyful, even creating a card game The Bible Is Funny to bring the Bible’s humor to life.
It “invites players with an abundance of Bible knowledge as well as those with no prior Bible experience to match out-of-context biblical verses with prompts about everyday situations to win the funniest pairing.”
“The verse cards in the deck feature obscure, ludicrous, or downright outrageous Bible verses pulled completely out of their original context. The prompt cards offer fun, contemporary situations into which those Bible verses can be inserted, with topics ranging from family dynamics and dating to popular culture and the workplace.” the synopsis continues. “Players can cast lots or go with the Noah (most pets) or Sarah (best laugh) rules to decide who will be the Theologian first, and then begin the battle to see who will earn the most ‘Treasures in Heaven’ (points).”
He takes his biblical humor on the road, too, as he an fellow comedians Joshua Hooper and Andy DeNoon take their podcast on tour around Florida.
It’s a live show “that’s part comedy, part chaos, and somehow still meaningful (we think). Expect wild stories, questionable wisdom, live bits that may or may not work, and a room full of people who’ve also made peace with the inevitable apocalypse.”
When it comes to joy, Russo believes that Christians should consider it a gift and something to be cherished.
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