Practical Jokes
I called someone up today and experienced a practical joke. Their voice message was recorded as if they were really answering the phone. It got me thinking once again about practical jokes and why I don't feel good about laughing at or playing practical jokes on people. Perhaps it just represents more evidence of my weak social skills -- you be the judge.
A practical joke is playing some kind of trick on someone to amuse others. To me this violates basic principles of truth. Here are some illustrations:
The example I gave above used deception to fool someone into some action.
- Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell --2nd Nephi 9:34
- Evil men shall deceive and be deceived, 2 Tim. 3:13
- He became Satan, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, Moses 4:4
Does anyone like being the butt of a joke? If you don't then playing a practical joke on someone violates the principle of treating others as we'd want to be treated.
- Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. --Mathew 7:12
- Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. --Luke 10:27
Another reason why the above phone message violated the principle of treating people as we'd want to be treated is that it thoughtlessly wasted my time. I had to wait for a while to leave an important message for the person.
Some might say that laughing at a practical joke doesn't violate any principles, but I disagree. Laughter communicates to the joker and others within hearing that he did something worthy of admiration and imitation. In other words, it is encouraging people to violate correct principles.