To amuse

[alaskazimm]

Humour is subjective but why should I embarrassed? Do please elucidate.

It's as the pirate said, you have such a low concept of humour that no doubt you would find this funny when in fact it is just sad.

And as has been pointed out elsewhere either you have trouble comprehending colloquial English or you are a troll. For myself, I think you have comprehension issues so you troll to cover for it.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

It's as the pirate said, you have such a low concept of humour that no doubt you would find this funny when in fact it is just sad.

And as has been pointed out elsewhere either you have trouble comprehending colloquial English or you are a troll. For myself, I think you have comprehension issues so you troll to cover for it.

On the contrary I have a very good sense of humour. That your sense of humour might be different is another matter.

As for this colloquial English you suggest I do not comprehend, are you another one claiming to have the alleged abilities of your deity to read minds?

[CivilDiscourse]

I remind you that we can only respond to what our correspondent writes. However, slovenly English is the norm for several who post here.

You hide behind that when you strawman.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

For once, I agree with you. This is new atheist level humor and so not funny

That is your opinion and one to which you are entitled.

However, you have yet to explain why you consider I should be "embarrassed" by posting the article.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

You hide behind that when you strawman.

The fact remains that it is true.

What someone writes is all we have.

What they intended is known only to them, and, if they believe in it, a deity.

[Sparko]

I shall consider your comments to be a Sparkoism¹.

If I have "no sense of humour" then do explain why "it must have had" me "rolling on the floor"?

¹ An unintentionally hilarious comment caused by not thinking through what has been written.

Your grasp of colloquial English is atrocious. Not having a sense of humor doesn't just mean you don't find anything funny, it can also mean that you can't actually appreciate good humor and probably find poor humor to be hilarious.

[alaskazimm]

On the contrary I have a very good sense of humour. That your sense of humour might be different is another matter.

As for this colloquial English you suggest I do not comprehend, are you another one claiming to have the alleged abilities of your deity to read minds?

We can only go by what you write and what you write shows clearly you have comprehension problems with colloquial English.

[CivilDiscourse]

I'll use ChatGPT and lo and behold

The Great Flood:
And lo, in the land of plenty, there dwelt a man named Donald, a man of great ego and covetous of praise. And it came to pass that he heard a voice, or perhaps it was just the sound of his own voice echoing in his mind, declaring, "Donald, the time has come to build an ark, for a flood of epic proportions shall soon engulf the land."

Now, Donald was not one to ignore a message, especially if it meant he could be the hero of the story. So, he set about the task of building an ark, but being Donald, he spared no expense. He hired the finest craftsmen, the best architects, and insisted that the ark be the biggest and most luxurious ever constructed.

As the ark took shape, Donald made sure to tweet about it constantly, declaring to all who would listen (and many who would rather not) that his ark was going to be "yuge" and "tremendous" and "the best ark ever, believe me."

When the time came to gather the animals, Donald strutted around like a peacock, boasting to anyone who would listen about how he was saving all the animals, even the "nasty ones." He made sure to have his picture taken with every creature, just to prove how much they all loved him.

Finally, the rains came, just as the voice had promised. The floodwaters rose, and the ark floated upon them, a beacon of Donald's greatness in a sea of mediocrity. And as the world outside was washed away, Donald sat inside his ark, sipping champagne and congratulating himself on a job well done.

But as the waters receded and the ark came to rest upon dry land, Donald emerged to find a world forever changed. The animals, once so grateful for his supposed salvation, now eyed him warily, as if wondering how such a small man could have built such a big ark.

And so, Donald's ark became a cautionary tale, a reminder that even the greatest ego cannot hold back the tide of reality forever. And as for Donald, well, he went back to building towers and golf courses, forever chasing the fleeting glory of his ark.

The Testing of Abraham:
In a land of towering skyscrapers and golden toilets, there lived a man named Donald. Now, Donald fancied himself a man of great faith, despite rarely setting foot in a church unless it was for a photo op. He had a wife, Melania, who was often seen but rarely heard, and a son, Barron, whom he loved almost as much as he loved himself.

One day, God decided to test Donald's faith, perhaps out of sheer boredom or maybe just for a laugh. So, God appeared to Donald in a vision, or maybe it was just a particularly vivid dream after one too many Big Macs, and said, "Donald, take now thy son, thine only son Barron, whom thou lovest almost as much as thyself, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."

Donald, being the stable genius that he was (or at least thought he was), woke up the next morning, grabbed Barron, and set off for the land of Moriah. Along the way, he tweeted about how great a father he was and how lucky Barron was to have him.

When they arrived at the designated mountain, Donald told Barron to wait at the bottom while he went up to the top to prepare the sacrifice. Barron, ever the obedient son, stayed behind, playing with his toy trucks and wondering why his father had suddenly gone all biblical on him.

As Donald built the altar and arranged the wood, Barron called up to him, "Hey dad, where's the lamb for the sacrifice?" And Donald, without missing a beat, replied, "Don't worry, son, God will provide the lamb."

Just as Donald was about to plunge the knife into Barron, a voice boomed from the heavens, "Donald, stop! This was just a test, you idiot!" And lo and behold, there was a ram caught in a nearby thicket, its horns tangled in the branches.

Donald, relieved that he didn't have to sacrifice his favorite son (after all, who would inherit his empire?), untangled the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead. And as the smoke rose into the sky, Donald declared, "I passed the test, folks. Nobody has ever passed a test like this before. Believe me."

And so, Donald returned to his penthouse in Trump Tower, secure in the knowledge that his faith was as big as his ego. But whether God was actually testing him or just messing with him remains a mystery to this day.

The Feeding of the Multitudes
And it came to pass, in a land where hunger and desperation reigned, there appeared a man named Donald. Now, Donald was a man of great vanity, known for his love of spectacle and his cunning ways.

One day, as the multitudes followed him, hunger gnawing at their bellies, Donald saw an opportunity to deceive. He said unto his disciples, "We must feed these people, for they have followed me for many miles and are very, very hungry. But let us also profit from their hunger."

The disciples, eager to please their leader and partake in his schemes, went forth into the crowd and sold them tickets to the "Trump Feast," promising a bounty of food fit for a king.

But lo, Donald was cunning for he had arranged for a grand banquet to be set before the eyes of the privileged few at the front, while the masses at the back were left wanting.

As the feast unfolded before the chosen few, Donald stood and proclaimed, "Behold, the greatest banquet ever seen! We have fed thousands upon thousands, and there is food to spare!"

The crowd marveled at the apparent miracle before them, praising Donald for his generosity and wisdom.

But unbeknownst to them, the food never reached the back rows. Those who had paid their coin were left hungry and disillusioned, with naught but empty promises and hollow words.

And so, the legend of the feeding of the multitudes by Donald the Deceiver was born, a tale of greed and deception, of false promises and unequal treatment. The people departed, their stomachs empty but their eyes opened to the true nature of the man they had followed.


The Resurrection
In a land where the people were divided and disillusioned, there arose a man named Donald. Now, Donald was a man of great ego, known for his love of attention and his ability to defy all odds.

One day, as Donald lay in his luxurious bed, surrounded by his loyal followers and his twitter feed, he came up with a brilliant idea. He said unto his disciples, "I have decided to rise again, just like a phoenix from the ashes. Tell the people to prepare for my resurrection!"

The disciples, eager to please their leader and secure their places in his kingdom, went forth and spread the word far and wide. They proclaimed that Donald would rise again, more powerful and more glorious than ever before.

And lo, on the third day, as the sun rose over the land, Donald emerged from his golden tower, clad in his finest suit and his brightest smile. He proclaimed to the world, "I have risen, just as I said I would. I am the chosen one, the one who will lead you to greatness!"

The crowds, amazed and bewildered, fell to their knees and worshipped Donald as if he were a god. They praised his name and sang his praises, believing that he had indeed conquered death itself.

But some, more skeptical than others, questioned the legitimacy of Donald's resurrection. They wondered how a man so full of himself could possibly die, let alone come back to life. They saw through the spectacle and realized that it was all just another one of Donald's tricks, a ploy to maintain his grip on power and fame.

And so, the legend of the resurrection of Donald the Ego was born, a tale of vanity and deception, of false prophets and blind followers. The people went away, their minds clouded by illusion, unaware of the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface.

[CivilDiscourse]

The fact remains that it is true.

What someone writes is all we have.

What they intended is known only to them, and, if they believe in it, a deity.

It's a pity that you behave so dishonestly.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

We can only go by what you write and what you write shows clearly you have comprehension problems with colloquial English.

On what evidence are you making that allegation? And what do you understand by "colloquial English"?

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Your grasp of colloquial English is atrocious. Not having a sense of humor doesn't just mean you don't find anything funny, it can also mean that you can't actually appreciate good humor and probably find poor humor to be hilarious.

On what evidence do you contend that my "grasp of colloquial English is atrocious"? And what do you understand by "colloquial English"?

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

It's a pity that you behave so dishonestly.

Are you also claiming to be able to read minds?

[alaskazimm]

On what evidence are you making that allegation? And what do you understand by "colloquial English"?

Evidence = what you write. Colloquial English = English as is commonly understood by native speakers, including the unwritten understandings that don't follow strict grammar rules.

Any further questions along these lines won't be answered unless you make a good faith attempt to understand what has been written. But I'm not holding my breath on that score.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Evidence = what you write.

Such as?

Colloquial English = English as is commonly understood by native speakers, including the unwritten understandings that don't follow strict grammar rules.

And of course American English colloquialisms are not always the same as British English colloquialisms.

Furthermore colloquialisms are usually more relevant to spoken language than written.

I recall my English friends falling around crying with laughter when the character of Mr Wanker appeared in Mork and Mindy. I do not think those particular episodes were ever repeated on British television because of the colloquial use of the word Wanker.

[Sparko]

On what evidence do you contend that my "grasp of colloquial English is atrocious"? And what do you understand by "colloquial English"?

The evidence: your responses and comments.

My understanding of colloquial English: Better than yours.