Cecil Adams on Biblical humor:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_244.html
[QUOTE]
So, how many Roman soliders does it take to light a candle?
[quote]
IV I to hold the flame, III to threaten the candle.
That is exactly the picture I referred to earlier! I second the questions, where can one get? Playboy?
Did you ever read/see “In the Name of the Rose?”
The contradictions inherent (snicker) in being the Son of God and human in the same flesh has been a simmering theological current for as long as there were two Christians to argue about it.
In the scene I refer to, Wm of Baskerville (iirc) is politely disputing with an elder monk, who is asserting the sinfulness of comedic writing. His line is “Our Lord never laughed!”
According to some art historians, an echo of this can be found in devotional art of the Old Masters, where the Baby Jesus is displayed. On some occasions, rarely, it is an example of full frontal nudity. Some artists chose to depict The Boss as being circumcised, according to Jewish law, others did not, depending the flow of theological current.
Similarly, in a manger scene, one figure in the painting can be interpreted to be pointing to the demurely, if accidentally, draped Baby Jesus. It is often interpreted as a way of suggesting “Look! There! He has a willie, just like us, his essential nature is human” when you couldn’t way that out loud and get away with it.
Not suprisingly, the Powers That Were tended to emphasize the divine, and hence inevitable, nature of Jesus and his church. They had thier reasons.
Bible says “Jesus wept.” Wept, laughed, enjoyed that first morning pee against a tree. How could one be more than human without being at least human?
I remember once a Gospel where Jesus WAS circumsized. He was Jewish, wasn’t he?
Elucidator (and thers):
I mentioned the Playboy picture a bit before you did, if you check the above thread. I never saw the original issue, so I couldn’t tell you when it appeared. All I know is that it was before 1973, and probably in the mid-to-late 1960s. The best I can suggest is that you ask the folks at Playboy. Writ them, or contact them via http://www.playboy.com . If you find out, post t on the SDMB. I’d be curious to know too.