Alabama politician: ‘God has a sense of humor’

Beth Chapman, Alabama’s secretary of state, does her Christian comedy show. (Birmingham News photo at http://blog.al.com/living-news/2010/05/secretary_of_laughter_beth_cha.html)

Alabama’s secretary of state is making jokes about Churches of Christ — and Baptists, Methodists, Catholics and Pentecostals.
Religion writer Greg Garrison of The Birmingham News (who has written a few freelance features for The Christian Chronicle — click here and here) writes that Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman can tell a church joke like few other politicians.
Here’s what she had to say in her stand-up act about Churches of Christ:

“Any Church of Christ people here?” Chapman asked. No hands were raised. “Good. Let’s make fun of them,” she said.
A Church of Christ friend once chastised her for using the word “disciples” instead of “apostles,” she said.
“You’re Church of Christ,” Chapman said. “You don’t even know what a piano is.”

Chapman told The Christian Chronicle:

Please understand that my new book is titled, “If God Makes Spiritual Fruit, Then Why Am I a Nut?” The subtitle is “Discover Why Life is a Comedy and Not a Tragedy.”
Since my comedy routine pokes fun at all religions, I just want to make sure that your readers understand the spirit in which the jokes are made – specifically the ones regarding the Church of Christ. They are actually true incidences that occurred with a friend of mine who is a member and her husband an elder of a Church of Christ. As a matter of fact I have MANY close friends who are.
I just wanted to clarify that they always think the jokes are funny and non-offensive and enjoy my sharing them. As a matter of fact — they encourage me to share them.
The premise of my book and my routine is that we all have to laugh at ourselves sometimes. It also points out that God has a sense of humor as is evidenced in the Bible and that He gave us a sense of humor as a .gif?Action=thumbnail&Width=460&algorithm=proportionalt.”
Thanks for your ministry!

For a few laughs, read the full story.