Last year, while away on a summer missionary project, the word “ironic” popped up in a conversation with our Thai friends. As we drove around the streets outside Bangkok, several Americans attempted to explain this rather unique word, and its meaning, to our hosts. We took turns offering definitions or examples. Some tended toward mere coincidence. Others were simply odd circumstances. Nothing seemed to click, and eventually the van grew quiet as we gave up.
A moment later Joanna, our Thai friend, shared her talented voice with us, singing well-known American songs. After the first verse of a Simon and Garfunkel tune, she broke into the familiar chorus, “Like a bridge over troubled waters” just as our van crossed a lengthy bridge. Our group began to share a knowing look and chuckle at what was happening at that moment. We tried to explain the coincidence that bordered on irony that was occurring. I’m still not sure it fully translated completely to the Thai-speakers on the van.
Let’s face it. Irony is a tough concept to explain, whether by definition or illustration. That is, until USA Today reprinted the following account from the Mount Airy News a few months ago.
In April, 83 year-old Betty Lou Lynn was mugged and had her wallet stolen in her new hometown. The former actress had lived in Los Angeles until she became alarmed at the city’s crime rate. So she retreated to peaceful Mount Airy, N.C., the birthplace of Andy Griffith. Perhaps you don’t recognize her by name, but it’s possible you know Ms. Lynn. That’s right. The actress who played Barney Fife’s best girl, Thelma Lou, was mugged on the quiet streets that served as the model for the idyllic TV town of Mayberry. Only after moving from California, where the show was actually filmed.
For me, that may be the best example of irony I will ever hear.
What about you? Have a good illustration of the concept that you’d like to share?
#1 by Mike Lambert on July 23, 2010 - 7:42 pm
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In The Gospel of John, before following Jesus, Nathaniel asks “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” This is dramatic irony for the reader already knows, according to the author, that Jesus is the Savior of the world and has already done much good for the people by forgiving their sins and healing the sick and oppressed. The Pharisees are too blinded to see what good actually has come out of Nazareth, ie the promised Messiah.
#2 by Scott Sears on August 11, 2010 - 2:26 pm
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The Bible tells us in Psalm 119:11 “thy Word have I hid in mime heart, that I might not sin angainst thee.” this is a good verse telling us that we should and need to memorize Scripture, not only to help us from sinning against God, but also the help us in our daily battles against the devil. Most people and especilly Christians will agree taht following God’s commandments are a good thing to do. Some examples are “honor thy father and mother”, “Children obey you parents”. What would happen if our children were told to clean there rooms, and an hour later, they came out and told us as parents, that they had memorized what we had said and could say it back to us word for word. Parents would hit the roof. I am not debating memorizing Scripture, but is that all we are supposed to do? Jesus’s last commandment was to go “teach all nations, baptizings them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all thingswhatsoever I have commandedyou; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
Why is it, this is the commandment, from Jesus Himself, that most Christians have the most dificulty following? This is what I find ironic. Are we allowed to pick and choose which commandments we are to follow?