Do you remember your favorite book from childhood?
Let’s be honest: reviewing a book by Bill Cosby in 2025 feels like trying to explain to your pastor why you still listen to vintage Kanye—awkward, possibly unwise, but not without merit. And yet, here we are.
Cosby’s 1986 book Fatherhood is a relic of another time: packed with observational humor, timeless frustrations, and the universal confusion of being a dad. It’s also written by a man whose moral failings later overshadowed everything he touched. But does that erase the truth in his words? Not necessarily. Sometimes, God speaks even through broken vessels (hello, King David, anyone?).
When the Messenger Fails But the Message Lands
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Cosby’s personal sins are serious and grievous. As Christians, we are called to “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). His actions are indefensible.
But that doesn’t mean every observation he makes in Fatherhood is suddenly worthless. In fact, some of his comedic takes on the chaos and joy of parenting hit surprisingly close to home—even aligning with biblical principles.
What Cosby Gets Right About Fatherhood
- Fathers Need Humility Cosby paints dads not as heroic know-it-alls, but as bumbling, confused, often exhausted humans trying to raise other humans. Sound familiar? “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” – Ephesians 6:4 His anecdotes—like not understanding teenagers or feeling irrelevant in his own home—might be exaggerated for laughs, but they underscore a truth: humility is essential to godly parenting.
- Fatherhood Is Confusing, Beautiful Chaos Cosby’s running joke is that children don’t come with instruction manuals—and if they did, dads probably wouldn’t read them. Scripture agrees: parenting is hard, unpredictable, and requires constant reliance on God’s wisdom. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 Cosby stumbles through this chaos with a smile and a shrug, which, while not deeply theological, reflects an honest portrait of the fathering experience.
- Laughter is a Gift from God Yes, the man is a comedian. But joy—especially shared laughter in family life—is a divine gift. “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22 I read Fatherhood as a teenager and nearly got detention for cracking up in class. My teacher didn’t laugh, but I did. And honestly, I think God was smiling too.
The Elephant in the Room: Can Christians Still Laugh at This?
This is a hard one. As believers, we wrestle with the tension between grace and accountability, art and artist, truth and brokenness.
Here’s what I’ve landed on: Bill Cosby should absolutely be held accountable for his sins. That’s biblical. But it’s also biblical to recognize that all truth—no matter how humorously packaged—belongs to God. Cosby’s insights into parenting don’t stop being true just because the messenger fell.
“We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7
Final Thoughts: Not a Hero, but Not Worth Erasing
We don’t need to put Cosby on a pedestal (and certainly shouldn’t), but we also don’t need to erase every valuable insight from his work. Fatherhood is laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes convicting, often ridiculous—and, strangely, a reminder that even messy, fallen people can stumble into truth.
It’s a strange read for a strange time. But maybe it’s okay to admit that you laughed. I did. God gave us laughter, too—and sometimes, even through the most unexpected voices.
Have you read Fatherhood? Do you think Christians can separate art from the artist? Let’s talk in the comments—respectfully.
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