religious debate

Stalebread · December 11, 2007

Ken's joke reminded me of this story.

The Rabbi and the Pope

Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all the Jews had to leave Italy. There was, of course, a huge outcry from the Jewish community, so the Pope offered a deal. He would have a religious debate with a leader of the Jewish community. If the Jew won the debate, the Jews would be permitted to stay in Italy. If the Pope won, the Jews would have to leave.

The Jewish community met and picked an aged Rabbi to represent them in the debate. The Rabbi, however, could not speak Latin, and the Pope could not speak Yiddish. So it was decided that theirs would be a "silent" debate.

On the day of the great debate, the Pope and the Rabbi sat opposite each other for full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers. The Rabbi looked back and raised one finger.

Next, the Pope waved his finger around his head. The Rabbi pointed to the ground where he sat. The Pope then brought out a communion wafer and chalice of wine. The Rabbi pulled out an apple.

With that, the Pope stood up and said, "I concede the debate. This man has bested me. The Jews can stay."

Later, the Cardinals gathered around the Pope, asking him what had happened. The Pope said, "First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there was still one God common to both our religions. Then I waved my finger around to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground to show that God was also right here with us. I pulled out the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us on our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for everything. What could I do?"

Meanwhile, the Jewish community crowded around the Rabbi. "What happened?" they asked. "Well," said the Rabbi, "First he said to me, 'You Jews have three days to get out of here.' So I said to him, 'Up yours.' Then he tells me the whole city would be cleared of Jews. So I said to him, 'Listen here Mr. Pope, the Jews . . . we stay right here!" "And then?" asked a woman.

"Who knows?" said the Rabbi. "He took out his lunch, so I took out mine."

SONNY1 · December 11, 2007

» Ken's joke reminded me of this story.

»

» The Rabbi and the Pope

»

» Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all the Jews had to leave

» Italy. There was, of course, a huge outcry from the Jewish community, so

» the Pope offered a deal. He would have a religious debate with a leader

» of the Jewish community. If the Jew won the debate, the Jews would be

» permitted to stay in Italy. If the Pope won, the Jews would have to

» leave.

»

» The Jewish community met and picked an aged Rabbi to represent them in the

» debate. The Rabbi, however, could not speak Latin, and the Pope could not

» speak Yiddish. So it was decided that theirs would be a "silent" debate.

»

» On the day of the great debate, the Pope and the Rabbi sat opposite each

» other for full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three

» fingers. The Rabbi looked back and raised one finger.

»

» Next, the Pope waved his finger around his head. The Rabbi pointed to the

» ground where he sat. The Pope then brought out a communion wafer and

» chalice of wine. The Rabbi pulled out an apple.

»

» With that, the Pope stood up and said, "I concede the debate. This man

» has bested me. The Jews can stay."

»

» Later, the Cardinals gathered around the Pope, asking him what had

» happened. The Pope said, "First I held up three fingers to represent the

» Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there

» was still one God common to both our religions. Then I waved my finger

» around to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing

» to the ground to show that God was also right here with us. I pulled out

» the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us on our sins. He

» pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for

» everything. What could I do?"

»

» Meanwhile, the Jewish community crowded around the Rabbi. "What

» happened?" they asked. "Well," said the Rabbi, "First he said to me, 'You

» Jews have three days to get out of here.' So I said to him, 'Up yours.'

» Then he tells me the whole city would be cleared of Jews. So I said to

» him, 'Listen here Mr. Pope, the Jews . . . we stay right here!" "And

» then?" asked a woman.

»

» "Who knows?" said the Rabbi. "He took out his lunch, so I took out mine."

That one I like. Of course it reminds me of when:

Jesus is desperately looking for a suitmaker for the Twelve Apostles so that they can spread the Good News and look good at the same time.

After much searching, He finally meets Moishe the suitmaker and has him make 12 suits for the Apostles. Well, the suits are a big hit around Nazareth and the Apostles spread Christianity like wildfire.

When Jesus hears of this He visits Moishe and approaches him with a business proposition. It occurs to jesus that by using His name and Moishe's skills, they could make a pretty penny. Moishe agrees and immediately Jesus suggests the name of "Jesus and Moishe Suits" as the name of their establishment.

Moishe ponders this for a moment and then says.........."Nah, how about Lord & Taylor?"