 |
FIFTH ANNUAL JOKE SHOW
Joke Submissions
Jokes
with a Religious Theme
This fundamentalist Christian couple felt it
important to own an equally fundamentally Christian pet. So,
they went shopping.
At a kennel specializing in this particular breed, they found
a dog they liked quite a lot. When they asked the dog to fetch
the Bible, he did it in a flash. When they instructed him to
look up Psalm 23, he complied equally fast, using his paws with
dexterity. They were impressed, purchased the animal, and went
home.
That night they had friends over. They were so proud of their
new fundamentalist dog and his major skills, they called in
the dog and showed off a little. The friends were impressed
and asked whether the dog was able to do any of the usual dog
tricks as well. This stopped the couple cold, as they hadn't
thought about "normal" tricks.
Well, they said, "Let's try this out." Once more they called
the dog and they clearly pronounced the command, "Heel!" Quick
as a wink, the dog jumped up, put his paw on the man's forehead,
closed his eyes in concentration and bowed his head.
Peter Schott, Grapevine, TX
Q: What do you call a Baptist who can read?
A: Methodist
Q: What is a rich Methodist?
A: Presbyterian
Q: What's the real difference between a Methodist and a Baptist?
A: The Methodist will wave to you in the liquor store.
Michael Morgan, Oxford, MS
How Faiths Fight Fires
Recently, just as an ecumenical gathering was commencing, a
secretary rushed in shouting, “The building is on fire!”
The Methodists gathered in a corner and prayed.
The Baptists cried, “Where is the water?”
The Quakers quietly praised God for blessings that fire brings.
The Lutherans posted a notice on the door declaring that fire
was evil.
The Roman Catholics passed the plate to cover the damage.
The Jews posted symbols on the doors hoping the fire
would pass.
The Congregationalists shouted, “Every man for himself.”
The Fundamentalists proclaimed, “It’s the vengeance of God!”
The Episcopalians formed a procession and marched out.
The Christian Scientists concluded that the fire would burn
itself out.
The Presbyterians appointed a chairperson, who was to appoint
a committee to look into the matter and submit a written report.
The Unity Students proclaimed the fire had no power over them.
Some atheists in attendance didn’t believe there was a fire.
The secretary grabbed the fire extinguisher and put out the
fire.
AND The Mormons, having arrived fifteen minutes late, missed
the fire completely!
Kirk Larsen, Idaho Falls, ID
It seems there was a Lutheran Minister who was in all respects
a good man. He cared for his congregation deeply but he was
afflicted with one vice. He was an avid golfer. Living as he
did in Minnesota, the golfing year was limited to the few months
that pass for spring and summer. It was one of those mornings
when Spring suddenly burst on the scene. He was up early because
it was Sunday and he had just a few changes that he wanted to
make in his sermon. It was probably the singing of the birds
that led to what happened. He called one of his trusted friends,
assumed the voice of one suffering from a terrible cold and
asked his friend to cover his service as he was feeling very
poorly. His friend agreed. That done the reverend loaded his
golf clubs into his car and drove for three hours to a course
where no one would know him. It was on the first hole. An angel
looked down saw what was happening and went directly to God.
"Look at this", he said, " A man of God missing a Sunday service
to play golf." God looked down and said "Yes, I suppose he need
some kind of punishment." The Minister addressed the ball, swung
smoothly and watched in utter amazement as the ball carried
perfectly around a dogleg, bounced on the green and followed
a difficult break to roll into the hole. "I thought you were
going to punish him." The angel said.
God replied, "I did. Who can he tell about this"
Michael Hartley, Jacksonville, FL
A man was walking a little too close to the edge of a cliff
and he fell off. Luckily, he caught hold of a branch, but couldn't
hold on very long. He yelled out, "Help, is there anyone up
there who can help me, maybe throw me a rope?"
He hears a loud booming voice, "Yes, my son, I can help you."
The man asks who it is.
"It is I, God, your father. Do you have faith, my son?"
The man replies, "Yes, I have faith!"
God answers, "If you have faith, let go, and I will save you."
The man thinks for a minute, then says, "Is there anyone else
up there?"
Holly Hansen, New Ulm, MN
Lady dies and goes to heaven. Tells St. Peter she wants to find
her husband who predeceased her.
St. Peter asks: "What was his name?"
"Smith," she replies.
"Lady, there are million of Smiths here. You have to be more
specific. What was his first name?
"John," she replies.
"We've got millions of John Smiths here, St Peter said. "Isn't
there something that would distinguish him."
"Well," she said, "He told me just before he died that if I
was ever unfaithful to him, he'd turn over in his grave."
"Oh!" Artsaid St Peter brightly. "You mean PINWHEEL Smith."
Art Tressler, El Cerrito, CA
A deacon a bishop and a priest are doing missionary work in
a far off land. They are captured by the local government and
sentanced to death.
They are all given a last wish. The Deacon asks for a wonderful
last meal. Caviar, shrimp stuffed with crab meat, Filet Mingon,
and a bottle of his favorite wine.
The Bishop is disgusted with this final act of indulgence.
I'd like the chance to preach one last sermon. One final chance
to sum up my knowledge of the scriptures and relay it to those
who need to hear and understand the word of God! One final chance
to save their sould and do the bidding of my God. One last opportunity
to do His work here on earth, summing up all that I have learned
and giving it freely to the people of God"
The priest says " just shoot me before the Bishop starts his
sermon!"
Rob Henry, Washington DC, DC
THERE WERE THREE MARRIED COUPLES-ONE IN THEIR EARLY 20'S, ANOTHER
IN THEIR 40'S AND ANOTHER IN THEIR 60'S. A LUTHERRN MINISTER
WAS COUNCILING THEM ON THEIR ADMISSION INTO A LUTHERAN CHURCH.
THEY ALL DID WELL ,BUT THE PASTOR SAID THAT THRIR WAS ONE MORE
REQUIRMENT WHICH WAS THAT THEY HAD TO REFRAIN FROM HAVING SEX
FOR A MONTH. A MONTH WENT BY AND HE SAID TO THE 40S COUPLE "DID
YOU REFRAIN FROM SEX?' THEY SAID ALL WENT WELL, BUT IT GOT TOUGH
IN THE LAST WEEK. THEY SAID, HOWEVER, THAT THEY HAD REFRAINED.
THE 60 YEAR COUPLE SAID THEY HAD NO PROBLEM AT ALL REFRAINING.
NEXT CAME THE COUPLE IN THEIR EARLY 20'S. THEY WERE ASKED BY
THE PASTOR IF THEY HAD REFRAINED FROM SEX FOR THE MONTH? THE
HUSBAND SAID WELL IT WENT THIS WAY. THE FIRST WEEK WAS TOUGH,
THEN THE SECOND WEEK IT GOT EVEN WORSE, AND THE THIRD WEEK WAS
EXCUSIATING. MY WIFE WAS IN A HOT PINK MINI-SKIRT AND SHE DROPPED
SOME FRUIT AND BENT OVER TO PICK IT UP-AND THAT WAS IT. THE
PASTOR SAID "WELL IN THAT CASE I CAN NOT WECOME YOU TO THE CHURCH.
THE WIFE SAID 'YEA, WE ARE NOT WELCOMED AT THE GROCERY STORE
ANYMORE EITHER. (NOTE THIS JOKE CAN BE DONE WITH A PRIEST, RABI
ETC.)
ALLEN GULEZIAN, ELLENSBURG, WA
A farmer named Muldoon lived in the Irish countryside, alone
except for the company of his faithful dog, Riley. One day Reily
died and Muldoon was heartbroken. He went to see his parish
priest.
"Father, Reily has passed on. I was wondering if I could have
a service for him here at the church."
"Ah, Mulldoon," said the priest, "we can't be havin' services
for animals in this church. There's a new denomination down
the road a ways. Lord knows what they believe in, but maybe
they can help you."
"Thank you, father," said Muldoon. "By the way, do you think
$5,000 is enough of a donation for the service?"
"Muldoon! Why didn't you tell me the dog was Catholic?"
Kevin Herlihy, Greenfield, MA
One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the evil
that was going on. He decided to send an angel down to Earth
to check it out. So he called one of His best angels and sent
the angel to Earth for a time. When she returned she told God,
"Yes it is bad on Earth; 95% is bad and 5% is good.
Well, he thought for a moment and said, "Maybe I had better
send down a second angel to get another point of view."
So God called another angel and sent her to Earth for a time
too. When the angel returned she went to God and told him that
yes, the Earth was in decline; 95% bad and only 5% good.
God said that this was not good. So He decided to E-mail the
5% that were good to encourage them and to give them a little
something to help them keep going.
Do you know what that E-mail said?
You didn't get one either, huh?
Judith Adamski, Corvallis, OR
We've got some tough Unitarians in our town.
(How tough are they?)
Make 'em mad enough and they'll burn a question mark
on your lawn.
Catherine Salton, Cupertino, CA
Q: What kind of car did Jesus drive?
A: A Chrysler!
Ron Kahn, Jupiter, FL
The Pope, after receiving a message from God that GK could be
saved from the wrath of the Lake Wobegon Lutherans decides to
book a pilgrimage to GK’s studio through Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Unfortunately, upon his arrival in Minneapolis, the Pope learns
that all air travel to Lake Wobegon has been curtailed due to
inclement weather. Recognizing the urgency of his earthly duties
the Pope books a limousine to complete the trip.
Once in the limo, the Pope observes that the chauffeur is driving
at the speed limit, which certainly won’t do. So he taps on
the window and says, “Son, could you kindly step it up a little
bit?”
The chauffeur responds by increasing his speed by 3 mph.
After several miles of this the Pope again taps on the window
and repeats his request.
And again the chauffeur responds with a minor increase in speed.
To which the Pope complains, “Listen son, I really have to get
to Lake Wobegen, to save GK before he goes on the air, could
you please step it up?”
“Your lordship, (Is that what they call the Pope?) I’m about
to lose my license and I simply can drive no faster,” says the
chauffer.
“Well,” says the Pope, “would you mind if I drove?”
“Well, if you are responsible for all your actions … I guess
not,” replies the chauffeur.
The Pope and the chauffeur switch positions. The Pope takes
off like a bat out of hell.
It isn’t long before the Minnesota State Patrol catch the Pope
doing 105 mph in a 55 mph zone. Of course, the officer being
the son of a good Norwegian bachelor, immediately recognizes
the Pope and says, “Your eminence, please hold your position!
I need to call my sergeant.”
Out of breath from his excitement the officer calls his sergeant
on the radio, “Sergeant! Sergeant! I just stopped a man doing
105 in a 55!”
The sergeant responds, “Now, just relax. What’s the problem
with that?”
“It is obvious that the man is very, very important,” the officer
radios back
“Well, then just write him up for 95 in a 55,” responds the
sergeant.
Frantic the officer responds, “That just won’t do. This guy
is far more important than that!”
“How important is this guy anyway?” retorts the Sergeant.
“Well I don’t know,” responds the officer, “but his chauffer
is the Pope!”
Andy Byerly, Northville, Mi
"Sister Mary": Sister Mary burst into the office of the principal
of 'Our Lady of Perpetual Motion' parochial school in a very
advanced state of agitation. "Father!" she cried, "just WAIT
until you hear this! The priest led the sister to a chair, and
said, "Now just calm down and tell me what has you so excited?"
Well, Father" the nun began, "I was walking down the hall to
the capel and I heard some of the older boys wagering money!"
A serious infraction,indeed!" said the priest. "But that's not
what has me so excited, Father" replied the nun, "it was WHAT
they were wagering ON! They had waged on a contest to see who
could urinate the highest on the wall!!" "What an incredible
wager!" exclaimed the priest, "What did you do?" "Well, I hit
the CEILING, father." To which the priest replied... "How much
did you win?"
LeVerne Kidd, Minden, LA.
Adam was walking around in the Garden of Eden feeling very lonely,
so God asked him,"What is wrong with you?" Adam said he did
not have anyone to talk to.
God said that He was going to make Adam a companion and that
it would be a woman. He said, "This person will gather food
for you, cook for you, and when you discover clothing, she will
wash it for you." "She will agree with your every decision.
She will bear your children and never ask you to get up in the
middle of the night to take care of them. She will not nag you
and always be the first to admit she was wrong." Adam asked
God, "What will a woman like that cost?" God replied, "An arm
and a leg." Then Adam asked,"What can I get for a rib?"
The rest is history.........
Jody Witek, Conestoga, PA
Two priests were playing golf. The 1st priest's drive went into
the rough and he muttered, "Damn, I missed the fairway!" The
2nd priest said, "You better watch your language!"
The 1st priest hit his next shot over the green into a bunker
and he cursed, "Damn, I missed the green!" The 2nd priest said,
"You better watch your language, or God will strike you dead!"
The 1st priest finally got his ball on the green and missed
an easy short putt, and he shouted, "Damn, I missed!"
Suddenly the sky turned pitch black and a huge lighting bolt
struck the 2nd priest killing him instantly! A loud booming
voice came down from the sky, "DAMN, I MISSED!!!"
Dave Cich, Alice, TX
A guy was driving along when his car broke down in front of
a church were monks live.The guy asks the monks if he can stay
there for the night.They say yes.During the night he hears a
noise.He asks the monk,"What was that noise?" The monk said,"I
can't tell you your not a monk."Ten years later the same guys
car breaks down in front of the same church.Again he spends
the night there and hears the same noise. Again he gets the
same answer.So he spends the next 20 years becoming a monk.Then
he goes back to the church and asks about the noise. The monk
points to a wooden door. The guy opened the door and there was
the sound.Want to know what the sound was? I can't tell you,Your
not a monk!
Tina Ulrich, Traverse City, MI
A pastor was visiting a fellow pastor in a neighboring church
one day and noticed that he looked disturbed. Asking what troubled
him, he was told that his friend was missing his bicycle.It
seemed that he had always parked his bike by the front of the
church, just behind the big bush. No one passing by could see
it but everyone who attended church knew that was where he always
parked it. He didn't want to accuse anyone from his church of
stealing it, but he did want it back. He didn't know what to
do.His friend suggested that he give a Hell Fire and Brimstone
sermon the next Sunday on the 10 Commandments and really bear
down when he got to Thou Shalt Not Steal. Perhaps the thief
would get a guilty concience and return the bike. He agreed
to try it.The following Monday, the pastor visited his friend
to see how it went.The friend replied" I preached the best sermon
ever on the 10 Commandments, and when I got down to Thou Shalt
Not Commit Adultry I remembered where I parked my Bike".
George Marsh, Cornelius, OR
Two nuns where driving down a country road when their car began
to sputter and finally stopped.
"Looks as though we've run out of gas. Let's go over to that
farm house and see if the farmer can help us."
The nuns went to the farmhouse and talked with the farmer who
is only too happy to give them some gasoline for their car.
"I'm sorry but the only thing I have for you to carry the gas
in is a bedpan."
The nuns where so pleased to get the gas that they didn't care
what they had to carry it in.
As they were pouring the gasoline into the car, another man
pulled up beside them. Puzzled he said, "Sisters, I can't say
that I agree with your religion, but I have to admire your faith!
Randy Sedgwick, Clermont, FL
An old Jewish man was once on the subway and he sat down next
to a younger man. He noticed that the young man had a strange
kind of shirt collar. Having never seen a priest before, he
asked the man,
"Excuse me sir, but why do you have your shirt collar on backwards?"
The priest became a bit flustered but politely answered "I wear
this collar because I am a Father". The Jewish man thought a
second and responded " Sir I am also a Father but I wear my
collar front-ways. Why do you wear your collar so differently?"
The priest thought for a minute and said "Sir, I am the father
for many". The Jewish man quickly answered " I to am the father
of many. I have four sons, four daughters and too many grandchildren
to count. But I wear my collar like everyone else does. Why
do you wear it your way?" The priest who was beginning to get
exasperated thought and then blurted out "Sir, I am the father
for hundreds and hundreds of people." The Jewish man was taken
aback and was silent for a long time. As he got up to leave
the subway train, he leaned over to the priest and said "Mister,
maybe you should wear your pants backwards."
Michael Miller, Rochester, NY
God was taking a little coffee break after having created the
heavens and Earth, when one of his angels appeared looking rather
worried. "God," stammered the angel, "I was down on Earth, taking
a little look around, and I must say you did a fine job. A truly
fine job. But I think there's one problem. I was noticing that
on one of the coasts you really outdid yourself. It has beatiful
beaches, stunning sunsets, fertile soils, majestic mountains,
pleasant temperate weather, near limitless natural beauty, all
manner of food, and to top it off, all of this magnificence
and bounty is clumped together. Why, you can pratically see
the ocean beaches from the tops of the snow capped mountains.
When mankind invents cars, they'll be able to drive to all of
these things within a couple of hours." God looked up from his
coffee and said, "Yeah, so, what's the problem?" "Well," said
the angel, "I was wondering, how are you going to keep all of
the people of Earth from crowding into that little bit of land
on the coast." "Don't worry about it," said God, "that's where
I'm going to put the Californians."
David Palmer, Laurel, MD
When the ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat the occupants were more
than ready to leave. Noah made one last sweep and found a despondent
snake in the hold.--"Why are you sad and why haven't you left?"
asked Noah.--"Because I'm so inadequate" replied the snake.--"Inadequate?"
queried Noah.--"Yes" continued the snake, "The Lord commanded
that we go forth and MULTIPLY and I'm an ADDER."
Marvin Demanzuk, Rogers, Ar
The doctor, lawyer and minister were called to the dying miser's
bedside. The miser said, "I'm going to take it all with me -
I have $90,000 cash. There's $30,000 for each one of you. Just
before they fill in my grave, put the cash in the hole with
me and that way no one will get it!"
The miser died the next week and the 3 men did as he wished.
After the funeral they went out for coffee. The doctor said,
"I have a confession to make. I had a malpractice suit this
week, so I kept $10,000 out to pay for it." The lawyer said,
"I have a confession, too. I paid for a new boat, so I only
put in $10,000 and kept $20,000 for myself."
The minister was appalled. "I'll have you know that I put in
my PERSONAL CHECK for the full amount!"
Alan Felsted, Orlando, FL
A pastor, known for his lengthy sermons, noticed a man get up
and leave during the middle of his message. The man returned
just before the conclusion of the service. Afterwards the pastor
asked the man where he had gone.
"I went to get a haircut," was the reply.
"But," said the pastor, "why didn't you do that before the service?"
"Because," the gentleman said, "I didn't need one then."
Richard Benzoni, Huntington Beach, CA
A farmer was plowing in the field. Across the plowed ground
came his young son. "Father" he said, "there is a preacher up
at the house."
"What kind of preacher?" asked the farmer.
"I don't know" said the young son. " Well, heres what you do
son," said the farmer. "You go back and ask what kind of preacher
he is, and if he is a catholic, you hide all the liquor, and
if he is a baptist, you hide all the food, and if he is a methodist,
you get in your mothers lap and stay there till I get there.
Steve Bridgmon, Owensboro, Ky
A missionary gets sent into deepest darkest Africa and spends
years with the people, teaching them to read, write and good
Christian ways. One thing he particularly stresses is the evils
of sexual sin. Thou must not commit adultery or fornication!!
One day the wife of one of the Tribe's noblemen gives birth
to a white child. The village is shocked and the chief says
"You taught us of the evils of sexual sin, yet here a black
woman gives birth to a white child. You are the only white man
who has ever set foot in our village. It doesn't take a genius
to work out what has been going on!"
The missionary replies says, "No, no, my good man. You are mistaken.
What you have here is a natural occurrence - an albino. Look
to the field. See a flock of white sheep, and yet amongst them
is one black one. Nature does this on occasion."
The chief pauses for a moment then says, "Tell you what, you
don't say anything about the sheep, I won't say anything about
the white kid."
Susan Harrison, Nunnelly, TN
Jesus, Moses, and an old man are out playing golf. (Don't ask
why there isn't a foursome. It's Jesus and Moses. They can pretty
much do what they want to.) Jesus is ready to tee off. He looks
around, gets a feel for the wind, and takes a whack at it. The
ball slices hard to the left and--SPLASH!--Right in the water
hazard. Before the ball can sink, Jesus runs out onto the water
and hits it again. BLAM! It goes straight onto the green.
Now Moses is up. He nails the ball and...SPLASH! Same bad slice,
right into the water hazard. Moses takes his time walking up
to the water, and the ball sinks. So he raises his golf club
into the air, the waters part, he walks down to the ball and...WHACK!
Right on the green.
So the old man is up next. The old man hits the ball and AGAIN
has the same bad slice. This time, the ball sinks into the water,
and a fish eats it. Then a bigger fish eats the smaller fish.
Then a pelican swoops down and eats the fish. Then a hawk swoops
down and attacks the pelican. The pelican coughs up the big
fish, which spits out the smaller fish, which coughs up the
ball, which goes right into the hole...HOLE IN ONE!!!
Jesus turns to the old man. "For crying out loud, Dad, will
you just quit screwing around and play the game?"
Kevin Kelleher, Madison, WI
A new priest at his first mass was so nervous he could hardly
speak. After mass he asked the monsignor how he had done. The
monsignor replied, "When I am worried about getting nervous
on the pulpit, I put a glass of vodka next to the water glass.
If I start to get nervous, I take a sip."
So the next Sunday he took the monsignor's advice. At the beginning
of the sermon, he got nervous and took a drink. He proceeded
to talk up a storm. Upon return to his office after mass, he
found the following note on his door:
1. Sip the Vodka, don't gulp.
2. There are 10 commandments, not 12.
3. There are 12 disciples, not 10.
4. Jesus was consecrated, not constipated.
5. Jacob wagered his donkey, he did not bet his ass.
6. We do not refer to Jesus Christ as the late J.C.
7. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not referred to as Daddy,
Junior, and the Spook.
8.We do not refer to the cross as the Big T!
9.When Jesus broke the bread at the Last Supper he said, "Take
this and eat it, for it is my body", he did not say, "Eat me."
10.The Virgin Mary is not referred to as the, "Mary with the
Cherry".
11.The recommended grace before a meal is not: "Rub-A-dub-dub,
thanks for the grub, yeah God".
and finally...
12.Next Sunday there will be a taffy-pulling contest at St.Peter's,
not a peter-pulling contest at St. Taffy's.
Daniel Beaver, Mayaguez, PR
Age: 13
It's a dark stormy night, two nuns are driving through Transylvania.
Suddenly, a ferocious and bloodthirsty vampire appears in their
headlights. The one nun turns to the other and says "Quick,
show him your cross!" The otyher rolls dowqn thew window leans
her head out and yells "Get out of the road you stupid git!"
Elizabeth Hillman, Gorham, ME
A married woman is having an affair and whenever her lover is
there she puts her young son in the closet. One day during his
visit, the husband comes home unexpectedly so she quickly puts
the lover in the closet as well. The man and boy are sitting
in the closet when the boy says, "Gee, it's kinda dark in here."
The man says, "Yeah, I guess it is." The boy says, "Hey Mister,
you wanna buy a baseball?" The man says, "No, I don't want to
buy a baseball!" The boy says, "Yeah, I think you do." Realizing
his position and a shake down when he hears it, he says, "Alright,
how much?" "Twenty five bucks." "What?! You've got to be kidding.
No! No...oh, all right." and gives over the money. Some time
later the same scene happens again. The man and boy are in the
closet again as the boy says, "Gee, it's kinda dark in here."
"Yeah, it is." "You wanna buy a ball glove?" "No. How much?"
"Fifty bucks." Knowing he's stuck, he pays again. That saturday
the father says to his son, "Hey, go get your ball and glove
and we'll play catch." "Can't Dad. I sold 'em." Thinking the
boy had traded for marbles or some other kid kind of thing he
says, "How much did you get?" "Seventy five bucks." "Seventy
five bucks?!! That's outrageous! That's shameful. That's a sin.
In fact, you're going to confession right now and ask for forgiveness."
The man drags his son to the church, throws him into the confessional
and slams the door. He's sitting in there a while and says,
"Gee, it's kinda dark in here." And the priest says, "Don't
you start that stuff in here!!"
Warren Willis, Mustang, OK
Catholic wife: "Oh what a beautiful bouquet! Where did you get
it?"
Lutheran wife: "My husband brought it to me on Friday when he
came home from work."
Catholic wife: "Well, I'm sure glad my husband didn't bring
me a beautiful bouquet like that. If he had, I'd have spent
the whole weekend stark naked and flat on my back with my legs
spread."
Lutheran wife: "Really? Don't you have a vase?"
Bill Lattin, Owensboro, KY
A leader of the Jewish community contracted smallpox and was
in serious
condition. He called for the Catholic priest to come visit.
The priest was
somewhat flattered and asked him why he did not call the rabbi.
He said, "I
didn't want the Rabbi to get smallpox".
John Jenkins, Jamestown, TN
A man is talking to God one day. He asks, "Hey God, how much
is a million dollars to You?"
God replies, "Oh, about a penny."
The man thinks about this and then asks, "God, how long is a
million years to you?"
God replies, "Oh, about a minute."
The man thinks this over and suddenly gets a bright idea: "Hey
God - can I borrow a penny?"
And God replies "Sure - just a minute."
Sean Osborne, Cross Plains, TN
In recent years I have developed the comforting belief that
when we die, all heels will be wounded-- no, I mean, all wounds
will be healed. (ah, maybe both) -- from an agnostic Unitarian
Universal
Karen Brown, Calgary, Alberta
Little Howard, the Jewish shopkeeper's son, lived in a small
Midwestern city where there was no Jewish school. His parents
decided Catholic school was the next best thing.
One day, Sister Catherine held up a shiny new silver dollar
and said she would give it to the first person who could tell
her who was the greatest man who ever walked the earth. Several
answers rang out but none were correct. Little Howie looked
around the room, stood up and said, "Sister, Jesus Christ was
the greatest man who ever walked the earth!" Sister responded,
"Quite right!" and handed Howie the dollar.
After school, Sister walked up to Howie and asked, "Knowing
your background, how did you come up with that answer today?"
Howie replied, Sister, you and I both know Moses was the greatest
man who ever walked the earth...but business is business!"
Jon Flanagan, Wauwatosa, WI
The Devil's Sister
A small, rural church was about to begin the Sunday morning
service when the devil pops into the building.
Everyone, except one elderly gentleman, goes screaming to the
exits. The devil walks up to him and asks, "Do you know who
I am?" The gentleman answers, "Yes, I certainly do." The devil
said, "Aren't you afraid, like all the others?" "No," was the
reply from the man. The devil said, "Why not?" The man said,
"I have been married to your sister for forty years, and you
can't be any worse than that".
Gene Garland, Elida, OH
Two Jesuits were visiting an old lady in Ireland. It was such
a great honor for her to have two Jesuits over that she went
all out in preparing a meal for them: she milked the cow for
some fresh milk, baked her best bread, and even killed two cockerels
for the feast. She had a splendid evening with her guests, who
ate every speck of that marvelous supper she had prepared. Finally,
that delightful evening had to end, and the two priests went
home. As they were leaving, they heard a cock crow.
"My, that rooster sure sounds pround," said one priest to the
other.
His companion replied, "An' why not, him with two sons in the
Jesuits."
A Jesuit and a Benedictine were eating lunch together. After
lunch, they found out that there was only a single piece of
chocolate cake for dessert. Feeling charitable, they each decide
to share it. The Jesuit splits the cake and takes the larger
piece for himself.
The Benedictine, watching him, says, "If I were you, I would
have taken the smaller piece."
Replies the Jesuit, "What are you complaining about, then?"
Colin McNamara, Burlington, NC
THE STORY OF THE TRIDS
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a race
of friendly Trids, who lived in peace and harmony in their village
in the valley. Now, these trids were a happy lot, and they were
always laughing and playing and having a good time.
That was, at least, until the mean old ogre showed up. The ogre
just appeared one day and set up a nice cabin at the top of
the hill by the valley. At first, everything was OK, but as
the days went on, the ogre started to get very sick and tired
of the laughing and singing coming from the trids' village.
Now, as ogres go, this ogre was a particularly mean one, so
instead of moving, he decided to enslave all of the trids in
the village and make them work day in and day out without singing.
Well, now, the trids didn't much like being slaves, but they
were a quiet, timid race, not prone to revolting. So everyday,
the trids would meet and send one of their people up to the
ogre's house on the top of the hill to ask for their freedom.
Every day, a trid would knock on the ogre's door. The angry
ogre would open the door and, in a huff, bellow, "What do you
want!" The trid would then ask the ogre if he would please consider
letting them go, to which the ogre would reply, "No!!" and kick
the trid so hard that he would fall and tumble down the hill.
Still, every day, the trids would send a representative up to
the top of the hill to ask for their freedom, and every day,
the ogre would just say no and kick the trid down the hill.
Finally one day, the trids, being the good Jewish people that
they were, to send their Rabbi up to the ogre's house to ask
for their freedom. "After all," they argued, "even an ogre wouldn't
dare kick a rabbi!" Well, they called the rabbi and told him
their decision, so the rabbi went up to the top of the hill
and knocked on the ogre's door.
"What is it?" yelled the ogre when he answered the door. "Please,
Mr. Ogre," the rabbi said, "I vas vondering if you could find
it in your hawt to set my people free today?"
The ogre looked at him for a moment and then replied, "No! Now
go away!"
The rabbi responded, "Vat? Aren't you going to gif me a kick
down se hill like you did vis all of my fellow trids?!"
The ogre looked down at the rabbi with just a hint of a smirk
on his face and sarcastically uttered the phrase which would
go down in history: "Silly rabbi, kicks are for Trids!"
Eamonn Walker, Baton Rouge, LA
An old priest invited the younger new priest to his house for
dinner. When the young priest arrived, he was surprised to see
that the old priest had a shapely, beautiful, sensuous house
maid. During dinner, the young priest finally spoke up. "Father
Jacob," he said, "I must ask you about your house maid. She
is beautiful. Don't you find it difficult to resist temptation."
The old priest looked at him coyly and said, "Of course not."
A few days later, the house maid approached the old priest,
and said, "Father, I'm concerned. I can't find the silver serving
spoon. It's always right here in the drawer. I hate to say it,
but it's been missing ever since you had dinner with the new
priest."
So the old priest, not wanting to seem accusatory, writes the
new priest a letter. "Now I'm not saying that you took the silver
serving spoon, and I'm not saying that you didn't take the silver
serving spoon. But the fact remains that since you were here
the silver serving spoon has been missing."
A few days later the old priest received a letter from the new
priest. "Now I'm not saying that you're sleeping with your house
maid, and I'm not saying that you're not sleeping with your
house maid, but the fact remains that if you were sleeping in
your own bed, you would have found the serving spoon by now."
Qwilleran O'Sullivan, Sheboygan, WI
You heard the one about the dyslectic agnostic? He was up all
night trying to figure out if there really is a Dog.
David Palmer, Laurel, MD
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HYMNS AND PRAISE CHORUSES
An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the
big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it
was.
"Well," said the farmer, "It was good. They did something different,
however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns."
"Praise choruses," said his wife, "What are those?"
"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like hymns, only different,"
said the farmer.
"Well, what's the difference?" asked the wife.
The farmer said, "Well, it's like this. If I were to say to
you, 'Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be
a hymn. If on the other hand, I was to say to you, 'Martha,
Martha, Martha, Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big
cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black
and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS, are in the corn, are in
the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,' well, that would
be a praise chorus."
Janet Anderson, St. Paul, MN
A little boy rushes downstairs to the kitchen where his mother
is cooking dinner..."Mother, Mother is it true what they say
in the Bible, that from dust you were made and to dust you shall
return"? She answers..."Yes,dear.
"Well", he says with great anticipation,"you better go upstairs
and look under my bed because there is either someone coming
or going!"
Julie Winters, Los Gatos, CA
What's the difference between an agnostic, an athiest and a
Unitarian?
I don't know, and I don't care, one way or the other!
Christian Rawlings, Provo, UT
A young boy was looking over a list of names in the church bulletin
on a Memorial Day Sunday service, and asked his father, "Dad,
why are all these names in the bulletin?" His father replied,
"These are the names of all the people who died in the service."
The boy's eyes lit up and he asked, "Which one, the 9 o'clock
or the 11 o'clock?
Charles Graham, St. Johns, MI
Two priests died and went to heaven. It seems there was a computer
problem. St. Peter met them at the Pearly Gates and told them
there would be a delay before they could enter. He told them
during the wait they could be something they had always wanted
to be. The first priest said that he had always wanted to be
an Eagle and sore over the mountains. St. Peter said, "No problem."
The second priest stated he would like to be a "stud". St. Peter
said OK. A few days later, God told St. Peter to gather up the
priests, as it was time for them to enter Heaven. St. Peter
said that it would be no problem to find the first priest as
he was an eagle soring over the Rockie Mountains, but finding
the second priest would be a problem. "Why?", asked God. "Well,"
St. Peter replied, "He is on some snow tire in North Dakota"
Marlys Hay, Harwood, ND
An old man died and went to heaven.
Jesus saw him there.
The old man appeared to searching for someone.
The next day, Jesus saw him searching again.
And the next day, Jesus saw him searching and searching.
Jesus went up to the old man and asked him, "Old man, are
you looking for someone?"
The old man said, "Yes, I am looking for my son. You would
know him by the holes in his hands and his feet."
Jesus leaned over and whispered to the old man, "Father?"
The old man answered, "Pinochio?"
Katie Janz, Seattle, WA
A ministers wife and her friend are downtown shopping when
they are just bowled over by a dress in a boutique shop
window. The minister's wife exclaims, "Isn't that a beautiful
dress!" Her friend encourages her to go into the shop and
try it on. "Oh,no" the minister's wife firmly pronounces..."we
could never afford it." Her friend replies,"But, it wouldn't
hurt just to try it on..." So in they go. The minister's
wife tries on the dress and of course it fits PERFECTLY.
Feeling as if the temptation to buy the dress is getting
the best of her, she stiffens up, looks straight into the
mirror and commands,"SATAN! GET THEE BEHIND ME! All of a
sudden you hear from behind... "I AM! And it looks great
from back here too!
Julie Winters, Los Gatos, CA
A Priest and a Rabbi are riding in a plane. After a while,
the Priest turns to the Rabbi and asks "Is it still a
requirement of your faith that you not eat pork?"
The Rabbi responds "Yes that is still one of our beliefs."
The Priest then asks "Have you ever eaten pork?"
To which the Rabbi replies "Yes on one occasion I did succumb
to temptation and tasted pork."
The Priest nodded in understanding and went on with his reading.
A while later, the Rabbi spoke up and asked the Priest, "Father,
is it still a requirement of your church that you remain celibate?"
The Priest replied "Yes, that is still very much a part of
our faith."
The Rabbi then asked him "Father, have you ever fallen to
the temptations of the flesh?"
The Priest replied "Yes Rabbi, on one occasion I was weak
and broke with my faith."
The Rabbi nodded understandingly for a moment and then said,"A
lot better than pork isn't it?"
Dean Hampton, Kansas City, MO
The Three Truths of Religion:
1. The Jews don't recognize the coming Messiah.
2. Protestants don't recognize the Pope.
3. Two Baptists in a liquor store don't recognize each other.
Jody Baker, Myrtle Beach, SC
A farmer discided to eat his lunch at the cafe in town. While
he was eating at the counter, he was reading his Bible. In
walked a salesman, and after seeing that the farmer was reading
his Bible, he sat down beside him. After a moment the salesman
asked, "You don't really believe everything you read in there,
do you?" The farmer looked shocked and said, "Of course I
do, this is God's Word!" The salesman answered, "Well, what
about the story about the guy who was eaten by a big fish
and lived to tell about it?" The Farmer answered, "Oh yes,
the story of Jonah!. Yes, I've read it and believe it." The
salesman asked, "How could have possibly have lived through
that?" The farmer said, "Well, the Bible doesn't give us every
last detail, and I must admit, I have wondered about that
too. I guess I'll just have to wait until I get to heaven
to ask him?" "AHA!" Said the Salesman, "What if he isn't IN
heaven?" The farmer calmly answered, "Then YOU can ask him."
Merri Para, Kingsley, MI
Bible Joke Quiz!
Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married?
A. Ruthless
Q. What do they call pastors in Germany?
A. German Shepherds
Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah; He was floating his stock while everyone else was in
liquidation.
Q. What was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh's daughter; She went down to the bank of the Nile
and drew
out a little prophet.
Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury.
David's Triumph was heard throughout the land.
Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.
Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson; He brought the house down.
Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no
longer
lived in Eden?
A. Your Mother ate us out of house and home.
Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in
the
Bible?
A. Moses; He broke all 10 commandments at once.
Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?
A. The area around Jordan; The banks were always overflowing.
Q. Who is the greatest baby-sitter mentioned in the Bible?
A. David; He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.
Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.
James Morgan, Olympia, WA
A little boy wanted a bike for Christmas so he asked his grandmother
how he could get one. She told him to write a letter to Jesus
asking for one. So he began his letter: "Dear Jesus, If you
will bring me a bike for Christmas I'll go to Mass every day
for a year." Then he got to thinking about that so he tore
up the letter and started another one: "Dear Jesus, If you
will bring me a bike for Christmas I will go to Mass once
a month for a year." Then he got to thinking about that commitment.
He went into his grandmother's bedroom and took her statue
of Mary, wrapped it in a blanket and placed it in the bottom
drawer of his dresser. Then he sat down and wrote: "Dear Jesus,
If you ever want to see your mother again..."
Dean Smith, Austin, TX

|  |  |  |
Sign up here for our weekly e-pistle about what's happening at A Prairie Home Companion! Heck, while you're there, sign up for the daily e-mail from The Writer's Almanac too



A national holiday in Lake Wobegon is always gaudy and joyful. But what is going on between Clint Bunsen and Miss Liberty?
Everyone is here—Pastor Ingqvist, the Sons of Knute, Sister Arvonne of Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility and her ocarina band, the Norwegian bachelor farmers, Dorothy and the Chatterbox Café, Wally in the Sidetrack Tap—as crowds converge on the little town to celebrate American independence, even as the chairman of the event broods on the great question of the day: Shall we struggle on valiantly here or shall we burst the bonds and find beautiful life in the golden west?
|
 

Scripts and bits from A Prairie Home Companion celebrate the secret society of men and women who possess excellent spelling and punctuation skills. (You know who you are.)
Selections include "The Six-Minute Hamlet," a tribute to Emily Dickinson, a Guy Noir adventure that exposes an MFA scam, a riveting "Professional Organization of English Majors" drama, and guests Billy Collins, Robert Bly, Roy Blount Jr., and Calvin Trillin.
|
|  |