It's Not An Easy Task

A Catholic Priest, a Baptist Preacher and a Rabbi

All served as Chaplains to the students of Northern
Michigan University at Marquette in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan.

 They would get together two or three times a week
 for coffee and to talk shop.

 One day, someone made the comment that preaching
 to people isn't really all that hard, a real
 challenge would be to preach to a bear. One
 thing led to another, and they decided to do an
 experiment. They would all go out into the woods,
 find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert
 it to their religion.

 Seven days later, they all came together to
 discuss their experiences.

 Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was
 on crutches, and had various bandages on his body
 and limbs, went first. 'Well,' he said, 'I went
 into the woods to find me a bear. And when I
 found him, I began to read to him from the
 Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do
 with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly
 grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy
 Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb.
 The Bishop is coming out next week to give him
 first communion and confirmation.'

 Reverend Billy Bob the Baptist, spoke next. He
 was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in
 casts, and had an IV drip. In his best
 fire-and-brimstone oratory, he exclaimed, 'WELL,
 brothers, you KNOW that we Baptists don't
 sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And
 then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY
 WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me.
 So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We
 wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN
 another until we came to a creek. So I quickly
 DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just
 like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We
 spent the rest of the day praising Jesus. Hallelujah!

 The Priest and the Reverend both looked down at
 the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was
 in a body cast and traction with IVs and monitors
 running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape.
 The Rabbi looked up and said: "Looking back on it,
 circumcision may not have been the best way to
 start."