Converting the Bear

[Burnham Lad]

There was a Catholic priest, a Baptist pastor and a Rabbi who were good friends and used to meet each week for coffee and a chat about their various parishes.

 

One day they talked about preaching; just how easy it was to preach anything to a human. The challenge, they said, would be to preach to a bear.

 

So, next week they went out to find a bear to convert.

 

A week later they met again. The Catholic priest had his arm in a sling and scratches all over. "I went out, he said, " and found a bear. I began teaching him the Catechism but he got a bit upset and roughed me up some." "I sprinkled him with Holy water and he became as gentle as a lamb."

 

The Baptist pastor had both arms in casts and a broken leg in a cast as well. "As you know, we believe in immersion to baptise." he said, "I found a bear and began preaching from the New Testament but this bear wanted to wrestle. We rolled down the mountain, through the scrub and fell into the creek. Once I dunked the bear and baptised it he was as meek as a lamb."

 

Both looked down upon their friend, the Rabbi, who was in a full body cast and lying in a hospital bed, his leg in traction.

 

"Finding a bear and preaching to it was no problem," said the Rabbi, "But, MY LIFE, the fuss he made over the circumcision!"......