Different Religions

[Axel]

About a century or two ago, the Pope decided that all the Sikhs had to

leave Italy. Naturally there was a big uproar from the Sikh community.

So the Pope made a deal. He would have a religious debate with a member of

the Sikh community. If the Sikh won, the Sikhs could stay. If the Pope

won, the Sikhs would leave.

The Sikhs realized that they had no choice. So they picked a middle aged

man named Santa Singh to represent them. Santa Singh asked for one

addition to the debate. To make it more interesting, neither side would be

allowed to talk. The Pope agreed.

The day of the great debate came. Santa Singh & the Pope sat opposite each

other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand & showed three

fingers. Santa Singh looked back at him & raised one finger. The Pope

waved his fingers in a circle around his head. Santa Singh pointed to the

ground where he sat. The Pope pulled out a wafer & a glass of wine. Santa

Singh pulled out an apple. The Pope stood up & said I give up. This man is

too good. The Sikhs can stay.

An hour later, the cardinals were all 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

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

the ground & showing that God was also right here with us. I pulled out

the wine & wafer to show that God absolves us from 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 Sikh community had crowded around Santa Singh. "What

happened?" they asked. "Well," said Santa Singh, "First he said to me

that the Sikhs had three days to get out of here. I told him that not one

of us was leaving. Then he told me that this whole city would be cleared

of Sikhs. I pointed down to let him know that we were staying right here

in this land."

"Yes, yes & then???" asked the crowd.

"I don't know", said Santa Singh, "He took out his lunch & I took out mine."