A clerk where I work at circulated a list of jokes to the majority of our staff that included many of a religious note. Most of them with the punch line involving someone dying and then learning the "truth". I found her action quizzical not only because she should be aware that a number of her colleagues don't have the same religious views as she does, but also because of the nature of the jokes. Even to a christian, how can someone going to hell be considered funny? To me finding any satisfaction in anyone being tortured for eternity is just plain sadistic. I sent her back an e-mail stating that I thought the humor was inappropriate and offensive. I'm an not sure what anyone else thought about it.

Here is the first joke on the list she sent me. I am curious what you guys think about it, and what kind of workplace religious bigotry you may have encountered.


A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".
The teacher asked, " What if Jonah went to hell?"
The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".

i agree that this is completely inappropriate for the work environment. it's not even really a joke. it's another weak attempt from a christian to try and push their beliefs on other people. the tiny humor in the message is obviously just to disguise the real message she is trying to send. grrr, stuff like this really irritates me!

Well, I laughed, but that's probably because I have a dark sense of humor, and nothing offends me. Religious jokes still aren't appropriate for the workplace, unless the workplace is a comedy club or a church.

There is much you can read into that joke. It's sad that someone could be so indoctrinated into a belief to not even question stories after being presented with contradicting facts. I probably would have laughed more if they would have left off the heaven and hell part and just said- "lets pray about it". Heaven and hell is a joke anyway. Why would I want to go to the Christian heaven? There will be no interesting people there.

Here is my take on how the story of Jonah and the whale got started and why it stuck. Remember this story was written back when most folks still considered the sun and moon as representatives of gods.

What really happened...

A bunch of guys went out on a three day bender. Jonah's property, I mean wife, was pissed when he got home. He sold her a story about how he got swallowed up by a whale.

The next day the fellas got together. The conversation probably went something like this-
"You told her that?"
"Yep"
"And she believed you?"
"Yep, she bought it hook, line, and sinker."
"We gotta write that down."
"Yeah, write down that I can stone her if she doesn't believe me as well."

Fast forward to a group of men sitting around deciding bible canon.
"By a show of hands, whose old lady still buys this excuse for three day benders?"
*counts hands*
"Ok, we keep this."

I never had the guts to try this story, but only because I live in Kansas.