Religious debate with Moishe
About a century or two ago, the Pope decided that all the Jews had to
leave Rome. Naturally there was a big uproar from the Jewish community.
So
the Pope made a deal. He would have a religious debate with a member of
the Jewish community. If the Jew won, the Jews could stay. If the Pope
won,
the Jews would leave.
The Jews realised that they had no choice. So they picked a middle-aged
man named Moishe to represent them. Moishe 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. Moishe and the Pope sat opposite
each other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and
showed three fingers. Moishe looked back at him and raised one finger.
The
Pope waved his fingers in a circle around his head. Moishe pointed to
the ground. The Pope pulled out wafers and some wine.
Moishe pulled out an apple. The Pope stood up and said, "I give up. This
man is too good. The Jews can stay."
An hour later, the cardinals were all around the Pope asking him what
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 and showing that god was also right here with
us. I pulled out the wine and the 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 Jewish community had crowded around Moishe. "What
happened?" they asked. "Well," said Moishe, "First he said to me that
the Jews 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
Jews. I let him know that we were staying right here."
"And then?" asked a woman.
"I don't know," said Moishe. "He took out his lunch and I took out
mine."