A priest, a Pentecostal preacher, and a rabbi get together twice a week for
coffee 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.

Seven days later, they're all together to discuss the experience.

Father Flannery, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various
bandages on his body and limbs, goes first. "Well," he says, "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 a lamb. The bishop is coming
out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both
legs in casts, and an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he
claimed, "WELL brothers, you KNOW that we 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 as you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest
of the day praising Jesus."

They both looked down at Rabbi Goldberg, who was lying in a hospital bed. He
was in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of
him. He was in bad shape. The rabbi looks up and says, "Looking back on it,
circumcision may not have been the best way to start."