A Joke

From Prairie Home Companion.

Why can't Episcopalians play chess?

They can't tell the difference between a Queen and a Bishop.

Look - I love +Gene.  But it's funny.

Comments

[bls]

It is funny. Keillor's a 'Piskie, too, I think.

[Jim Naughton]

This joke was making the rounds in London when the Primates met there in 2003. Glad it has found a wider audience.

[Nick]

...an oldie but a goodie

[David Huff]

How many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb ?

Change ? what do you mean CHANGE ?! My MOTHER gave that light bulb to the Church !

[K]

I thought he was Lutheran.

[bls]

Well, it's tough to tell, really. Here's a little blurb with a quote from him on the topic:

"Garrison Keillor was raised in Minnesota, amid the austerity of the fundamentalist Plymouth Brethren. Despite the strictness of the Brethren, Keillor was deeply touched by his church’s “reverence for the Word, for the Book, and for language.”

As an adult, Keillor was drawn to a more high-church tradition: “A boy who grew up in the Brethren is an easy mark for the Episcopalians. They march into the dim cathedral chanting ancient things in their beady gowns and blowing smoke at him and the next thing you know he is reading prayers out of a book.” But he felt he lacked “the manual dexterity to be a true Episcopalian, who must juggle the prayer book, hymnal, and the order of service, and sometimes a special mimeographed Kyrie or Sanctus.” Now he considers himself “within range” of Episcopalianism."

"Within range." That's new one, even for me. I guess we make the call....

[ginny]

Hah! Good ones. I'll have to wait for the right moment to share the first one with my priest. ;)

[John Wilkins]

He's been rumored to attend St. Michael's church on the Upper West Side.

[Nick]

I believe Garrison is Lutheran, but he's been known to make an Episcopal joke or two.

[Derek]

No, as bls says he's not a Lutheran. He's just got a great stash of Sven and Ole jokes...

[Jay]

That was a good one all right; another favorite from the same show:

"Knock-knock."
"Who's there?"
"Control freak."
"Control fr..." [is hastily cut off mid-answer]
"Now you say, 'Control freak who'!"

[Phil Snyder]

Q: How many Anglo-Cathlocs does it take to change a light bulb?

A: None - they use candles

Q: How many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb?

A: 2 - one to call the electrician and 1 to mix the drinks

Q: How many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb?

A: Between 30 and 300!
1 Priest to bless the new bulb
1 Choir Director to write an anthem in priase of the bulb
1 Soloist to sing the new anthem
1 Verger to process the new sexton to the place where the new bulb is to be installed
1 Sexton to install the new bulb
3 Acolytes to figit and make faces at each other
The balance (22 - 292) to sit as the congregation and answer "Yes" when the priest asks: "Will you who witness this do all in your power to support this new bulb in its work of shining the light of the gospel into the world?"

If you can't laugh at yourself, everyone else will!

YBIC,
Phil Snyder

[J. C. Fisher]

Another PHC joke-show fave (from a few years back):

Q: How do you circumcise a whale?

A: Send down four skin-divers!

(foreskin divers? More of an audio joke!)

[J. C. Fisher]

Re Keillor's religiousity:

I think GK suffers from that "Convert Cognitive-Dissonance" thang.

That's the one where it's too painful to publicly (unequivocally) acknowledge one's new faith (I once knew a guy like this. An older, ethnic Jew---of a time and place where he got beat up, as a youth, by putative "Christians"---he couldn't really acknowledge his conversion. Ergo, he couldn't say he was a Christian . . . but he could call himself a Presbyterian! *LOL*)

[Long Memory]

Wait.

Who says Keillor was talking about +Gene...?