It was first told by Boccaccio, but it is still told in the streets of Rome today as if it had been just thought up, and maybe you have heard it.
Once upon a time there were two friends. One was a devout but ignorant Catholic, and the other was a quick-witted and well-read Jew (or you can make him a Lutheran, or a Communist, or the enemy du jour, whoever). They would often debate religion and related matters, and the unbeliever tended to tie up the Catholic in knots. At which point the Catholic friend would usually reply: "Well, you can get me because I'm ignorant. You should go and argue this with our great prelates and Cardinals in Rome, I'm sure they could answer you."
So one day the Jew decided to take him at his word. Besides, he had business in Italy, and besides, he fancied a visit to the great city.
Many months passed. Eventually the friend came back... baptized.
"So you did argue with them?"
"Well, not exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was in Rome a long time. A long time. And I had a good opportunity to see how things are done and how the Church works. And I had to conclude that God was indeed holding it up, because nothing else could possibly explain that something so crazy could still be going on!"
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Date: 2010-03-11 05:35 pm (UTC)Once upon a time there were two friends. One was a devout but ignorant Catholic, and the other was a quick-witted and well-read Jew (or you can make him a Lutheran, or a Communist, or the enemy du jour, whoever). They would often debate religion and related matters, and the unbeliever tended to tie up the Catholic in knots. At which point the Catholic friend would usually reply: "Well, you can get me because I'm ignorant. You should go and argue this with our great prelates and Cardinals in Rome, I'm sure they could answer you."
So one day the Jew decided to take him at his word. Besides, he had business in Italy, and besides, he fancied a visit to the great city.
Many months passed. Eventually the friend came back... baptized.
"So you did argue with them?"
"Well, not exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was in Rome a long time. A long time. And I had a good opportunity to see how things are done and how the Church works. And I had to conclude that God was indeed holding it up, because nothing else could possibly explain that something so crazy could still be going on!"