An atheist was seated next to a little girl on an airplane andThanks to Ann.
He turned to her and said, "Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger."
The little girl, who had just started to read her book, replied to the total stranger, "What would you want to talk about?"
" Oh, I don't know," said the atheist. "How about why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?" as he smiled smugly.
"OK," she said. "Those could be interesting topics but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?"
The atheist, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."
To which the little girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death, when you don't know shit?"
And then she went back to reading her book.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
LITTLE GIRL ON A PLANE
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Whereas, the little girl knows shit.
ReplyDeleteSermon illustrations are usually loaded. Not worthy of you, Grandmère.
Murdoch, I'm sorry you don't like the joke. I don't see it as a sermon or as an attack on atheists. I thought it was funny. That's all.
ReplyDeleteObviously, you take a different view.
Well, it comes across as a bit smug and sanctimonious. it plays to the stereotype of the humorless atheist obsessed by insulting other people's faith, and delights in taking him down a peg.
ReplyDeleteSo no, I didnt find it funny either. Though I love the comeback which might be well employed in a variety of other situations.
And you, IT? Well, I'm surprised. Most jokes are at the expense of someone or some group or other, but I did not think this one would offend. I see I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was funny.
ReplyDeleteIn hindsight, the fact that the Arrogant Atheist went after a *little girl* is probably a bit much.
How 'bout if the a(nti)theist approached, say, "Grandma Hayseed" (No, I'm not thinking about anyone in particular! ;-p) w/ the same "conversation starting" (?) questions, and got the same rejoinder? Then, I think the joke would rock!
I thought it was funny.
ReplyDeleteThanks, JCF. Um, the joke doesn't say 'Arrogant Atheist', although it does say the atheist 'smiled smugly'.
And the little girl doesn't even say that God made the animal shit the way it is.
I've heard atheists who don't know shit about religion make dumbass comments about religion. And I've heard religious folks who don't know shit about science make dumbass comments about science. So why can't we have a joke about either group?
Well --I have a commenter I usually spam that is as rude as rude as rude can be --and he claims to be an atheist --and this made me laugh because I wish I had as pithy a response to some of his smug tirades!
ReplyDeleteBut I laugh at the oddest things sometimes! --even anti-Christian jabs... oh well. Sometimes there is no sense in me at all !!!
But I laugh at the oddest things sometimes! --even anti-Christian jabs... oh well.
ReplyDeleteAs I do, margaret. After all, I post Jesus and Mo strips.
Don't forget that a recent study showed that atheists often know more than Christians about Christianity.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wasn't offended per se. I just didn't find it funny. Perhaps because most of the people I know IRL are atheists, and not one would spend their time talking about religion. They just don't care enough about it.
IT, we don't all like the same kind of humor, and that's fine. I post what I think is funny with the understanding that not everyone will appreciate the humor.
ReplyDeleteAnd what study might that be. Since you can't measure faith it would be impossible to measure
DeleteI called it "a sermon illustration" because it's the same sort of contrived situation leading to a contrived conclusion. IT saw it as I did, a putdown, not a joke.
ReplyDeleteActually, one could have an interesting conversation about shit. Grass isn't very nourishing, so different animals have developed ways of wringing sustenance out of it. Rabbits eat their pellets to run it through the digestive system again, cows have an extra stomach where the stew is fermented. Lots of facts and implications to consider. God, Heaven, Hell? You believe or you don't. Nothing to discuss, except disagreements on interpretation of the stories. In my day -- Baptist: "Once saved, always saved!" Methodist: "The Elect can fall away." The excesses of Rome vs. the marriages of Henry No. 8. Etc., etc.
The little girl and her intrusive traveling companion would do well to confine their conversation to shit.
I don't know what else to say. It's a joke. I didn't parse it, because it made me laugh, and I posted it...as a joke, not to make some profound statement. Some readers don't find the joke funny, which is fine by me.
ReplyDeletePS: Since my commenters and I are so often of the same mind, it's somewhat refreshing to have a difference of opinion.
ReplyDeleteYay for Jesua and Mo.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with IT. I did start thinking about the different digestive systems of cows, horses, and deer and where I would find the info.
ReplyDeleteOn the Christian side, I quite like nakedpastor. One that might be appropriate for this community
http://www.nakedpastor.com/2011/07/21/valuing-online-community/
Erp, it's a joke. As I see it, you either think it's funny or you don't. Or you may take offense, which I did not intend. Any of those responses are legitimate, but to parse the joke, to look at the science behind the statements, seems to me to go in the wrong direction. It's a joke.
ReplyDeletePS: I like Naked Pastor, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a joke!
ReplyDeleteI've made it a standard practice when I don't enjoy a joke to say nothing. This strategy works very, very well for me.
I've met both atheists and Christian who say things "smugly" and if we can't poke fun at either, or each other, then the sandbox becomes much less fun. Frankly, I have found that when Episcopalians are the butt of a particular joke, I and my Episcopalian friends are the ones who enjoy it the most.
I've made it a standard practice when I don't enjoy a joke to say nothing. This strategy works very, very well for me.
ReplyDeleteAs I have, KJ. And I agree that Episcopalians are usually quick to laugh when they are the butt of jokes.
If a joke isn't funny, let it go. No harm done, and you aren't the humor police. If a story is offensive, not to say something is to condone. When people complain about the racist, homophobic, anti-feminist, eliminationist talk on right-wing radio, Russ Limbaugh for one always says, It was a joke. I'm an entertainer. Lighten up.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that Grandmère was amused by the thought of a little girl saying a naughty word. I often find mildly risqué items here to forward to e-pals who include me in "Send this to everyone on your list" mailings. Those I delete without comment, unless they're too sexist or right-wing; to those I may register an objection for the benefit of the poster, who meant no harm. Grandmère's usual "Blame Bob" postings let me respond appropriately without questioning my e-pal's taste in humor.
I objected very mildly to this particular story, supposing that a moment's thought would show why it doesn't work. The discussion seems to have come down to whether it was in fact a joke. Opinions differ, as opinions will, world without end, but I hope the reactions have been informative, if not educational.
Murdoch, you're welcome here to have your say and express your opinion AND to let me know why you thought the joke didn't work. I said I was surprised you thought it was a sermon, because I had no intention of preaching when I posted the joke.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that Grandmère was amused by the thought of a little girl saying a naughty word.
Please don't put thoughts into my head that possibly were never present. There I draw the line.
I said "I suspect." The thought was mine. Your thoughts are your own. Sorry to have nudged the line. And sorry to yammer on with repeated comments. A line of mine was crossed, and I wish I could be clearer and more concise in limning it. A mess. I'll depart now, if not in peace.
ReplyDeleteWell, I thought it was funny.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy.
ReplyDeleteA Priest was seated next to a little girl on a plane and he turned to her and said, "Do you want to talk? The little girl, who has just started to read her book replied, "What would you want to talk about?" The Priest said, "How about god?" as he smiled like a pedophile. "OK", she said, "But let me ask you a question. A horse, a cow and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass; Yet a deer excretes little pellets, a cow turns out a flat patty and a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?" The Priest, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "I have no idea." To which the little girl replies, "Do you really feel qualified to discuss if a god exists when you don't know shit?"
ReplyDelete(Fixed)
Philip, thank you for your version. As I often say about jokes and other matters, there is nothing new under the sun. Especially with jokes, there are many different versions floating around of the same basic story, with only changes in the details.
ReplyDeleteFunny how this assumes "Atheist" is an identifiable group of people. Other than the fact that he doesn't believe in God this label is useless...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure a good majority of people here don't believe in Unicorns or Pixies. Is that reason enough to put us all under the same label?
This guy in the story is just an arrogant idiot... nothing more.