Finally after all these years....

[RevTim]

The moral of the story is that there was a guy pretending to be a Christian but in reality was bent on his own destruction (after all, how many real Chrsitians do you know who would have, or act on, suicidal thoughts?).

After he jumped his peers blamed his death on conservative fundamentalists and rewrote the story, just as liberals in society today blame their ills on conservatives.

How's that for an interpretation?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...................

There are some variations on the joke, but basic theme & outcome are the same.

 

[Jeff]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...................

There are some variations on the joke, but basic theme & outcome are the same.

Yep, "KJVO" and "Modern Versions" are interchangeable, though each one likes to believe it can only be told one way. In any case I would rather have my hero being the one who reaches out to save the other one as he jumps and then is accused of pushing him over the edge than the one bent on suicide.

It may be funny, buts it's definitely not on the level of a Biblical parable though some may use it that way.

 

[Jeff]

"KJVO" and "Modern Versions" are interchangeable, though each one likes to believe it can only be told one way.

I'm wondering:

1.) Which side tells this joke more (KJV?s or MV?s)?
a) Does this show that that side is actually MORE critical of the other?
b) That the other side are dour, humorless people?
c) Other?

2.) Is the purpose of this joke to
a) Exhort the congregation to be tolerant of brethren with different views (e.g. Romans 14)?
b) Thank the Lord you?re not like your brethren on the other side of the issue (Luke 18:11)?
c) Other?

 

[Jerry]

Is the purpose of this joke to

To me the joke is much less about any of the specific issues in the joke, such as Bible versions, and much more about the overall theme presented in the joke. I've used it in conjunction with teaching on Ephesians 4. Verse 3 tells us to "endeavor", or to "make every effort", to keep the unity of the Spirit. Yet we are willing to break unity over just about anything. At times it appears we actually promote our disunity to whomever is willing to listen, and even revel in the fact that we are fractured and splintered. The joke brings this to light by exaggerating the lengths to which we will go in order to remain "distinctive."

Another joke along the same lines that I love:


A man is rescued from a desert island where he survived alone for fifteen years.

Before leaving, he gives his rescuers a tour of the little town he had constructed over the years to keep himself from going insane. He points to each little building in turn. "Here is my house, over here is the general store, this is the restaurant, and there is where I go to church."

One of the rescuers points to a building that was not introduced, "What is that building over there?"

"Oh." the man replies, "Thats where I used to go to church."

 

[Jeff]

Thanks for your response Jerry .

I have other things to focus on the next couple of days, so MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! How blessed we are to know what Christmas is really about!

 

[Jeff]

Back to the “bridge” joke. I still wonder if the joke itself couldn’t be considered divisive even when given in a lesson about unity.

Maybe next time you tell it you should change the antagonist from the KJV’er to the MV’er, assuming you’re an MV’er and have been telling the joke the way it is written on this thread. As I’ve already mentioned the joke can be told either way as people on both sides of the issue can be rather critical (to put it mildly) of the other.

Doing so would have a couple of effects. It would have a surprise ending to those who have heard it the other way a number of times. And rather than just making them think that the other side are the offenders it may make them consider whether they are really above reproach. If any of us think we’re incapable of any kind of fault in the matter we’re probably actually the worst offenders.

(Have we hijacked this thread enough yet? )