A priest, a Southern Baptist preacher, and a rabbi served as chaplains at Northern Michigan University. They met regularly for coffee and conversation.
One day, they mused that preaching to people was easy; the real challenge would be preaching to a bear. Spurred on, they decided on an experiment: each would go into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.
A week later, they reconvened to share their experiences.
Father Flannery, his arm in a sling and on crutches, spoke first. "I found a bear and began reading from the Catechism," he said. "He wanted nothing to do with me and started slapping me around. So I grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him, and—Holy Mary, Mother of God—he became as gentle as a lamb. The bishop is coming next week to give him first communion and confirmation."
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next from his wheelchair, with limbs in casts and an IV drip. In fiery oratory, he declared, "Brothers, you KNOW we don't sprinkle! I found my bear and began reading from God's HOLY WORD! But he 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. I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. He became as gentle as a lamb, and we spent the rest of the day praising Jesus."
The priest and the reverend then looked at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed in a body cast and traction, hooked up to IVs and monitors. He was in terrible shape.
The rabbi looked up and said, "Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start."