The Pope and Raj

[eyetie]

About a century or two ago, the Pope decided that all the Indians had to
leave Italy. Naturally there was a big uproar from the Indian community.
So the Pope made a deal. He would have a debate with a member of the
Indian community. If the Indian won, the Indians could stay. If the Pope
won, the Indians would leave. The Indians realized that they had no
choice. So they picked a middle aged man named Raj to represent them.
Raj asked for one addition to the debate. To make it more interesting,
neither side would be allowed to talk. The Pope agreed. The day of the
great debate came. Raj and the Pope sat opposite each other for a full
minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers.

Raj looked back at him and raised one finger. The Pope waved his fingers
in a circle around his head. Raj pointed to the ground where he sat. The
Pope pulled out a wafer and a glass of wine.

Raj pulled out an apple. The Pope stood up and said, "I give up. This
man is too good. The Indians can stay."

An hour later, the cardinals were all around the Pope asking him what
had happened. The Pope said, "First I held up three fingers to represent
the trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that
there was still one God common to all religions. Then I waved my finger
around me to show him that God was all around us. He responded by
pointing to the ground and showing that God was also right here with us.
I pulled out the wine and wafer to show that God absolves us from our
sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an
answer for everything. What could I do?"

Meanwhile, the Indian community had crowded around Raj. "What happened?"
they asked. "Well" said Raj , "First he said to me that the Indians had
three days to get out of here. I told him that not one of us was
leaving.

Then he told me that this whole city would be cleared of Indians. I let
him know that we were staying right here."

"Yes, yes,.. and then???" asked the crowd.

"I don't know", said Raj , "He took out his lunch, and I took out mine!"