Can't Fool Finnegan

email from a friend | 4/23/2022 | unknown

[sodpoodle]

Gentlemen, I have been riding your trains daily for the last two years, and the service on your line seems to be getting worse every day. I am tired of standing in the aisle all the time on a 14-mile trip. I think the transportation system is worse than that enjoyed by people 2,000 years ago. Yours truly, Patrick Finnegan

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Dear Mr. Finnegan, We received your letter with reference to the shortcomings of our service and believe you are somewhat confused in your history. The only mode of transportation 2,000 years ago was by foot. Sincerely, Irish Railway Company -----------------------------------

Gentlemen, I am in receipt of your letter, and I think you are the ones who are confused in your history. If you will refer to the Bible and the Book of David, 9th Chapter, you will find that Balaam rode to town on his ass. That.... gentlemen, is something I have not been able to do on your train in the last two years! Yours truly, Patrick Finnegan.

[sodpoodle]

God bless.

[Mark17]

😀

[Hieronymus]

A subtle piece of self-effacing humour here in that it simultaneously pokes fun at the inability of Catholics to quote chapter and verse, or even get the story quite straight.

Balaam wasn’t riding to town—he was riding to a place that overlooked the Israelite encampment—and there is no book of David, it occurs in the Book of Numbers—about chapter 20 (the beginning of the Balaam incident which runs roughly chapters 20-24, with the exception of him getting whacked in about 32 and making a Cameo in Revelation).

I don’t guarantee chapters, and won’t attempt verses, but am good on the books—good enough to qualify as a Catholic Scripture scholar.

But much of the time, I would prefer to hang out with someone who both knows how to tell a joke and how to take a joke. This is a good joke—enhanced by the book of David and the vague knowledge of Balaam

[alexander_busek]

I would prefer to hang out with someone who both knows how to tell a joke and how to take a joke.

An unbeatable combination.

(I'm lucky if I understand that it was a joke!)

Regards,

[T-Bird45]

Thanks for the Bible lesson wrapped around an Irish joke. I love Irish jokes because of my personal heritage and this one certainly had me going until the reference to the “Book of David” where I go “WUT????” I knew there was going to be a “riding on his ass” somewhere and I was left wondering where Finnegan was going to pull the reference. Thanks for clearing it all up. I also agree about knowing how to tell and take a good joke.

[jacknhoo]

I took it as being written by an Irish Prod.

[bk1000]

Hilarious. I sent it to my preacher.

[sodpoodle]

Thanks- I needed that;)

Cannot believe that an Irish joke would need so much Biblical analysis!!!

[Hieronymus]

I took it as being written by an Irish Prod.

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Probably right—While I was able to spot the secondary joke, I was wondering who might come up with something that subtle and why.

For a more neutral (and accessible) self-effacing Irish piece of humour, I offer “The Orange and the Green” by the Irish Rovers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqs4EbU02As

[jacknhoo]

That was excellent, thanks I really enjoyed that.

I’m 50% Irish, my mother’s side 100% Irish.