In response to the following joke (Telegram Scare):

Schwartz and Feldman, partners in the garment industry, had just suffered through their worst season ever. Eight thousand madras sports coats were hanging on the rack unsold, and bankruptcy was looming closer each day.

Out of the blue, in walked a buyer from Australia. "I say there," he began, "you boys wouldn't happen to have any madras sports coats, would you? I've been looking for them everywhere."

Schwartz said there MIGHT be a few left, and soon a deal was made whereby the eight thousand jackets would be . . .

In response to the following joke (Telegram Scare):

Schwartz and Feldman, partners in the garment industry, had just suffered through their worst season ever. Eight thousand madras sports coats were hanging on the rack unsold, and bankruptcy was looming closer each day.

Out of the blue, in walked a buyer from Australia. "I say there," he began, "you boys wouldn't happen to have any madras sports coats, would you? I've been looking for them everywhere."

Schwartz said there MIGHT be a few left, and soon a deal was made whereby the eight thousand jackets would be shipped to Australia at a handsome profit.

"There is one thing though," said the Australian buyer. "For an order this large, I'll have to get a confirmation from my home office. I don't anticipate any problem, and unless I send you a telegram by this Friday, the deal goes through as planned."

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday passed slowly, with the partners nervously waiting to see if the Australian would change his mind. Friday morning went by without incident. Schwartz and Feldman were closing up shop when, at five minutes to five, there was a knock on the door: "Telegram!"

The partners froze. Trembling, Feldman grabbed the telegram and opened it.
Suddenly, his face lit up. "Schwartz, GREAT NEWS! Your brother died!"

RF wrote (very nicely I might add):

Pastor Tim,

Yes, I know the Pearly Gates jokes are a slap in the face at theology. That's fine.

And my problem with this joke isn't that it isn't funny. My objection is that it is a stereotypical attack on Jews. Please - Schwartz and Feldman - in the garment industry? How obvious.

You could have made the names ANY names and the industry in which they were selling ANY industry. Then the 'joke' would have just been dumb. I am sure there are many out there scratching their heads not getting it anyway.

But to assume that a Jewish garment dealer would be happy because his business deal went through, and not care about the brother's death, is horrible. This only perpetuates the stereotype of the all-business, money-loving Jew.

I challenge you to write a retraction in the next email to everyone.

Thank you,

RF

Pastor Tim replied.

RF,

Challenge declined - because you are reacting to the theologically incorrect part of the joke ? I know that all Jews aren't that way. It's just a joke ? not an attack and nowhere in it does it say all Jews are all business and money loving anymore than would the last names both being Italian mean the same about Italians.

BTW, the list is not a slap in the face at theology. It is a list to send out funny things that contain within them things that are poor in theology. There is a big difference. I like theology ? I have built and sacrificed my whole life in response to my study of God and subsequent trusting of Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of my sins. I also like humor and so the PearlyGates list is a forum for me to share jokes that I like under the understanding that those jokes are not saying what some might want to interpret them as saying due to their own theology or sense of political correctness.

God bless,

Pastor Tim