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From: gmf@uvacs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d
Subject: Old Offensive Joke
Message-ID: <1300@uvacs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 12-May-84 16:59:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: uvacs.1300
Posted: Sat May 12 16:59:18 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 13-May-84 10:26:56 EDT
Lines: 32


In the light of recent discussions about offensiveness, I would like to
hear opinions on this one.  It was told in a letter of 12 Oct 1760
(yes, 1760) from Diderot to Sophie Volland.  I will quote from a
translation by Peter France (published 1972):

     "He [the person Diderot got the story from] was doing a course in
midwifery with a famous man called Gregoire.  This Gregoire believed in
all seriousness that a child who died without having a few drops of cold
water sprinkled on his head and certain words spoken over him would be in
a bad way in the world to come.  Consequently, whenever a birth was
difficult, he baptized the child in its mother's womb--yes, in its
mother's womb.  Can you guess how he did it?  First he pronounced the
words: 'Child, I baptize you', then he filled his mouth with water, and
blew it in the appropriate place as far as he could; then he would wipe
his lips on a towel, saying: 'It only needs the hundred thousandth part
of a drop to make an angel.' "


I should add that the person Diderot got the story from was a priest,
and that Diderot introduces it as a scurrilous--though not serious--
story, in a letter to a girlfriend.  Since this is likely a true
story, someone might hold that it is therefore not a joke.  Or
someone might hold it's not funny, whether true or fictional.
I expect, though, there are a fair number who will find it
funny, as well as a goodly number who will find it offensive.
There is a soupcon here of an erstwhile topic, viz. the origin of
jokes.  One can see how this story could be turned into a modern-sounding
alleged joke by redoing it in some present-day format, perhaps
updating the punch line, possibly de-theologizing it.

     Gordon Fisher