A man goes to his priest and says, “Father, I try to be a good Christian, but I also smoke. Is it alright if I smoke while praying?”
The priest frowns and replies, “My son, praying is a conversation with God; it is for the purification of the soul. It would be a shame to interrupt that with something as impure as smoking.”
The man thanks the priest and leaves.
A week later, the man comes back and asks the priest, “Father, I try to be a good Christian, but I also smoke. Is it alright if I pray while smoking?”
The priest smiles and replies, “My son, you may pray anytime.”
— joke told by Mark Pilgrim’s grandfather