When a boy went off to college, his father said, "Don't ever let the take away your faith."
Back home after two years of college the son was asked, "Do you still believe the Bible? I hope you didn't let them weaken your faith in the Bible. You still believe Jonah was swallowed by a fish?"
"Oh, now, Father," said John, "you don't mean to say that you still believe that story about Jonah?"
The father threw up his hands, horror-stricken. "Oh, son, you've forsaken you father's faith!"
"Father, is Jonah still in your Bible? Have you read about him lately? Father, get your Bible and show me where you find anything about Jonah."
With considerable indignation the father took down his Bible and began to turn over the leaves excitedly, but could not find Jonah.
"Now, Father, I may have played a mean trick, but two years ago when I went to college, I took your Bible and carefully cut out the pages of Jonah, and you have never missed it."
The father's face revealed an inward struggle. Then he quietly said, "I see it. I'm as bad as the unbelievers. There has been no Jonah in my Bible for two years."
