Is the Pope Polish?

A phrase that used to mean 'absolutely yes' when Pope John Paul II was the pope, but now it means 'no'. It's a substitute for your true answer. Instead of saying no outright, you lead the person to your answer by saying 'is the pope Polish'? And of course, the answer is 'no', thus implying that 'no' is the answer to the question they asked you before.

Bronislaw: Are you going to make pierogi tonight for dinner?
Oles: Is the Pope Polish?

*as the Pope isn't currently Polish, Bronislaw knows that Oles means 'no, I will not make pierogi tonight for dinner'*

Is the Pope Polish?

Back in the day, before there had been a Polish Pope, back when no one thought there would ever be anything other than an Italian Pope, people used to say this ironically, that is, as a way to say "no way, not in a thousand years!"

Now it can be used to indicate something that was thought to be improbable but that actually happened.

Another old one was "does a wild bear shit in the woods?" which led to "Does the Pope shit in the woods"

ORIGINAL USAGE:
Do you think we'll get a good raise this year?

Is the Pope Polish?

ALTERNATE NEW USAGE:
Do you think Obama will try to run for President in 2016?

Is the Pope Polish?

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