Just a joke? with poll

I participate regularly in a nonpolitical message board.  Yesterday morning a joke was posted.  Another poster and I simultaneously posted (courteous) responses objecting to it.  The original poster said that she was sorry that we were "offended", and offered to remove it.  There followed many responses supporting the original poster, and expressing bewilderment that the two of us had a problem with the joke.  As the day wore on, some vicious comments about us appeared.  Below the fold is the joke and a few of the dimmer and/or nastier comments.

It disturbed both me and my fellow pariah that not one person on the board understood our objections, let alone agreed with us.  I'm interested to hear what you think.

Here is the joke:

A college professor, an avowed atheist and active in the ACLU, was teaching his class. He shocked several of his students when he flatly stated that once and for all he was going to prove there was no God. Addressing the ceiling he shouted:

"GOD, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes!!!!!"

The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by.

"I'm waiting God, if you're real, knock me off this platform!!!!"

Again, the professor taunted God saying, "Here I am, God!!! I'm still waiting!!!"

His count down got down to the last couple of minutes when a SEAL, just released from the Navy after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and newly registered in the class, walked up to the Professor. The SEAL hit him full force in the face, and sent the Professor tumbling from his lofty platform. The Professor was out cold!! The students were stunned and shocked. They began to babble in confusion. The SEAL nonchalantly took his seat in the front row and sat silent. The class looked at him and fell silent.....waiting.

Eventually, the professor came to and was noticeably shaken. He looked at the SEAL in the front row. When the professor regained his senses and could speak he asked: "What the h--- is the matter with you?! Why did you do that!?"

The SEAL replied "God was really busy protecting America's soldiers, who were busy protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot!!! So he sent me!!"

Here are a few comments:

This posting was more about God more than anything else to me.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God"

I have to agree with X, Y and Z--I had no idea that anyone would be offended. The idea that God exists and is busy in the world working out His plan came through loud and clear for me.

Whewwwww baby! I'm so glad to see the intellectuals of this Board ride forth in such a righteous manner! Man I'm gonna sleep mcuh better tonite knowing you're all on duty!

And here is my favorite, edited for length.  Need I say, "Sic"?

OH my, you offened some professors that think their chit don't stink, that is all. ...
Always on this board the more educated seem to get high on their horse, NOT ALL OF THEM. Only those you don't know how they got there in the first place.
I have an MA and decided not to persue a PHD because I changed my field to the family business. NOW you see so many people were behind you more than were not in my opinion. ...
Gee it took so long for women professor's to be estalbished as leaders and wow did they ever lower themselves here by not just taking a joke for what it was.