mysteries of rhetorical nuance

[Jonathan Lighter]

As I drove down a shady lane the other day, I noticed a small church by the
roadside, which exhibited rhetorically remarkable marquee.

It said,

LIFE WITHOUT JESUS
HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT FOR YOU?

I laughed. The idiom framing the question seemed carefully chosen to be wry
and suggestive rather than solemn and direct, like those I've seen on many
similar marquees.

Essay 1: Precisely what is the incongruity that makes the question seem
intentionally humorous? How might one explain the nuance to a non-native
speaker?

Essay 2: What are the chances that the letterer didn't see anything funny
or unusual about it?

JL
--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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