An atheist was taking a walk through the woods.
What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What
beautiful animals!" he said to himself. As he was
walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the
bushes behind him.
He turned to look and saw a 7 foot grizzly bear charge
towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over
his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on
him.
He looked over his shoulder again and the bear was
even closer.
He triped and fell on the ground.
He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear
right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw
and raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the Atheist cried out to the Lord.
Time stopped, the bear froze, the forest was silent. A
bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of
the sky, "You deny my existence for all of these years,
teach others I don't exist, and even credit creation to
a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of
this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"
The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be
hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a
Christian now, but perhaps could you make the BEAR a
Christian?"
"Very well," said the voice.
The light went out.
The sounds of the forest resumed. And then the bear
dropped his right paw, brought both paws together
and bowed his head and spoke: "Lord, bless this food,
which I am about to receive through Christ our Lord,
Amen."
