The Atheist
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 charging
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 tripped 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: "Oh my God!..."
Time stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
As 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. The bear dropped his right paw, sat back on his haunches, brought both paws together, bowed his head and spoke:
"Lord, bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy
bounty ... thru our Lord... Amen."