An atheist was walking 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. He saw a 7-foot
grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path.
He looked over his shoulder & saw that
the bear was closing in on him.
He looked over his shoulder again, & the
bear was even closer.
He tripped & fell on the ground.
He rolled over to pick himself up but saw
that the bear was right on top of him,
reaching for him with his left paw &
raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant moment, 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 these
years, teach others I don't exist and
even credit creation to 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, and said: 'It would be hypocritical
of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as
a Christian now, but perhaps you could
make the BEAR a Christian?'
'Very well', said the voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the
forest resumed. And the bear dropped
his right paw, brought both paws
together, bowed his head & spoke:
'Lord bless this food, which I am about
to receive from Thy bounty through
Christ our Lord, Amen.'