An 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. He saw a 7 foot grizzly 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. His
heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. 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. And 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..."