=: The Atheist :=

An atheist was walking through the woods, admiring all that the

accidents that evolution had created. "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. Turning 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

and saw the grizzly was closing.

Somehow, he ran even faster, so scared that tears came to his eyes. He
looked again and the bear was even closer. His heart was pounding and he

tried to run faster. He tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over
to pick himself up but the bear was right over him, reaching for him
with its left paw and raising its right paw strike him. At that instant
the atheist cried: "Oh my God!...."

Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent.

Even the river stopped moving.

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 that 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 ask to be a Christian after all these years, but perhaps you could

make the bear a Christian?"

"Very well" said the voice.

The light went out. The river ran. The sounds of the forest resumed.

...and then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together
and bowed its head and spoke: "Lord, for this food which I am about to
receive, I am truly thankful."